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750ml
Bottle:
$19.20
12 bottles:
$18.82
A new wine for 'A Vita (although it was made once before, in the 2012 vintage), the 'il Rosso' is Gaglioppo (from the...
1.5Ltr
Bottle:
$15.99
Deep ruby-purple in color, this wine boasts exquisite aromas of blackberries, blueberries, plum and spice. It is well...
750ml
Bottle:
$8.99
Deep ruby-purple in color, this wine boasts exquisite aromas of blackberries, blueberries, plum and spice. It is well...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.95
12 bottles:
$18.57
Abacela was the first to plant, produce and bottle Albariño in the Pacific Northwest, thus paving the way for...
750ml
Bottle:
$19.17
$21.30
12 bottles:
$17.52
Plenty of fruit on the nose with a nice reductive and peppery edge. Dark cherries and strawberries with spiced plums...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$17.50
Typical Albarino from the Salnés Valley, in Rías Baixas, to enjoy now and for the next 5 years.
750ml
Bottle:
$16.66
12 bottles:
$16.33
The 2022 Adelante Malbec is bold. The blue (blueberry) fruit is accented with minerality, earth, & spice.
The wine...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$23.66
Lovely and fresh with aromas of crunchy red berries, red plum, tomato, and leather. The palate has a touch of spice,...
750ml
Bottle:
$12.94
$14.30
12 bottles:
$12.35
This classic Malbec has dense flavors of dark plum, black cherry and chocolate, layered with toasted oak and a...
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle:
$18.29
Food-friendly and downright yummy this is a complex wine with lots of layers and notes of earth, leather, red fruit...
750ml
Bottle:
$11.15
$11.70
12 bottles:
$11.12
Food-friendly and downright yummy this is a complex wine with lots of layers and notes of earth, leather, red fruit...
750ml
Bottle:
$9.10
$13.01
This entry-level Malbec is an authentic mountain wine that offers excellent value for money. Just 30% was oak-aged,...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.30
12 bottles:
$14.01
Color: Red of good intensity.
Nose: Intense aromas resemble ripe cherries and raspberries that combined with the...
750ml
Bottle:
$32.89
$35.20
In the glass, the wine shows colors of red garnet accompanied by a bouquet of cherries, menthol and a hint of...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.15
$17.08
12 bottles:
$15.44
In the glass, the wine is deep ruby with purple hues. On the nose, the wine is delicate with notes of cherry,...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.44
$16.25
12 bottles:
$12.35
Alamos Malbec captures the spirit and terroir of Argentina’s signature variety. Grown at high-level altitudes, our...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.00
12 bottles:
$14.25
Hand selected from vineyards in the cool climate district of La Consulta, Alamos Selección is the brand’s premier...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$16.51
Clean and fresh with delicate citrus notes on the nose and a palate packed with green apple, orange peel and lime...
750ml
Bottle:
$41.94
12 bottles:
$41.10
"Alma de Mar" is one of Xurxo's top wines, and comes from a single plot of 100% Albariño very close to the sea. The...
750ml
Bottle:
$43.94
12 bottles:
$43.06
Xurxo makes this wine from 100% Albariño from a tiny 1 ha vineyard of 35 year old vines grown organically on clay...
Albarino Italian Red Blends Malbec Mavrodaphne
The pale skinned grapes of the Albarino varietal have been grown in and around Spain and Portugal for almost a thousand years, where they are highly enjoyed and prized by the locals for their distinctive aroma, and sharp, tart acidity levels. Over the past century, their influence has spread to the New World, and many vineyards keen to emulate the white wines of Spain have had considerable success with this varietal. The light bodied wines which are produced from the Albarino grapes have wonderfully aromatic properties, and carry ripe flavors of soft summer fruits, apricot and peach, with a mild and pleasantly bitter after taste brought on by their thick skins. Because of their acidic nature, they are a fantastic match for many Spanish foods, and are best served chilled on a hot day.
The purple Malbec variety grapes which now grow all over the Old and New Worlds had their origins in France, where they are one of the few grape varieties allowed to be used in the highly esteemed blended wines of Bordeaux. However, it is perhaps the New World Malbec wines which have attracted the most attention in recent years, as they thrive in hot southern climates in ways they cannot in their native country, where the damp conditions leave them highly vulnerable to rot. Malbec grapes are renowned for their high tannin content, resulting in full-bodied red wines packed with ripe, plummy flavors and held in their characteristically dark, garnet colored liquid. In many countries, Malbec is still used primarily as a varietal for blending, as it adds a great level of richness and density to other, lighter and thinner varietals. However, single variety Malbec wines have been greatly on the rise in recent years, with some fantastic results and big, juicy flavors marking them out as a great wine for matching with a wide range of foods.
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?