2018 Durigutti Proyecto Las Compuertas Criolla Parral 92 Points
2017 Durigutti Proyecto Las Compuertas Malbec 1914 95 Points
2017 Durigutti Proyecto Las Compuertas Malbec 5 Suelos 95 Points
2018 Durigutti Proyecto Las Compuertas Malbec 5 Suelos 95 Points
2018 Durigutti Proyecto Las Compuertas Cabernet Franc 94 Points
2018 Durigutti Proyecto Las Compuertas Charbono 91 Points
We are very pleased to introduce Atla and Beccaris - two Italian wineries in the Veneto. Both wineries prioritize sustainable winemaking and are uniquely-concentrated expressions of the region's terroir.
View from the winery
The Atla vineyards are located on the hills surrounding Castelnuovo di Garda, a few kilometers south-east of Garda Lake. They are located on the edge of the Dolomites, where ancient glaciers formed the beautiful alpine region. The particularly mild micro-climate allows the growth of some Mediterranean climate plants like vines, olive trees or even citrus, which are extremely rare at this latitude (46° North).
At Atla, they have embraced the principles of sustainability in the management of their vineyards. Spontaneous grassing is used in all vineyards, allowing the creation of a habitat rich in biodiversity of both plants and animals; techniques such as the alternate mowing of the rows allow the development of wildlife in the vineyard.
The Beccaris vineyards are located on the hills surrounding Custoza, a few kilometers south-east of Garda Lake. Similar to Atla, they are located on the edge of the Dolomites, where ancient glaciers eroded and formed the region.
The morainic landscape that characterizes the region is marked by a dense series of hills formed by deposits left by the glaciers that formed the nearby Lake Garda, interspersed with large gravel plains. The particularly mild micro-climate allows the growth of some Mediterranean climate crops like vines, olive trees or even citrus, which are extremely rare at this latitude (46° North).
Ennak hails from Celler Jordi Miro in Terra Alta, Spain.
Today's spotlight is on Vinas del Cambrico. This winery in Salamanca has worked hard to revive abandoned vineyards, some of them > 100 years old, planted with the native Rufete grape. The vines are all organic and dry farmed. Because of the terrain, all the work is manual. Cheers to Vinas Del Cambrico for all your hard work! Enjoy their video!
We are so pleased to announce that Michael Schachner from Wine Enthusiast Magazine has given our Marchiori & Barraud Cabernet Sauvignon 90 points.
...deep palate that’s loaded with...wild berry and plum flavors...
Andrea Marchiori and Luis Barraud come from families with long winemaking traditions in Argentina. Together they make a small amount of wine in pursuit of expressing the best of the terroir for each varietal. Their grapes are organically grown and hand harvested. In the winery, spontaneous fermentation takes place with native yeasts and no winemaking additives are used. Learn more about their Cabernet Sauvignon here!
We are so excited to announce that four wines from Eco Terreno received ratings of 90 or higher in the June issue of Wine Advocate:
Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vine Lyon Vineyard 2016 - 91 points
Chardonnay 2016 - 90 points
Red Blend Los Cuatro Lyon Vineyard 2016 - 90+ points
Cabernet Sauvignon Artisanal Selections 2015 - 90 points
Eco Terreno is a certified biodynamic estate winery laid out on the rolling hills of the Alexander Valley in Sonoma. The winery staunchly believes that to become successful farmers and winemakers, they must first create a healthy native ecosystem for their vineyards.
Owner and winemaker, Mark Lyon received great acclaim during his 37 year tenure at Sebastiani. This legacy includes three wines that were made in part or entirely from grapes grown at the Eco Terreno Estate and rated 95-98+ points by Wine Advocate.
We are so happy to announce that in the June 2018 edition of Wine Advocate, our Las Compuertas Project 'Malbec 5 Suelos' 2016 received 91 points!
“...floral, expressive and aromatic, fruit-driven and juicy, with pure Malbec fruit.”
'Proyecto las Compuertas' (The Compuertas Project) began in 2007, when brothers Pablo and Hector Durigutti purchased 5 Ha of old vine Malbec in Las Compuertas, Mendoza, steps from their winery. At the outset of The Compuertas Project, Pablo and Hector had a precise analysis done of their vineyards, identifying 5 distinct soil types. They have carefully adjusted their care of the vines accordingly, coaxing the best grapes out of the 104 year old vines. Their 'Malbec 5 Suelos' is made from the grapes of each parcel being vinified separately in concrete eggs with native yeasts, before a final cut is made. You can learn more about 'Malbec 5 Suelos' and all of the Las Compuertas Project wines here.
We are very pleased that Wine Enthusiast will give Mehofer's "Alter Weingarten" Gemischter Satz 91 points in their upcoming September issue.
The Mehofer family has lived and worked on their estate for 10 generations, over 300 years. In 1992, they became one of the first wineries in the area to convert to organic farming methods.
