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750ml
Bottle:
$16.88
12 bottles:
$16.54
750ml
Bottle:
$19.94
12 bottles:
$19.54
This has a gorgeous violet edging to the colour with clear oak influence, veering to smoky and working well. There is...
750ml
Bottle:
$17.85
$19.40
12 bottles:
$17.29
The 2019 Cap de Faugères has tightened up a lot on the nose, showing dense black fruit, tar and graphite scents,...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.88
$17.71
91-92 A medium-bodied red with plum and berry. Soft and refined with nice, ripe and creamy tannins. Very polished.
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$25.32
From the Castillon outpost of Gérard and Chantal Perse, this blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10%...
750ml
Bottle:
$12.42
$14.95
Soft and velvety in texture, this wine is full of ripe fruit. Cushioned by the texture, the tannins are dense enough...
750ml
Bottle:
$32.93
12 bottles:
$32.27
This packs in quite a few layers of dark plum, fig and boysenberry fruit, without getting heady, thanks to a very...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$22.83
Juliette Bécot (also of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot in Saint-Émilion) has done great work in this vintage! The...
750ml
Bottle:
$22.93
$25.20
12 bottles:
$22.80
Direct and a bit high-pitched, with damson plum and bitter cherry notes carried by a savory streak. A very fresh and...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$28.94
Flowers, black licorice, blackberries and minerals all rise to the surface. Transparent. Medium to full bodied,...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$24.83
Produced by Denis Durantou of Château L’Eglise Clinet, the 2018 Montlandrie is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$23.79
From a Castillon estate purchased and replanted in 2009, the 2020 Château Montlandrie checks in as 75% Merlot, 20%...
Mavrodaphne Mencia Red Bordeaux France Bordeaux Cotes De Castillon
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?
There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.
Year in, year out, France enjoys its prestigious reputation as the producer of the finest wines in the world. With a wine making history which spans several thousand years and owes its expertise to the Romans, it comes as little surprise that this most highly esteemed of the Old World wine countries continues to impress and enchant both novices and experts to this day. Despite the rise in quality of wines from neighboring European countries, not to mention the New World, the French wine industry continues to boom, with up to eight billion bottles being produced in recent years. However, France prides itself on always putting quality before quantity, and the wide range in fine produce is a testament to the dedication and knowledge of the wineries across the country. Indeed, from rich and complex reds to light and aromatic white wines, French wines are as varied and interesting as they are enjoyable to drink, making this country a firm favorite for wine lovers across the globe.
There are few wine regions in the world with a reputation as glowing and well established as that of the Bordeaux, in France. Situated mainly around the Dordogne and Gironde rivers, Bordeaux makes the most of its humid climate and rich, clay and gravel based soils to grow some of the finest examples of red and white grape varietals on earth. Wineries in this region have been in operation for hundreds of years, and have carefully developed the expertise required for the production of carefully balanced and utterly delicious blended red and white wines, alongside some exceptional single variety bottles. Many of the chateaux found in Bordeaux have become household names, due to their prestige and the excellence of their products, grown with love and dedication by heritage wineries in this beautiful and special region.