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Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $1836.18 $2040.20
The 2005 Ausone is magnificent. A wine of soaring intensity and class, the 2005 dazzles from the very first taste....
12 FREE
WA
100
VM
100
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $59.94
The 2005 Château Barde-Haut showed beautifully and was one of the gems in the lineup. Offers loads of ripe dark...
12 FREE
JD
95
WA
92
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $206.28 $229.20
The Grand Vin, the 2005 Beychevelle is a gorgeous wine, with plenty of crème de cassis, floral notes, underbrush and...
12 FREE
WA
93
WE
93
Sale
Red
3.0Ltr
Bottle: $618.30 $687.00
The nose is just utterly delicious, smoky and seductive. This is why you don't drink St-Julien in a great vintage too...
DC
95
WE
95
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $129.78 $144.20
The nose is just utterly delicious, smoky and seductive. This is why you don't drink St-Julien in a great vintage too...
12 FREE
DC
95
WE
95
Red
375ml
Bottle: $91.50
The 2005 Brane-Cantenac is fabulous. Effusive and explosive to the core, the 2005 possesses tons of energy and...
12 FREE
VM
94
WE
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $149.58 $166.20
The 2005 Brane-Cantenac is fabulous. Effusive and explosive to the core, the 2005 possesses tons of energy and...
12 FREE
VM
94
WE
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $152.55 $169.50
The 2005 Brane-Cantenac is fabulous. Effusive and explosive to the core, the 2005 possesses tons of energy and...
12 FREE
VM
94
WE
94
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $440.20
6 bottles: $436.00
Tight and dense still but so integrated and seamless in texture. Aromas of chocolate, hazelnuts, dried spices and...
WA
94
JS
94
Red
3.0Ltr
Bottle: $1139.95
Tight and dense still but so integrated and seamless in texture. Aromas of chocolate, hazelnuts, dried spices and...
WA
94
JS
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $207.18 $230.20
Tight and dense still but so integrated and seamless in texture. Aromas of chocolate, hazelnuts, dried spices and...
12 FREE
WA
94
JS
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $199.95 $212.20
This fragrant, lush, seductive wine offers up plum, Christmas spices and crème de cassis. This dense garnet/purple...
12 FREE
WA
94
WE
94
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $134.94
Wow. This really shows wonderful depth and complexity on the nose with blueberries, fresh flowers and hints of...
JS
93
WS
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $157.95 $175.50
The 2005 Château Clerc Milon is flat out awesome, it would certainly be one of those giant killers in a blind...
12 FREE
JD
96
WS
95
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $303.75 $337.50
A lesson in genuinely great wine, the 2005 Cos d’Estournel is a monster of a wine that delivers an incredible level...
12 FREE
JS
99
JD
99
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $284.95
6 bottles: $279.25
This is almost the perfect time to drink this wine, although it still needs decanting to bring out the plush strokes...
DC
92
VM
91
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $127.35
This is almost the perfect time to drink this wine, although it still needs decanting to bring out the plush strokes...
12 FREE
DC
92
VM
91
Red
750ml
Bottle: $96.60
12 bottles: $94.67
Wonderful balance of fruit with currant and chocolate character. Full body with integrated tannins and a clean...
12 FREE
JS
92
WA
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $346.23 $384.70
A gorgeously silky, juicy and balanced glass of wine, this combines elegant richness of sweet cocoa and blackberry,...
12 FREE
DC
98
WA
97
Red
750ml
Bottle: $178.20
12 bottles: $168.15
This property, which has benefitted enormously from tremendous investments from the Rothschild family that owns...
12 FREE
WA
93
WS
93

Ice Wine Mavrodaphne Red Bordeaux 2005

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?

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.