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Wineries & Estates

Bellavista

Erbusco (BS), Italy

The history of the Moretti family is intertwined with that of Erbusco and the Franciacorta area, as a 15th century correspondence testifies. In 1977, Vittorio Moretti decided to devote himself to the world of wine. He started a winery and built a home in the hamlet of Bellavista, after buying small plots of land from 30 different owners. A beautiful spot, as the name – Bella-vista, lovely view – suggests, and one that has also proven to be especially well suited for growing grapes. In 1981 Vittorio Moretti met oenologist Mattia Vezzola, who in that same year joined the company. He was a key figure in defining the Bellavista style. From the vineyards to the wine, every process was performed naturally, every decision was made in consideration of the rhythms dictated by nature and by the history of the Franciacorta area. Consequently, making Bellavista one of the leading names in sparkling wines domestically and internationally. Nowadays, the Bellavista brand stands for elegance and refinement. Each bottle tells the story of the winery, of the land where it is situated and of the style that charachterizes it.

Tasca d’Almerita

Palermo (PA), Italy

A blueprint for the next two centuries For almost two centuries, Tasca d’Almerita, one of Italy’s oldest and most renowned wine-families, has been based at the Regaleali estate, in Sicily’s rural heartland. But its past is a dynamic one. Even before Tenuta Regaleali was recognized as a “model farm” in the 1854 Sicilian Agricultural Yearbook, Tasca d’Almerita was an innovator. In eight generations, the company has never ceased to challenge itself. Today, Alberto Tasca carries forward into the future their family’s dedication to quality and passion for innovation and research. They have extended and enriched this legacy with a focus on environmental sustainability, rooted in the company’s patient curatorship of the land. Tasca d'Almerita is one of the founding members SOStain, Sicily's Alliance for Sustainable Winegrowing and Winemaking. It commits its partners to sustainable policies and a series of environmental criteria which go well beyond the usual requirements of organic certification. Alberto also piloted Tasca d’Almerita’s expansion from its historic heart of Regaleali to other sites of Sicilian oenological excellence: from Tenuta Tascante on Mount Etna to Tenuta Capofaro on the Aeolian Islands, from Sallier de la Tour in the Monreale area to Tenuta Whitaker on the Phoenician island Mozia. On these five estates, sustainable practices are enacted via a mix of modern technology and the scientific application of age-old wisdom; photovoltaic cells produce over one third of energy consumed, hives of Sicilian Black bees pollinate the vines, hybrid vehicles ferry workers around the estates, etc. For Tasca d’Almerita this is all about a search for purity and a return to a more artisanal approach to winemaking, to a renewed focus on lightness, freshness and elegance in Sicilian wine culture.

Contadi Castaldi - Terra Moretti

Adro (BS), Italy

Tradition at Contadi Castaldi is dynamic and deeply indebted to its roots contributing vivid and contemporary wine styles. The winery’s name refers to the ancient history of the Franciacorta area: during the Middle Ages, the contadi were small counties known for their outstanding agricultural products, while the castaldi were the lords who governed over these counties. Vittorio Moretti and his wife Mariella forged a bond with this noble legacy, initially by purchasing an old abandoned brickyard and the land around it. Contadi Castaldi was established in the late 80s, with the conversion of the brickyard into a winery. Its large spaces and long tunnels where the bricks were fired proved to be the perfect place for ageing Franciacorta vintages and welcoming wine lovers. The vineyards, are capable of providing a vast range of aromas and flavours, that dictate the Contadi Castaldi style. Nature’s gifts are abundant, but it is the human touch that translates the immense resources it provides into wine. Creating a cuvée is essential in order to bring out the very best from each vintage. It is like an orchestra in which each individual musician can give their best performance; the moment when all the ingredients are assembled to form the unmistakable Contadi Castaldi wine. This is how the winery’s Metodo Franciacorta wines receive their unmistakable hallmark, consisting of balance and freshness, vision and local spirit.

