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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $109.98
Intense, deep red in colour, Desiderio 1997 reveals inviting notes of sweet cherries and raspberries, rose petals and...
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $103.13
Intense, deep red in colour, Desiderio 1998 reveals inviting notes of sweet cherries and raspberries, rose petals and...
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $178.53
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $77.09
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $57.62
Blackberries, blackcurrants, dark plums, Chinese spices and hints of vanilla. Full body, incredibly structured...
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95
WS
93
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $73.28
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $73.28
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $86.45
This is a pure merlot with violets, blueberries and hints of minerals and black truffles. Black olives, too....
JS
97
WA
92
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $58.14
Now in its third vintage, the Castello dei Rampolla 2020 Liù is a fine and impeccably detailed wine. You taste...
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94
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93
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $166.46
One of the greatest Italian Merlots, the pedigree of L'Apparita is evident the minute you raise the glass to your...
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $224.95
A deep and beautiful red with ripe berry, plum and orange peel character. Almost exotic in style. Full body,...
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98
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96
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $157.95
The 2013 L’Apparita gets this tasting off to a very strong start. Fresh, perfumed and totally sensual, the 2013...
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98
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $240.42
Ama's 2015 L'Apparita is shaping up to be phenomenal. That is the good news. But readers are going to have to give...
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98
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96
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $221.95
The 2016 L'Apparita, 100% Merlot, is a breathtaking, riveting wine that captures all the potential of the vintage. In...
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100
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99
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $167.45
Intense and exotic on the nose with blackberry, blueberry, violet and walnut aromas that follow through to a full...
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97
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96
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $211.48
The 2018 L'Apparita is a total stunner. Ama's 100% Merlot is usually a wine of bombastic intensity, but the 2018...
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99
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99
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $242.90
A viscous, salted licoricetinged red, with plum, earth and spice flavors. Reveals a solid grip of tannins lining the...
WS
95
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Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle: $80.78
The 2016 Laroque is blended of 95% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines more than 50...
WA
94
VM
93
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $42.02
The 2016 Laroque is blended of 95% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines more than 50...
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94
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93
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $54.62
Composed of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Laroque sports a deep garnet-purple color and is redolent of...
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93
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93

Ice Wine Lambrusco Merlot Pre-Arrival

Some grape species are distinct and unique varietals, clearly separate from each of their cousins. Others, like Lambrusco and Muscat, are more like umbrella terms, featuring several subspecies which show slight differences from each other from region to region. Indeed, there are astonishingly more than 60 identified varieties of Lambrusco vines, and they are almost all used in the production of characterful Italian sparkling wines. They are distinguishable by their deep ruby blush, caused by strong pigments present in their skins, and their intensely perfumed character.


Lambrusco vines are grown in several Italian regions, although we most closely associate this varietal with Piedmont and Basilicata. It has also been grown successfully in Argentina and Australia. The varietal suffered from a fairly lowly reputation in the late 20th century, due to bulk, low cost production of Lambrusco sparkling wines, aimed at markets across northern Europe and America. However, things are rapidly changing, and the older, more traditional methods of bottle fermentation are returning, along with a higher level of quality and expression, as consumers become more discerning and demanding. Many of the Lambrusco sub-varieties have their own established DOC, such as Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Modena, where new regulations are keeping standards high and methods traditional.

With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in the New World. One of the distinguishing features of Merlot grapes is the fact that they have a relatively low tannin content and an exceptionally soft and fleshy character, meaning they are capable of producing incredibly rounded and mellow wines. This mellowness is balanced with plenty of flavor, however, and has made Merlot grapes the varietal of choice for softening other, more astringent and tannin-heavy wines, often resulting in truly exceptional produce. Merlot is regarded as one of the key 'Bordeaux' varietals for precisely this reason; when combined with the drier Cabernet Sauvignon, it is capable of blending beautifully to produce some of the finest wines available in the world.