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Red
750ml
Bottle: $93.94
12 bottles: $92.06
12 FREE
Red
750ml
Bottle: $13.50
12 bottles: $13.23
The choice of this name is linked to a word used in Ancient Rome, “Giomelle”, which signifies “the union of two...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $39.90
12 bottles: $39.10
Crispness and admirable balance are the hallmarks of Aria di Caiarossa, a blend of four noble varieties that mirrors...
12 FREE
Sale
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $58.95 $60.00
#68 TOP 100 ITALIAN WINES OF 2019 - Very complex aromas of crushed berries, yet the fresh herbs, dried berries,...
12 FREE
JS
97
WA
96
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $48.80
A fresh, chewy red with brightness and coolness for this ripe vintage. Medium body. Pretty fruit. Dark-berry,...
12 FREE
JS
94
WA
93
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $47.92
This is an intense, full-bodied yet very well-balanced and polished red with velvety, firm and caressing tannins....
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JS
96
WA
95
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $53.93 $56.70
12 FREE
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $17.10 $18.00
Savory and soulful, this lithe red opens with earthy aromas of tilled earth, eucalyptus oil, blue flower, game and...
WE
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $28.94 $32.00
Dynamite example of old vines from Etna. Structured and intense without being too tight to drink young. Bouquet of...
White
750ml
Bottle: $17.09
12 bottles: $15.05
Lemon green wine, with golden hues, clear and bright with intense fruit flavor highlighting pear, apple and peach.On...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.94
12 bottles: $19.54
COLOR: Deep red color with ruby highlights. NOSE: On the nose it shows very pleasant fruity notes of cherry and black...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $30.00
12 bottles: $29.40
Purple red color. Aromas of black plum, blueberry, blackberry, brambles, light hints of rose petals. The palate adds...
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $33.93
6 bottles: $33.60
This is settling into a groove, featuring black cherry, blackberry, mushroom, woodsy and spice flavors in the best...
12 FREE
WS
93
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $147.00
Complex aromas of blackberries, blueberries, licorice, gravel and walnuts. Rich and full-bodied with firm,...
JS
94
WS
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $98.75
6 bottles: $96.78
Complex aromas of blackberries, blueberries, licorice, gravel and walnuts. Rich and full-bodied with firm,...
12 FREE
JS
94
WS
93
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $34.92 $38.00
6 bottles: $34.40
A medium intense nose of dark fruits, blackberries, some floral notes and a hint of spicy oak in the background. A...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $36.90
6 bottles: $36.16
Color : Inexpugnable ruby red, offering the eyes a preview of the wines complex structure, flavors, and aromas. Nose...
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Case only
Red
375ml - Case of 24
Bottle: $6.66
Color: Intense ruby red with violaceous reflexes. Nose: A complete bouquet of cherry and blackberry jam. Palate: The...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.94
12 bottles: $11.52
Color: Intense ruby red with violaceous reflexes. Nose: A complete bouquet of cherry and blackberry jam. Palate: The...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.57
12 bottles: $11.94

Albarino Italian Red Blends 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.

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?