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375ml
Bottle:
$30.19
12 bottles:
$27.93
At 6,788 feet above sea level in the remote mountain town of Jesús María, Felipe Camarena masterfully crafts this...
750ml
Bottle:
$51.47
$54.18
At 6,788 feet above sea level in the remote mountain town of Jesús María, Felipe Camarena masterfully crafts this...
750ml
Bottle:
$38.08
$40.08
6 bottles:
$31.50
Astral Tequila is made with 100% Blue Weber agave, slowly nurtured by the cyclical passing of warm daylight skies and...
750ml
Bottle:
$29.53
$31.08
6 bottles:
$26.10
Astral Tequila is made with 100% Blue Weber agave, slowly nurtured by the cyclical passing of warm daylight skies and...
750ml
Bottle:
$32.38
$34.08
6 bottles:
$24.30
Astral Tequila is made with 100% Blue Weber agave, slowly nurtured by the cyclical passing of warm daylight skies and...
1.8Ltr
Bottle:
$32.49
$34.20
6 bottles:
$31.20
A remarkably elegant honjozo popular with local Miyagi drinkers, this is made from premium Yamada Nishiki rice milled...
720ml
Bottle:
$16.25
12 bottles:
$15.44
A remarkably elegant honjozo popular with local Miyagi drinkers, this is made from premium Yamada Nishiki rice milled...
750ml
Bottle:
$99.18
$104.40
12 bottles:
$94.62
Look: Dark copper with great silkiness in the glass. Nose: Strong wood with hints of black pepper and dried fruit....
750ml
Bottle:
$67.26
$70.80
12 bottles:
$62.70
Look: Crystalline with silver sparkles; clean and transparent. Nose: Notes of cooked agave, herbal aroma, and green...
750ml
Bottle:
$70.68
$74.40
12 bottles:
$67.26
Mint, oregano, watermelon rind, and a sour, lactic vibe of raita or kefir on the nose is followed by an intricate and...
750ml
Bottle:
$80.94
$85.20
12 bottles:
$76.38
Look: Coppery and slightly golden. Nose: Persistent smell of agave, light vanilla and dried fruits. Presence of...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$21.50
A vin de soif, made in a light, refreshing style. Earthy with some smoked meat aromas on the nose. The palate is...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$19.01
A vin de soif, made in a light, refreshing style. Earthy with some smoked meat aromas on the nose. The palate is...
750ml
Bottle:
$151.21
$159.17
4 bottles:
$119.99
Pungent aromas of sandalwood, cantaloupe, mesquite smoked meats, and sage are softened by sweet notes of vanilla and...
750ml
Bottle:
$67.71
$71.27
6 bottles:
$59.18
Excellent, Highly Recommended (Finalist) - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
750ml
Bottle:
$74.02
$77.92
4 bottles:
$64.60
Primary notes of oak, vanilla, caramel and warm spices, like cinnamon. This aromas are complemented by hints of...
375ml
Bottle:
$29.96
$31.54
12 bottles:
$19.48
Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation (Finalist) - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
Mavrodaphne Mencia Sake Tequila
In the Archaea region, high in the Northern Peloponnese mountains, the predominant grape varietal grown is the prized Mavrodaphne. Meaning 'Black Laurel', the Mavrodaphne grapes have extremely dark skins, and ripen slowly under the Greek sunshine, helped by the mineral rich soils the vines thrive in. This grape varietal is mostly used to produce the opaque, inky fortified wine of the same name, which is popular all over Greece and elsewhere in the world. This fortified wine allows the grapes to really show off their complex and fascinating flavors, which range from a rich marzipan to flavors of bitter chocolate, sweet coffee, dried figs and prunes, as well as plenty of jammy fruit notes.
Mavrodaphne is produced in a traditional method which involves leaving the grape juice exposed to the sun in large vats, before having its fermentation halted by the addition of various distillates taken from previous successful vintages. This mixture contains plenty of residual sugar, which gives the end result its characteristic sticky sweetness, and also helps with the next fermentation process, which typically takes place in large underground cellars. The final product is a heady drink, absolutely bursting with unusual, rich and sweet flavors and carried in a dark and slightly viscous Port-like liquid.
Mavrodaphne grapes are also used for the production of still red wines, but are generally blended with varietals such as Agiorgitiko or imported grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. Mavrodaphne grapes are excellent for mellowing more acidic varieties, and producing deliciously rounded wines, which have taken the international market by storm in recent decades.
Additional Information on Greek Wines
Greek Wines
Ancient Greek Wines – A Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Myth of Dionysus, Greek God of Wine
What is Retsina?
Tequila is probably Mexico’s greatest gift to the world of fine spirits, and is also possibly one of the most underestimated and misunderstood drinks in the world. Widely used for shots and slammers, and more often than not associated with parties and hangovers, Tequila is in fact a wonderful drink full of subtleties and expression of terroir, that is highly rewarding for those who look into its finer points.
One of the special things about Tequila is the fact that it is capable of expressing the fine nuances and subtle notes of its raw material, far more so than other, similar spirits. That raw material is, of course, the Blue Agave - not a cactus, as is commonly believed, but rather a succulent quite like a lily, which grows in the deserts of Mexico mainly around the province of Jalisco. The Blue Agave takes a decade to mature, and during those ten years, it takes in many of the features of its surroundings, just like a grapevine would. This is why Tequila varies in flavor and aroma from region to region, from the earthier Tequilas of the lowlands, to the more delicate and floral examples from areas of a higher altitude.
The picking and peeling of the spiky Agave, and the distillation process of Tequila is a complicated one, and one which is carried out with enormous skill by the jimadors and master craftsmen who produce the spirit. Steam cooking of the body of the plant is followed by crushing, then fermentation and distillation completes the process. The end product is categorized according to whether or not it is made with pure (‘puro’) agave, or blended with other sugars, and according to how long the spirit is aged for.