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750ml
Bottle:
$57.94
The 2022 Syrah from Swartland comes from mostly shale and schist soils, 25% on granite soils, using 75% whole cluster...
750ml
Bottle:
$19.90
12 bottles:
$19.50
The Lionheart of Dandelion Vineyards is our old vine Barossa vineyard. These ancient, gnarled vines, many over a...
700ml
Bottle:
$73.32
6 bottles:
$64.63
The flagship Dingle is just a great whiskey to lose yourself in. The nose has honey on wheat toast, brown sugar,...
750ml
Bottle:
$64.88
12 bottles:
$63.58
• Practicing organic.
• 100% Syrah.
• From multiple parcels of old vines from the villages of Mauves, Tournon,...
750ml
Bottle:
$74.94
12 bottles:
$73.44
92-94 The flagship 2022 Saint Joseph Le Paradis Saint Pierre comes from a single parcel of vines and pure granite...
750ml
Bottle:
$65.00
12 bottles:
$63.70
91-93 Cassis, liquid violets, ground pepper, and an undeniable sense of minerality emerge from the 2022 Saint Joseph...
750ml
Bottle:
$45.00
12 bottles:
$44.10
91-93 Red and black fruits, flowers, chalky minerality, and spicy, subtly leather-like nuances all emerge from the...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.90
12 bottles:
$14.60
Lots of cherries, blueberries and plums with some dried herb and cured meat aromas. Medium-bodied with plush tannins....
750ml
Bottle:
$30.94
12 bottles:
$30.32
Vinified from certified organic grapes, the 2022 Crozes-Hermitage checks in at a modest 12% alcohol. Blood orange...
750ml
Bottle:
$32.28
12 bottles:
$27.39
91-93 From one of my favorite producers, the 2020 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine reveals a dense purple hue to go with a...
750ml
Bottle:
$11.94
$13.01
Aromas of grapefruit and passion fruit jump from the glass, crisp and dry on the finish. One of the best white wine...
![Domaine Equis [M. Graillot] Cornas 2019 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/b5/b5a5e34bf66715dade8c7a3a9d1bf2c3.jpg){kind=small}
750ml
Bottle:
$59.94
12 bottles:
$58.74
92-94 Highly perfumed blackberry, cherry, olive and floral aromas are complicated by suggestions of exotic spices and...
![Domaine Equis [M. Graillot] Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Des Lises 2020 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/e7/e753cf4ec53b1ead651b7894fd673393.jpg){kind=small}
750ml
Bottle:
$27.74
$29.60
Deep violet. Lively aromas of fresh blackberry, cherry and candied flowers, along with cracked pepper and olive...
![Domaine Equis [M. Graillot] Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe 2022 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/f9/f9b76f94732ec96a110869afd976ccb1.jpg){kind=small}
750ml
Bottle:
$19.90
$21.20
100% Syrah, this is an elegant, earthy wine that loves to find itself paired with a roast chicken or duck.
![Domaine Equis [M. Graillot] Saint Joseph 2020 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/a3/a34037ec2c68df0e1b7b1ab18e6155e0.jpg){kind=small}
750ml
Bottle:
$34.96
$36.80
Textured and lythe. Flavors of fresh blueberries and blackberries are accented by notes of fresh cracked black...
750ml
Bottle:
$33.85
$34.79
12 bottles:
$33.17
91-93 Deep, bright-rimmed ruby. Pungent floral and black pepper flourishes complement smoke-inflected dark berry...
750ml
Bottle:
$104.24
12 bottles:
$97.95
A blend of grapes from Bassenon, Maison Rouge and Lancement, the 2019 Cote Rotie Blonde du Seigneur contains about 5%...
750ml
Bottle:
$66.94
$70.99
12 bottles:
$66.69
From a muscovite-based site above Chavanay, the 2019 Saint Joseph Terres d'Encre doesn't come across as being from a...
Colombard Irish Whiskey Mavrodaphne Syrah
The Irish are hailed as being the original producers of whiskey in the British Isles, and their innovations and techniques were so successful, that neighbouring Scotland were quickly influenced by them in the 15th century. Centuries later, it was the Irish who brought whiskey to America, and their style of whiskey has since become popular all over the world.
However, it wasn’t always plain sailing for the Irish whiskey industry - from being a dominant force in the 19th century, whose produce was considered far superior to that of Scotland, political upheaval and war saw the Irish whiskey almost disappear forever in the early 20th century. Today, the Irish whiskey manufacturers are back on their feet, and they are once again proving that the original is often the best. With new distilleries opening every year, it is safe to say that Irish whiskey is very much back.
Irish whiskey differs from Scotch whisky in a number of ways, and not least the spelling - the extra ‘e’ was said to be added in the 19th century as a way of distancing the Irish drink from what they saw as an inferior Scottish product. Irish whiskey was traditionally made in enormous stills, as a way of ensuring consistency from bottle to bottle, and maintaining the quality and complexity their reputation was founded on. The typical tasting notes of fine Irish whiskey include apple and vanilla, alongside spicy and sweet touches of nutmeg and fresh hay, making this a highly pleasant and smooth drink, made for relaxation and stimulating conversation about times past.
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?
Known as Syrah in most countries around the world, and Shiraz in Australia and certain other regions of the New World, this grape varietal has proven over the centuries to be one of the most powerful and flavorful red wine grapes there is. It is now one of the planet's most widely grown grapes, and is a favorite with wineries as a result of its robustness and versatility. It isn't easy to identify many characteristics of this particular varietal, due to the fact that it is highly versatile and shows significant differences in flavor and character depending on the terroir it is grown in, and the climatic conditions of the region. However, Syrah is most widely associated with full bodied, strong and loud red wines, packed full of fruity and spicy flavors, held in a beautifully deep red liquid.