Do we ship to you?.
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...
750ml
Bottle:
$32.39
6 bottles:
$31.74
In the 1930s Manzoni Bianco was created by Prof. Luigi Manzoni, director of the renowned Conegliano Research Center,...
750ml
Bottle:
$21.93
$22.80
12 bottles:
$21.49
The 1st vintage of Bianco di Ampeleia was 2016. A neighbor's vineyard had old vines of a local biotype of Trebbiano...
750ml
Bottle:
$36.72
6 bottles:
$36.00
COLOR: Intense yellow in color.
NOSE: Elderflower, citrus, musk, and almond. Floral fragrances gradually give way to...
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle:
$18.68
Color: Pale-straw. Bouquet: Fruity. Taste: Crisp, fresh, refreshing.
750ml
Bottle:
$18.95
12 bottles:
$18.57
Arneis/Cortese/Sauvignon Blanc/Favorita/Vermentino. The name "Arcese" is a whimsical mash-up of Arneis and Cortese,...
750ml
Bottle:
$26.95
12 bottles:
$26.41
100% Moscato. From organically farmed estate vines averaging 30 years old, planted on south-southeast-facing slopes...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$15.94
The typical aromas of the Sauvignon are tangy on the nose; sage, ripe peach, elderflower and green pepper. The Pinot...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$15.85
The typical aromas of the Sauvignon are tangy on the nose; sage, ripe peach, elderflower and green pepper. The Pinot...
750ml
Bottle:
$81.00
6 bottles:
$79.80
This is another fantastic white and continues to be one of the best from Tuscany. It’s so perfumed with sliced...
750ml
Bottle:
$82.88
6 bottles:
$81.22
A solid white with dried pear, apple, cream and stone aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied with a beautiful core of...
750ml
Bottle:
$19.53
12 bottles:
$19.14
Sliced-pear some red-apple aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with lemon zest and fresh pear on the finish....
750ml
Bottle:
$61.50
6 bottles:
$60.27
This has a pretty nose of jasmine, honeysuckle, white peach and melon. Medium-bodied with a ripe, creamy and juicy...
750ml
Bottle:
$17.49
12 bottles:
$15.83
The nose is citrusy, but also sweet with aromas of honey, peach and apricot, and features a slightly rubbery,...
750ml
Bottle:
$16.15
12 bottles:
$15.83
Appearance: Luminous, deep ruby red, with purplish rim.
Bouquet: Fruity aromas of dark cherry, wild cherry, red...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$27.39
Straw yellow color. Wine of great drinkability that finds its best weapons in freshness and elegance. The aromatic...
750ml
Bottle:
$23.94
$25.20
12 bottles:
$22.80
A wine that is full expression of the potential of Apulian nature, the Rosso dei Vespa combines the traditional...
Italian White Blends Mavrodaphne Mencia Primitivo
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?
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.