Roxanich Winery & Restaurant

Motovun, Croatia

Roxanich is specialized in rare, long aged, natural wines from ancient Venetian lands. The spectacular winery is located in the medieval town of Motovun in Istria. Every Roxanich wine is a reflection of the magical place where it was created, and the strict natural, organic philosophy behind it. Freedom by Nature: Nestled between the heartland of Istrian winemaking and the Venetian coasts, in one of the world’s most picturesque viticultural landscapes, Mladen Rožanić and his six daughters - the eponymous Sorelle - continue not only to produce strictly limited quantities of wines with heritages stretching back hundreds of years, but also to evolve new varieties, producing authentic wines in harmony with nature. This rich history permeates everything they do: from the careful control of their deliberately small-scale production, to their strict adherence to organic, natural winemaking. Today, the Roxanich selection of 20 organic labels, ranges from crisp whites to honeysuckle rosés, to long aged and macerated white, orange and deep, dark and rich reds, divided into three distinct collections: PHILOSOPHY, SORELLE and FIRST ROSES. No winemaker has shaped the natural wine scene like Mladen Rožanić in recent years. With a maximum of knowledge, he brings wines to bottles with a minimum of intervention. This thinking created Mladen’s ultimate vision of vinifying and ageing international and indigenous varietals - such as Teran, Merlot, Borgonja Istriana, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, as expressed in his premium, signatory “Philosophy” range. In the vineyard - only natural elements like copper and sulphur are admitted in minimal quantities. Grapes are vinified in specially shaped barrels - wooden vats of 55 to 75 hl capacity - where fermentation and maceration take place. After pressing and first decanting, the wine is reracked in these same vats as well as 36 hl casks, where it is kept to age and mature for years. The wines are characterized by long skin contact which varies from vintage to vintage – 4 to 8 weeks for the reds, and for the whites from a day up to six months. More than 26 hectares of own, single estate vineyards, from Croatia’s most dramatic and coveted wine-growing region, ‘Red Istria’, supply Roxanich with grapes already bursting with flavour, untarnished by pesticides or any forms of artificial enrichment. Named for its striking red, iron-rich limestone soil, its neutral acidity and high minerality make it perfect for growing many of the region’s signature varietals. Roxanich’s eclectic, contemporary winery, featuring a sublime zero-kilometer cuisine and 32 rooms design hotel, rests perched on a hillside beneath the gentle shadow of Motovun, overlooking the dreamlike scenery of the Mirna River valley. Swanky and sophisticated, the rooms and suites are an ideal home away from home, while you explore Istria.

Sella & Mosca

Alghero (SS), Italy

Sella & Mosca is an outburst of nature. Its home is in Alghero, an enchanted corner of Sardinia, where it was founded in 1899 by two adventurous men from Piedmont, from whom it takes its name: Sella, an engineer and the grandson of the prominent statesman Quintino Sella, and Mosca, a lawyer. Their exploits continue to possess a pioneering tinge, singular and exemplary. Naturally, large scale adaptation was required to transform what had been vast and uncultivated tracts of land into a winemaking concern: thousands of boulders of all sizes were removed and the wild scrub forest tamed to make room for the vineyards. Finally, a state-of-the-art wine cellar was methodically designed and constructed. Even today, the winery is characterised by this spirit of innovation, driven to express the characteristics of the Sardinian terroir in the best possible way, just as it was conceived by its founders. Sella & Mosca wines are a kaleidoscope of aromas, colours and flavours, see-sawing between past and future. The ultimate expression of a sun-drenched land, strong and well suited to forging unique, charismatic and expressive wines depicting heritage.

Samus-Gallus

Deidesheim, Germany

This Wine of Friendship is created in Deidesheim located in the Palatinate right at the german wineroute. Being Friends from schooldays , Maike Heil and Hanns-Georg Hahn from the Deidesheimer Hof focus only on First-Class wines. Riesling deriving from the single layer „ Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker“ gives this First Class quality and connects winelovers all over the world .. This is why Samus-Gallus was also served in the Adlon for the Bundespresseball as well as with Lufthansa to celebrate special occasions. Fine notes of citrus blossom mingle with fruity apple and soft mineralic shades, and balanced freshness makes you enjoy life. We are looking forward to celebrating life with YOU!

Weingut Dr. Heger

Ihringen, Germany

History & Family Dr. Max Heger founded Weingut Dr. Heger in 1935 in Ihringen, a small town in the southern Kaiserstuhl region. A country doctor and hobby winemaker, he was passionate about vi&culture and about acquiring prime vineyard sites. Plot by carefully selected plot, each purchase brought the estate one step further from its modest beginnings. The sites he bought remain, even today, at the founda&on of the estate’s success. Son Wolfgang, known by his nickname Mimus, took over the estate in 1949 and de-ly guided Weingut Dr. Heger to the forefront of German winemaking. The estate is today led by its 3rd generation, Geisenheim-trained enologist Joachim Heger and his wife, Silvia. The 4th generation, in the form of adult daughters Katharina and Rebecca, have also set on a course to con&nue the family tradi&on. Rebecca completed her Bachelor's degree in vi&culture and oenology in Geisenheim. She has been working at the Dr. Heger winery since March 2020. Katharina is currently studying interna&onal wine business management at the Heilbronn University. The local climate & soils Weingut Dr. Heger is located in Ihringen, a small town in the southern Kaiserstuhl region of Baden, not far from the French border. This is Germany's warmest region, and the Hegers are proud to call it home. The family name is inextricably bound to the Ihringer Winklerberg, one of the Germany’s most famous vineyards. Extremely steep, extremely warm and extremely stony: that is Winklerberg. The vineyard faces the Belfort Gap and enjoys op&mal condi&ons for expressive, terroir-driven wines. The same can be said of the adjoining Achkarrer Schlossberg. Spätburgunder, Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder and Riesling as well as Silvaner, Muskateller and Gewürztraminer grow here in these volcanic and loess soils. The resul&ng wines are well-structured and characteris&c of the region, with an extraordinarily delicate minerality and elegance.

