|
|
 |
|
|
$17.95
|
|
|
WA 89
Portugal
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $24.00
|
89 points Mark Squires (Wine Advocate): "[$24 list] The 2010 Alvarinho 'Muros Antigos' was a warm vintage wine. A bit elevated in alcohol (13.5% here compared to 12.5% for the 2009 and 13.0% for the 2008), it is deep and powerful, fresh and clean. Its depth makes it immediately impressive, but despite the minor differences, I did think the alcohol showed just a bit here and there, at least in comparison to other vintages. It is still very fine. The 2011 looks like a step up, a sure fire 90 pointer, but at the time seen, it was so unevolved that I thought it was a bit unfair to review. Drink now-2017. (Dec 2012)"
Importer notes: "Alvarinho went from zero to 60 in terms of market penetration and now there are many indifferent examples available along with benchmarks like Soalheiro. Anselmo makes a number of different styles of Alvarinho and we selected his entry level for its precise rendition of the form and all around lip-smacking goodness. The new vintage shows even more zesty tropical fruit than the 2009."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$13.95
|
|
|
WS 87
Portugal
-
Madeira
In stock,
1
available
|
|
|
87 points Wine Spectator: "Supple and lush, with pear, apricot and baked apple flavors. Rich, buttery finish. Drink now through 2013. 200 cases imported."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$8.95
|
|
|
Portugal
-
Other
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $10.00
|
Wine Spectator: "[$10 list] A crisp white, offering vibrant aromas and flavors of fresh-cut green apple, with vanilla and mineral notes. Drink now. (6/30/12)"
Producer notes: "This is a classic Vinho Verde. Light in color with a slight spritz. On the nose it is fruity, light and lively. On the palate it is light [only 9% alcohol], refreshing and delicious. The acidity is refreshing and the wine is great fun. Vinho Verde is traditionally non-vintage and consumed quickly, so the wine on the shelf should always be a fresh bottling. The way to make a proper Vinho Verde is to suppress the malolactic fermentation and inject carbon dioxide at bottling to give the wine its characteristic spritz. The Vinho Verde region is along the Atlantic Coast of Northwestern Portugal. The name translates to 'green wine' because the grapes are harvested slightly under ripe to retain crisp acidity and make wines that go perfectly with the local seafood and the warm summers of Portugal. The traditional Vinho Verde grapes are Loureiro for aroma, Trajadura for body and Padernã [more commonly called Arinto] for acidity. Our blend is Loureiro +/- 50%, Trajadura +/- 40% and Pedernã +/- 10%. Our grapes come from The Braga, Barcelos and Guimãraes which are sub regions within the Vinho Verde appellation."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$38.95
|
|
|
Portugal
-
Madeira
In stock,
4
available
|
|
Madeira Wine Guide: "Bright tawny color with straw-colored rim, intense nose of dried fruits, caramel and toffee. The palate is sweet and shows lots of acidity to counter-balance the sweetness, in fact the acidity carries the wine through to the toffee-ish finish, with a little coffee and also caramel on the way. Well done. Tasted 3/2008."
San Francisco Chronicle: "Cossart Gordon, arguably the oldest of the Madeira shippers and now another of the Madeira Wine Co. labels, is better known for its nonvintage wines, but this 1997 is full of briny tang -- more than you'd expect for the somewhat sweet Bual. Lots of iodine and hazelnut, papaya and burnt orange, with an intense acidity to enliven it. (12/19/10)"
Medium rich. Aged for 11 years in oak casks. Made from the grapes of a single year's harvest. The wine is aged in the traditional 'canteiro' system, whereby the oak casks are placed high up in the hot, dry lofts of the lodge and left for years to develop their charactiveric flavor and complexity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
$11.95
|
|
|
WA 90
Portugal
-
Other
In stock, 12+ available
|
|
90 points Mark Squires (Wine Advocate): "The 2010 Branco is 40% each Bical and Cerceal with 20% Encruzado, from Castro's Lameira and Saes vineyards. Mouthwatering and sunny, this pointed and focused wine is clean and intense, with a nicely lingering finish. Simply gripping at the end, it is both refreshing and persistent. It becomes more elegant and shows more finesse as it airs out. Drink now-2015. (12/23/11)"
Producer notes: "Grape varietals: Encruzado, Malvasia Fina and Cercial. Three month fermentation in small casks, followed by batonage. Mineral, cool, with some tropical fruit and citrus. This wine has good texture in the mouth. Nicely balanced. Alcohol 13.0%."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$17.95
|
|
|
WS 87
Portugal
-
Other
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $20.00
|
87 points Wine Spectator: "[$20 list] Fruity and ripe, with hints of richness to the peach, honeydew melon and dried apricot flavors, which feature plenty of creaminess. The plush finish shows apple tart notes. Drink now. (6/30/12)"
In the late 1990s, Spanish winemaker Marcial Dorado had a goal to make the finest Albariño in Galicia, Spain. Unable to find an old vineyard to work with, he was able to find several old-vine vineyards immediately across the Minho River in Portugal, which he subsequently purchased. Dorado comes from several parcels of 30 to 70-year-old Alvarinho near Melgaço. This wine has the compelling floral aromatics of the best Rías Baixas Albariños but offers even more authority.
|
|
|
|
|
|
$49.95
|
|
|
WE 93
IWC 92
Portugal
-
Madeira
In stock,
7
available
|
|
|
*SPECIAL: Take 10% Off Listed Price!
