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750ml
Bottle:
$25.78
$27.14
12 bottles:
$20.90
A complex nose full of raisins, sweet spiced nuts, vanilla and caramel aromas. In the mouth it is spicy with a...
750ml
Bottle:
$41.94
Finger Lakes Distilling Apple Brandy is made from a blend of apples grown in New York State—mostly table varieties...
375ml
Bottle:
$29.94
Grappa is unaged pomace brandy made from highly aromatic Finger Lakes grapes. We crush and ferment the entire grape...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.32
$19.28
12 bottles:
$13.83
COLOUR: Coppery amber with sparkles of old gold. AROMA: Balanced and clean, with nuances of wood that has contained...
750ml
Bottle:
$20.98
$22.08
12 bottles:
$16.04
COLOUR: Old gold with rainbow reflections. AROMA: Balanced and clean, with the fragrance of wood that has contained...
750ml
Bottle:
$34.95
$37.80
100% Arneis from the Roero, grown in marl and sandstone soils from the Pliocene era. This is a young, fresh version...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.00
100% Nebbiolo; this pomace is from grapes that were pressed for Barolo, from Barolo and Monforte d’Alba. Aged for 6...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.00
6 bottles:
$30.60
100% Nebbiolo from the Roero and Langhe. Flavored with an infusion of apricot wood for 2-3 months, then aged for 4-5...
750ml
Bottle:
$34.43
$36.24
6 bottles:
$24.00
Currant & Prune Dark. Brown Sugar Honey & Toasted Oak.
375ml
Bottle:
$59.95
"Reminds of light aromas, biscuit, vanilla, arancini (panettone); notes of pomaceous fruit peel on the palate,...
375ml
Bottle:
$67.95
Fresh, clean and lightly vegetal—but not outright carroty—this palate-cleanser of an eau de vie will remind some...
375ml
Bottle:
$114.94
Delicately pronounced, light, lemony aroma, with subtle spice on the palate; typical Elderberry notes, very spicy,...
375ml
Bottle:
$123.95
The bright ginger aroma is underpinned by an earthy note. On the palate, this eau de vie is light and fresh, with...
375ml
Bottle:
$66.95
The hazelnuts are macerated in the base spirit, yielding an opulent, sweet-and-savory aroma, with a deceptively dry...
Brandy Grappa Mavrodaphne Mencia
Like so many of the great spirits of Europe, Grappa was born from a need to make resources go that little bit further, to eke out the last drop of flavor and potential from the crops of winemakers. Indeed, Italian vintners invented Grappa as a way to make use of the pomace - leftover grape skins, stems, pulp and seeds - which remained after the juice was extracted from the fruit needed to make wine. Over the centuries, the process was refined, and the distillation of Grappa became an art in itself. Today, top Grappa producers use a range of state of the art equipment, from continuous stills to pot stills, to manufacture a wide variety of Grappas, each with their own distinct characteristics.
Most of us know Grappa from our local Italian restaurants, where it is commonly served as a digestif. However, in the twenty first century, there is a high interest in unique, boutique Grappas, which showcase the talent of the distillers through a range of interesting qualities. Grappa can be aged in oak, in which case it takes on a beautiful golden color, quite different from the clear Grappas we are most familiar with. The high end Grappas are a world away from the harsh spirit many of us have encountered, and have a smooth, gentle quality which can be nothing short of a revelation.
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?