Croatia, at the heart of Europe, at the heart of the Mediterranean. Adriatic Sea and our Saints Hills’ vineyards are but a stone’s throw away from Dubrovnik, and two from Diocletian’s Palace in Split and Vespasian’s Amphitheater in Pula. Here we celebrate the sea and sun, Dalmatia and Istria, Bora and Scirocco, stone and vine. And through this little window in our house, amid the Dingač vineyards, you can see the millennial path of the holy liquid wine, from the Greek amphorae that carried it through the canal, to the wooden trabaccoli that carried it to Split. Following a path on both sides of the Pelješac peninsula, all the way to Istria, we outlined in search of perfection.
Illinois
TABURNO
Cantina del Taburno, located on the slopes of Mount Taburno, belongs to the “Consorzio Agrario di Benevento” (Agricultural Consortium of Benevento). The Consortium was established in 1901, and it had an extremely important role in the development of agriculture in the Sannio area. The winery was built in 1972 in Foglianise. It is a point of reference for viticulture, due to its philosophy and for its positive impact on the economy of the area. The grapes vinified at Cantina del Taburno are grown in vineyards (of an extension of approximately 600 hectares) standing within the area of the towns on the slopes of Mount Taburno: Foglianise, Torrecuso, Vitulano, Campoli del Monte Taburno, Castelpoto, Apollosa, Bonea, Montesarchio, Ponte, Tocco Caudio, Paupisi and Benevento. The ecosystem of the vines in this area is quite unique due to the type and exposure of the soils, to the particular kind of climate, to the grape varietals and to the agricultural practices. The hills with clayey and Marley-calcareous soils, the mild winters with regular rainfall between October and March, the dry and warms summers concur to create extremely favorable conditions for high quality viticulture.
SUZOR
Small production vintners making honest distinctive wines in Willamette Valley, Oregon.
The Winery
Honoring their French heritage through Greg’s grandmother’s name, Suzor was born from a desire to create wines that resonate with vivacity and authenticity of the vineyards we source from. Fond memories of family meals in France’s Loire Valley have influenced our choice to make simply elegant, food friendly wines. Today, Suzor Wines has grown into a family affair. Greg focuses on crafting beautiful wines and Mélissa works on growing our brand and operations while Hugo keeps everyone tiredly on their toes! Many exciting possibilities are on the horizon, but we remain focused on making wines that convey our story, with a nod to French tradition.
A.R. Lenoble
AR Lenoble is one of the rare houses in Champagne that has remained 100% family-owned since its foundation. Armand-Raphaël Graser, a native of Alsace, arrived in Champagne in 1915 in the middle of the first world war. He purchased a house that was built in 1772 in the village of Damery, located between Epernay and Hautvillers, and starting making champagne there in 1920. Anne and Antoine Malassagne, sister and brother, are the great-grandchildren of founder Armand-Raphaël Graser. Anne took over from her father in 1993 and was joined by her brother Antoine in 1996.
AR Lenoble has always been 100% independent since it has founded in 1920, nearly 100 years ago!
Not a single investor or shareholder of any kind has ever been involved in the business. This enables AR Lenoble to guarantee complete stability and coherency in the strategy of the house.
Antoine Malassagne, is the fourth generation to completely own and manage AR Lenoble. His first vintage was 1996
He made the decision to start conserving their reserve wines in 225-litre barrels using the principle of the “perpetual reserve” . A few years later, they invested in 5,000-litre casks to allow for an ageing process that was slower than in barrels. In these containers, reserve wines were able to obtain additional brightness and freshness.