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Pre-Arrival
Momento Grenache Noir 2021
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$36.05
The 2021 Grenache Noir comes from Paadeberg in Swartland, 30% whole bunches aged 16 months in 500-liter French oak...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$64.22
The Schola Sarmenti 2013 Primitivo Diciotto is the proverbial "big boy" wine from Puglia. If you don't get that from...
Pre-Arrival
Sine Qua Non Grenache Distenta II 2020
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$321.82
(97-100) The 2020 Grenache Distenta II is a blend of mostly 78% Grenache and the rest Mourvèdre, Syrah, Petite...
Pre-Arrival
Sine Qua Non Grenache Profuga 2018
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$331.63
Tasted out of bottle, the 2018 Grenache Profuga is firmer and more focused than the 2019 and has deep, layered,...
Pre-Arrival
Sine Qua Non Grenache Profuga 2018
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle:
$322.60
Tasted out of bottle, the 2018 Grenache Profuga is firmer and more focused than the 2019 and has deep, layered,...
Pre-Arrival
Sine Qua Non Grenache Shakti 2014
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$467.74
The 2014 Grenache Shakti is blended of 88% Grenache, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Petite Sirah and 2% Touriga Nacional, coming...
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Sine Qua Non Grenache The Gorgeous Victim 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$341.44
Tasted from bottle, the deeply hued 2017 Grenache The Gorgeous Victim checks in as 76% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 9%...
Pre-Arrival
Swinney Grenache Farvie 2018
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$110.93
Alluring aromas of deep spice, fresh summer berry and pepper, then to a harmonious palate graced with very fine...
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Terroir Sense Fronteres Guix Vermell Negre 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$378.58
Tons of licorice on the nose, but also a deep, earthy note. Enormous tannic power, but the tannins are fine and they...
Pre-Arrival
Terroir Sense Fronteres Guix Vermell Negre 2018
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$355.87
This is a crazy wine with such depth and compact character with blue fruit and shaved graphite. Full to medium body....
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$48.70
Pre-Arrival
Torbreck Les Amis 2009
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$213.00
The oak in the 2009 Les Amis is still apparent, but it's much better integrated than in the 2006. Hints of toasted...
Grenache Mavrodaphne Mencia Primitivo
The purple skinned grapes of the Grenache varietal have quickly become one of the most widely planted red wine grapes in the world, flourishing in several countries which have the correct conditions in which they can grow to ripeness. They thrive anywhere with a dry, hot climate, such as that found in central Spain and other such arid areas, and produce delightfully light bodied wines full of spicy flavors and notes of dark berries. Their robustness and relative vigor has led them being a favorite grape varietal for wineries all over the world, and whilst it isn't uncommon to see bottles made from this varietal alone, they are also regularly used as a blending grape due to their high sugar content and ability to produce wines containing a relatively high level of alcohol.
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.