Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask
$154.99
The Balvenie 14 Year has been a staple for the core range for some time now. Bottled at 43% the 14 is a smooth and decadent Balvenie finished in Caribbean rum casks!
Producer Description
"The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 year old single malt whisky has been matured in traditional oak whisky casks for 14 years, and then ‘finished’ in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. To create the ideal finish Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE filled American oak casks with his own blend of select West Indian rums. When he judged the casks to be ready, the rum was replaced with the 14 year old spirit and the wood was put to work adding the final touches."
Champalou Brut
$39.99
This beauty from the husband-and-wife team of Didier and Catherine Champalou is a winner. Floral on the nose, dry and clean as a whistle on the palate, this 100% Chenin Blanc sparkler is less austere and less effervescent than Champagne, but every bit as fun to drink and it's very versatile with food.
Hansel North Slope Pinot Noir 2021
$79.99
The North and South Slope vineyards of Hansel face each other, side by side, but show very different characteristics despite their proximity. The North Slope's Pinot Noir plantings are from clone 115. Stephen Hansel states "...115 exhibits the most fruit-driven flavors and appears more "New World" then French." This is might be the most expressive of the Pinot range, a lush, plush wine with notes of cherry, cranberry, spice and forest floor. It's a great example of Burgundy meets California, in other words the best of both worlds. The vibrant acidity will allow it to age gracefully for another decade but it's hard to resist right now.
Magners Irish Cider
$19.99
Commercial cider made with a controlled yeast then pasteurized and artificially carbonated. Sold as Bulmers in Ireland and as Magners in the rest of the world for legal reasons. Aromas and flavour of red and green apple, with a dry, light tartness.
Dalmore 15 Year
$224.99
The Dalmore is one of the iconic distilleries of the Northern Highlands and the jewel in the crown of Whyte and MacKay who also own Jura, Fettercairn and the massive Invergordon grain distillery. Dalmore has at times held records for some of the oldest and most expensive bottles of whisky ever sold. Some recent bottlings like the MacKenzie have been done at 46% without colouring or chillfiltering. The 15 year old Dalmore is all about "sherry wood" having been matured in 1/3 each Amoroso, Apostoles and Matusalem sherry butts from Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. Sherry notes with hints of orange.
Baron de Ley Gran Reserva
$43.99
93 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate! The review: "The 2004 Gran Reserva is a mouth-filling, opulent effort from the great 2004 vintage that straddles the line between traditional and modern-style Rioja. It offers up a soaring perfume of wood smoke, pencil lead, exotic spices, lavender, and blackberry that leads to a dense, impeccably balanced, lengthy effort that has the structure to evolve for 5-7 years."
Muga Rioja Reserva
$36.99
The red 2012 Reserva is always a blend of Tempranillo with some 20% Garnacha, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from the lower part of the valley of the Oja-Tirón river. 2012 saw good ripeness, and the wine shows it, but doesn't show any excess. The vinification is as classic as it gets: the grapes ferment with natural yeasts with a 'pied de cuve' and the wine matured in new barriques the first year; it was then transferred to well-seasoned barrels for a further year of upbringing. It still feels quite oaky with some smoky aromas and some notes of roasted sesame seeds. The palate is lush and round, with polished tannins. This is a textbook Rioja at a very good price for the quality it delivers. This wine should be readily available, as it's produced in good quantities, close to one million bottles, which for this quality is impressive. 91+ Robert Parker
Rekorderlig Wild Berries
$4.99
The Rekorderlig Wild Berries is a Swedish pear cider with added wild berries. Pear and raspberry are prominent on the palate, with other berry fruit also evident. The pear base carries the other fruit flavours very nicely, with just enough fruit to balance a citrus edge. Fruity, and fairly sweet.
4.0 Abv
Ollieux Rose
$28.99
Château Ollieux Romanis is a 60-hectare (148-acre) domaine in the Boutenac area of the Corbières that has belonged to the Bories family since 1978 (although its history as a wine estate dates back to the 18th century). Pierre Bories, who up until then had worked in finance, came ‘home’ in 2001 because his parents had been badly let down by an exporter and, through no fault of their own, the property was in real financial difficulty. He took the estate over, ‘with no clients and a lot of debt’, and over the last two decades has radically transformed it.