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$16.95
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Distilled Spirits
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Vodka
In stock,
6
available
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List $19.95
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****Highly Recommended, F. Paul Pacult (Spirit Journal): "The nose leaps from the sampling glass right from the pour in sweet/sour waves of ripe orange (actually, to me, more like clementine orange than mandarin) and orange hard candy; the second and third nosing passes offer little in the way of derivation from the inital impression; the fourth and last whiff shows authentic staying power as the orange perfume is every bit as vivid and alluring as in the very first inhalation; it's a lovely bouquet. The mouth presence remains true to the cracking good bouquet as both the palate entry and the midpalate burst with ripe, sweet, juicy orange flavor. The finish is long, citrusy acidic, and pleasing on all counts; easily the equal of rival Stolichnaya Ohranj though as is Absolut's thumprint trait, Mandarin is lighter than the beefier Ohranj; both are terrific products and make outstanding mixers."
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$7.95
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Distilled Spirits
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Brandy
In stock,
4
available
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List $10.95
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Alfonso I Spanish brandy is blended and matured in the Sherry producing town of Jerez de la Frontera. It has been matured in old Sherry casks in the traditional solera ageing system, which gives this brandy an exceptionally smooth mellow richness.
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$24.95
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Distilled Spirits
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Brandy
In stock,
6
available
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List $31.95
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A German brandy blended from 25 different wine distillations, then aged for up to 3 years in Limousin oak casks. With a deep golden color, Cognac character but fruitier. Grape and oak aroma. Clean, crisp with a rather astringent flavor.
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$9.95
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France
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Loire
In stock, 12+ available
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List $14.00
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87 points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "...bright, bracing lemon and lime and borderline grassiness are accompanied by cooling mint, attractively pungent caraway, and a palpable sense of extract and chalky minerality... this gets high marks for sheer tenacity and for its light bulb-like, wake-up personality. (Aug 2008)"
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$7.95
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WA 87
Australia
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Red
In stock, 12+ available
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List $12.00
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87 points Jay Miller (Wine Advocate): "[$12 list] The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon is dark ruby-colored with a nose of spicy black fruits. Ripe, concentrated, and surprisingly lengthy for its modest price, it will drink well for another 3-4 years. (Dec 2009)"
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$13.95
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Austria
In stock,
6
available
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List $30.00
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Producer notes: "This Riesling is a blend of wines sourced from different terraced (=high quality) vineyards. The elevated terraces consist of stonier soils that bring fruit driven wines with mineral nuances and good aging potential. The vines from lower sited terraces grow partly on layered fertile loess and bring earlier maturing wines that are very expressive in their youth. By combining those two characteristics, we obtain a Riesling that shows both finesse and a certain vigor. Tasting note:
Impressive primary fruit in this vintage (classic apricot & peach and also tangerine & citrus), flowery elements some herbs and green tea, still a bit yeasty, yet open at the front, with a hint of minerals and flowery aromas, straightforward and fresh on the palate again with surprising fruit, medium body, mineral nuances, good structure and balance, already accessible showing good potential. Food pairing:
Seafood, cold starters, grilled fish, white meat, fried or roasted chicken and different Asian dishes if not too hot."
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$49.95
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IWC 92
Austria
In stock,
4
available
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List $80.00
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92 points Peter Moser (International Wine Cellar): "[$80 list] Medium green-yellow. Inviting bouquet of peach, greengage plum, honey and dried apricot over a subtle background of smoky flint. Intense and concentrated peach and pineapple are wrapped in a transparent veil of sweetness and elegantly suspended by a firm acid spine. Finishes with lingering hints of papaya and pineapple. Drink 2011 to 2023. (Nov/Dec 2009)"
Bill Mayer (The Age of Riesling): "The 'Lyra' is the most sheerly beautiful of all Willi's Rieslings, a masterpiece of cool minerality combined with sensational fruit. Impossible to have a conversation drinking this wine."
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$21.95
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Spain
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Red
In stock, 12+ available
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List $44.00
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Wine Spectator on the 2003 vintage: "This chewy red offers black cherry, dried cherry, mountain herb and mineral flavors, unvarnished by oak."
