LUCKY EASTER BASKET!!

WHY DO WE LOVE IT?

For a start and with confidence we tell you that with the Lucky Easter Box you have already won! Why? Because you will have at your door (or at your friend's door if you make it a gift) 3 amazing, strictly selected wines from 3 Top producers from Greece,Italy and France. We also added Leonidas easter eggs, panettonne, nuts and manganelli (made from almonds,honey and candied fruits) worth €85.00. 

We thought about how to make it even BETTER and decided to take it to the next level!

One in 15 baskets hides a bottle of the legendary Piper Heidsieck Rare 2006 Brut Champagne, one of the most popular Champagnes in the world worth €220.

What you will find in the Lucky Easter Basket

We thought of the Easter table, the company and the start of the Spring Weather and we chose the best wines to accompany them. An amazing white, 1 elegant rose and an impressive red from amazing producers that will make your Easter even better.

And if you the lucky one, you might find an extra bottle fo the Piper Heidsieck Rare 2006 Brut Champagne that scored 94 points from Robert Parker!

Place your order today!! Valid until the 23rd of April 2022. Good Luck!!!

PIPER HEIDSIECK RARE 2006 BRUT 

WINEMAKERS NOTES

Glows with an iridescent yellow-green gold. Delicate, dynamic bubbles glisten in this flaxen brilliance.
Offers a generous honeyed and oriental nose. The fragrances of crisp mango, cocoa, coffee, tropical fruits, lend the vintage a sophisticated vitality.

In the exceptionally long finish hints of mocha and cocoa confirm the fine Rare Millesime 2006’s minerality. Dried apricots, sweet spices, citron lime, accents of crisp honeyed pastries and Espelette pepper envelop the palate.

RP94Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 Brut Cuvée Rare is a rich, gourmand rendition of this prestige bottling, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet that mingles aromas of yellow orchard fruit, pears and fresh pineapple with nuances of buttered toast, iodine and smoke. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and textural, while remaining fresh and surprisingly tight-knit at the core, concluding with a long and saline finish. There's sufficient structural tension here to promise more than a decade's graceful evolution, and although this is nicely balanced, it's a generous, sun kissed rendition of the Cuvée Rare that reflects the warm vintage. The blend is 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir.

Assyrtiko Food Pairing

This Assyrtiko Food Pairing Guide will help you find the right foods with Greece’s best white grape. It’s the famous grape from the island of Santorini. It is a delicious wine, and pairing food with Assyrtiko can be an AHA moment if done correctly.

Aromas and Flavors of Assyrtiko
Smells and tastes exactly how you’d imagine a grape grown in lava beside the Aegean sea. Assyrtiko smells like lemons and limes, orange blossoms, wet rocks, seashells, and petrol.

What does Assyrtiko taste like?
On the palate, Assyrtiko is a very acidic wine with strong minerality and a undeniable saline quality. It has a tannin quality as well.When pairing food with Assyrtiko, you need to remember that it is not some passive grape; its the star of the show. You can’t pound a bottle of Santorini Assyrtiko on the back porch. It’s a wine that demands respect and the proper food pairing.

What food pairs with Santorini Assyrtiko?
Assyrtiko pairs with anything coming out of the sea. Sardines, grilled fish, fried calamari and grilled octopus with a drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon are absolutely superb with Assyrtiko. Oysters and lobster are a definite match with Santorini Assyrtiko, as well. HOEWEVER: Assyrtiko from Santorini DOES NOT PAIR with sushi unless you like the taste of aluminum foil. Sushi is way too delicate.

 Assyrtiko pairs well with strong salty cheeses like feta and haloumi. It also matches with Greeks spreads like taramosalata (fish roe dip) and ahinosalata (sea urchin dip) It even pairs with notorious wine-killer asparagus, preferably in risotto form.

Assyrtiko Food Pairing (rest of Greece)
Assyrtiko’s minerality and saline are toned down in grapes grown off of Santorini, but that citrus character is unrelenting. Assyrtiko smells and tastes like lemon, lemon zest, and lime with some stone fruit like apricots. Without the lava soils and extreme heat and wind, the vines are less stressed and don’t express minerality as strongly. Assyrtiko from the rest of Greece can accommodate even more foods in addition to the one’s above. Pair it with anything you’d squeeze a lemon on like horta, or wild greens, Greek chicken with lemon potatoes, or pork souvlaki sticks.

Where is Assyrtiko planted?
You’ll mainly find Assyrtiko grapes in Santorini. Santorini is a volcanic island between the mainland and Crete. The volcano erupted in 3500 years ago. The blast was so massive that it changed the landscape of the Aegean and possibly destroyed entire civilizations. What it left behind was 30 meters of pomace and lava soils. 

The intense winds blowing through the Cyclades islands made it necessary to train Assyrtiko vines into baskets called koulouria. Experienced farmers train Assyrtiko grapes, as well as all other grapes grown on Santorini, to grow on the inside of the basket to protect them from the wind and the sun. They are a nightmare to harvest. Santorini vines bake in the sun from April to September without a drop of rainfall. It is one of the most extreme terroirs, or grape growing climates in the world.

