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![Aeris [By Rhys] Nerello Mascalese 'Centennial Mountain' 2019 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/d4/d4180ece6a416f3caebb31584f0eeba0.jpg)
750ml
Bottle:
$51.30
$54.00
Pouring a jeweled ruby hue, the 2019 Nerello Mascalese Centennial Mountain Vineyard brings forward sun-kissed aromas...
1.8Ltr
Bottle:
$74.67
$78.60
A stout, robust and incredibly dry sake, prominent notes of black walnuts and caramel shading into spicy flavors of...
720ml
Bottle:
$36.48
$38.40
A stout, robust and incredibly dry sake, prominent notes of black walnuts and caramel shading into spicy flavors of...
720ml
Bottle:
$91.28
$96.08
6 bottles:
$88.01
Delicate tropical aromas of melon, lychee, and pineapple with the floral hint of honeysuckle. Feather-light, layered...
300ml
Bottle:
$15.05
$15.84
Layers of dried flowers and baking spice give way to savory salinity. Slightly dry and medium-bodied. Clean and...
720ml
Bottle:
$28.88
$30.40
Layers of dried flowers and baking spice give way to savory salinity. Slightly dry and medium-bodied. Clean and...
720ml
Bottle:
$30.78
$32.40
Instead of big, heady, fruity aromas, this showcases the grain and the koji. Notes of charred pizza crust and roasted...
750ml
Bottle:
$25.20
12 bottles:
$24.70
From two old vineyards, located in the municipality of Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slope of...
1.8Ltr
Bottle:
$32.49
$34.20
6 bottles:
$31.20
A remarkably elegant honjozo popular with local Miyagi drinkers, this is made from premium Yamada Nishiki rice milled...
720ml
Bottle:
$16.25
12 bottles:
$15.44
A remarkably elegant honjozo popular with local Miyagi drinkers, this is made from premium Yamada Nishiki rice milled...
720ml
Bottle:
$20.52
$21.60
Rich and full, bursting with umami. Deep bass notes of soy sauce mingle with grains and freshly cut herbs.
720ml
Bottle:
$45.60
$48.00
The NV Azuma Ichi Junmai Daiginjo has interesting crispy and refreshing notes, such as green apple, lime and green...
720ml
Bottle:
$30.78
$32.40
Medium-full body, savory bass notes of almond and cocoa are contrasted by bright high tones of candied strawberry and...
720ml
Bottle:
$24.00
12 bottles:
$22.80
Made from local Kita Nishiki rice, which lends the sake a clear structure and sharp finish. Aromas of green apple...
Ice Wine Melon de Bourgogne Mencia Sake Savatiano
One of the more unusual French grape varietals, Melon de Bourgogne has been grown in and around the Loire Valley for several hundred years. In fact, this grape was first planted in the Loire region of Pays Nantais back in the mid 17th century, after a devastating frost decimated most of the red grapes which were typical in the area. The winemakers of Pays Nantais were keen to cultivate vines which were hardy, high yielding, and capable of surviving another such frost, and so turned their attention to Melon de Bourgogne for this very reason. The native home of the varietal is actually in Burgundy, where it is still grown to a lesser extent.
Because Melon de Bourgogne produces naturally heavy yields, the vintners of Pays Nantais go to great lengths to reduce the amount of fruit the vines bear. This allows the finest characteristics of the grape to come forward, and also opens up the opportunity for it to express the wonderful granite and schist soils in which the vines are grown. Melon de Bourgogne is a minerally white wine grape varietal, with a very subtle set of fruit flavors. It is prized for its freshness and brightness, and is seeing a revival in the twenty first century as an excellent wine for pairing with a wide range of foods.
Savatiano is probably Greece's most well known and most widely grown grape varietal, as it is the primary grape used in the production of Retsina, where the fermenting juices of the Savatiano varietal are flavored with pine resin in order to make this distinctive and famous wine. One of the reasons for the wide cultivation of this grape is due to its hardiness, and resistance to drought conditions. In the sun-drenched and dry, rocky Greek landscapes, this makes it an ideal vine to grow for wine-makers who require a strong and bounteous yield each year.
However, there are plenty of examples of Greek white wines which use the Savatiano grape but withhold from the addition the pine resin flavoring, allowing the true characteristics of this varietal to shine through. The result is often very pleasing indeed, with Savatiano grapes generally producing extremely well balanced and rounded white wines, with a juicily fruity flavor. Their aromas can vary quite a lot, with many Savatiano wines bearing the fragrance of citrus fruits, and also occasionally having a strong floral aroma reminiscent of elder and rose. Due to the relatively low acidity of Savatiano grapes, the wines which use them (including Retsina) generally bolster themselves with the addition of smaller quantities of more acidic varieties, such as Assyrtiko or Rhoditis, in order to improve their sometimes weak structure.
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?