Red Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon. Grenache and Carignan from old vines (more than 25 years), Cabernet Sauvignon from young vines (from 5 to 12 years), from the districts of Bellmunt del Priorat, la Vilella Alta, Gratallops, Torroja, La Vilella Baixa and El Molar.
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$8.95
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WE 85–89
Distilled Spirits
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Canadian Whiskey
In stock,
1
available
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List $18.95
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Very Good (85-89)/Recommended Wine Enthusiast: "The bouquet offers scents of cream, wild flowers, and honey. The palate entry features the cream, both in flavor and texture; by midpalate the taste includes flavors of cocoa, milk chocolate, and buttercream. The aftertaste is sweet, long, and creamy. Good for whisky cocktails. Best Buy."
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$48.95
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Distilled Spirits
-
Armagnac
In stock,
1
available
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List $58.95
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This Armagnac, composed of older ''eau de vie'', is more complex and mellow, with richness and depth coming from its interaction with the oak in which it ages. This Napoleon has a weighted blend of 11 years.
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$14.95
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WA 92
WS 90
Argentina
In stock,
8
available
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List $29.00
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92 points Jay Miller (Wine Advocate): "Colome’s Estate Malbec is annually one of Argentina’s better values. The 2009 Estate Malbec (85%) contains small amounts of Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah in its blend. It spent 15 months in barrel, 30% new American, the balance second-use French with the fruit sourced from some of the world’s most elevated vineyards. It is purple in color with a captivating nose of cedar, Asian spices, incense, violets, black licorice, espresso, and assorted back fruits. Made in a racy style with uplifting acidity, it is a beautifully proportioned offering with exceptional elegance and length. Give it several more years of cellaring and drink this fantastic value from 2013 to 2024. (Dec 2011)"
90 points Wine Spectator: "Offers good density to the blueberry, raspberry and blackberry coulis notes that are backed by vibrant acidity. Floral and mineral notes play out on the long, tangy finish. Drink now through 2014... (11/15/11)"
Producer notes: "This Colomé Malbec is produced mainly from pre-phylloxera vines planted in 1854. Bodega Colomé vineyards are bio-dynamically and sustainably farmed at an altitude of 5,500 to 8,500 feet and are believed to be the highest vineyards in the world. The sandy and alluvial soils yield small crops and produce deeply colored and concentrated wines which capture the soul of this distinct terroir.
Our Estate Wines represent the unique character of cooler climate Argentine Malbec, the country’s signature red grape. Grown in the northern province of Salta at high elevations, the grapes and wines express bright fruit profiles, while retaining acid and tannin for structure, a combination rare in Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Syrah and Petit Verdot are blended for complexity, structure, and a rich, supple mouthfeel to produce a truly remarkable wine. Tasting notes: The color is deep, dark red with a magenta hue. This wine is layered on the nose with blackberry, licorice, violet, bitter chocolate and spices. The flavors are rich with layered fig paste, plums, cassis and blackberry fruit. Subtle French oak flavors are well balanced and fully integrated through the mid-palate and well into the finish, which is long and round."
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$11.95
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WS 88
RR 87
France
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Rhone
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Other
In stock, 12+ available
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List $17.00
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88 points Wine Spectator: "Round and juicy, with a jammy hint to plum, red currant and blackberry fruit flavors that are laid over a licorice-filled finish. Drink now. 200 cases imported. (2009)"
87 points Rhone Report: "An even split of Grenache and Syrah, the 2007 Domaine Constant-Duquesnoy Cotes du Rhone Villages Lou Combaou is a solid southern Rhone that displays loads of sappy garrigue, spiced cherries, mineral, and licorice to go with a medium-bodied, juicy, and edgy palate. There.s a serious kick of acidity here, as well as a firm, edgy core that should soften over the coming year. It should continue to drink well for 3-5 years. (Mar 2012)"
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$17.95
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Italy
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Campania
In stock,
1
available
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List $28.00
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Sandro Lonardo makes a tiny amount of a white wine called Grecomusc', which is made from a variety called Roviello Bianco, or Grecomusc' by the locals. The variety is indigenous to the town of Taurasi and the villages around Taurasi. Made from purchased fruit (some has also been planted at Lonardo's estate in Taurasi); the wine is fermented with the skins for a day or so to extract flavor, then fermented in stainless steel using indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged in used puncheons for four months, then in stainless steel, and bottled unfined and with only a coarse filtration. Lonardo's Grecomusc' is distinctive, excellent white wine, showing striking complexity in aroma and flavor, great length, and excellent fresh acidity; notes include almond, citrus skin and apple, as Sandro says, but also a beeswax note reminiscent of fine Chenin Blanc. Less than 200 cases produced.
