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Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $529.20 $588.00
3 bottles: $489.00
Along with the 2005, the 2009 is the greatest Angelus I've tasted and is a perfect wine in every way. Based on 60%...
12 FREE
JD
100
WA
99
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $182.70 $203.00
This wine showed exceptionally well, both at the the Bordeaux 10 Years On tasting in London a few weeks ago and in...
12 FREE
DC
93
WE
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $55.20
12 bottles: $54.10
Ripe, fresh and decidedly forward in style, with a modestly tarry edge supporting the juicy blackberry, loganberry...
12 FREE
WS
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $130.68 $145.20
Showing beautifully, the 2009 Château Brane-Cantenac is loaded with classic Margaux notes of sandalwood, dried...
12 FREE
JD
95
DC
94
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $210.60
A wine that expresses the sun-drenched and opulent character of the vintage, and yet Merlot does not play a leading...
12 FREE
DC
96
WA
96
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $184.95 $195.00
The freshness on the nose is striking and you could easily mistake this for a 4-5 year old wine. Ripe elderberry and...
12 FREE
WS
96
JS
96
Sale
Red
3.0Ltr
Bottle: $1099.95 $1131.00
One of my favorite vintages from this incredible terroir located on the upper plateau of Saint-Emilion, the 2009...
JD
99
WA
97
Red
375ml
Bottle: $39.94
Gorgeous ripe fruit character, with loads of blueberries, blackberries and flowers. Full body, with velvety tannins...
JS
95
VM
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $95.40
12 bottles: $90.06
Along with brambly fruit and hints of vanilla on the nose, the finesse of the tannins is most admirable in this wine,...
12 FREE
DC
94
WE
93
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $1182.60 $1314.00
A profoundly generous wine with coffee grounds and patisserie notes revealing grilled oak that's subtle but extremely...
12 FREE
DC
100
WA
100
Red
750ml
Bottle: $184.95
12 bottles: $181.25
Juicy and nicely framed with a singed bay leaf note, which allows the medium-weight core of crushed plum and mulled...
12 FREE
WS
93
WA
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $35.25
12 bottles: $34.55
The quality of the fruit and tannins are very pretty here. It’s full-bodied, with round velvety texture and a...
12 FREE
WE
92
JS
92
Red
3.0Ltr
Bottle: $1659.00
Plenty of ripe cassis and chocolate with a hint of smoke on the nose lead you into a ripe and velvety Pauillac that...
WE
93
JS
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $106.50
3 bottles: $89.00
Plenty of ripe cassis and chocolate with a hint of smoke on the nose lead you into a ripe and velvety Pauillac that...
12 FREE
WE
93
JS
93
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $124.94 $127.50
12 bottles: $122.44
Wonderfully perfumed with dark berry, mineral and chocolate character. Full body, great tannins and a long and racy...
12 FREE
JS
94
WA
93
Case only
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle: $118.14
Red
750ml
Bottle: $103.95
12 bottles: $101.87
A wine that continues the impressive rise of du Tertre. It is becoming one of the sure values of Margaux, and this...
12 FREE
WE
93
DC
92
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $438.96 $472.00
Probably one of my most consistent 100 pointers, I've been lucky enough to taste through close to a case of this...
12 FREE
JD
100
DC
98
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $159.48 $177.20
Talk about value, the 2009 Duhart-Milon is straight up sensational stuff. Made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37%...
12 FREE
WA
97
JD
97
Red
750ml
Bottle: $99.94
Loads of sweet tobacco and berry character, with hints of chocolate on the nose. Full body, with meat and earth....
12 FREE
JS
93
WE
92

Cognac Cortese Nebbiolo Red Bordeaux 2009

For over three hundred years, Cognac has enjoyed its reputation as the king of brandies. Indeed, it is widely regarded as the finest drink to be distilled from grapes to be found anywhere in the world, and it is a testament to its producers and the master craftsmen who make it that this reputation has never faltered, and remains as strong as ever to this day.

Cognac is produced solely in the beautiful towns of Cognac and Jarnac, found about fifty miles north of Bordeaux, on the west coast of France. Here, around six thousand grape growers work exclusively in the production of white wine, used for the Cognac distilleries which are scattered throughout the region. The wines are made primarily from the Ugni Blanc or Trebbiano grape - one of the most commonly planted grape varietals in the world - which benefit from the cool, coastal climate and mineral rich soils which are found there. The wines themselves wouldn’t be suitable for drinking in themselves, as they are high in acid and low in alcohol, but this makes them ideal for distillation, and they can impart their wonderful, complex, rich flavors to the brandy.

Cognac varies quite significantly from bottle to bottle, depending on how long it has been aged for, and which appellation it comes from. The Cognac region is split into six separate Crus, all with their own distinctive characteristics, and the spirit can be aged from two years (VS) to six (Hors d’Age and Napoleon) and longer.

The Cortese white wine grape varietal has been grown in and around south Piedmont, Italy, for at least five hundred years. Its delicate nature and moderate acidity have made it a favorite with people around the world, and it is most commonly served alongside the excellent seafood and shellfish dishes of the part of Italy it is traditionally grown in. Cortese grapes are easily identifiable by their lime and greengage flavors, and their generally delicate and medium bodied character. Cortese wines are also notable for their freshness and crispness, again, making them an ideal match for seafood. Whilst colder years often produce harsher, more acidic Cortese wines, practices such as allowing malolactic fermentation can solve any such problems and still produce delicious white wines made from this varietal.

The Nebbiolo grape varietal is widely understood to be the fruit responsible for Italy's finest aged wines. However, its popularity and reliability as a grape which gives out outstanding flavors and aromas has led it to be planted in many countries around the world, with much success. These purple grapes are distinguishable by the fact that they take on a milky dust as they begin to reach maturity, leading many to claim that this is the reason for their unusual name, which means 'fog' in Italian. Nebbiolo grapes produce wines which have a wide range of beautiful and fascinating flavors, the most common of which are rich, dark and complex, such as violet, truffle, tobacco and prunes. They are generally aged for many years to balance out their characteristics, as their natural tannin levels tend to be very high.

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.