(We'll reduce item's price when processing your order.)
93 points Wine Enthusiast: "Slightly richer than the Charleston Sercial, the Boston Bual boasts knockout aromas of toasted nut oil, orange peel and hints of dark honey or maple syrup. Despite the extra weight and sweetness, it’s not cloying at all...the finish is mouthwatering and long. Editors' Choice. (Nov 2006)"
92 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Light, bright amber. Deep aromas of cherry pit, candied orange, toffee and molasses, lifted by a note of dried rose. Chewy in texture, with dry-edged nut and burnt orange flavors, a touch of molasses sugar and good back-end grip. Quite sweet but the wine's acidity adds focus, nerve and finishing bite. (Jun 2011)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$49.95
|
|
|
WE 93
IWC 92
Portugal
-
Madeira
In stock,
3
available
|
|
|
*SPECIAL: Take 10% Off Listed Price!
(We'll reduce item's price when processing your order.)
93 points Wine Enthusiast: "The Historic Series are simply great Madeiras at reasonable prices. The Charleston Sercial is the driest of the collection, offering nutty aromas tinged with honey, caramel and maple syrup. Dried figs, honey and candied citrus flavors mark the palate, which is wonderfully smooth. The long finish features racy yet balanced acidity. Editors' Choice."
92 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Medium amber. Gingerbread, orange zest, clove, blond tobacco and honey on the nose. Spicy citrus and poached pear flavors are lifted by zesty acidity and show a gentle smoky quality on the back end. Blends sweetness and dryness smoothly, finishing with good nervy cut, a jolt of fleur de sel and lingering smoke, citrus and spice notes. (Jun 2011)"
San Francisco Chronicle: "Importer Mannie Berk reached out to Ricardo Freitas, owner of the house of Barbeito, to produce his Historic Series line, which remains the best value in Madeira. This is the driest in the Historic lineup, made from the Sercial grape, and its slight austerity makes it remarkably versatile. Leathery and wound-up, with a salty mineral power -- think of it with a holiday roast. (12/19/10)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$49.95
|
|
|
WE 93
IWC 92
Portugal
-
Madeira
In stock,
7
available
|
|
|
*SPECIAL: Take 10% Off Listed Price!
(We'll reduce item's price when processing your order.)
93 points Wine Enthusiast: "The sweetest and richest in the Historic series, the New York Malmsey unfolds slowly in the glass, gradually revealing layers of depth and flavor. Coffee, toffee and date notes emerge, followed by earthy, almost truffley flavors. Powerful and assertive on the long finish. Editors' Choice."
92 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Medium amber. Powerfully scented bouquet combines cherry compote, cola, molasses, pipe tobacco and brown sugar. Lush and expansive in the mouth, offering sweet pit fruit and orange marmalade flavors and a deeper note of espresso. Clings tenaciously on the finish, which leaves notes of bitter cherry and candied flowers behind. (Jun 2011)"
San Francisco Chronicle: "The New York Malmsey (a.k.a. Malvasia) is the sweetest in the Historic Series lineup. Despite notes of roasted pineapple and agave nectar, it's packed with savory tones -- winter melon and sea salt, with a raging acidity that balances the sweet profile, making it thoroughly versatile. Almost steely at its core. (12/19/10)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$49.95
|
|
|
IWC 93
Portugal
-
Madeira
In stock,
9
available
|
|
|
*SPECIAL: Take 10% Off Listed Price!
(We'll reduce item's price when processing your order.)
93 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Medium amber with a green rim. Aromas of burnt orange, tobacco, toffee and herbs, with a hint of potpourri adding an exotic component. Broader and deeper than the Charleston, offering sappy orange marmalade, chestnut honey and toffee flavors underscored by tangy acidity. Shows a sweet, nutty quality on the smoky, gently spicy finish. I like this wine's heft and thrust. (Jun 2011)"
Producer notes: "In the 18th and 19th centuries, Madeira was the United States' most prestigious wine, shipped to connoisseurs in major seaports from New Orleans to Boston. The Historic Madeira Series is the creation of The Rare Wine Co., America's leading merchant of rare, old Madeiras, working with Vinhos Barbeito, famed for its library of old wines. Each wine in the series represetns a style of Madeira popular in an early American city.
Savannah was one of the great 'Madeira Cities,' and the wines that entered its port depended heavily on Verdelho for their character. They were dry to semi-dry, with round, nutty flavors and refreshing acidity. Savanna Verdelho celebrates this style and is an excellent aperitif and superb with soups, cheeses and other foods."
|
|
