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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$102.53
The 2009 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape had just been bottled at the time of the tasting but you...
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Chateau Des Tours Vacqueyras 2009
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$290.94
(80% grenache and 20% syrah): Deep ruby. Extremely primary, pungent aromas of dark berry skin, cherry, licorice and...
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Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf Du Pape Rouge 2009
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$1409.26
The 2009 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape is an awesome example of elegance combined with extraordinary power. The alcohol...
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Clos Des Papes Chateauneuf Du Pape Rouge 2009
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$107.51
Taking on some lovely forest floor scents, with polished wood and a touch of brown sugar to the strawberry fruit....
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$78.87
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$68.71
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$129.54
This bottle of the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes came across as being a bit over the top for my...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$672.83
A generous wine with a real potpourri of flavors - blackberry, raspberry, cherry, and strawberry swirl with cinnamon,...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$112.81
This is crammed with fruit, spice and structure, as braised fig, plum skin, cassis and anise notes wrestle with...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$106.27
This is crammed with fruit, spice and structure, as braised fig, plum skin, cassis and anise notes wrestle with...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$81.07
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$119.63
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$156.62
Aged all in demi-muid, the tiny production 2009 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Secret des Sabon is up there with...
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle:
$66.10
The least expensive offering, the dense ruby/plum/purple-colored 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Olivets (80% Grenache,...
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M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac 2009
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$111.54
Even better is the 507-case cuvee of 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac. One of the wines of the vintage, this dark...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$68.14
Japanese Whiskey Red Rhone Blend Savatiano 2009
Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.
The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.
Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.
While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.
Savatiano is probably Greece's most well known and most widely grown grape varietal, as it is the primary grape used in the production of Retsina, where the fermenting juices of the Savatiano varietal are flavored with pine resin in order to make this distinctive and famous wine. One of the reasons for the wide cultivation of this grape is due to its hardiness, and resistance to drought conditions. In the sun-drenched and dry, rocky Greek landscapes, this makes it an ideal vine to grow for wine-makers who require a strong and bounteous yield each year.
However, there are plenty of examples of Greek white wines which use the Savatiano grape but withhold from the addition the pine resin flavoring, allowing the true characteristics of this varietal to shine through. The result is often very pleasing indeed, with Savatiano grapes generally producing extremely well balanced and rounded white wines, with a juicily fruity flavor. Their aromas can vary quite a lot, with many Savatiano wines bearing the fragrance of citrus fruits, and also occasionally having a strong floral aroma reminiscent of elder and rose. Due to the relatively low acidity of Savatiano grapes, the wines which use them (including Retsina) generally bolster themselves with the addition of smaller quantities of more acidic varieties, such as Assyrtiko or Rhoditis, in order to improve their sometimes weak structure.
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?