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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $161.95
Aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries with hints of lavender and violets. Full body, chewy and polished tannins and...
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $186.78
This is amazing on the nose with blackberry, black truffle, dried cherry and hints of tobacco. So complex on the...
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $165.10
The highlight in this range, the exquisite 2014 Tignanello is all about persistence and understated class. The...
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $195.95
Fantastic aromas of dark berries, sandalwood and Spanish cedar that are ever so deep. Full body, an incredible spin...
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $197.12
#1 TOP 100 CELLAR SELECTIONS 2020. This fragrant, savory red carries aromas of underbrush, plum, blue flower, cocoa...
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $156.95
Aromas of cassis, menthol, blue flower and pipe tobacco shape the nose on this gorgeous red. A blend of Sangiovese,...
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $167.74
This wine brought to mind precise imagery of tailcoats, striped dress pants, wingtip collar shirts and other...
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1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $410.71 $436.93
The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Tignanello was born in a classic growing season that saw some cooling summer rains and...
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $166.53
The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Tignanello was born in a classic growing season that saw some cooling summer rains and...
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96
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Bottle: $414.95 $439.51
Newly on the market now, the 2020 Tignanello shows a gorgeous bouquet with an upfront and accessible personality....
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375ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $114.04
Newly on the market now, the 2020 Tignanello shows a gorgeous bouquet with an upfront and accessible personality....
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Newly on the market now, the 2020 Tignanello shows a gorgeous bouquet with an upfront and accessible personality....
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $162.88
The currants and spices are very pretty, with some hazelnut undertones. Medium- to full-bodied with juicy tannins and...
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A dark, brooding wine, the 2012 Giusto di Notri presents a compelling array of dark stone fruits, grilled herbs,...
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750ml - Case of 6
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Love tasting this with a real sexy character plus currants, hints of spice and cinnamon. Full to medium body. Ripe...
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This has a wonderful texture of beautiful, ultra-fine tannins, complex character of dark fruit, currants, hazelnuts...
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A bright and fruity red with a level of tightness and precision that suggests greatness. Medium to full body. Intense...
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A rich, layered red with berries, chocolate and blueberries. Lightly smoky. It’s full-bodied and layered with ripe...
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750ml - Case of 6
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Sweet berries and spice with dried-chili and walnut undertones. Currants, too. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that...
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500ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $216.52

Cognac Italian Red Blends Mencia Tequila

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.

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.