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750ml
Bottle:
$34.01
12 bottles:
$33.32
Complex aromas of ripe ruby grapefruit and pear lead way to layered flavors of mango, honeysuckle and fresh herbs....
750ml
Bottle:
$19.99
6 bottles:
$19.59
This lively white is light-bodied and minerally, with crunchy white peach, Thai basil, pickled ginger and melon...
Pre-Arrival
Clos Rougeard Saumur Breze 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$295.95
The phrase 'ripe yet precise' encapsulates the 2017 Bréze, Clos Rougeard's single and singular, dry white wine. It...
Pre-Arrival
De Ladoucette Pouilly Fume Baron De L 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$124.71
A harmonious white, with green plum, lime zest and lemon pith flavors, accented by a gooseberry note that adds...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$87.95
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle:
$106.13
From selected old vines on silex soils on the slopes, fermented in stainless steel and oak but aged entirely in...
Mavrodaphne Mencia Sauvignon Blanc 2017
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?
The green skinned grapes of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal had their origins in Southern France, where they are still widely grown and used for many of the excellent young and aged white wines the region is famous for. Today, however, they are grown in almost every wine producing country in the world, and are widely revered for their fresh and grassy flavors, full of tropical notes and refreshing, zesty character. Sauvignon Blanc grapes thrive best in moderate climates, and ripen relatively early in the year. This has made them a favorite for many wineries in the New World, where they can still produce healthy and high yields in the earlier part of the summer before the temperatures become too hot. Too much heat has a massively adverse effect on Sauvignon Blanc, as the grapes become dull in their flavor, and the wine produced from them loses all its unique character and high points. As such, Sauvignon Blanc farmers have had a lot of trouble from global warming and climate change, as they are being forced to harvest their crops increasingly earlier in the year when it is cool enough to do so.