'Gemischter Satz' is a traditional style of wine, made with a blend of at least 3 varietals of white grape varieties, planted and vinified together. Vigneron Andreas Mehofer includes 8 varietals in his 'Alter Wiengarten'. The vines are dry farmed, grapes are hand harvested. Fermentation occurs with native yeasts and the winemaking process is entirely vegan.
We are very pleased to announce that Tim Atkin has given high marks to wines from Las Compuertas Project and Marchiori & Barraud in his May 2018 Argentina Report. Las Compuertas Project's Malbec 5 Suelos 2016 and Cordisco 2017 were awarded 95 and 92 points, respectively, while Marchiori & Barraud's Malbec "Cuartel Dos" 2015 and Malbec 2016 received 95 and 91 points.
MALBEC 5 SUELOS - 95 POINTS
5 separate parcels of centennial vines are cared for based on their soil type as identified by extensive testing and vinified separately in cement eggs before a final cut is made.
CORDISCO 2017 - 92 POINTS
First Mendoza wine made from this varietal native to Abruzzo (Italy). Fermented in cement eggs with native yeasts.
MALBEC 2016 - 95 POINTS
MALBEC 'CUARTEL 2' 2015 - 91 POINTS
Andrea Marchiori & Luis Barraud come from families with long winemaking traditions in Argentina. Their grapes are grown organically and hand harvested. In the winery, spontaneous fermentation takes place with native yeasts and no winemaking additives are used.
This month, our Anella Crianza 2014 from Ribera del Duero received 92 points from Wine & Spirits Magazine!
“It’s a vibrant crianza wine, focused on refreshing red-fruit flavors...that throbs with energy...radiant and fresh...”
Anella is a family owned winery located in Fuentelcesped at 2,800 feet altitude. Their limestone rich soils provide excellent growing conditions for their Tempranillo vines, 30% of which are old vines, including some ungrafted pre-phylloxera plots (the oldest is from 1865). The winery practices biodynamic farming, the grapes are hand-harvested and fermentation takes place with native yeasts. Learn more about Anella here.
We are so pleased to announce that Michael Schachner from Wine Enthusiast Magazine has given our Marchiori & Barraud Cabernet Sauvignon 90 points.
“...deep palate that’s loaded with...wild berry and plum flavors...”
Andrea Marchiori and Luis Barraud come from families with long winemaking traditions in Argentina. Together they make a small amount of wine in pursuit of expressing the best of the terroir for each varietal. Their grapes are organically grown and hand harvested. In the winery, spontaneous fermentation takes place with native yeasts and no winemaking additives are used. Learn more about their Cabernet Sauvignon here!
Tis the season for PARTIES! And with parties come COCKTAILS! “A cocktail post from a wine importing company?!” you say? Well, take another look at our portfolio and you’ll realize that we actually have a great lineup of options that will have your guests asking for more (and the recipe).
The best part of taking your cocktail cues from a wine company? Most of these recipes have lower alcohol content, which means you can enjoy and still keep up with refilling the canapés.
Many of these are also batch-able, meaning you can make a lot at once, then sit back and enjoy your party. Cheers!
We found this classic on The Straight Up. It’s from the late 1800s, when cocktails were having their first big wave of popularity. Named after the first Broadway musical to run for more than 500 performances, it’s low alcohol level and clean flavors make it great as a before dinner drink…or to sip all night…
In our version, the dryness of Bodegas Robles' Organic Piedra Luenga Fino plays off nicely against the light, layered sweetness of the Iris Vermouth Dorado.
Here's what you'll need:
For instructions, head over to The Straight Up, where you can also read more of the story behind the drink (and see quite a nice pair of 19th century legs).
To batch this cocktail, simply pour 12 oz each of the Fino and Vermouth into a clean, reseal-able 750 milliliter glass bottle and add 16 dashes of orange bitters. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
*You can also experiment with the Piedra Luenga Organic Oloroso or Iris Blanco and Rojo
This recipe is from Sue over at The View from Great Island and it’s brilliant. Simply combine your ingredients in a crock pot an hour or so before your party, set on low until the wine simmers, then switch to ‘keep warm’ and leave it.
Here’s a shopping list, including the star of the show, Primmo Malbec Magnum.
Head over to The View from Great Island for proportions and instructions –don't forget to multiply the ingredients by two, to make with our handy 1.5 Liter Primmo Malbec.
Imbibe Magazine found this elegant Sidra cocktail at Bar Casa Vale in Portland, OR. Created by Daniel Parker Guidry, the slight sweetness of brandy, balanced with the fresh Piedra Luengo Organic Fino and lightly tart, earthy Bere Aran Natural Cider will have your guests asking for more. Get your shaker ready!
Head on over to Imbibe for assembly instructions!
For those of you who can’t let go of your Negronis (don’t worry, we’re with you), here’s a festive version! Translating roughly as ‘Bungled Negroni’ (is there any such thing??), this twist on the classic comes to us thanks to Michael Dietsch at Serious Eats. Simply swap Forchir Prosecco in for the gin in your Negroni and get partying.
