×
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $10.94
13 Celsius Sauvignon Blanc is crafted from exceptional grapes grown in the world-renowned region of Marlborough, New...
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $34.80
6 bottles: $26.87
Traditional London Dry Gin botanicals mingled with Japanese botanicals, made from 100% grain neutral spirits. 135°...
Instore only
Sale
White
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $19.37 $20.39
6 bottles: $17.39
An expressive wine with bright citrus, lemon zest, grapefruit and undertones of fresh cut grass. The mouth feel is...
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $9.26
12 bottles: $8.80
An expressive wine with bright citrus, lemon zest, grapefruit and undertones of fresh cut grass. The mouth feel is...
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
720ml
Bottle: $45.60 $48.00
12 FREE
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
12 FREE
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
12 FREE
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
720ml
Bottle: $46.74 $49.20
12 FREE
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
12 FREE
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
300ml
Bottle: $16.43 $17.29
12 bottles: $13.59
With a hue the clearness of a winter lake, this sake has scents of cantaloupe, red plum, caraway, almond skin, and...
UBC
92
DC
90
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
1.8Ltr
Bottle: $74.67 $78.60
A stout, robust and incredibly dry sake, prominent notes of black walnuts and caramel shading into spicy flavors of...
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
720ml
Bottle: $36.48 $38.40
A stout, robust and incredibly dry sake, prominent notes of black walnuts and caramel shading into spicy flavors of...
Sale
Sake/Fruit Wine
720ml
Bottle: $91.28 $96.08
6 bottles: $88.01
Delicate tropical aromas of melon, lychee, and pineapple with the floral hint of honeysuckle. Feather-light, layered...
12 FREE
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $16.83
This Marlborough Pinot Noir has aromas of spice, currant, and dark Ghana chocolate. A juicy cherry mouthfeel matches...
Sale
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $13.82 $14.73
This leaps out of the glass, with expressive, intense fruit flavors of silky smooth lemon meringue, mango, tangerine...
WS
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $34.94
12 bottles: $34.24
Strikes an appealing balance between spiced notes of black cherry and juicy raspberry at the core and more nuanced...
12 FREE
WS
92
White
750ml
Bottle: $16.94
12 bottles: $15.94
Packed with vibrant grapefruit, peach and fresh herbs with a luscious texture and a zingy, citrus peel acidity....
DC
95
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $11.70
12 bottles: $11.47
Intense nose of apricot and cheese, derived from wild ferment and age on oak lees. Long dry finish with intense...
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $16.87 $18.74
12 bottles: $14.81
Pale yellow in color, with delightful aromas of dried herbs, citrus, jalapeno, crushed nettle and tomato leaf. One...
Sale
Spirits
720ml
Bottle: $26.22 $27.60

Japan New Zealand Switzerland

All over Japan, farmers and wine producers take the production of alcoholic beverages including plum wine and sake very seriously. It is an industry which dates back well over a thousand years, and is held in high esteem in this far east country, where plum wines and sake often accompany meals and are used for ceremonial purposes. Whilst plum wine is produced in a relatively similar way to grape based wines, sake requires a complex process more akin to the brewing of beer, except using a rice mash instead of other grains. The rising popularity of both of these drinks in the west has seen the drinks industry in Japan increase dramatically over recent years, and both quality and quantity has risen alongside demand, and is expected to rise further.

As with nearby Australia, New Zealand has over the past century proven itself to be a superb location for producing high quality wines in vast amounts, with much of the cooler regions of both islands being used primarily for vine cultivation. New Zealand wineries are notable for their enthusiasm in regards to experimentation, and for utilizing modern technologies and methods to make the most of the imported grape varietals which flourish in the rich, fertile soils and oceanic climate. In recent years, it has been the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines which have gained the most attention, as a result of their smoky character and ability to carry the mineral rich nature of the terroir they grow in. Changing consumer interests have brought about a considerable rise in the production of organic and sustainable wines in New Zealand, of which again, the Sauvignon Blanc varietals are leading the way in regards to excellence, flavor and overall character.




Switzerland is composed by 26 cantons and 4 linguistic areas: the German one, the French one, the Italian and the Romanche. This creates a richness of various expressions, which are also reflected in traditions, lifestyles, eating and drinking manners. Its wine-producing geography is subdivided into six areas: the cantons of Valais, of Vaud and of Geneva, the three lakes' region (Western Switzerland), the German-speaking area (Eastern Switzerland), and the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. Moreover, Switzerland's particular geographical situation, in between four wine-producing nations (France, Italy, Germany and Austria), offers an extreme diversity in the characters of its wines.


Swiss vineyards give a large choice of grape varieties, although they are still scarcely known abroad. The most typical white grape variety is Chasselas, whose extreme sensitivity to both soil and situation is reflected in subtle differences in taste. Among the red grape varieties, the most widespread is Pinot Noir which can take very different characters depending on the region from where it comes and the type of vinification it has undergone.


History



Vineyards have been cultivated in Switzerland since the Roman era. Even though certain traces can be found of a more ancient origin, many native Swiss vines have Latin names. Christianity and the needs of religious services ensured the cultivation of the vineyards throughout the Middle Age and long after it. However, wine would not be used in masses only and, despite its highs and lows, the wine-production in Switzerland lasted and developed to our days. Swiss products can now be seen abroad as cultural ambassadors of a country whose winegrowers completely dedicate themselves to producing the very best.