OTHER IMPORTS

Naturally sweet on the palate, warm, velvety with delicate fruit flavors. Complements soft cheeses, sweet meat and fish dishes and all desserts.

This Plavac has a very dark color. On the nose you find aromas of boysenberries with a hint of fine herbs. On the palate this red has good fruit without a hint of jamminess. The finish is long and smooth.

The Milos(Mee-loash)family has farmed and lived on their land near the village of Ston for over 500 years. Their vineyards are located on steep hillsides leading down to the Adriatic Sea. The Plavac Mali (a relative of Zinfandel) vines are head pruned and organically farmed. Fermentation (only the native yeasts are used) takes place in open-topped stainless steel to start and then finishes in large Slavonian oak barrels, never new. The wine is aged first in the barrels then in the bottle until its ready to be released.

This delightful red comes to us from Lebanon's famous Chateau Musar located in the Becca Valley. The Jeune red is a blend of 50% Cinsault; 30% Syrah and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich fruit leads to a soft, dry finish.

In 1930, at just 20 years old, Gaston Hochar founded Chateau Musar, inspired by Lebanon's 6,000 year winemaking tradition and his travels in Bordeaux. His 'wines with noblesse' greatly impressed senior officers in the army following on from the French mandate of the 1920s. Major Ronald Barton, of Château Langoa-Barton, stationed in Lebanon during World War II became a great friend, strengthening the links between Chateau Musar and Bordeaux that remain to this day. Flanked by snow-covered mountains, and nestled at 1000m (3,000 feet) above sea level, the serenely beautiful Bekaa Valley is blessed with 300 days of sunshine a year, fresh mountain breezes and an average temperature of 25°C (encompassing snowy winters and hot summers). Remote and unspoilt, the Musar vineyards were ‘organic’ by default before the term was coined. Hochar Père et Fils Red has been described as the ‘second’ wine of Chateau Musar, and it does bear some resemblance to the ‘Grand Vin’: rich, spicy and profoundly fruity, with a mellow quality derived from lengthy oak- and bottle ageing. Since its launch in the late 1980s, it has been sourced from a single Bekaa Valley vineyard planted in the late 1940s. When young, the wines are robust and aromatic, with baked plum, warm earth, leather, thyme and dark chocolate characters. With age they become tawnier and spicier.

Montenegro is a small country across the Adriatic from Southern Italy. There is a long tradition of viticulture in Montenegro dating back to at least the second century BC. Vranac is an ancient red grape varietal native to the Balkans. It is widely assumed that it is a relative of Plavac Mali (Croatia) which is the descendent of a naturally occurring hybrid of Zinfandel (Crljenak Kastelanski) and Dobricic. Like Plavac and Zinfandel, Vranac displays a dark ruby color and a fairly full body. The Pro Corde by Plantaze Winery is a reserve quality example of an extremely well-made Vranac. This crowd pleaser sports a deep, almost purple color with deep rich black fruit flavors. Black berries and supple cherry tones dominate the aromas, bursting into a pleasurable harmonious experience on the palate. At the same time there are smoky or savory elements, like some Rhone reds. This is great with cheese, smoked meats, sausages, grilled vegetables and, of course, a nice cut of steak.