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750ml
Bottle:
$31.94
12 bottles:
$31.30
• Varietal Mencía from a few parcels, some younger and some up to 100 years old.
• Spontaneous fermentation in...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.94
12 bottles:
$18.56
There is a note of dry hay and esparto grass in the 2022 Fusco, which made me think of some wines from Douro in...
750ml
Bottle:
$25.50
12 bottles:
$24.99
The young red 2020 Castro Candaz, from a very warm vintage in Ribeira Sacra, is quite fruit-driven, straightforward...
750ml
Bottle:
$39.00
A seamless red, medium-bodied and lightly chalky in texture, with fine tannins enmeshed with flavors of mulled cherry...
750ml
Bottle:
$45.60
$48.00
Enology and Viticulture: Sara Perez and Rene Barbier. Production: 125 cases produced Vineyards: The vineyards consist...
750ml
Bottle:
$12.99
Anyone who has ever seen photographs of the steep slopes of Ribeira Sacra will wonder how it is possible to produce a...
Pre-Arrival
Dominio Do Bibei Ribeira Sacra Tinto Lalama 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$55.20
Which to choose? Dominio do Bibei’s Lacima with its sumptuous dark cherry preserve (93pts in my book) or Lalama?...
Pre-Arrival
Dominio Do Bibei Ribeira Sacra Tinto Lalama 2018
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$55.03
The 2018 reds are one step above in finesse, elegance and freshness compared with the 2017s, and the 2018 Lalama is...
Ice Wine Mencia Savatiano Spain Galicia
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?
Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.
The northern Spanish wine region of Galicia is a fascinating one indeed, and is most definitely a wine region to keep your eye on today and in the near future. Once an important center of viticulture and wine trade, Galicia suffered from a huge and devastating economic depression in the 19th century, leaving many of the vineyards untended and useless. However, the 20th century saw various organizations pour money into Galician wine making, thus rebooting the wine industry of this relative wet and windy region on the Atlantic coast. Today, the region is being celebrated for its superb and flavorful blended white wines, made from native grape varietals such as Albarino and Caino Blanca, and is continuing to rebuild itself and regain former glories.