Here’s your shopping list, for construction instructions, head over to Serious Eats!
*To scale this drink up for a crowd, simply mix up a bigger batch of Vermouth and Campari, chill, pour 3 ounces of the mixture into each flute and top with Prosecco!*
Up your Punch game with this beauty from Epicurious. With our Piedra Luenga Organic Fino (or Oloroso, depending on your sweetness preference) and Iris Vermouth Blanco as the base, this is another one with a low ABV, allowing you to enjoy while juggling hosting duties. Cheers!
Okay, you caught us, this is not a cocktail. It’s a cake. But it’s a chocolate cake. With WINE! RED WINE! So you can’t really go wrong, right? We found this recipe from pastry chef and author of Brave Tart, Stella Parks, once again on Imbibe. As it turns out, red velvet cake originally got it’s characteristic color from a chemical reaction between the raw cocao and acid…which can be provided with, you guessed it, red wine.
Here’s the ingredients list; head over to Imbibe for the full recipe.
And while this isn’t a cocktail, we do recommend you wash it down with our Amaris Sweet Red or Robles PX.
Whatever type of soirée you throw this winter (including parties of one, on your couch, sporting your best sweatpants), we hope you'll invite one (or more) of these tasty recipes to the party. And may you have warm, wonderful holidays, a happy new year and an ever-full glass! Cheers!
At this year's Decanter World Wine Awards, Domaine Begude Etoile Chardonnay was awarded Gold earning 95 points.
The winemaker, Laurent Girault is a native of Limoux and raised in a family of winemakers. The aim at Domaine Begude is to "make excellent wine from long established high-quality terroir... wines reminiscent of the new world, but with the elegance of the old..." The winery organically grows their grapes and is devoted to environmentally sustainable practices.
Etoile Chardonnay has a classic, complex style. With aromas of honey and fresh fruit that lead to a long mineral acidity with a creamy texture.
On Wednesday March 1, Las Bas Gewuztraminer and Sommos Premium were two of eight wines selected to represent the entire region of Somontano. The event was held at Amada Restaurant in New York City outpost of award winning chef, Jose Garces. Wine Enthusiast, The Somm Journal, The Tasting Panel magainze, Nacho Monclus, Head Sommelier at Amada, amongst others were in attendance. We were very excited for the opportunity to share these wines from Bodegas Sommons!
We are very excited to announce that the Aguijón de Abeja Malbec Reserva 2015 has received a 93-point rating from Wine Enthusiast!
Hector and Pablo Durigutti are two of the best-known young winemakers in Argentina today. Their wines are organically grown and display a beautiful balance of New World fruit with Old World elegance. You can learn more about the Durigutti brothers and the Aguijón de Abeja wines here.
We often get asked about the meaning of the names of our wines and labels. Our wines definitely have very interesting names and back stories. Here is just one example:
The label from our Besadien Pinot Noir from Oregon came about because we wanted a label to depict the beauty and nature of the Willamette valley. We were actually searching for something related to trees or a forest when we came upon Kristo Dagorov's artwork (lips series). We thought this was the perfect label to depict the wine's complexity. The word, Besadien, is a play on the Spanish word beso, which means "kiss," which fit the label perfectly!
Holy smokes - Grochau Cellars is once again in the spotlight! We are very happy to announce that Food & Wine included Grochau Cellars' Commuter Cuvée Pinot Noir in their 'Trendspotting' list, 'Drink These Wines Now.'
Author Ray Isle calls the wine an 'unusually fragrant, elegant Pinot' in the November 2016 issue of Food & Wine magazine and advises the reader to buy 'by the case.' An excellent plan for the upcoming holidays. Cheers!
See the full list here, or to read more about Grochau Cellars, check out their page on our site.
"An unusually fragrant, elegant Pinot for the price that comes from a small Willamette Valley winery."
- Ray Isle, Food & Wine Magazine November 2016
Grochau Cellars is once again making waves. The Commuter Cuvée Pinot Noir 2014 has made Eric Asimov’s much loved 20 Wines for Under $20 list! Asimov looks for ‘exciting and distinctive’ wines to fill his lists, an excellent way to sum up the Commuter Cuvée.
Read an excerpt below, or read the full article here. Additionally, you can learn more about Grochau Cellars, and its devoted founder and namesake, John Grochau here.
"That rare treat: budget-priced pinot noir from good terroirs, grown and produced conscientiously. Commuter Cuvée shows bright aromas of red and black fruits intermingled with herbs and flowers." -Erick Asimov, NYT Oct. 6, 2016
Our very own Viñabade Albariño has been featured in the August/September 2016 of Somm Journal! "The Albariños of Rías Baixas: An Overview Refresher Course" takes an in-depth look at the land, people and history of the grape and the region.
