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Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $12.11 $12.75
A newcomer to the marketplace, this velvety, blended Irish whiskey offers sweet, malty flavors that incorporate baked...
WE
94
Instore only
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $10.99
A newcomer to the marketplace, this velvety, blended Irish whiskey offers sweet, malty flavors that incorporate baked...
WE
94
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $19.94
12 bottles: $19.54
The bright mirabelle, Amalfi-lemon and white-pepper aromas pour from the glass of this energetic gruner veltliner,...
JS
92
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $19.94
12 bottles: $19.54
A classic Gruner Veltliner for the notes of lentil, white peach, smoke and milled pepper. Lithe and creamy, this...
WS
90
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $36.48 $38.40
Beautiful lemon, tangerine, honey, green herbs, and white flower notes emerge from the 2018 Carricante Bianco...
JD
92
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $49.94 $54.00
The 2018 Carricante Centennial Mountain Vineyard is exotic, translucent and full of character. Lemon confit, orchard...
12 FREE
VM
93
White
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $14.30
12 bottles: $14.01
This wine shows a light yellow color with green tints. The wine offers apple and pear fruits on the nose. Dry, fresh,...
White
750ml
Bottle: $12.50
12 bottles: $12.25
This wine shows a light yellow color with green tints. The wine offers apple and pear fruits on the nose. Dry, fresh,...
White
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $26.95
12 bottles: $26.41
A combination of second press juice from all of the white wine holdings covering the entire four hectares. Because...
12 FREE
White
750ml
Bottle: $22.40
12 bottles: $21.95
Color: Yellow straw colored. Nose: Floral with notes of grapefruit. Taste: Excellent sapidity.
Rapid Ship
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $44.40
12 bottles: $42.18
Floral nose. Waxy (candlewax, crayons), then spicy, fruity notes emerge, in particular raisin and plum, becomes more...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $27.74 $29.20
12 bottles: $26.60
TOP 100 SPIRITS 2019. This easy-drinking whiskey has a straw hue, mild vanilla aroma and feather-light feel on the...
WE
92
Spirits
700ml
Bottle: $36.79
6 bottles: $36.00
The nose is fragrant, delicate and harmonious. On the palate, this grappa is intense and complex, but with a smooth...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $82.39
4 bottles: $81.60
Complex profile with multiple nuances attributable to spicy and fruity notes with hints of vanilla, morello cherry...
12 FREE
Case only
Spirits
700ml - Case of 4
Bottle: $82.50
Sweet oak and cereal on the nose. Enjoyably elegant on the palate, with rich nutty and floral notes. Richly textured...
12 FREE
White
750ml
Bottle: $19.94
12 bottles: $19.54
12 FREE
Sale
White
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $14.92 $15.83
12 bottles: $14.62
Delicate fresh green apple fruity aromas; displaying flavors of lemon; lime and peaches; solid fruit core; rich in...
White
750ml
Bottle: $20.95
12 bottles: $20.53
This is a very rich and creamy gruner veltliner, but you don’t feel the 14% until the very end, when a touch of...
12 FREE
JS
89
White
750ml
Bottle: $15.41
12 bottles: $13.99
Facing southeast, Holzagasse is located 1000 feet above sea level on top of a hill and, because of the steepness of...
Sale
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $20.56 $21.64
Inviting aromas of roasted grains, wildflower honey, apple pastry, and lemon tart introduce this classic whiskey. In...
UBC
91
WE
90

Carricante Grappa Gruner Veltliner Irish Whiskey

Like so many of the great spirits of Europe, Grappa was born from a need to make resources go that little bit further, to eke out the last drop of flavor and potential from the crops of winemakers. Indeed, Italian vintners invented Grappa as a way to make use of the pomace - leftover grape skins, stems, pulp and seeds - which remained after the juice was extracted from the fruit needed to make wine. Over the centuries, the process was refined, and the distillation of Grappa became an art in itself. Today, top Grappa producers use a range of state of the art equipment, from continuous stills to pot stills, to manufacture a wide variety of Grappas, each with their own distinct characteristics.


Most of us know Grappa from our local Italian restaurants, where it is commonly served as a digestif. However, in the twenty first century, there is a high interest in unique, boutique Grappas, which showcase the talent of the distillers through a range of interesting qualities. Grappa can be aged in oak, in which case it takes on a beautiful golden color, quite different from the clear Grappas we are most familiar with. The high end Grappas are a world away from the harsh spirit many of us have encountered, and have a smooth, gentle quality which can be nothing short of a revelation.

Gruner Veltliner is a pale skinned white wine grape varietal most closely associated with central European countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In recent years, it has spread somewhat to several New World countries, where it is becoming gradually more popular and regularly seen in wine stores. One of the main attractions of this grape varietal for winemakers is the fact that it is highly versatile, and can be used for the production of several different wine styles, including young, dry white wines, excellent sparkling wines, and it is also a grape varietal which is well suited for aging Gruner Veltliner has the ability to express much of its terroir, and the best examples are generally those which are full of delightfully mineral-rich flavors alongside the more usual notes of citrus fruits and peach.

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.