×
Red
750ml
Bottle: $45.25
12 bottles: $44.35
Always one of the more garrigue-scented Châteauneufs, the Brunels' 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape includes hints of...
12 FREE
WA
92
WS
92
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $16.94
12 bottles: $16.60
This wine shows aromas of red fruits (mainly morello cherries) and spices (licorice, grey pepper). On the palate, the...
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $17.87
This wine shows aromas of red fruits (mainly morello cherries) and spices (licorice, grey pepper). On the palate, the...
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $37.62 $39.60
12 bottles: $34.20
Stews, game, strong cheeses – Best between 16°C and 18°C. Wine list comments: The bouquet is fine and complex....
Red
750ml
Bottle: $17.09
12 bottles: $13.18
Intense purple red color. Intense nose of flowers (violet) and black fruits (black cherry, blackcurrant) combined...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.94
12 bottles: $15.62
Heaps of dark berry fruit, along with classic Provence garrigue notes (rosemary, thyme, sage), and a broad, rich and...
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.94
12 bottles: $13.94
This deeply coloured wine has an inviting nose of dark cherry and chocolate. The palate is dense and rich, with...
12 FREE
DC
95
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $29.93
12 bottles: $29.33
Lots of ripe black fruits (blackberries, black cherries) emerge from the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts De...
12 FREE
JD
93
WA
92
Red
750ml
Bottle: $44.40
12 bottles: $43.51
Good depth of colour. Intense berry and juniper freshness with well-integrated oak lending a little background spice....
12 FREE
DC
92
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.93 $14.30
12 bottles: $12.67
Raspberry and currant notes on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with chewy tannins. Fresh acidity and fleshy texture on...
WE
90
JS
90
Red
375ml
Bottle: $12.50
12 bottles: $12.25
Very fresh red-cherry and floral aromas for this appellation, together with some healthy tannins on the full-bodied,...
JS
89
WS
88
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.94 $14.30
12 bottles: $12.68
Very fresh red-cherry and floral aromas for this appellation, together with some healthy tannins on the full-bodied,...
JS
89
WS
88
Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.57
12 bottles: $12.32
Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.20
12 bottles: $12.26
Notes of dark fruit and licorice, as well as some bay leaf. Full-bodied with round tannins. Creamy and fleshy on the...
JS
91
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.17
12 bottles: $14.87
Currants, raspberries and some spicy undertones. Walnuts, too. Medium-bodied with firm tannins. Crisp and juicy on...
JS
90
Red
Sale
Red
750ml
Bottle: $19.94 $22.00
12 bottles: $19.76
Reveals red licorice, strawberry puree, creme de violette and fresh cherry flavors that are focused, perfumed and...
WS
91
Red
750ml
Bottle: $15.41
12 bottles: $15.10
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $21.95
Juicy berry fruits with notes of savoury spices. Intense on the palate, very approachable. Long finish. (Bronze) -...
12 FREE
DC
88
Rapid Ship
Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.73
Soft, ripe black forest compote nose; nice concentration of fruit on the palate. Good weight. Really well balanced in...
DC
96

Albarino Mavrodaphne Red Rhone Blend France Rhone Valley

The pale skinned grapes of the Albarino varietal have been grown in and around Spain and Portugal for almost a thousand years, where they are highly enjoyed and prized by the locals for their distinctive aroma, and sharp, tart acidity levels. Over the past century, their influence has spread to the New World, and many vineyards keen to emulate the white wines of Spain have had considerable success with this varietal. The light bodied wines which are produced from the Albarino grapes have wonderfully aromatic properties, and carry ripe flavors of soft summer fruits, apricot and peach, with a mild and pleasantly bitter after taste brought on by their thick skins. Because of their acidic nature, they are a fantastic match for many Spanish foods, and are best served chilled on a hot day.

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?

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.

The Rhone Valley of southern France is a particularly fascinating wine region, with a history that stretches back to at least six hundred BCE, when the ancient Greeks first began cultivating vines there. The region itself is split into two distinct sub-regions, with the northern sub-region being famed for its production of exceptional Syrah, Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier wines, packed full of interesting character and expressing the terroir found there. The southern sub-region is home to an enormous variety of grapes, and produces red, white and rosé wines, and some of the world's most famous and adored blended wines. The continental climate of the region is ideal for growing grapes, and the winds which blow from the Central Massif help temper the heat in the vineyards, leading to very ripe fruits holding plenty of flavor.