Monte del Frá

Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy

​

Monte del Frà, owned and operated by the Bonomo family, owns over 140 hectares of vineyards in the Valpolicella, Bardolino and Custoza wine regions. Wine has been produced in these vineyards since the monks of the Santa Maria della Scala order controlled the land as early as 1492. 

​

Through their meticulous implementation of agronomic practices, Monte del Frà has become one of the most avant-garde wineries for the production of high quality grapes. The vineyards are planted in guyot in the areas of Cusotza, Bardolino and Lugana and with the classic "pergola" system in the Valpolicella Classica. These vines produce only 2-3 kg of grapes per plant and are the basis for the winery's high quality standards. 

​

The controlled management of raw materials and the implementation of winemaking procedures using the most modern techniques to preserve the characteristics of the grapes, guarantee Monte del Frà's ability to produce prestigious wines.

​

The Monte del Frá wines have received high accolades from prestigious international publications, including the Tre-Bicchieri award from Gambero Rosso, and 90+ ratings from Antonio Galloni, James Suckling, and Wine Spectator.
 

​

Lodali

Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero, Piemonte, Italy

In the 1930’s, Giovanni Lodali, the son of a contadino (peasant farmer), began to make wine fro the customers of his modest trattoria in Treiso, Italy, the only one that existed in what was then a small village.

After the war Giovanni built a house with a large wine cellar, creating the roots and hopes for the Lodali family wines.  In 1955, Giovanni’s son, Lorenzo, graduated from the oenological school in Alba and brought his expertise to the family wine business.  In 1958 Lorenzo, along with his wife Rita, produced Lodali’s first vineyard selection - Barbaresco and Barolo.  Business went well locally and the wines were also sold abroad.

In 1982, Lorenzo died.  Rita, with her newborn son Walter, found the courage to continue and decided to continue the wine operation, concentrating on quality and typical characteristics.  Having come of age in this hard-working wine family, Walter graduated from the oenological school in Alba and took over the family winemaking operations.   Walter improved the terrain of their vineyards, renewed the equipment in the cellars, and perfected his winemaking and production techniques.

To honor his late father, Walter began producing the Lorens (local dialect of Lorenzo) Barolo and Barbaresco Reserve wines in 2005 using select grapes from the Bricco Ambrogio and Rocche dei Sette Fratelli vineyards.

Giovanni, Lorenzo and Walter: three generations with their heart and roots in the Langhe region of Piedmont.

​

Lionello Marchesi

Chianti, Montalcino, and the Maremma,Tuscany, Italy

Legendary inventor and entrepreneur Lionello Marchesi has fulfilled his lifelong dream and passion for wine, pioneering state of the art techniques in his family owned vineyards and wineries in Tuscany to create high quality artisanal wines.

With vineyards in Chianti, Montalcino, and in the coastal Maremma area, Lionello Marchesi hand crafts each of his wines to fully express the terroir and spirit of their respective  sub-regions of Tuscany.

​

Raphael Dal Bo

Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy 

Owner Raphael Dal Bo and winemaker Giuseppe Geronazzo are both natives of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, which is the finest Prosecco region in all of Italy.  Among their outstanding line of sparkling wines are a Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, a Prosecco made from certified organic Glera grapes, and a sparklig Rosè made with 100% Pinot Noir grapes that are certified organic.
 
For an Italian wine to earn the "made from organic grapes" certification, a USDA approved inspector must certify the growing and cultivation of the grapes in the vineyard.  It is a demanding process that requires a high level of commitment and dedication to creating a product that is natural and honest.

Zorzon

Friuli (Collio), Italy

The Zorzon winery, founded at the beginning of the 19th century near Cormòns in the heart the province of Collio, is in its third generation of family ownership and is currently run by Giorgio Deganis and his girlfriend Petra.  Giorgio lovingly cultivates the vines and handcrafts small production of wines from the most famous grapes in the Collio – Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.  Petra manages the business end of the winery.

The Collio area, situated in the north-east of Italy stretching along the Slovenian border, is famous for its distinctive and high quality premium wines.  The climate is ideally situated with the Julian Alps (foothills of the Alps) protecting the area from harsh winds from the north and mild winds from the Adriatic Sea tempering the climate from the south. The soils are rich in layers of marl and sandstone.  Together, wind, topography, and climate create an ideal growing environment for the Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

Cantine Faliesi

Avellino, Campania, Italy

Brothers Ciro and Antonello Urciuolo have transformed their family run vineyards, which for decades had produced only local wines, into a state-of-the-art winemaking facility that crafts wines sold throughout the international markets.  Their amazing aging cellars, featuring a waterfall that spills into a creek that meanders throughout the barrels, and their stunning tasting room make it immediately clear that Ciro and Antonello are committed to detail, style and quality.
 
Cantine Faliesi, named after Mount Faliesi in the Avellino region of Campania, produces wines from the ancient varietials of Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino, Coda di Volpe, and of course from the esteemed Italian red Aglianico grape, from which their robust Taurasi is made.

Tenute Tomasella

Friuli and Veneto, Italy

In his own words, owner Paolo Tomasella aims to “produce typical, unforgettable wines that talk about their terroir and the people who produce them - wines that create emotion.”  At Tenute Tomasella, care and passion go into every aspect of winemaking.  Herbicides are not used, sulfites use is minimal, and manual harvesting occurs only at perfect maturation during the cool hours of the day.
 
Tenute Tomasella, with vineyards in both the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, produces a long list of wines, including a single varietal Cab Franc, Merlot and Friulano, the unique Osè, a sparkling rosè blended from overdried Verduzzo and Refosco, and a gently sparkling Prosecco Frizzante.

Ricci Curbastro

Franciacorta, Lombardia, Italy

Made in the Méthode Champenoise, Curbastro Ricci's bottle-fermented white and rosé Franciacorta sparklers spend 2 to 5 years on the lees and are single varietals and blends based on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Bianco. They also produces fabulous still wines: 100% Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay / Pinot Bianco blend, and a fascinating still red blended from Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, and Barbera.

Owner and head winemaker Riccardo Curbasatro is the president of FederDOC, the Italian National Confederation for the Protection of DOC Wines, former president and current vice-president of EFOW, the European Federation of Origin Wines, former Chairman of the Consortium of Franciacorta, and was named the 10th most influential person in the Italian wine industry in 2014.

​

As a driving force in the Environmental Ethical Economical Equalitas (3E) sustainability certification in Europe, Riccardo was the first to certify his own winery as 3E compliant.  With 68 acres under vine, the gorgeous Ricci Curbastro estate uses innovative technology and thoughtful processing technique to minimize carbon footprint and utilize the natural force of gravity - rather than pumps and augers - when handling and transporting the grapes the must. This meticulous attention to quality can be found throughout the Ricci Curbastro product line.