Farmers have planted Assyrtiko throughout the rest of Greece. Wineries are making beautiful expression of Assyrtiko in northern Greece, the rest of the Aegean, and on the island of Crete. These Assyrtikos are much less aggressive but very worthy of exploration. Mainland Assyrtiko is much more fruit-driven and floral. Even without the basket-trained vines, Assyrtiko is a sensitive grape to grow. The best part of these non-Santorini Assyrtikos is that they are half the price of Santorini Assyrtiko. Start with Assyrtiko from the rest of Greece if you’re warming up to wine. You can build up to the Queen in due time.

Our Top Assyrtiko Picks Available Online

 

 

SANTA MARGHERITA WINE GROUP NAMED 'WINERY OF THE YEAR' IN THE GAMBERO ROSSO 'ITALIAN WINES 2021'

Santa Margherita Wine Group is an Italian tale of passion, effort, values and tradition which began in 1935 thanks to the vision of Count Gaetano Marzotto and his belief in modern, reliable agricultural methods based on bringing man, nature and technology together. 85 years might have passed since Santa Margherita's visionary started but its leading principles have continued to be unmodified with time and have seen Marzotto's dream grow into among the leading producers of wine in Italy.

A "mosaic of wines" that currently includes 10 various estates in some of the most beautiful Italian regions: from Eastern Veneto to the Adige Valley, from the hills of Valdobbiadene and Refrontolo to Franciacorta, from Alto Adige to Lugana, from Chianti Classico to Maremma, from Sicily to Sardinia, from north to south of the Italian peninsula. The mosaic crosses 712 hectares, 70% of which are owned by the Group and more than half are naturally farmed.

It's not just about the large dimension of the territory which Santa Margherita Wine Group covers, however. The Group's success boils down to its large and varied range of wines which have the ability to satisfy the needs of an ever-increasingly globalized market, and offer consumers an assurance of consistent top quality wines.

It is exactly this "variety of wines from the various estates incorporated with their very high quality which is the factor for this recognition of the Marzotto familys work", honoured with "Winery of the Year" award in the Gambero Rosso "Guide to Italian Wines 2021", among one of the most prestigious wine magazines in Italy.

"Santa Margherita Gruppo Vinicolo has succeded in producing outstanding wines in all the geographic areas it has estates", thanks to the invaluable contribution of all the 'tiles' which make up its 'mosaic': Santa Margherita, Torresella, Kettmeir, Lamole di Lamole, Ca' del Bosco, Cà Maiol, Tenuta Sassoregale, Vistarenni, Terrelíade and Cantina Mesa.

Certain of these 'tiles' or wineries would certainly not be in the setting to market themselves globally if they were single entities yet are able to do so by becoming part of the Group; at the same time, the Group would certainly not be what it is today if it offered only the most widely-known labels and not these lesser-known gems of Italian wine. The Team actively sought to accomplish this balance between both, and it is this equilibrium which is the charm and the toughness of Santa Margherita Wine Group.

"We are extraordinarily proud to receive this award - says Beniamino Garofolo, CEO of Santa Margherita Wine Group - Positive feedback, such as this, is a gratifying affirmation of what the Marzotto family have created so far and the contribution of everyone who has worked with them to make this dream great".

 

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. If you are like me you'll be pining for that enchanting hot air balloon flight over The Hand Jumeirah or, better yet, yearning to be spoiled with flowers and pricey sparkly things. What's more probable (if I'm actually fortunate) is a peaceful evening in, dinner, cuddles on the sofa after tucking in the sobbing child for a couple of hours ...

Keeping that in mind we have laid out our recommendations on what wines to couple with home-cooked man-approved dishes. Look into our ideas listed below.

Steak and also Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is king when it pertains to pairing with a juicy, well marbled steak like sirloin or rib-eye. Cabernet is high in tannins (the grippy, puckering feeling you feel on the inside of your cheeks when you consume alcohol a solid merlot), which essentially cleanse away the fat the steak leaves inside your mouth, helping each mouthful of steak taste like the first bite.

Love on a budget plan: Spend as much as you are happy to spend for a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. We suggest our Errazuriz Estate Series Cabernet Sauvignon.

Splash Out: Head to the UNITED STATES isle and treat yourself to a passionate Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa or Sonoma in The golden state. Try our Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

Favor a leaner cut? Given that beef tenderloin (fillet) isn't fatty and lovers of this cut tend to like their meat on the rare side, go with a lighter wine like a Pinot Noir. We suggest our chilean pinot noir from Errazuriz.

Love on a budget: There is no such thing as a cheap Pinot Noir (Or at the very least there shouldn't be). This grape requires a great deal of Tender Loving Care in the vineyard as well as expensive oak barrel aging making it costly to create. 

Splash Out: New Zealand is where it's at! Central Otago and Martinborough locations are where the most revered decreases originate from. 

Spaghetti Bolognaise (or other pasta in red sauce) and Chianti

You're eating Italian food, so stick with their wines as well. Italian wine tends to be a bit sour, and that's because they have actually progressed to match the acid in the food, like tasty tomato-based meals. Hey there Spag-Bol!

