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Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $14.94 $16.25
Bright yellow color with green hues. The bouquet diplays aromas of passion fruit, mango and citrus. Balanced taste...
White
750ml
Bottle: $26.93
This has notes of grapefruit, toasted pineapple, grilled herbs and beeswax. It’s full-bodied, layered and...
12 FREE
JS
92
Sale
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $26.98 $28.40
6 bottles: $24.80
Brilliant golden colour. Complex, fine and elegant nose with pineapple and apricot aromas combined with notes of...
Case only
Spirits
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $45.03
12 FREE
Sale
Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $14.89 $15.55
12 bottles: $14.77
A perfect introduction to Sauternes, this has very nice dried-papaya and mango character, creamy richness and...
JS
92
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $35.94
A perfect introduction to Sauternes, this has very nice dried-papaya and mango character, creamy richness and...
12 FREE
JS
92
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $88.88
12 bottles: $87.10
Lemon, honey, mineral and light spice. Very attractive aromas. Full-bodied, with fresh acidity and a long finish...
12 FREE
WS
95
WA
94
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $93.00
12 bottles: $87.78
Beautiful aromas of orange zest are followed by gingerbread, caramel and crème brûlée flavors. This is a...
12 FREE
WE
96
WA
94
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $113.40
12 bottles: $111.13
Tasted single blind against its peers. This has a very well -defined nose of dried pineapple, quince and vanilla pod...
12 FREE
WA
93
VM
93
Rapid Ship
Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $53.95
Pale gold, the 2009 Climens offers up a fabulously fragrant nose of green tea, chamomile, powdered ginger, lemon...
12 FREE
DC
97
WA
97
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $114.94
12 bottles: $112.64
Pale gold, the 2009 Climens offers up a fabulously fragrant nose of green tea, chamomile, powdered ginger, lemon...
12 FREE
DC
97
WA
97
Sale
Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $39.94 $43.20
24 bottles: $39.90
Pale lemon-gold colored, the 2016 Climens is a little youthfully mute, revealing notions of ripe peaches, mango and...
WA
96
DC
95
Sale
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $44.95 $48.60
Medium yellow-gold. Restrained aromas of peach and spices offer good lift. Very ripe and thick, with strong acidity...
VM
94
WS
94
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $49.90
12 bottles: $48.90
12 FREE
Sale
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $52.94 $54.30
6 bottles: $52.80
The 2010 Coutet has quite an intense bouquet with linseed oil and wax resin infusing the dried honey aromas, then...
12 FREE
VM
95
WS
95
Case only
Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml - Case of 24
Bottle: $31.86
One of the top sweet wines in this report is the 2016 Château Coutet, which has the vintage’s plush, opulent style...
WE
97
JD
97
Case only
Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml - Case of 24
Bottle: $30.78
Barrel Sample. This wine shows great balance and poised elegance. Its botrytis fruit gives it rich intensity, with a...
WE
97
JS
96
Rapid Ship
Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $23.90
The pale lemon-gold colored 2019 Coutet is a thrill ride from the get-go, exploding from the glass with fantastically...
WA
97
JS
95
Dessert/Fortified Wine
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $2235.00
Sale
Dessert/Fortified Wine
750ml
Bottle: $432.18 $480.20
Served from an ex-chateau bottle. The 1995 Chateau d’Yquem is moving into its secondary aroma phase. A deep golden...
12 FREE
WA
95

Assyrtiko Japanese Whiskey Semillon/sauvignon Blanc

Cultivated since at least the middle of the Byzantine era, the Assyrtiko grape is generally considered to be one the finest of the Greek grape varietals, as a result of its multi-purpose properties and ability to flourish on a wide range of terrains. The ancient Byzantines used it in conjunction with Aidani and Athiri grapes for the production of their unusual and naturally sweet Vinsanto wines, which are still produced today in Santorini, and continue to be popular. However, the Assyrtiko grapes are used for many different AOC wines across Greece, and are favored by wine makers who want to maintain a dryness and acidic punch to their produce.

The Assyrtiko grapes are renowned for their ability to maintain their acidity as they ripen beneath the blazing Mediterranean sun, resulting in wines which have a distinctive dryness and a range of citrus fruit aromas, as well as great structure and high tannins. Often, Assyrtiko grapes will produce wines which leave an unusual after-taste reminiscent of the mineral rich, volcanic soils they are grown in on the slopes of Santorini, making them a favorite for wine drinkers looking for something full of character and interesting attributes. The past twenty five years have seen Assyrtiko vines planted all over the Greek mainland, and even in Attica and Macedonia, where the softer terrain often produces more fruit forward wines with a milder, less astringent character. However, wherever this fine grape varietal is grown, it is rare the results will be anything less than excellent.

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?

Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.

The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.

Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.

While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.