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$26.95
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Distilled Spirits
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Rum
In stock,
6
available
|
List $34.95
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Crusoe Spiced Rum goes beyond the typical vanilla and sugar profile of ordinary spiced rums to bring you a bold dance of spices -- cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, vanilla -- coupled with an orange zest and molasses. It's rare for a spiced rum to stand alone as a sipper, but this one can do it.
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$19.95
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Distilled Spirits
-
Bourbon
In stock,
6
available
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List $25.95
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Inspired by the smooth taste that defined the success of the original recipe, Cyrus Noble Bourbon is rich and velvety with notes of caramel, toasted hazelnut and buttery toffee. Craft distilled in small batches from a family mashbill recipe - with each bottling reflecting the spirit and character of a hand-made, intimate and unrushed production method.
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$15.95
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WA 87
France
-
Burgundy
-
Beaujolais
In stock, 12+ available
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List $18.00
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87 points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "An abundance of dark berry fruit meets a strong aura of game and firm underlying tannins, resulting in a low-toned, slightly-chewy, but satisfyingly, sweetly ripe finish. Enjoy this 2009 over the coming year. (Aug 2010)"
From organically grown vineyards; no sulphur, unfiltered.
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$14.95
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WA 88
France
-
Alsace
In stock, 12+ available
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List $20.00
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88 points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "The Dirler-Cade 2005 Pinot Cuvee Vieilles Vignes is true Pinot Blanc (or Klevner, as it is often locally known) with not a drop of Auxerrois. Apple and citrus dominate in the nose and mouth, with a hint of apple seed bitterness balanced by a subtle hint of sweetness, and a creamy, chalky, yet clear-fruited finish. (Jul/Aug 2007)" Organic/biodynamic since 2002 (certified by Biodyvin).
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$169.95
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France
-
Burgundy
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Cote d'Or Red
In stock, 12+ available
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List $225.00
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96+ points Sonoma Wine Journal: "Violet robe. Exceptionally pure nose of spicy cherries, and with aeration the bouquet also shows notes of raspberries, iron, minerals, cinnamon, and flowers. The attack is all pure stalky Pinot fruits, still too young to fully enjoy but showing all the hallmarks of a great wine that simply needs time to evolve. Delicious and vibrant, the finely delineated tannins are enmeshed in the silken finish that lasts for nearly 60 seconds. Remarkable balance between the generous composition of fruit, acidity, tannins. For parents with children born in 2007 and who can afford this beauty, this would be an excellent Grand Cru Burgundy to cellar until your child's 21st birthday or other special occasions. From Laurent Ponsot. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2030. (Oct 2010)"
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$15.95
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WA 87
France
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Loire
In stock,
1
available
|
List $25.00
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87 points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "The wines are also released at a leisurely pace, so that Domaine Aux Moines’s 2006 Savennieres - Roche Aux Moines represents their current release... offers a fascinating combination of peach, citrus oils, raw mushroom, and alkaline, wet stone suggestions of things mineral. In the mouth, this is richly peachy with prominent citrus oil and peach kernel bitterness. It preserves more than a modicum of fresh fruit juiciness... I would plan to serve this wine over the next couple of years. (Aug 2010)"
Producer notes: "Our Estate offers a single dry vintage wine: the 'Domaine aux Monies'. This is a dry white wine, made from 100% Chenin Blanc grown on a clay shale terroir, with excellent ageability."
