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Red
750ml
Bottle: $18.08
12 bottles: $17.72
COLOR: Wine of very elegant red color. BOUQUET: Intense aroma, with fruity hints of ripe plums, cherry jam and notes...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $67.94
Aalto was established in 1999 by Mariano Garcia, winemaker for 30 years at Vega Sicilia. His philosophy was minimal...
12 FREE
DC
95
VM
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $249.94
Expressive and intense, this impressive red marries elegance and power, delivering rich flavors of blackberry,...
12 FREE
WS
95
VM
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $20.69 $22.20
12 bottles: $20.28
Our fruit-driven Fiesta Tempranillo is a fantastic representation of vintage and terroir. Bright garnet in color,...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $22.40
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $95.94 $105.20
Ripe, tarry plums and black cherries with violets, rocks, coffee and graphite. Refined notes of balsamic fruit and...
12 FREE
JS
95
WA
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $21.93
12 bottles: $21.49
A deep nose full of black and purple fruit, iodine, stones, sage and hedgerow. Full-bodied and broad on the palate...
JS
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $25.94 $26.80
12 bottles: $25.42
The grapes for Arano come from our own vineyards in Moradillo de Roa (Burgos) of more than 20 years old. 9 hectares...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $27.94
12 bottles: $27.38
Dense and broad Viñas de Gain with impressive concentration and compact tannins that give gravity to the palate,...
JS
94
WA
92
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $22.93 $24.60
This deep-garnet-colored wine features a bouquet of purple plum, roasted fennel bulb and flint. Flavors of blackberry...
WE
92
JS
91
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $117.93 $119.80
Quite a mineral Gran Reserva expression with wet stones and hints of sweet spices to the minty plums and cherries....
12 FREE
JS
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.00
12 bottles: $14.25
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.92 $20.80
12 bottles: $19.76
Clean and bright dark cherry in color, this wine has a multitude of differentiated nuances on the nose, intertwining...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $56.92
Lots of vanilla extract and minty oak to the creamy blackberries, Spanish chocolate and cinnamon spices. Juicy and...
12 FREE
JS
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $64.94
12 bottles: $63.64
Ribera benefited from regular seasons and a very cold winter in 2018, according to Xavier Ausàs, which is why he's...
12 FREE
DC
96
WA
95
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $16.84
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $17.11 $18.00
12 bottles: $14.64
A balanced, medium-bodied red, with baked black plum and cherry fruit layered with light tannins and hints of herbs,...
WS
88
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $16.56 $18.40
12 bottles: $14.64
High intensity cherry-red cherry color with purple notes in the border. Aromatic complexity where we find floral...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $87.95 $97.20
This dark-garnet-colored wine has a nose of black currant, raspberry and milk chocolate. Deep fruit flavors of cassis...
12 FREE
WE
97
JS
95
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $55.90 $61.20
A balanced, medium-bodied red, with a pleasing, plush texture, this shows a well-knit range of ripe cherry and black...
12 FREE
WS
91

Ice Wine Mavrodaphne Primitivo Tempranillo

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?

As with many European grape varietals, there is some debate regarding the precise origins of the Primitivo grape. Most people now agree that it probably came from Croatia, where it is still used widely in the production of red wine, and it known as Tribidrag. However, today it is a grape most commonly associated with the powerful red wines of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, where the intense sunshine and brisk Mediterranean breezes produce grapes of remarkable character and balance. Primitivo is a dark grape, known for producing intense, inky, highly tannic wines, most notably the naturally sweet Dolce Naturale and the heavy and complex Primitivo di Manduria wines. Primitivo tends to be naturally very high in both tannin and alcohol, making it ideal for both barrel and cellar ageing, which brings out its more rounded and interesting features.


Primitivo is not the easiest grape to grow or manage, and it has had something of a difficult century. Indeed, by the 1990s, there was little interest in Puglian wines in general, and winemakers were neglecting their Primitivo vineyards and looking to other, more commercially viable varietals. However, the last decade has seen this grape come well and truly back into fashion, with new techniques and a heightened interest in native Italian grape varietals bringing Primitivo back into the spotlight. It is now widely loved for its intensity and ability to be paired with strongly flavored foods.

There are plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.