×
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $20.04 $21.10
12 bottles: $18.91
1786 VS is a rich Cognac which is the result of high-quality terroirs and experience. Made from Ugni Blanc grapes and...
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $25.08 $26.40
12 bottles: $23.94
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $31.54 $33.20
12 bottles: $30.40
A blend of fine cognacs from 15-30 years old, this XO Cognac is characterized by a pleasant light-gold color,...
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $74.55 $78.47
6 bottles: $62.39
A very delicate blend of eaux-de-vie from Grande and Petite Champagne, aged between 8 and 15 years in cask, and...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $65.03
6 bottles: $57.59
TOP 100 SPIRITS OF 2019 - This Cognac offers rich aromas and flavors, yet still remains light and easygoing....
12 FREE
WE
94
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $235.52 $247.92
Carefully matured, balancing the influence of oak with that of time, to produce a complex Cognac. Rich, sweet and...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $100.32
6 bottles: $99.60
Complex and in need of some time to breathe. However, patience is rewarded with richness, fruit and the layers of...
12 FREE
White
750ml
Bottle: $18.00
12 bottles: $17.10
White
750ml
Bottle: $13.49
12 bottles: $13.22
The Chardonnay was naturally fermented and took a long time to complete fermentation, resulting in great texture and...
White
750ml
Bottle: $35.25
6 bottles: $34.54
Consisting of over half Chenin Blanc with 14% Semillon, 13% Roussanne, 9% Viognier, 6% Grenache Blanc and 4%...
12 FREE
WA
91
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $27.87 $31.10
Balsamic aromas of camphor and leather mingle earthy whiffs of forest floor, violet and wild berry. Savory, focused...
WE
95
WS
92
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $26.94
12 bottles: $26.40
The 2020 Barbaresco Sandaive is a blend of fruit from Rizzi and Roche Massalupo. Dark and nicely layered, with...
12 FREE
VM
93
DC
91
Red
750ml
Bottle: $75.60
12 bottles: $71.82
The 2019 Nebbiolo Centennial Mountain Vineyard is a wild, powerful wine endowed with tons of structure and...
12 FREE
VM
94
JD
94
Red
750ml
Bottle: $18.40
6 bottles: $18.34
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $19.94 $22.40
White
750ml
Bottle: $52.99
6 bottles: $51.94
As always, the nose is intense and exotic, sporting salted lemon and quince, oatmeal and a hint of white flowers. The...
12 FREE
Sale
Rapid Ship
White
5.0Ltr
Bottle: $21.48 $22.61
4 bottles: $19.61
Aromas of tropical fruit and lemon zest. Crisp, refreshing and full-flavored. Flavors of peach, pear and rich mineral...
White
750ml
Bottle: $15.17
12 bottles: $14.87
Subdued notes of ripe pear suggest mellowness. The palate adds fitting, bright freshness and provides a very...
White
750ml
Bottle: $35.94
The 2020 Blanco Edad Media is a Chardonnay with a dash of 10% Chenin Blanc from a 30-year-old vineyard in La...
12 FREE
WA
94
VM
94
White
750ml
Bottle: $21.60
12 bottles: $20.52
Fresh and electric white from its expressive aromas that are reminiscent of the characteristic herbs of Sauvignon...

Cognac Insolia Nebbiolo Savatiano White Blend

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 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.

Savatiano is probably Greece's most well known and most widely grown grape varietal, as it is the primary grape used in the production of Retsina, where the fermenting juices of the Savatiano varietal are flavored with pine resin in order to make this distinctive and famous wine. One of the reasons for the wide cultivation of this grape is due to its hardiness, and resistance to drought conditions. In the sun-drenched and dry, rocky Greek landscapes, this makes it an ideal vine to grow for wine-makers who require a strong and bounteous yield each year.

However, there are plenty of examples of Greek white wines which use the Savatiano grape but withhold from the addition the pine resin flavoring, allowing the true characteristics of this varietal to shine through. The result is often very pleasing indeed, with Savatiano grapes generally producing extremely well balanced and rounded white wines, with a juicily fruity flavor. Their aromas can vary quite a lot, with many Savatiano wines bearing the fragrance of citrus fruits, and also occasionally having a strong floral aroma reminiscent of elder and rose. Due to the relatively low acidity of Savatiano grapes, the wines which use them (including Retsina) generally bolster themselves with the addition of smaller quantities of more acidic varieties, such as Assyrtiko or Rhoditis, in order to improve their sometimes weak structure.

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?