×
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $109.98
Intense, deep red in colour, Desiderio 1997 reveals inviting notes of sweet cherries and raspberries, rose petals and...
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $103.13
Intense, deep red in colour, Desiderio 1998 reveals inviting notes of sweet cherries and raspberries, rose petals and...
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $178.40
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $77.09
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $57.62
Blackberries, blackcurrants, dark plums, Chinese spices and hints of vanilla. Full body, incredibly structured...
JS
95
WS
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $73.28
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $73.28
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $86.45
This is a pure merlot with violets, blueberries and hints of minerals and black truffles. Black olives, too....
JS
97
WA
92
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $57.95
Now in its third vintage, the Castello dei Rampolla 2020 Liù is a fine and impeccably detailed wine. You taste...
WA
94
WE
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $166.46
One of the greatest Italian Merlots, the pedigree of L'Apparita is evident the minute you raise the glass to your...
WE
97
VM
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $224.95
A deep and beautiful red with ripe berry, plum and orange peel character. Almost exotic in style. Full body,...
JS
98
WA
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $157.95
The 2013 L’Apparita gets this tasting off to a very strong start. Fresh, perfumed and totally sensual, the 2013...
VM
98
JS
94
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $240.68
Ama's 2015 L'Apparita is shaping up to be phenomenal. That is the good news. But readers are going to have to give...
VM
98
WA
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $221.62
The 2016 L'Apparita, 100% Merlot, is a breathtaking, riveting wine that captures all the potential of the vintage. In...
VM
100
WA
99
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $167.95
Intense and exotic on the nose with blackberry, blueberry, violet and walnut aromas that follow through to a full...
JS
97
WA
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $211.73
The 2018 L'Apparita is a total stunner. Ama's 100% Merlot is usually a wine of bombastic intensity, but the 2018...
WA
99
VM
99
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $228.95
A viscous, salted licoricetinged red, with plum, earth and spice flavors. Reveals a solid grip of tannins lining the...
WS
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle: $80.60
The 2016 Laroque is blended of 95% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines more than 50...
WA
94
VM
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $41.93
The 2016 Laroque is blended of 95% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines more than 50...
WA
94
VM
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $54.45
Composed of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Laroque sports a deep garnet-purple color and is redolent of...
WA
93
VM
93

Merlot Mencia Rye Whiskey Pre-Arrival

With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in the New World. One of the distinguishing features of Merlot grapes is the fact that they have a relatively low tannin content and an exceptionally soft and fleshy character, meaning they are capable of producing incredibly rounded and mellow wines. This mellowness is balanced with plenty of flavor, however, and has made Merlot grapes the varietal of choice for softening other, more astringent and tannin-heavy wines, often resulting in truly exceptional produce. Merlot is regarded as one of the key 'Bordeaux' varietals for precisely this reason; when combined with the drier Cabernet Sauvignon, it is capable of blending beautifully to produce some of the finest wines available in the world.

Rye Whiskey is enjoying something of a renaissance of late, with sales rocketing in recent years thanks to a growing interest in strong, unique flavors, and small, independent distilleries. Rye Whiskey is a drink which is all about powerful, bold flavors, with plenty of spice and bitterness when drunk young. Aged, however, it takes on a deep set of subtle notes which are beautifully mellow and complex, and becomes a fascinating example of what whiskey can be when made with expert hands.

In order for an American Whiskey to be labeled a Rye Whiskey, it must have a mash content which is no less than fifty one percent rye. This separates it from Bourbon, and it is this which gives it its distinctive flavor and spiciness. Toffee, cinnamon, caraway, cloves and oak are typical tasting notes, and ‘straight rye’ whiskies - which are aged in charred oak barrels - take on plenty of the smokiness of the wood, adding a further, fascinating facet.

Rye Whiskey has its spiritual home in the northeastern states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and cities like Pittsburgh produced vast quantities of Rye Whiskey in the 18th and 19th centuries. Most the old distilleries were closed during the prohibition era, after which time rye whiskey more or less disappeared completely, but the twenty-first century is seeing old recipes being resurrected and released to rave reviews.