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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$46.03
Robe: With its beautiful ruby red color, the robe is bright and limpid, wavy reflections undulating between...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$44.71
Robe: With its beautiful ruby red color, the robe is bright and limpid, wavy reflections undulating between...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$39.19
Robe: Beautiful and very intense ruby color.
Nose: The nose releases lovely nuances of mint, red berry liqueur, and...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$41.82
Robe: Beautiful and very intense ruby color.
Nose: The nose releases lovely nuances of mint, red berry liqueur, and...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$58.40
Robe: This wine offers an intense ruby-red robe, dense and concentrated.
Nose: The nose reveals subtle minty nuances,...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$46.03
Robe: This wine offers an intense ruby-red robe, dense and concentrated.
Nose: The nose reveals subtle minty nuances,...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$52.88
Robe: This wine presents a lively red robe.
Nose: The nose is floral with hints of peony.
Body: In the mouth, the...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$52.88
Robe: This wine presents a lively red robe.
Nose: The nose is floral with hints of peony.
Body: In the mouth, the...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$49.98
Robe: This wine presents a lively red robe.
Nose: The nose is floral with hints of peony.
Body: In the mouth, the...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$116.82
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$116.82
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$116.82
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$116.82
Cabernet Franc Mavrodaphne Robola Other Italian Reds
Cabernet Franc is not simply an important grape varietal for the fact that it is one of the most widely grown strains of vine in the world, but also because it is a vital grape in the production of many of the finest wines the world has ever seen. For centuries in its native France, it has been a varietal synonymous with elegance and high quality, and has become a key fruit in the production of the Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style blended wines which have gone down in history thanks to their magnificent flavors, aromas and levels of aged complexity. However, Cabernet Franc is also a wine grape varietal for use in single variety, unblended wines, and has plenty to offer on its own. Most commonly, it is renowned for its wide bouquet, which often includes fascinating notes of tobacco, violets or bell pepper over a beautifully pale and decadent liquid.
In the Archaea region, high in the Northern Peloponnese mountains, the predominant grape varietal grown is the prized Mavrodaphne. Meaning 'Black Laurel', the Mavrodaphne grapes have extremely dark skins, and ripen slowly under the Greek sunshine, helped by the mineral rich soils the vines thrive in. This grape varietal is mostly used to produce the opaque, inky fortified wine of the same name, which is popular all over Greece and elsewhere in the world. This fortified wine allows the grapes to really show off their complex and fascinating flavors, which range from a rich marzipan to flavors of bitter chocolate, sweet coffee, dried figs and prunes, as well as plenty of jammy fruit notes.
Mavrodaphne is produced in a traditional method which involves leaving the grape juice exposed to the sun in large vats, before having its fermentation halted by the addition of various distillates taken from previous successful vintages. This mixture contains plenty of residual sugar, which gives the end result its characteristic sticky sweetness, and also helps with the next fermentation process, which typically takes place in large underground cellars. The final product is a heady drink, absolutely bursting with unusual, rich and sweet flavors and carried in a dark and slightly viscous Port-like liquid.
Mavrodaphne grapes are also used for the production of still red wines, but are generally blended with varietals such as Agiorgitiko or imported grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. Mavrodaphne grapes are excellent for mellowing more acidic varieties, and producing deliciously rounded wines, which have taken the international market by storm in recent decades.
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?
In the mountains of Cephalonia, the mineral rich soils assist in the growing of one of the finest of Greece's white grape varietals – the Robola grape. These noble yellowish grapes are notable for the wines they produce, which generally contain summer fruits, peach and citrus aromas, coupled with flavors which extend beyond the usual range of white wines, revealing smoky and mineral notes, and a lengthy, lemony after-taste. These fine characteristics helped the regions it is grown in gain AOC status, and wine-makers in this area have many generations of practice in bringing out the elegant and subtle characteristics of this grape.
Robola, and the other wines of Cephalonia have a long and illustrious history, being mentioned even in ancient epic poems such as Homer's Iliad. However, it was the Venetians who first recognized the great potential of Robola grapes, which quickly became the focus for the areas wine-makers and tradesmen. Nowadays, Robola wines act as an excellent example of a refined Greek dry white wine, which can be either drank as a light and refreshing summer aperitif, or alongside grilled white meats, salads, or white fish. Robola wines, as a rule, do not age particularly well, and it is highly recommended that bottles are drunk young, within two years of bottling. By doing so, you can enjoy the unique characteristics of this remarkable wine, complete with the balanced combination of chalky, smoky citrus flavors and delicate peach aromas which typify the finest examples of Robola varietal wines.
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?