Korrell

Bad Kreuznach-Bosenheim, Germany

Martin Korrell wines are synonymous with being well-structured and perfectly balanced - his Rieslings and Pinots are all cast from the same mould. This consistency and balance runs through the entire collection and underlines why the winery is one of the most dependable on the Nahe. Traditionally, the Riesling from Bad Kreuznach's Paradies site is at the top of the range with its elegant fruitiness and savouriness. Similarly, the Riesling from the Norheimer Kirschheck, the oldest documented vineyard on the Nahe, ranks just as highly and particularly impressed us with its minerality.

Col Vetoraz

Valdobbiadene (TV), Italy

All the excellence of a unique territory, in a glass "The only way to obtain the balance and the natural harmony that the vine is able to offer, is to follow a strict process that preserves the expressive integrity of the fruit". This is the credo of Loris Dall'Acqua, Col Vetoraz C.E.O. and oenologist, based in Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene (Treviso). Col Vetoraz follows every year the path marked by nature, fully respecting the perfection with which it gives birth to each grape contributing to this prestigious sparkling wine. Conegliano Valdobbiadene hills, now officially a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are an expression of excellence and undisputed uniqueness bearing immense cultural and historical value. The method of production aims for the highest quality, following the criteria of extreme respect towards the land. All this from the magnificent slopes of the Valdobbiadene DOCG area, where the harvest is strictly performed by hand. The result is that the wines of  Valdobbiadene DOCG are of the highest quality of the entire denomination, obtaining over the years numerous awards, nationally and internationally. The absolute guarantee of excellence goes from the very first to the very last bottle: Valdobbiadene DOCG Superiore di Cartizze, Valdobbiadene DOCG Dry Millesimato, Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Brut Ø, Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry, Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut, Valdobbiadene DOCG Cuvée 5 Extra Brut and Valdobbiadene DOCG Cuvée 13 Extra Dry, represent a single production line of the spectacular range of sparkling wines.

Medici Ermete

Reggio Emilia (RE), Italy

The long history of Medici Ermete begins in 1890 with Remigio Medici, owner of three successful taverns on the Via Emilia, the most important road in the region of Emilia-Romagna. The innkeeper decided to found a winery to enhance the family's vineyards unwittingly setting in motion a long path of success and progress. Now in its fifth generation, the company owns around 80 hectares (over 200 acres) of vineyard plots distributed among the areas of the region with the highest concentration of viticulture, and exports to 70 countries worldwide. OUR MISSION Our vineyards are cultivated following a wholly organic regime and we firmly believe in building a close link between the territory, the grapes and the wines produced. It all begins in the vineyards, with a strict selection of the grapes that guarantees a high and constant quality. A skilful vinification and modern machinery complete the production cycle. For us Lambrusco is an interpreter and ambassador of our territory: Emilia-Romagna. For some time now we have been strengthening our commitment to more sustainable and responsible development: environmental, ethical and economic sustainability. Roots in evolution: looking at the past with respect in order to build the future

Hattingley Valley Wines

Alresford, Great Britain

Simon Robinson, Hattingley’s founder, had always wanted to make something that was quintessentially British. When he heard a radio programme in 2000 on the rapidly developing English wine scene his Hattingley adventure began. With family encouragement, he decided to turn over 25 acres of chalky, south sloping fields to vineyards in pursuit of his dream. Simon also recognised the need for an expert winemaker and discovered Emma Rice who joined the team at the end of 2008. In 2010 Hattingley completed the build of an eco-friendly, state-of-the-art winery in time for their first vintage. Now with over a 600 tonne capacity they have over 100 awards to date and three ‘World Champion’ trophies in the cabinet; they are one of the most respected producers of English sparkling wines in the country. All of their wines are also Vegetarian & Vegan friendly.

