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750ml
Bottle:
$13.93
$14.73
12 bottles:
$13.18
La Valentina Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is an excellent example of the Abruzzo region’s most characteristic wine—a...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$13.70
Red ruby in color. On the palate it is soft and enveloping. Medium to full-bodied and lightly candied, with dark...
750ml
Bottle:
$24.72
6 bottles:
$24.00
Lightly chewy and fresh, this balanced, medium-bodied red has a subtle, pleasing toasty edge to the flavors of...
750ml
Bottle:
$22.39
12 bottles:
$20.52
Ripe nose with lots of dried fruit. Dried figs, creme de cassis, dried cherries, dry earth and baking spices. Juicy...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$17.72
So and expressive, revealing a deep strong character. Well-tempered silky tannins with flawless fruit reminiscent of...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$39.81
Creamy oak gives this a rather hedonistic feel to the blackberries with walnuts and some new leather. A hint of figs....
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$37.71
Deep and impenetrable ruby red with a purple edge. Delightful nose with ripe scents of cherries, plums and...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.59
12 bottles:
$15.28
Full of plum fruit, licorice, earthiness, and black cherries. Fullbodied, silky texture with medium tannins and...
750ml
Bottle:
$13.94
12 bottles:
$13.66
Thick and intense color; aromas of ripe red fruit combined with leather notes. On the palate is full-bodied and...
750ml
Bottle:
$93.50
6 bottles:
$89.42
Gold color. Aromas and flavors of honey and toasted vienna malt, white flowers and oak dust, orange marmalade, and...
750ml
Bottle:
$10.80
$12.00
The appellation, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, reveals exactly what this wine is: montepulciano grapes from the Abruzzo...
Blaterle Japanese Whiskey Montepulciano Nero D'avola 750ml
Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.
The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.
Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.
While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.
Montepulciano grapes are one of the most widely cultivated varietals in Italy, with vines growing in twenty of Italy's ninety five provinces. This varietal is renowned for producing high yields, making it popular with vintners looking for a relatively easy varietal to grow. Whilst the grapes tend to have a low skin to juice ratio, the skins themselves are remarkably high in tannins with a lot of pigmentation, which means they often produce rather well bodied wines with a beautiful deep, dark color The wines of Montepulciano grapes are most commonly associated with soft, rounded characteristics, with plenty of juicy, plummy flavors The wines are known for being very smooth and drinkable, and easy to match with a wide range of foods.
Italy’s largest island, Sicily, has a wine producing history that can put most other European regions to shame. It was producing quality wines before the days of the Roman empire, and even the Ancient Greeks were not the first to cultivate vines on the island. For as long as anyone knows, the key grape varietal of Sicily has been Nero d’Avola, the beautiful, deep blue skinned grape which produces the region’s characterful, powerful red wines. While in the past, Nero d’Avola was mainly used as a blending grape, due to its deep color and intensely full body, it is today being increasingly celebrated as a single varietal wine grape, and is perfect for those who like their wines boisterous, loud and strong.
Nero d’Avola is grown pretty much everywhere on Sicily, as demand for wines made from this grape have never been higher. Despite its power and body, it is quite a versatile grape - it can be aged in oak barrels, which produces a dense and dark wine which puts its intense characteristics to good use, but it is also often drunk quite young, which allows its jammy, plummy character to come forward. It is also used to make rose wines in some appellations of Sicily, demonstrating a softer side to this otherwise heavy, deeply flavorful grape.