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750ml
Bottle:
$16.85
12 bottles:
$16.51
A blend of 80% Grasparossa di Castelvetro with 20% Lancellotta. The Lancellotta is a
less tannic clone that helps...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.00
12 bottles:
$17.10
The 2023 Lambrusco di Sorbara Corte degli Attimi is a deep ruby-red color in the glass, exploding with a rush of...
700ml
Bottle:
$91.20
12 bottles:
$80.94
Fukano Blonde—an all-new, limited expression from the famed distillery—is bottled to showcase the beauty of...
700ml
Bottle:
$93.48
$98.40
12 bottles:
$88.92
Texturally robust and aromatically refined, Fukano’s Sherry Cask whisky feels and tastes downright luxurious....
700ml
Bottle:
$79.80
$84.00
Each individual cask displays Fukano’s signature aromas of ripe fruit and toasted baking spice—think...
700ml
Bottle:
$1199.94
This blended whisky is an ideal sipper, with an enticing crème brûlèe and dried apricot scents. Those notes are...
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...
700ml
Bottle:
$78.66
$82.80
NOSE: Ripened dark fruits, white pepper, and aged allspice mix harmoniously with subtle citrus & morning dew. PALATE:...
750ml
Bottle:
$100.70
$106.00
Kaiy? whisky is matured in the finest Japanese Mizunara oak casks. These casks are handmade due to Mizunara oak’s...
750ml
Bottle:
$78.17
$82.28
This was aged in Japan's rare Mizunara oak for the entirety of its maturation, which includes three-month ocean...
750ml
Bottle:
$71.82
$75.60
Sandalwood aromas are robust and exhilarating on the nose. The cedar cask influence is immediately apparent in the...
700ml
Bottle:
$106.80
A floral nose of summer melon, stone fruit, and lemongrass transitions to a rich, complex palate that leans into...
700ml
Bottle:
$97.20
Freshly hewn wood, stone fruit, and citrus on the nose precede a well-balanced palate of vanilla, orange marmalade,...
700ml
Bottle:
$78.66
$82.80
This single malt whisky marks Kanosuke's first consistent release in the 6 years since their opening in 2018. Like...
Japanese Whiskey Lambrusco Mencia Roditis
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.
Some grape species are distinct and unique varietals, clearly separate from each of their cousins. Others, like Lambrusco and Muscat, are more like umbrella terms, featuring several subspecies which show slight differences from each other from region to region. Indeed, there are astonishingly more than 60 identified varieties of Lambrusco vines, and they are almost all used in the production of characterful Italian sparkling wines. They are distinguishable by their deep ruby blush, caused by strong pigments present in their skins, and their intensely perfumed character.
Lambrusco vines are grown in several Italian regions, although we most closely associate this varietal with Piedmont and Basilicata. It has also been grown successfully in Argentina and Australia. The varietal suffered from a fairly lowly reputation in the late 20th century, due to bulk, low cost production of Lambrusco sparkling wines, aimed at markets across northern Europe and America. However, things are rapidly changing, and the older, more traditional methods of bottle fermentation are returning, along with a higher level of quality and expression, as consumers become more discerning and demanding. Many of the Lambrusco sub-varieties have their own established DOC, such as Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Modena, where new regulations are keeping standards high and methods traditional.
This vividly rosé colored grape varietal has been grown in and around the Attica region for centuries, and due to its elegant characteristics and fantastic flavors, it has gained popularity all over Greece over the past twenty-five years. Nowadays, you'd be just as likely to find vineyards growing Roditis grape varietals in the Peloponnese mountains, in Thessaly, Macedonia and many other parts of the country. Indeed, on the slopes of the Peloponnese, Roditis grapes are exclusively grown for the production of the wines of AOC Patra, where the award winning dry white wines of the region are made from 100% Roditis grapes, and are prized by wine collectors and Greek wine fans alike.
Roditis grapes produce the best results when they are cultivated to relatively very low yields, with the mountainous slopes giving them both the perfect amount of sunshine and the unique range of minerals in order to ripen and maintain their delightful flavor. Wines made from Roditis grapes tend to hold quite strong citrus flavors, making them an ideal drink for refreshment on a hot day. Their long, complex after-tastes are what they are most revered for, making them a great accompaniment for the local seafood cuisine of the region they are grown in.
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?