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Sale
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $21.85 $23.00
6 bottles: $13.87
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
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $83.15
3 bottles: $81.49
Ripe crunchy red forest fruits with notes of candied dark cherries. Rich and bold, with juicy tannins. (Bronze) -...
DC
89
Sale
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $28.84 $30.36
6 bottles: $19.20
With Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Teroldego, it’s a unique Italian twist on a rich, bold blend.
Sale
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $28.84 $30.36
6 bottles: $19.20
A lusciously sweet red wine with pronounced cherry and raspberry notes.
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $45.00
Brown spice, crushed fall leaves cherry sauce and a lifting hint of fresh mint form a darkly alluring bouquet as the...
VM
92
Sale
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $281.01 $295.80
#13 TOP 100 WINES OF ITALY, 2022. Impressive aromas of fresh herbs from the Tuscan coast, such as sage, mint,...
JS
98
WA
95
Sale
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $32.79 $34.52
6 bottles: $30.80
A very elegant, mid-weight Bordeaux blend with delicate red-fruit and fresh-sage aromas and just a hint of bell...
JS
92
WS
90
Sale
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $32.79 $34.52
6 bottles: $30.80
Brimming with redcurrant and blackcurrant aromas, together with notes of mint and sage and a touch of spice. On the...
JS
92
VM
90
White
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $76.94
6 bottles: $75.40
White
Sale
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $29.60 $31.16
6 bottles: $20.00
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $142.20
Shows aromas of fresh black cherry and blackberry that are pure and expressive, accented by wild herbs, cedar, iron...
WS
92
Case only
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 3
Bottle: $324.90
A classy red, complex and delineated, yet elegant and supple in texture, setting the stage for black currant,...
WS
97
Case only
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 3
Bottle: $359.60
Deep presence of herbs, red berries, chocolate, and oak sensations of vanilla and toffee. A serious wine known to few...
Case only
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle: $78.34
An enticing combination of black currant, black cherry, violet, cedar and cigar box flavors highlight. This intense,...
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $158.95
3 bottles: $155.77
The 2015 Ridolfo is a new Cabernet Sauvignon/Pugnitello blend from Marco Ricasoli bottled only in magnum. Vibrant and...
VM
98
WS
95
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $174.95
3 bottles: $171.45
An intense red, with black cherry, blackberry, graphite, tar and toasty oak flavors supported by a dense matrix of...
WS
97
JD
96
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $164.94
3 bottles: $161.64
Sale
Red
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $51.48 $54.19
Aromas of crushed stones, dark berries and blueberries follow through to a medium to full body with creamy tannins...
JS
94

Italian Red Blends Melon de Bourgogne Primitivo 1.5Ltr

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.

As with many European grape varietals, there is some debate regarding the precise origins of the Primitivo grape. Most people now agree that it probably came from Croatia, where it is still used widely in the production of red wine, and it known as Tribidrag. However, today it is a grape most commonly associated with the powerful red wines of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, where the intense sunshine and brisk Mediterranean breezes produce grapes of remarkable character and balance. Primitivo is a dark grape, known for producing intense, inky, highly tannic wines, most notably the naturally sweet Dolce Naturale and the heavy and complex Primitivo di Manduria wines. Primitivo tends to be naturally very high in both tannin and alcohol, making it ideal for both barrel and cellar ageing, which brings out its more rounded and interesting features.


Primitivo is not the easiest grape to grow or manage, and it has had something of a difficult century. Indeed, by the 1990s, there was little interest in Puglian wines in general, and winemakers were neglecting their Primitivo vineyards and looking to other, more commercially viable varietals. However, the last decade has seen this grape come well and truly back into fashion, with new techniques and a heightened interest in native Italian grape varietals bringing Primitivo back into the spotlight. It is now widely loved for its intensity and ability to be paired with strongly flavored foods.