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$295.00
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Germany
In stock,
2
available
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List $400.00
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Wine Spectator: "[$200/375ml list] Deeply colored, this tastes like baked apples, caramel and spice, in a concentrated, lively frame. It's compact and tangy, with a moderate finish. Drink now through 2010. (2003)"
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$74.95
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France
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Burgundy
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Cote d'Or Red
In stock,
4
available
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List $100.00
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Bettane & Desseauve's Guide to the Wines of France: "...thanks to Christine Dubreuil's more precise, fruit-driven approach, the 2002s -- and all of the wines since -- can be counted on to seduce even the most demanding connoisseur: robust, classically tasty reds and tauter-than-average whites that need several years' cellaring. (2011)"
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$229.95
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FWR 93
AM 90–93
France
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Burgundy
-
Cote d'Or Red
In stock,
1
available
|
List $295.00
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93 points Fine Wine Review: "The Charmes-Chambertin is lighter than the Combottes, almost lacy, with purity, but it needs some time to develop. I’d expect to drink it 2014-2032. (Issue #126; 2009)"
90-93 points Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(from both Charmes proper and Mazoyères). This is shut down tight with thick reduction blocking any reasonable evaluation of the nose though the relatively big and weighty flavors are concentrated, serious and solidly structured. This seems quite promising as the underlying material is impressive but note that this will not be a precocious example of Charmes. Drink: 2016+. (Jan 2008)"
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$59.95
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WE 90–95
Distilled Spirits
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Brandy
In stock,
2
available
|
List $75.95
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90-95 points Wine Enthusiast: "The bouquet smells enticingly of fresh cherries, cherry pit, limestone and cooking spice. Entry is ripe and seductively sweet, with touches of spice; the midpalate explodes with juicy cherry and cherry compote tastes, supported and balanced by mineral. Concludes with a lovely rush of ripe cherry flavor. Alcohol 41%. (12/15/08)"
****Highly Recommended, F. Paul Pacult (Spirit Journal): "Impeccably pure; pewter appearance. Smells of fresh cherries as well as cherry pit, limestone/slate, and cooking spice (mace); additional minutes in the glass bring out a bigger fresh cherry presence as the slate/mineral component slides to the background; a dazzling clinic on authentic cherry perfume. Entry is ripe and seductively sweet, with touches of spice in the background; the midpalate stage explodes with juicy cherry and cherry compote tastes that are supported by a slatyt/minerally foundation that keeps the sweetness/ripeness in check. Concludes with a rush of ripe cherry taste that's satisfying and fresh. (2007)"
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$6.95
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IWC 88
Italy
-
Tuscany
-
Other
In stock,
10
available
|
List $10.00
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88 points Ian D'Agata (International Wine Cellar): "($10 list; an 85/15 blend of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon; no oak; 12.5% alcohol) Light, bright red. Aromas of red berries, pipe tobacco and underbrush. Tangy and penetrating but not hard in the mouth, with fresh acids framing the red fruit and tar flavors. Finishes bright and simple, with a lingering sweetness. (Jul/Aug 2010)"
Producer notes: "Sangiovese 85%, Cabernet Sauvignon 15%. Remole ’08 greets the eye with a deep, brilliant purple. The bouquet is a dense complex of fruit aromas, such as blackberry, raspberry, cherry, and redcurrant, lifted with fragrant hints of spice and black pepper. The palate is velvet smooth, very warm and rich, with a perfect balance of its components and a refreshing crispness. A long-lingering finish mirrors nicely the fruit on the nose."
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$8.95
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IWC 89
WE 89
Australia
-
Red
In stock,
1
available
|
List $30.00
|
89 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Deep ruby. Pungent, exotically perfumed bouquet displays cherry, blackberry, apricot and smoky herbs. Midweight cherry and dark berry flavors are brightened by tangy minerals and firmed by dusty tannins. Finishes clean and brisk, with an echoing peach pit quality. (Jul/Aug 2008)"
89 points Wine Enthusiast: "This open-knit, easily accessible Cabernet exhibits classic aromas and flavors of cassis and toasty oak. The soft, velvety texture and vanilla-tinged flavors should give it plenty of mass appeal. Drink now-2015. (Sep 2009)"
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