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750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$40.28
Aromas of redcurrant and small wild blueberries with a touch of salinity. The palate is vibrant and smooth with...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$66.44
Fragrant aromas of red berries, fresh citrus, crushed herbs, and a hint of cocoa. Crisp and refreshing on the palate...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$117.00
Aromas of wild berries, citrus rind, garrigue, and pipe tobacco. Concentrated and fresh on the palate with integrated...
750ml
Bottle:
$76.94
Undergoing a four-week maceration followed by approximately nine months in French oak (50% new), Es is intoxicating:...
750ml
Bottle:
$133.60
Gianfranco Fino has rightfully entered the range of those winegrowers tied to traditions wishing to save old...
750ml
Bottle:
$21.20
12 bottles:
$20.78
• 100% Mavrodaphne.
• Low yielding vines from loamy clay soils.
• Fermented and aged in stainless steel.
750ml
Bottle:
$12.87
$14.30
12 bottles:
$12.35
100% Jacquère. The Abymes appellation sits lower and the slope than the Apremont and is on generally flatter land....
750ml
Bottle:
$14.94
$16.25
12 bottles:
$14.25
100% Jacquère. The cru of Apremont is planted on steeper slopes in comparison with Abymes. Stainless steel...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$22.50
Deep purple color with crimson highlights. Elegant floral nose with peony and violet flowers along with the typical...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.32
$19.28
12 bottles:
$14.00
Big, inky-black fruit, spice and white pepper; layered and rich in the mouth with jammy black cherries, truffles,...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.24
12 bottles:
$15.92
Deep ruby red with violet reflections. Intense fruity bouquet with notes of plum and cherry, hints of Mediterranean...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.94
6 bottles:
$16.60
A balanced, medium-bodied red, with light tannins and a subtle underpinning of fresh, loamy earth layered with...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.34
$15.59
12 bottles:
$14.05
Dense ruby red with a purplish rim, it is immediately intense on the nose with marked aromas of ripe and fleshy red...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.73
12 bottles:
$13.99
Dark, brooding and spicy, the 2019 Primitivo di Manduria lifts up with notes of crushed rocks, cardamom and black...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.90
$18.00
Raspberry coulis and fresh soil with grass popping through on the nose turns to an almost cake-like raspberry and...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.94
12 bottles:
$15.62
Vivid ruby red. Floral scents with notes of wild strawberry and red currant, with slightly spicy hints on the nose. A...
Jacquere Mavrodaphne Mencia Primitivo
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?
As with many European grape varietals, there is some debate regarding the precise origins of the Primitivo grape. Most people now agree that it probably came from Croatia, where it is still used widely in the production of red wine, and it known as Tribidrag. However, today it is a grape most commonly associated with the powerful red wines of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, where the intense sunshine and brisk Mediterranean breezes produce grapes of remarkable character and balance. Primitivo is a dark grape, known for producing intense, inky, highly tannic wines, most notably the naturally sweet Dolce Naturale and the heavy and complex Primitivo di Manduria wines. Primitivo tends to be naturally very high in both tannin and alcohol, making it ideal for both barrel and cellar ageing, which brings out its more rounded and interesting features.
Primitivo is not the easiest grape to grow or manage, and it has had something of a difficult century. Indeed, by the 1990s, there was little interest in Puglian wines in general, and winemakers were neglecting their Primitivo vineyards and looking to other, more commercially viable varietals. However, the last decade has seen this grape come well and truly back into fashion, with new techniques and a heightened interest in native Italian grape varietals bringing Primitivo back into the spotlight. It is now widely loved for its intensity and ability to be paired with strongly flavored foods.