×
Sale
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $34.37 $36.18
12 bottles: $29.81
D’Usse was developed as a brand and is a bit cagey about age and appellation. It’s curiously dark amber for a...
VM
92
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $134.94 $141.60
12 bottles: $134.52
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $84.94 $91.20
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $38.40
12 bottles: $36.48
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $56.94 $60.00
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $84.94 $87.60
12 bottles: $83.24
Beautiful amber colour. Complex nose with notes of dried fruits and prune. Round attack with fatness releasing the...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $34.94 $36.00
12 bottles: $34.24
Intense nose; very fruity aromas, banana and pear predominating, evolving to floral aromas, notes of white blossom...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $143.94
12 bottles: $141.06
Deep orange colour, slightly amber with brown tints. Nose of toasty wood and hazelnut complemented by stone fruit...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $87.60
12 bottles: $83.22
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $52.94 $55.20
12 bottles: $52.44
Vibrant -yellow-gold in color, this full-bodied blend of Ugni Blanc and Baco Blanc resounds with a rich butterscotch...
12 FREE
WE
95
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $54.00
6 bottles: $49.20
12 FREE
Sale
Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $39.90 $42.04
12 bottles: $39.10
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $61.56 $64.80
This VSOP Cognac is aged for four years in oak barrels, followed by six months in Mizunara, a particularly...
12 FREE
WE
93
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $104.88 $110.40
An incredibly enticing bouquet of orange blossom, honeysuckle, ripe peach, and vanilla prime the palate for a racy...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $173.94
Cognac PARK Borderies Mizunara Single Cask 2004 draws its specificity from a marriage of Single Cru Cognac which is...
12 FREE
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $69.60
This silky single-vineyard Cognac hits all the right notes, layering rounded vanilla, sherry and butterscotch with...
12 FREE
WE
98
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $38.76 $40.80
12 bottles: $31.64
We recognise firstly the combined aromas of spring-dried flowers, of baked apples and of macerated cherries that open...
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $58.80
12 bottles: $50.16
Candied orange peel, vanilla and oak tease the nose. Meanwhile, the palate is oak-forward, translating into vanilla,...
12 FREE
WE
90
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $98.04 $103.20
6 bottles: $86.40
Crafted to magnify the exquisite characteristics of the Grande Champagne, a famed growing region known for producing...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $116.28 $122.40
Made with a blend of brandies aged 20 to 25 years, this is a pleasant sipper, with complex flavors that unfold...
12 FREE
WE
93

Armagnac Cognac Ice Wine Xinomavro

Armagnac is a beloved grape brandy, hailing from the beautiful French region of Gascony, in the south-west of the country. It has been in constant production since sometime just before the fifteenth century, and over the decades has been the toast of royal households across Europe. Today, it is still enjoyed for its unique flavor profile and characteristics, and although it is understandably compared with Cognac, its more famous cousin, lovers of Armagnac claim that its distinctive rusticity and full body make it a superior brandy, perfect as a digestif or as an evening treat.

Armagnac is made from more than one grape varietal, but the major player in this drink is the fine Ugni Blanc grape, more commonly known by its Italian name, Trebbiano. This is one of the most widely planted grape varietals in the world, and grows beautifully in Gascony, which has a similar microclimate as its neighbouring wine region, Bordeaux. Armagnac grapes reveal fascinating and complex flavors after distillation, which commonly include christmas cake, earthy, oaky notes and praline.

Armagnac is sold under two categories - vintage, and non-vintage. A vintage Armagnac is made from a blend of grapes which have been grown in a single year, and will have the date printed on the label. Non-vintage Armagnacs, on the other hand, are labelled according to their age. V.S indicates that the brandy has been aged for a minimum of two years, VSOP for four years, XO six years, and Hors d’Age is a premium Armagnac which has been aged for at least ten years.

For over three hundred years, Cognac has enjoyed its reputation as the king of brandies. Indeed, it is widely regarded as the finest drink to be distilled from grapes to be found anywhere in the world, and it is a testament to its producers and the master craftsmen who make it that this reputation has never faltered, and remains as strong as ever to this day.

Cognac is produced solely in the beautiful towns of Cognac and Jarnac, found about fifty miles north of Bordeaux, on the west coast of France. Here, around six thousand grape growers work exclusively in the production of white wine, used for the Cognac distilleries which are scattered throughout the region. The wines are made primarily from the Ugni Blanc or Trebbiano grape - one of the most commonly planted grape varietals in the world - which benefit from the cool, coastal climate and mineral rich soils which are found there. The wines themselves wouldn’t be suitable for drinking in themselves, as they are high in acid and low in alcohol, but this makes them ideal for distillation, and they can impart their wonderful, complex, rich flavors to the brandy.

Cognac varies quite significantly from bottle to bottle, depending on how long it has been aged for, and which appellation it comes from. The Cognac region is split into six separate Crus, all with their own distinctive characteristics, and the spirit can be aged from two years (VS) to six (Hors d’Age and Napoleon) and longer.

Xinomavro is the predominant grape varietal of Macedonia, although it is also grown in many parts of Greece where the climatic conditions are suitable for this particular fruit. The names translates as 'acid black', which gives some clue as to the nature of this varietal. The grapes are renowned for their high tannin content, which is a result of the thick and blue-black skins found on the fruit. This particular characteristic results in a superb aging potential in wines made from the Xinomavro varietal, as time spent in barrels softens these strong, astringent tannins and allows the full range of their flavors to come through in the wine. Most commonly, Xinomavro grapes are associated with aromas of red gooseberry, spices, olives and dried fruit, such as dried tomato.