×
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.99
The wine has a deep, rich purple color. Intense red fruits are on the nose, with black pepper spice and a touch of...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $67.94
Aalto was established in 1999 by Mariano Garcia, winemaker for 30 years at Vega Sicilia. His philosophy was minimal...
12 FREE
DC
95
VM
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $249.94
Expressive and intense, this impressive red marries elegance and power, delivering rich flavors of blackberry,...
12 FREE
WS
95
VM
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $20.69 $22.20
12 bottles: $20.28
Our fruit-driven Fiesta Tempranillo is a fantastic representation of vintage and terroir. Bright garnet in color,...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $22.40
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.44 $21.60
12 bottles: $17.10
This wine has great color, with a dark purple and red hue. There are spicy, earthy aromas of black cherry, black...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $95.94 $105.20
Ripe, tarry plums and black cherries with violets, rocks, coffee and graphite. Refined notes of balsamic fruit and...
12 FREE
JS
95
WA
94
Red
750ml
Bottle: $27.90
12 bottles: $27.34
The 2016 Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard is medium garnet-purple in color and opens with notions of raspberry tart,...
12 FREE
WA
93
JD
91
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.89 $17.49
12 bottles: $15.83
This is a very successful Zinfandel, blending earth, spice and fruit into a savory, yet thirst-quenching package....
WE
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $28.13
6 bottles: $27.57
A rich wine with layers of raspberry, cherry, and blackberry complemented by vanilla, licorice, and toast....
12 FREE
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $21.93
12 bottles: $21.49
A deep nose full of black and purple fruit, iodine, stones, sage and hedgerow. Full-bodied and broad on the palate...
JS
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $25.94 $26.80
12 bottles: $25.42
The grapes for Arano come from our own vineyards in Moradillo de Roa (Burgos) of more than 20 years old. 9 hectares...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $21.35
A lush, full-bodied Zinfandel that blaze dark berry, earth and grassy aromas that complement a rich and complex...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $27.94
12 bottles: $27.38
Dense and broad Viñas de Gain with impressive concentration and compact tannins that give gravity to the palate,...
JS
94
WA
92
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $17.48 $18.40
12 bottles: $14.64
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $22.93 $24.60
This deep-garnet-colored wine features a bouquet of purple plum, roasted fennel bulb and flint. Flavors of blackberry...
WE
92
JS
91
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $117.93 $119.80
Quite a mineral Gran Reserva expression with wet stones and hints of sweet spices to the minty plums and cherries....
12 FREE
JS
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $16.93
12 bottles: $16.59
12 FREE
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.92 $20.80
12 bottles: $19.76
Clean and bright dark cherry in color, this wine has a multitude of differentiated nuances on the nose, intertwining...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $56.92
Lots of vanilla extract and minty oak to the creamy blackberries, Spanish chocolate and cinnamon spices. Juicy and...
12 FREE
JS
92

Japanese Whiskey Pigato Tempranillo Zinfandel

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.

There are plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.

The precise origins of what became known as the Zinfandel grape variety are uncertain, although it has clear genetic equivalents in both Puglia and Croatia. However, when it was brought to the New World in the mid 19th century, it became known as the Zinfandel, and has been consistently popular and widely grown ever since. These very dark and very round grapes have a remarkably high sugar content, resulting in relatively high levels of alcohol in the wines they are made into, with bottles often displaying as much as fifteen percent. What makes the Zinfandel such an interesting grape, though, is the fact that the flavors produced by this varietal vary considerably depending on the climate they are grown in. In cooler valley regions, the Zinfandel grapes result in wines which hold strong flavors of tart and sweet fruits; raspberry, redcurrant and sweet cherry, held in a very smooth and silky liquid. Conversely, warmer regions result in more complex and spicy notes, including anise, pepper and hedgerow berries.