Quinta Portal Reserva Tinto
$39.94
This Douro winery shifted towards quality in the early 90s, (formerly Quinta dos Muros), a centenary estate of the Mansilha family who had been producing Port for generations. With a clear vision of the future, they became part of the first group of Douro winegrowers who believed in the Douro potential to make outstanding still wines. Paulo Coutinho has been the head winemaker since 1994, along with consultancy from Pascal Chatonnet since the 1992 vintage. It shows a concentrated ruby colour with aromas of ripe black fruit and some floral notes in perfect harmony with some toast from the oak. Expressive on the palate, it has lovely acidity and a pleasant fruity and toasty aftertaste. The final is long and complex and it will develop further with more time in bottle.
Alzinger Riesling Loibenberg
$76.49
This wine is pressed from a large number of small vineyards at the foot of the Loibenberg. What they have in common is that they are still decisively shaped by the Loibenberg and its eroded weathered rock. There are influences of sand and various sediments found among the vineyards located in the warmest Wachau terraces with an arid and shallow soil lying 200 metres above sea level. They use traditional agriculture in the vineyard and, when the grape reaches its optimum ripeness, it is harvested manually.
Once the grapes reach the winery, they are selected, pressed and left to macerate for about 24 hours. They are then vinified at a controlled temperature with selected yeasts. No oak barrels are used in the process. When it is ready, the Alzinger Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd wine is clarified and filtered. Alzinger Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd is a dry white wine that contains all the delicacy and complexity of the charming Wachau Valley.
Russiz Pinot Bianco
$41.64
The origins of the Felluga family - who own both Marco Felluga and Russiz Superior - dates back 150 years, and six generations later they enjoy a position as one of the benchmark producers of white wine in Italy. The winery follows sustainable viticulture practices and derives all of their electricity from solar panels. Collio is situated in northeast Italy on the border with Slovenia. The Pinot Bianco has a deep straw yellow colour with golden and green hues and expresses ripe apple and flower aromatics. In the mouth, it's silky and round with a lengthy finish.
Selbach Grauburgunder
$22.94
Today, Johannes Selbach and his wife Barbara, with the help of son Sebastian, manage their vineyards and winery with passion and respect for the estate’s long-held traditions. A substantial portion of their 24 hectares of vines are on their original rootstocks, in Zeltinger, Schlossberg, and Sonnenuhr; Wehlener Sonnenuhr; and, Graacher and Bernkasteler Graben. These vineyards of weathered Devonian slate are on a steep, contiguous slope facing south-southwest and represent some of the most prestigious sites in all of the Middle Mosel, in fact 85% of the Selbach’s vines are on steep slopes. The Selbach family’s heritage in the wine business dates to 1600: Selbach’s ancestors shipped wines down the Mosel in their own ships, the wine carried in oak barrels made by cooper Matthias Oster, the great-grandfather on the paternal side of the family. Thus, the winery developed as both a top estate producing some of the region’s best wine, and also as a négociant and brokerage firm, consolidating the production of smaller growers.
Decugnano Villa Barbi Orvieto
$25.49
In 1973, at just 28 years old, Claudio stumbled upon Decugnano by chance, then a forgotten land. But behind that veil of neglect, he saw a charm that captivated him. He felt a profound connection with that land and decided to make it his own: thus, Decugnano dei Barbi was born. Claudio began the renovation of the vineyards and the construction of the winery. In 1978, the first wines came to light, bringing a wave of innovation. His vision was reflected in the choice of modern winemaking methods, which at the time represented a breakthrough. Claudio released three labels that still exist today: Decugnano Bianco, Decugnano Rosso, and Metodo Classico. And the Metodo Classico was his boldest step: no one before him had attempted to create a Metodo Classico in Umbria, and it was a challenge to the established order, but also a homage to his Brescian roots.
