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Barrel Sample A ripe, perfumed wine with spice and sweet, delicious fruit, sustained by dense, opulent tannins and...
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97
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750ml - Case of 12
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Barrel Sample A ripe, perfumed wine with spice and sweet, delicious fruit, sustained by dense, opulent tannins and...
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1.5Ltr - Case of 6
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The aromas to this are so compelling with Maraschino cherries and sliced plums. So intense. It must come from the...
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Barrel sample. A beautifully-perfumed wine with ripe, soft tannins and sweet fruit. It has density yet the tannins...
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750ml - Case of 12
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A blooming bouquet backed by a splendid core of multi-faceted fruit give this real class, which Left Bank wines often...
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A blooming bouquet backed by a splendid core of multi-faceted fruit give this real class, which Left Bank wines often...
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750ml - Case of 12
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With a higher proportion of Merlot (92%) than usual, this is a round, ripe wine released at just 20% of normal...
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750ml - Case of 6
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With a higher proportion of Merlot (92%) than usual, this is a round, ripe wine released at just 20% of normal...
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94
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92
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1.5Ltr - Case of 3
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The 2014 Vieux Château Certan is glorious stuff that has more personality and sexiness than just about every other...
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750ml - Case of 6
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The 2014 Vieux Château Certan is glorious stuff that has more personality and sexiness than just about every other...
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97
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97
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750ml - Case of 12
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The 2014 Vieux Château Certan is glorious stuff that has more personality and sexiness than just about every other...
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97
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750ml - Case of 6
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I was able to taste both the 2015 and 2016 grand vins, and these are heavenly, magical wines that could not be any...
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Just as good, yet in a different style, the 2016 Vieux Château Certan shows cooler notes of crème de cassis,...
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Just as good, yet in a different style, the 2016 Vieux Château Certan shows cooler notes of crème de cassis,...
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750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $414.62
Just as good, yet in a different style, the 2016 Vieux Château Certan shows cooler notes of crème de cassis,...
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1.5Ltr - Case of 6
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Possibly the wine of the vintage, the 2017 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 5%...
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750ml - Case of 6
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Possibly the wine of the vintage, the 2017 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 5%...
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98
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98
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750ml - Case of 6
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Possibly the wine of the vintage, the 2017 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 5%...
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98
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98
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750ml - Case of 12
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Possibly the wine of the vintage, the 2017 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 5%...
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98
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98

Altesse Moonshine Red Bordeaux Rye Whiskey

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.

Rye Whiskey is enjoying something of a renaissance of late, with sales rocketing in recent years thanks to a growing interest in strong, unique flavors, and small, independent distilleries. Rye Whiskey is a drink which is all about powerful, bold flavors, with plenty of spice and bitterness when drunk young. Aged, however, it takes on a deep set of subtle notes which are beautifully mellow and complex, and becomes a fascinating example of what whiskey can be when made with expert hands.

In order for an American Whiskey to be labeled a Rye Whiskey, it must have a mash content which is no less than fifty one percent rye. This separates it from Bourbon, and it is this which gives it its distinctive flavor and spiciness. Toffee, cinnamon, caraway, cloves and oak are typical tasting notes, and ‘straight rye’ whiskies - which are aged in charred oak barrels - take on plenty of the smokiness of the wood, adding a further, fascinating facet.

Rye Whiskey has its spiritual home in the northeastern states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and cities like Pittsburgh produced vast quantities of Rye Whiskey in the 18th and 19th centuries. Most the old distilleries were closed during the prohibition era, after which time rye whiskey more or less disappeared completely, but the twenty-first century is seeing old recipes being resurrected and released to rave reviews.