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750ml
Bottle:
$169.89
$184.20
Dark ruby. Deep, brooding nose hints at dark plum, blackcurrant, coffee and lavender accented by cinnamon and...
750ml
Bottle:
$1513.35
$1681.50
The 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is unquestionably this renowned estate's greatest wine. As I indicated last year, only 38%...
750ml
Bottle:
$1296.18
$1440.20
Softly spoken, fine tannins, pencil lead and leather, with truffle, earth, campfire and spice. Long drawn out finish,...
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Angelus Saint Emilion Grand Cru 1996
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$455.03
It's extremely rare to taste older vintages of Angélus. It's utterly sumptuous, and it's such a shame that the...
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Angelus Saint Emilion Grand Cru 1996
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$501.41
It's extremely rare to taste older vintages of Angélus. It's utterly sumptuous, and it's such a shame that the...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$102.95
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Clinet Pomerol 1996
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$190.43
This is a backward, muscular, highly-extracted wine with a boatload of tannin, thus the question mark. The saturated...
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Grand Mayne Saint Emilion Grand Cru 1996
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$94.65
A wine must reflect its terroir, its origins. We strongly believe that the uniqueness of the vineyard’s location is...
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Rouge 1996
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$569.41
While in some vintages La Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion can be close in quality, that is not the case in this...
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Rouge 1996
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$545.95
While in some vintages La Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion can be close in quality, that is not the case in this...
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle:
$1059.83
Many 1996 are still pretty closed up right now, as it was a vintage with fairly hefty tannins but this is perfect for...
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1996
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$1038.95
The 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is unquestionably this renowned estate's greatest wine. As I indicated last year, only 38%...
Pre-Arrival
Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1996
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle:
$1600.00
The 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is unquestionably this renowned estate's greatest wine. As I indicated last year, only 38%...
Malbec Mavrodaphne Red Bordeaux 1996
The purple Malbec variety grapes which now grow all over the Old and New Worlds had their origins in France, where they are one of the few grape varieties allowed to be used in the highly esteemed blended wines of Bordeaux. However, it is perhaps the New World Malbec wines which have attracted the most attention in recent years, as they thrive in hot southern climates in ways they cannot in their native country, where the damp conditions leave them highly vulnerable to rot. Malbec grapes are renowned for their high tannin content, resulting in full-bodied red wines packed with ripe, plummy flavors and held in their characteristically dark, garnet colored liquid. In many countries, Malbec is still used primarily as a varietal for blending, as it adds a great level of richness and density to other, lighter and thinner varietals. However, single variety Malbec wines have been greatly on the rise in recent years, with some fantastic results and big, juicy flavors marking them out as a great wine for matching with a wide range of foods.
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.