×
Red
750ml
Bottle: $18.08
12 bottles: $17.72
COLOR: Wine of very elegant red color. BOUQUET: Intense aroma, with fruity hints of ripe plums, cherry jam and notes...
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $25.08 $26.40
12 bottles: $23.94
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $31.54 $33.20
12 bottles: $30.40
A blend of fine cognacs from 15-30 years old, this XO Cognac is characterized by a pleasant light-gold color,...
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $74.55 $78.47
6 bottles: $62.39
A very delicate blend of eaux-de-vie from Grande and Petite Champagne, aged between 8 and 15 years in cask, and...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $65.03
6 bottles: $57.59
TOP 100 SPIRITS OF 2019 - This Cognac offers rich aromas and flavors, yet still remains light and easygoing....
12 FREE
WE
94
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $235.52 $247.92
Carefully matured, balancing the influence of oak with that of time, to produce a complex Cognac. Rich, sweet and...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
700ml
Bottle: $47.42 $49.92
A complex VSOP, with herbal and spicy notes mingling with fruit and well-selected oak. The texture is thick and rich,...
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $100.32
6 bottles: $99.60
Complex and in need of some time to breathe. However, patience is rewarded with richness, fruit and the layers of...
12 FREE
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $67.94
Aalto was established in 1999 by Mariano Garcia, winemaker for 30 years at Vega Sicilia. His philosophy was minimal...
12 FREE
DC
95
VM
94
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $249.94
Expressive and intense, this impressive red marries elegance and power, delivering rich flavors of blackberry,...
12 FREE
WS
95
VM
94
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $20.69 $22.20
12 bottles: $20.28
Our fruit-driven Fiesta Tempranillo is a fantastic representation of vintage and terroir. Bright garnet in color,...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $22.40
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $94.68 $105.20
Ripe, tarry plums and black cherries with violets, rocks, coffee and graphite. Refined notes of balsamic fruit and...
12 FREE
JS
95
WA
94
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $23.26 $24.48
This spirit is amber in color and exhibits nutty, caramel notes on the nose. The palate has subtle hints of citrus...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $21.93
12 bottles: $21.49
A deep nose full of black and purple fruit, iodine, stones, sage and hedgerow. Full-bodied and broad on the palate...
JS
90
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $25.94 $26.80
12 bottles: $25.42
The grapes for Arano come from our own vineyards in Moradillo de Roa (Burgos) of more than 20 years old. 9 hectares...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $234.00
The nose of the 2021 El Carretil is an explosion of flowers; it's aromatic, perfumed, open, expressive and super...
12 FREE
WA
98
VM
93
Red
750ml
Bottle: $78.00
The 2021 La Hoya is an impressive new Rioja red. Crafted from 100% Tempranillo sourced from a 1965-planted plot on...
12 FREE
VM
96
WA
95
Red
750ml
Bottle: $162.00
There is a note of fennel in the 2021 La Poza de Ballesteros, a wine that is more open, approachable and round, with...
12 FREE
WA
94
VM
94
Red
750ml
Bottle: $78.00
The bottled 2021 Quintanilla comes from a very white soil that is very rich in limestone. The wine has a lot of...
12 FREE
WA
94
VM
94

Cognac Mencia Primitivo Tempranillo Vidiano

For over three hundred years, Cognac has enjoyed its reputation as the king of brandies. Indeed, it is widely regarded as the finest drink to be distilled from grapes to be found anywhere in the world, and it is a testament to its producers and the master craftsmen who make it that this reputation has never faltered, and remains as strong as ever to this day.

Cognac is produced solely in the beautiful towns of Cognac and Jarnac, found about fifty miles north of Bordeaux, on the west coast of France. Here, around six thousand grape growers work exclusively in the production of white wine, used for the Cognac distilleries which are scattered throughout the region. The wines are made primarily from the Ugni Blanc or Trebbiano grape - one of the most commonly planted grape varietals in the world - which benefit from the cool, coastal climate and mineral rich soils which are found there. The wines themselves wouldn’t be suitable for drinking in themselves, as they are high in acid and low in alcohol, but this makes them ideal for distillation, and they can impart their wonderful, complex, rich flavors to the brandy.

Cognac varies quite significantly from bottle to bottle, depending on how long it has been aged for, and which appellation it comes from. The Cognac region is split into six separate Crus, all with their own distinctive characteristics, and the spirit can be aged from two years (VS) to six (Hors d’Age and Napoleon) and longer.

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.

There are plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.