Ruggeri

Valdobbiadene (TV), Italy

Ruggeri in Valdobbiadene is a historic winery founded in 1950, in the heart of  Prosecco, the most evocative area of the entire Prosecco Superiore DOCG denomination. Ruggeri produces its sparkling wines from grapes grown in the “Golden Triangle”, a picturesque hilly area delimited by the hamlets of Santo Stefano, San Pietro di Barbozza and Saccol. These areas are known, in this denomination, for producing the best quality grapes. Right at the centre lies the precious Cartizze hill, the most famous cru in the entire area. The constant striving for quality has resulted in Ruggeri becoming one of the key producers in the Cartizze area, so much that the triangle used on the logo symbolizes the enduring bond between Ruggeri and the Golden Triangle itself. Ruggeri strongly believes in a collaboration with nature. The team of agronomists have set up an innovative and sustainable pruning training program for the grape suppliers. Furthermore, since 2019 Ruggeri has joined the SQNPI certification. This Quality System is recognized at European Community level and aims to use agronomic methods to minimise the use of chemicals, water and energy. Driven by its pioneering spirit, Ruggeri has supported for many years the promotion of a culture of time, to give Prosecco an evolutionary perspective, offering different vintages in the form of vertical tastings. Therefore, Ruggeri has been the first winery to produce a Prosecco using only the grapes of century-old vines. Journeying into the unknown and pushing the boundaries is the innate characteristic that inspires its enduring quest for quality.  

Teruzzi

San Gimignano (SI), Italy

Teruzzi was established in 1974 in a beautiful place of incomparable interest: San Gimignano, also known as the Manhattan of the Middle Ages because of its profusion of towers. The winery’s inspiration has always been modern, in search of the most innovative solutions to produce the best possible wines. A challenging quest initiated by its founder, whose name it bears, a vintner by passion but an engineer by profession, and now pursued by the Moretti family. Innovation, respect for the terroir and the Tuscan vinicultural traditions: such are the winery’s keywords, which mark the continuity between past, present and future. The bond with its place of origin is powerful, yet dynamic, rooted in history even as it looks ahead to its contemporary valorization. The unfolding of a journey that aims at exalting the heritage of nobility and personality of San Gimignano, along with its most precious resource: Vernaccia.

Di Giovanna

Sambuca Di Sicilia (AG), Italy

Celebrating 25 years (1997-2022) of certified organic viticulture & winemaking in Sicily. Often when we talk about Sicily, we think of long sunny stretches of seaside vineyards. This isn't the case at Di Giovanna, an oasis of biodiversity inside the mountains of the Monte Genuardo Nature Reserve. The family's viticulture tradition dates back five generations. In the 1980s, when the family vineyards were consolidated and replanted, Barbara and Aurelio Di Giovanna, with sons Gunther and Klaus, began their journey towards quality viticulture. Today the Di Giovanna brothers, adept and profoundly dedicated to their land, are assisted by Gianfranco Zito, who takes care of the winemaking operations. The five family vineyards are located in the small DOC’s of Contessa Entellina (Palermo) and Sambuca di Sicilia (Agrigento), in the heart of the Terre Sicane. The white varietals include: Grillo, Catarratto, Zibibbo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc & Viognier and the red varietals: Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Syrah, Merlot. The wine cellar, constructed in 2003, is home to the entire vinification process from the grape to the bottle. It's centrally located between the five family vineyards to ensure the highest quality control. Their white, rosè and red wines are united an expressive yet elegant character. They are crafted with an artisanal philosophy and preserves a strong identity of territory. All of Di Giovanna wines are 100% estate produced and bottled, certified organic. The annual production is 250,000 bottles.

Louis Liesch Bioweinbau

Malans GR, Switzerland

The pioneer of organic wine «I love to work in the vines», said Louis Liesch. He was the pioneer in organic viticulture in the Bündner Herrschaft. Of course, he too had started conventionally, as was customary in the 1950s. Louis Liesch helped his father, who carried out specific vineyard work for various farming families in Malans and also cultivated his own vineyard. In 1953 he attended the first part-time viticulture course in Wädenswil; it was the very first training course for winemakers in German-speaking Switzerland. Louis Liesch later worked as a vine master for the von Tscharner family in Chur. In 1957 the young winemaker switched to the canton police. When in 1971 he received the offer to tend the vineyards of the Cottinelli wine house in Malans, he exchanged his official's uniform for the pruning shears. Over time, Louis Liesch was able to lease various vineyards. In 1982 he first bottled wine under his own name. Louis Liesch has been processing his vines and grapes purely organically for 30 years and biodynamically for 25 years. With the Bio Swiss bud and the Demeter label. It was his wife who had urged him to do it. "As the mother of four children, the use of poison in the production of food was always a thorn in my side," says Margrit Liesch. In 2014 the wine magazine “Vinum” named Louis Liesch “Swiss organic winemaker of the year”.

