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Sale
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $12.60 $15.00
An inviting nose of peaches, sliced pears and dried orange peel. Medium-bodied with delightful texture. Bright and...
JS
90
White
12 FREE
Case only
White
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.
Case only
White
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...
White
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...
12 FREE
White
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...
12 FREE
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $59.90 $63.19
The 2021 Fire By Night, formerly known as Broom Ridge, has a lovely, seductive bouquet with mirabelle, jasmine and...
12 FREE
VM
94
WS
93
White
750ml
Bottle: $59.90
6 bottles: $58.70
12 FREE
White
750ml
Bottle: $12.57
12 bottles: $9.51
Fresh and fragrant with orange blossom, apricot, and peach aromas. A well-balanced, sweet, bubbly wine that is full...
Sale
White
5.0Ltr
Bottle: $34.76 $36.59
4 bottles: $21.60
Fresh fruit flavors of guava and Bartlett pear. Delicate, yet full flavored. Serve Chilled.
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $12.73 $14.14
12 bottles: $10.67
Crystal clear with a pale green hue. Crisp and fresh bursting with delicious fruit flavours. The palate is light with...
Sale
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $15.90 $17.09
Citrus and slightly tropical notes. Full bodied with good structure, fresh and mineral. Long finish with the light...
White
750ml
Bottle: $14.82
12 bottles: $9.51
Color of wine is straw yellow with a light green hue. Scents of gardenia, ripe fruit notes of apricot, peach and...
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $16.20 $18.00
12 bottles: $14.25
Crisp passion fruit and lemon leaf with a whiff of white pepper on the nose. The same flavours make an immediate...
White
750ml
Bottle: $29.90
12 bottles: $29.30
It leaps out of the glass with aromas of oyster shell and granite, and follows through with a palate rich in yellow...
12 FREE
White
750ml
Bottle: $79.94
The super austere, sharp and mineral 2020 Atalier La Encrucijada reminded me of the first Leirana wines (that were...
12 FREE
WA
94
White
750ml
Bottle: $23.51
12 bottles: $23.03
Elegant lemon-yellow color, clean and glossy. It is a very intense wine on the nose with persistent quality aromas,...
12 FREE
Instore only
White
187ml
Bottle: $6.99
Barefoot Moscato is a sweet, lively white wine with a light, crisp acidity. Tropical aromas of pineapple and orange...
Instore only
White
3.0Ltr
Bottle: $16.99
Barefoot Moscato is a sweet, lively white wine with a light, crisp acidity. Tropical aromas of pineapple and orange...
White
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $22.20
6 bottles: $13.00
A cheerful blush color in the glass, this rosé is all pink grapefruit, strawberry jam, and pink lemonade on the...
UBC
91

Albarino Chenin Blanc Lambrusco Muscat

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.

Originating in France yet now grown in many parts of the New World, Chenin Blanc is one of the most versatile and highly regarded white wine grape varietals on earth. These green skinned grapes hold a relatively high acid content, and as such can be used for making still white wines of exceptional quality, as well as superb sparkling wines (such as the Crémant wines of the Loire Valley) and extremely aromatic dessert wines. Their natural transparency means that they are a fine grape for expressing their terroir in the bottle, and winemakers often experiment with this varietal to coax unusual and intense flavors from the grapes, such as allowing the development of noble rot on the fruit in order to make sweet and viscous wines of a unique character.

Some grape species are distinct and unique varietals, clearly separate from each of their cousins. Others, like Lambrusco and Muscat, are more like umbrella terms, featuring several subspecies which show slight differences from each other from region to region. Indeed, there are astonishingly more than 60 identified varieties of Lambrusco vines, and they are almost all used in the production of characterful Italian sparkling wines. They are distinguishable by their deep ruby blush, caused by strong pigments present in their skins, and their intensely perfumed character.


Lambrusco vines are grown in several Italian regions, although we most closely associate this varietal with Piedmont and Basilicata. It has also been grown successfully in Argentina and Australia. The varietal suffered from a fairly lowly reputation in the late 20th century, due to bulk, low cost production of Lambrusco sparkling wines, aimed at markets across northern Europe and America. However, things are rapidly changing, and the older, more traditional methods of bottle fermentation are returning, along with a higher level of quality and expression, as consumers become more discerning and demanding. Many of the Lambrusco sub-varieties have their own established DOC, such as Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Modena, where new regulations are keeping standards high and methods traditional.

One of the most widely grown and easily recognized wine grape varietals in the world is the Muscat, an ancient grape with an exceptional amount of versatility. For centuries, Muscat varietal grapes have been used all over Europe for the production of wonderfully fruity wines of many different shades and colors, which, with their strong 'grapey' flavor have come to be known as a quintessential fine wine grape. Their relatively high acidity also means they are ideal for the production of sparkling wines, and the fizzy Muscat wines of Italy are widely agreed to be amongst the best in the world. In more recent years, New World countries have shown a huge amount of flair when it comes to the Muscat grape, and have had plenty of success in allowing its natural and vibrant character to come through in the bottle.