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750ml
Bottle:
$10.99
A newcomer to the marketplace, this velvety, blended Irish whiskey offers sweet, malty flavors that incorporate baked...
750ml
Bottle:
$10.50
12 bottles:
$9.98
Medium ruby-red with a touch of crimson, this wine is expressive with aromas of dried cherries, floral notes and a...
750ml
Bottle:
$12.60
$15.00
An inviting nose of peaches, sliced pears and dried orange peel. Medium-bodied with delightful texture. Bright and...
750ml
Bottle:
$49.86
$52.00
12 bottles:
$49.40
Overtones of vanilla give way to pungent fennel and sage. Belying Agostina Pieri’s warm, southerly location, the...
750ml
Bottle:
$28.50
12 bottles:
$27.93
The Pieri Rosso seeks for the best balance between tradition and modernity. There’s always precocious Sangiovese...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$33.16
A bold wine with impressive tannic structure. Ripe black fruit and dark berries on the nose with hints of roasted...
750ml
Bottle:
$17.94
12 bottles:
$17.58
Our Vouvray is stunning with its elegancy and freshness which carry through the ripe fruity palate, marrying with...
750ml
Bottle:
$59.90
$63.19
The 2021 Fire By Night, formerly known as Broom Ridge, has a lovely, seductive bouquet with mirabelle, jasmine and...
750ml
Bottle:
$64.94
A concentrated bead of blackberries and minerals pervades the nose and palate. Medium-to full-bodied with...
375ml
Bottle:
$29.67
12 bottles:
$29.08
This has fantastic intensity with concentrated hazelnut, chocolate and dark berry aromas alongside dried flower and...
750ml
Bottle:
$48.95
12 bottles:
$47.97
This has fantastic intensity with concentrated hazelnut, chocolate and dark berry aromas alongside dried flower and...
375ml
Bottle:
$32.94
$35.20
12 bottles:
$32.68
The Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a rich and savory side that this wine wears very well. There is a...
750ml
Bottle:
$52.92
$56.00
The Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a rich and savory side that this wine wears very well. There is a...
1.5Ltr
Bottle:
$264.95
6 bottles:
$259.65
Super clean black fruit and minerals on the nose and palate. Floral and herbal nuances, too. Medium-to full-bodied...
750ml
Bottle:
$104.81
$113.99
Super clean black fruit and minerals on the nose and palate. Floral and herbal nuances, too. Medium-to full-bodied...
750ml
Bottle:
$98.94
$104.80
This has a complex nose of cranberries, dried pineapple, soy, bark, cardamom, mocha, iodine and wet leather....
1.5Ltr
Bottle:
$244.20
6 bottles:
$240.00
Perfumed and beautiful with raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors. Purity like a mountain stream. Medium to full...
750ml
Bottle:
$104.16
$112.00
Perfumed and beautiful with raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors. Purity like a mountain stream. Medium to full...
750ml
Bottle:
$109.79
$121.99
The Altesino 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva holds tight to its unique character and power. The classic 2016...
Chenin Blanc Irish Whiskey Mavrodaphne Sangiovese
Originating in France yet now grown in many parts of the New World, Chenin Blanc is one of the most versatile and highly regarded white wine grape varietals on earth. These green skinned grapes hold a relatively high acid content, and as such can be used for making still white wines of exceptional quality, as well as superb sparkling wines (such as the Crémant wines of the Loire Valley) and extremely aromatic dessert wines. Their natural transparency means that they are a fine grape for expressing their terroir in the bottle, and winemakers often experiment with this varietal to coax unusual and intense flavors from the grapes, such as allowing the development of noble rot on the fruit in order to make sweet and viscous wines of a unique character.
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?
The name of this grape, meaning 'blood of Jove' conjures up evocative images of long dead civilizations, and gives the Sangiovese varietal a sense of the holy, the sacred, the special. Indeed, this particular type of Italian grape has been cultivated and processed for thousands of years, and is said to be the original favorite grape varietal of the Romans, and the Etruscans before them. Throughout history, vintners have continued to plant this varietal, and they continue to produce wonderful wines to this day. The long bunches of very dark, round fruit are treasured by fine wineries in Italy and a few other places around the world, and when young, these grapes are lively – full of strawberry flavors and a little spiciness. However, it is when they are aged in oak that they take on some truly special flavors and aromas, as seen in some of the finest wines of the Old World.