Weingut Kloster Ebernach

Cochem, Germany

The winery, which has thrived since 1673, has been under new management since 2019. Operations manager Christian Kruft worked for some time at (the easily-confused) Kloster Eberbach before joining Weingut Kloster Ebernach. In the immediate vicinity of the Franciscan monastery, but economically independent, Mosel Rieslings are produced here that strike rather a delicate chord and place great emphasis on the signature fragility and elegance for which Mosel wine is renowned. Even the Auslese wines are not rampantly sweet, but remain effortlessly graceful and easy to drink.

Weingut Josef & Philipp Bründlmayer

Grunddorf, Austria

Love and passion for the craft are still the best prerequisites for achieving quality. This is especially true for the production of something so pleasurable as wine from the Kremstal region. Philipp Bründlmayer pursues this passionate dedication to wine production. Consequently, his wines are heavenly: varietally pure, straightforward, and of distinctive origin. In Grunddorf, in the last corner of the Kamptal, they are stored and matured in steel tanks and large wooden barrels. However, they originate from the mighty loess terraces of Gedersdorf and Rohrendorf and thus bear the Kremstal designation of origin. A beautiful location, ideal for winegrowing. Here, climatic conditions prevail that are essential for the aroma formation and character of the wine. In addition to knowledge, craftsmanship and climate, the quality of the soil is a decisive factor in the creation of great wines. In the Kremstal, loess and conglomerate form the ideal terroir for the typically dry wines for which Austria as a wine country is so highly regarded. Philipp and Josef Bründlmayer practice viticulture with a down-to-earth approach and an appreciation of tradition. The vineyards that the estate cultivates could not be better suited to this philosophy: they are unruly, almost impassable, and need to be worked by hand. But they are also - if left to their own devices and approached properly - an ideal place for those varieties for which this region is so well known and loved. At Philipp Bründlmayer, wines are allowed to candidly reveal where they flourished - without frills. On 25 hectares, his winery cultivates over 100 different vineyards with a wide variety of microclimates. He not only bottles wines that are distinctive varietal but also bears his unmistakable signature. With no more than one gram of residual sugar, all wines are particularly dry and thus ambassadors of their region -genuine Kremstal wines!

Hans Rottensteiner

Bozen (BZ), Italy

Winemaking on the red stone The history of the Rottensteiner family has always been closely linked to winegrowing in the city of Bolzano: the first records of winemaking on Rottensteiner lands go back to 1530. This is also reflected in the family name, which derives from the red-colored rock of the mountains around Bolzano, the porphyry. In 1956 Hans Rottensteiner founded the winery that bears his name, today run by the third generation in the person of his grandson, Hannes. “Interpreting the tradition of our winery in a modern way” is how Hannes describes the task that he and his wife Judith have set themselves for the coming years: their aim is to respect the achievements of the past and complement these with modern knowledge. Judith, who previously worked in the fields of classical music and culture and tourism marketing, tries in her own way to incorporate her experiences into her daily work at the winery. “We wish to follow our own clear path in running the winery and in producing our wine, remaining true to our own style without losing sight of the achievements of the past. We want to produce honest, down-to-earth South Tyrolean wines that have nothing to fear from international comparison. It is therefore vital that we all work as a team, complementing and comparing ourselves with each other, but never losing sight of our common goal.” The philosophy of the winery is to produce wines characterized by their clarity, elegance and freshness. The wines are intended for drinking pleasure and their typical nature should be clearly expressed, both in terms of variety and terroir. The range of varieties is wide and the majority of the wines from conviction mono-varietal, with a clear focus on the Schiava and Lagrein grapes that are so typical of the area. Minerally white wines are also gaining more and more in importance.

Weingut Kopp

Sinzheim, Germany

Things are really on the move at Johannes Kopp‘s winery! The construction of a new building that will house the winery and its own eatery is progressing, with completion scheduled for September 2022. At the same time, the conversion to biodynamic farming is underway too and the winemaker is planning to breed Scottish Highland cattle. How marvellous that the wine has not been neglected. On the contrary: The 2018 Felsenstück Spätburgunder is outstanding, and the basic 2018 Spätburgunder is captivating with a sensational price-performance ratio. Congratulations on the fourth star!

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