Love on a budget:  Get a bottle of Chianti. Generally those identified 'Chianti Classico' are the most effective so get among those if it remains in your spending plan, or else any Chianti will certainly do. Try lamole di lamole Chianti Classico.

Splash Out: Barolo. He ought to be so fortunate to have you, a residence cooked meal and also a Barolo in his arms. Try Domenico Clerico Barolo 2015.

Roast Chicken and Chardonnay

We know what (a few of) you are thinking. 'I don't like Chardonnay'. Well, it's time to try it again. Chardonnay underwent an uncomfortable stage in the 80's and 90's where woodier than Ron Wine red's hunting lodge. Wine makers now aim to strike an equilibrium between spice, timber and fruit flavours in Chardonnay. Roast chicken is a classic combination with the buttery and toasty preference of the wine.

Love on a budget: Avoid straight up cheap Chardonnay, even if you're on a spending plan. Chardonnay costs a lot to make well thanks to the expensive oak barrels it’s aged in. Go for something around the 20 euro mark from Argentina where economic climate aspects enable them to make decent wines that do not cost a fortune. Try Zuccardi Serie A Chardonnay. 

 

Splash Out: You can get wonderful Chardonnay from the majority of  wine producing nations if you more than happy to pay for it. Try an Australian gem.

Fish

White wine with fish is the general rule, however wine pairing can be more technical than that. If fish is on your menu here are some quick pointers of what wine to pair with various fish recipes:

Ceviche - Dry Riesling. Try Hugel Riesling. Grilled white fish - Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño or Gavi. Try Our Pascal Jolivet Sancerre. Battered white fish - Cava or Champagne! Try our Charles Heidsieck Brut or Rose. 

 

We believe you can probably generate something terrific to please your Valentines' fancy after dinner without our aid ...

It's obvious that interest in wine is expanding.

Maybe you like wine for the suggested health benefits (i.e. keto friendly, anti-oxidants, etc). Or, maybe you just like rosé! Whatever the reason, one problem lots of beginners struggle with is constantly choosing wines they love.

This is specifically true with red wines since, stylistically talking, they're really varied.

So, right here are four excellent red wines that intend to please. We call them crowd pleasers:

• They are big on flavour and big on fruit. (also known as fruit forward).
• They're not also astringent (e.g. tannic) and have a smooth coating.
• Contrasted to other varietals, they provide terrific value. (We call this QPR, for quality-price proportion.).

Zinfandel.
All the fruit, all the time.

Matching white wine is enjoyable.

Fruit Flavors: Blackberry shrubs, strawberry, peach preserves, cinnamon, and pleasant tobacco.

What You'll Discover: Just how alcohol impacts the taste.

The most effective Zins out there are typically quite high in alcohol (absolutely try to find those with 14% or more by volume). Alcohol in wine is type of like MSG; it magnifies fruit flavors and also increases boldness.

To taste the alcohol level in wine, take a sip and slowly breathe out after you ingest: it prickles the back of your throat. (Pros can recognize within a 1% ABV with this technique!).

Petite Syrah.
A healthy and balanced dosage of antioxidants.

Fruit Flavours: Sugar plum, blueberry, dark chocolate, black pepper, and black tea.

What You'll Discover: What "black wines" truly look like.

The ancient Greeks described all red wines as "black wines." Today, black wines are an unique class of super grapes with a remarkably high antioxidant content. The antioxidants in wine are discovered in the skins, seeds, and stems of grapes and are usually called polyphenols, of which anthocyanin (the red colour) is one kind.

Grapes with high polyphenols have high tannin (that astringent, bitter, tea-like taste in red wine) and are typically deeply coloured. Certainly, wine makers have actually found out exactly how to manage bitterness in winemaking to make sure that they taste bold and smooth. Petit Syrah is no exemption!

Nero d'Avola.
The gateway to Italian reds.

Fruit Flavors: Black cherry, black plum, licorice, tobacco, as well as red chili flakes.

What You'll Discover: The taste of terroir.

If you're boggled by Italian wines, you're not alone. Italy is just one of the most difficult wine regions to recognize, even for pros. To make things more complicated, a number of the leading Italian wines like "Barolo" are an acquired taste. 

So, begin in the south! Sicily and Puglia continue to offer some of the best values in the whole nation. Nero d'Avola supplies bold, crowd-pleasing fruit flavours together with Italy's trademark dusty, clay-like terroir.

Merlot.
The unhonoured hero of Bordeaux.

Fruit Flavors: Red cherry, plum, chocolate, graphite, dried out herbs, and vanilla.

What You'll Discover: Great Merlot gives Cabernet Sauvignon a run for the money.

Go to any kind of wine store or restaurant and compare the prices of the greater end bottles of Merlot wine to Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot wine is always cheaper (unless we're talking Petrus!) What's funny concerning this fact is that of all the grapes on the planet,Merlot wine and Cabernet couldn't be more similar. They're even related.

Take Much Better Notes.
Next time you open up a bottle of wine, attempt tasting it with the 4-step approach. You'll be surprised the amount of more flavours you can obtain!