Forjas Del Salnes Leirana Genoveva
$57.79
Rodrigo Méndez of Forjas del Salnés (known locally as Rodri) is the 5th generation in a family that has grown and crafted quality wine for centuries. Today he is considered one of the greatest Albariño producers in Spain, offering more than 15 small-batch bottlings from the micro-terroirs around the Val do Salnés, the most coastal subzone in DO Rías Baixas (his grandfather established this appellation). In another homage to his family’s legacy, Rodri is also leading the revitalization of several nearly extinct local red varietals. Thanks to his rigorous approach and deep regional knowledge, Rodri’s wines are pure expressions of the diverse Salnés terroirs. As a winemaker, he embraces historic techniques that highlight the personality of the different vineyard sites and his basic philosophies and commitment to organic and low-intervention production (native yeast fermentation, extended lees contact without batonnage, minimal sulphur) are consistent across all his wines. As a grower, Rodri has deep respect for his region’s ancient vineyard sites and trains his vines in the traditional Parral (pergola) system; he takes a hands-on approach by insisting on longer hang times and manual harvest, all while practicing organic agriculture.
El Maestro Oloroso
$67.99
El Maestro Sierra was founded in 1830 by master cooper José Antonio Sierra, who ran a prosperous barrel-building business called La Merced. Recognized as one of the top coopers in the area, he longed to become involved in the Sherry trade itself. Eventually, he set about building a small winery to make the best sherries possible. As the sherry business was, and remains to this day, dominated by aristocratic families, the idea of a humble worker joining their ranks was met with open disdain. After many hardships he was able to establish and grow his business, becoming one of the most respected almacenistas (stockholders) of high-quality sherry. It is still run by his descendants, located in a privileged part of Jerez on top of the hill, exposed to the cool Poniente winds which nourish the elegant wines. As a reminder of the bodega’s struggles, the labels depict a hunting scene with a hare being chased by the nobles, alluding to José Antonio Sierra’s struggles in founding the artisanal house in a social climate dominated by the aristocrats of his time.
El Maestro Sierra was passed down through the family and protected by the legendary Doña Pilar Pla Pechovierto from 1976 until her passing in 2020. She was a brave and resolute woman who inherited the business after the early death of her husband, Antonio Borrego. Pilar managed to drive the business forward despite the prevailing machismo of the time. El Maestro Sierra became the first and is still one of the few bodegas run entirely by women. When her husband passed away in 1976, she resisted the intense pressure to sell and kept the winery going through tough times by selling wines to the locals in jugs. In 1997, while the men were away from the Consejo Regulador, she was stealthily able to obtain the first bottling permit for an almacenista house, which was forbidden until that point. Pilar was an extraordinary individual with a singularity of purpose: to maintain the grand estate of El Maestro Sierra. Because the wines have remained virtually unmoved due to the slow business in the following decades, the stocks at El Maestro Sierra are some of the oldest and most undisturbed in Jerez.
The tradition is continued by Pilar’s daughter and current owner, Dr. Carmen Borrego Pla, and Capataza Ana Cabestrero; aided by long-time family friend and consultant master Capataz, Paco Salas. Dr. Borrego Pla, a historian and expert in the History of the Americas at the University of Seville, has published many books and papers relating to Andalucia’s role in this grand history and continues to be one of the region’s foremost cultural historians.
Kleinood De Herder
$29.74
In the year 2000 the small farm, that was to become Kleinood, was very different from what it is now. Although its inherent natural beauty and charm was always there, it was, sadly, just a run down and neglected little fruit farm in a beautiful valley against a backdrop of majestic mountains and a river running through it. Over time it has become a personal and highly individual project where no effort was spared in striving to produce a thing of excellence and beauty underpinned with a simple and holistic philosophy dedicated to explore, develop and use the full potential of the farm and human skills in order to produce the best wines possible.
Chateau D'Arche Blanc
$27.19
Located in the village of Sauternes, 40km south of Bordeaux, the specificity of the vineyard is created by the Garonne and the Ciron rivers. The meeting of the cold waters of the Ciron and the warmer waters of the Garonne generates from the end of the summer a morning fog providing optimal humidity. The dry weather in the afternoon dries out the grapes and concentrates the aromas. In 1611, Etienne d’Arche 8th century generation, eldest son of Bernard d’Arche, Knight and Lord of Arche, formed the branch of the family that settled in the Bordeaux region. He was the doctor regent of the University of Bordeaux and a lawyer at the Parliament of Guyenne and encouraged the family's passionate love of wine by acquiring the estate.