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Instore only
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $29.99
Here is a tequila that can be simply enjoyed with soda or used to kick up a Paloma. The grapefruit and hibiscus give...
UBC
93
Instore only
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $29.99
Like a bright summer morning; the sweet smoke of the agave is matched by fresh squeezed orange juice, blossom, and a...
UBC
94
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $47.88 $50.40
6 bottles: $46.20
Excellent, Highly Recommended - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
12 FREE
WE
92
UBC
92
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $58.60 $61.68
6 bottles: $49.50
Earthy aromas of pine and yellow fruits mix with vanilla. Sweet on the palate with brown sugar, vanilla syrup, and...
12 FREE
UBC
96
Sale
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $95.99 $101.04
6 bottles: $90.36
Truly excellent tequila is something worth searching for, savoring, and celebrating. At 818, we bring you tequila...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $163.48 $172.08
3 bottles: $160.00
Truly excellent tequila is something worth searching for, savoring, and celebrating. At 818, we bring you tequila...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $23.31 $24.54
12 bottles: $16.63
Excellent, Highly Recommended - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
UBC
90
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $41.88 $44.08
6 bottles: $31.50
Excellent, Highly Recommended - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
12 FREE
UBC
90
Sale
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $27.59 $29.04
12 bottles: $19.95
TASTE: Ripe roasted agave flavor with notes of caramel and vanilla. AROMA: Vanilla, meringue, honey, and fruit...
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $51.38 $54.08
6 bottles: $40.50
TASTE: Ripe roasted agave flavor with notes of caramel and vanilla. AROMA: Vanilla, meringue, honey, and fruit...
12 FREE
Instore only
Sale
White
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $18.65 $19.63
An expressive wine with bright citrus, lemon zest, grapefruit and undertones of fresh cut grass. The mouth feel is...
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $9.68
An expressive wine with bright citrus, lemon zest, grapefruit and undertones of fresh cut grass. The mouth feel is...
White
750ml
Bottle: $19.94
12 bottles: $19.54
• 100% Sauvignon grown in gravelly soils with marinal deposits. • Fermentation in stainless steel tanks and large...
White
750ml
Bottle: $35.50
12 bottles: $34.79
12 FREE
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $47.16 $52.40
Colour: Lively, deep ruby-red; nature's gift. Perfume: Complex scent of ripe red fruit (mainly black cherry), spices,...
Case only
Spirits
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $55.80
Aromas of roasted agave and lime with delicate floral notes and bright sweet citrus. The palate is fresh and smooth...
12 FREE
Case only
Spirits
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $62.10
An intense aroma of lemon leaf, pear, pineapple, and vanilla with deep notes of brioche and honey. Smooth flavors of...
12 FREE
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $15.38 $17.09
12 bottles: $15.05
Crisp and refreshing, with rich, ripe lime and grapefruit aromas. Great elegance with mineral style and despite...
Case only
Spirits
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $45.60
12 FREE
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $18.35 $20.39
12 bottles: $16.62
Shows zingy pomelo, yuzu and fresh-grated ginger notes, along with fresh touches of green apple. Reveals lemon...
WS
89

Carignan Mencia Sauvignon Blanc Tequila

Carignan is an ancient blue-skinned grape varietal, thought to be indigenous to the Aragon region of Spain. However, today it is most commonly associated with the fine wines of southern France, and has been grown in many countries around the world which have the warm and dry conditions it requires to thrive. Carignan is recognized as being quite a sensitive vine, highly susceptible to all kinds of rot and mildew, although producing excellent results when given the right conditions and handled correctly. Its high tannin levels and acidity make the Carignan grapes very astringent, and as such, they are often used as a blending grape to give body to other, lesser bodied varietals. Despite this, with careful treatment, Carignan can produce superb single varietal wines packed full of character and unique attributes.

The green skinned grapes of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal had their origins in Southern France, where they are still widely grown and used for many of the excellent young and aged white wines the region is famous for. Today, however, they are grown in almost every wine producing country in the world, and are widely revered for their fresh and grassy flavors, full of tropical notes and refreshing, zesty character. Sauvignon Blanc grapes thrive best in moderate climates, and ripen relatively early in the year. This has made them a favorite for many wineries in the New World, where they can still produce healthy and high yields in the earlier part of the summer before the temperatures become too hot. Too much heat has a massively adverse effect on Sauvignon Blanc, as the grapes become dull in their flavor, and the wine produced from them loses all its unique character and high points. As such, Sauvignon Blanc farmers have had a lot of trouble from global warming and climate change, as they are being forced to harvest their crops increasingly earlier in the year when it is cool enough to do so.

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.