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750ml
Bottle:
$53.58
$56.40
6 bottles:
$48.00
A remarkable four-grain blended rye whiskey with a final mash bill of 77% Rye, 16% corn, with wheat and barley making...
750ml
Bottle:
$13.50
12 bottles:
$13.23
Colour: Clear yellow with green tinges.
Nose: The bouquet offers a unique aromatic range including citrus flowers,...
1.0Ltr
Bottle:
$39.94
Ideal for Manhattans and other cocktails, this 95% rye has a malty profile that mixes vanilla, crème brûlée, and a...
1.75Ltr
Bottle:
$59.94
Ideal for Manhattans and other cocktails, this 95% rye has a malty profile that mixes vanilla, crème brûlée, and a...
750ml
Bottle:
$29.07
$30.60
Ideal for Manhattans and other cocktails, this 95% rye has a malty profile that mixes vanilla, crème brûlée, and a...
750ml
Bottle:
$22.89
$24.79
Lush and fruit-forward, with hibiscus accents to the raspberry and plum core, adding mineral and spice details around...
750ml
Bottle:
$13.84
12 bottles:
$13.56
Spiced red fruit with plums, strawberries and red cherries. A hint of grilled tarragon. Juicy, medium-bodied palate...
750ml
Bottle:
$13.94
12 bottles:
$13.66
Bright and intense ruby red. On the nose, aromas of black cherries and plums with hints of spices. On the palate, it...
750ml
Bottle:
$19.20
12 bottles:
$18.82
Deep ruby with a violet rim. On the nose, intense, with notes of ripe black fruits with hints of wild forest fruits....
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$18.94
Brilliant yellow in color with distinctive floral overtones of white rose petals, linden blossom, and acacia. Flavors...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$20.48
Brilliant yellow in color with distinctive floral overtones of white rose petals, linden blossom, and acacia. Flavors...
750ml
Bottle:
$38.76
$40.80
12 bottles:
$36.48
Massively spicy and peppery on the nose, with layers of baking spice, vanilla, and apricot swirling underneath. The...
750ml
Bottle:
$58.13
$61.19
6 bottles:
$52.79
Clear golden amber color. Baked aromas of chocolate cake, toasted coconut, and plums soaked in maple syrup, pecan...
750ml
Bottle:
$13.87
$15.41
12 bottles:
$11.52
Cline Viognier shows juicy tropical fruit, fresh apricot and notes of mandarin orange and grapefruit. It’s luscious...
750ml
Bottle:
$37.80
$42.00
The top-of-the-range 2020 Luz Carménère feels closed, serious and austere, even in a warm and dry year like 2020....
750ml
Bottle:
$18.00
12 bottles:
$17.10
The 2020 Carménère Massal 1945 from Almahue, Cachapoal, was made in used barrels and foudres for 12 months. Garnet...
Carmenere Mavrodaphne Rye Whiskey Viognier
The deep blue colored grapes of the Carmenere varietal have their origins in France, where they are still listed as one of the elite grape varietals allowed by French law for the use in Bordeaux wines, generally regarded to be the finest in the world. However, the use of Carmenere grapes in France has been dwindling for many decades now, and it has been in several New World countries where they have seen their renaissance. Although still mostly used as a blending grape, single variety Carmenere wines are greatly sought after as a result of their deep, complex aromas, stunning blood red color and the fact that the grapes, when processed at optimum ripeness, carry some fascinating flavors, including chocolate, tobacco, and spicy cherry notes.
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?
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.
Although primarily associated with the Rhone region of France, the precise origins of the Viognier grape variety are unknown, and the subject of much debate. However, these fine and delicate green skinned grapes are an important varietal for many of France's most elegant white wines, and they are quickly beginning to spread around the New World, too, where wineries are discovering their unique qualities and unusual character. Viognier grapes are notoriously difficult to grow, due to the fact they are highly susceptible to mildew, but wineries persevere with them nonetheless, producing wines which are highly aromatic and have a great, fruit-forward character. Their delicate aroma suggests sweetness due to its flowery, sappy nature, but the wine itself generally very dry and crisp, and full of summery, light and refined qualities.