In 1985, inspired by the pioneering efforts of other Marlborough mavericks, the Glover family converted their farm in Dillons Point to vine. Being a third generation farming family meant that there was a natural ability to see the potential in the land for vineyards and ultimately the production of world-class wine. In 2007 Owen and Wendy Glover’s passion for growing grapes finally overflowed into the desire to release their own brand – Zephyr, inspired by the prevailing wind that cools their vineyards. The wines immediately created a stir in the United Kingdom with Tim Atkin writing “If I were to choose one Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at the moment it would be Zephyr.” With sons Jack and Ben on board (Ben is currently winemaker for the Accolade NZ Group), this family affair continues to attract the attention of sommeliers and the international press. From the value-driven Massey Dacta label to the Zephyr labeled wines, all wines are made from estate-grown fruit grown according the standards of the NZ Sustainable Winegrowing Association. Massanois is proud to represent their wines in the U.S. for the first time!
New Jersey
Venturini Baldini
About the Winery
Venturini Baldini is a 130ha estate from the 17th century, situated in the hills between Reggio Emilia and Parma. Since 1976 they have been producing organic Lambrusco and sparkling wines as well as premium balsamic vinegars and balsamic condiments. In 2013, Giuseppe and Julia Prestia took over the estate from the Venturini Baldini family, continuing the visionary work of the previous owners to produce organic sparkling wines of only the highest quality, focusing mainly on Lambrusco and sparkling rose’ wines.
The vines, mainly autochthonous Lambrusco varieties, grow in c. 30ha of vineyards at an altitude of c. 170 to 370m, in clay-rich soils. Since the early 1990’s, Venturini Baldini has been producing only organically certified products. The winery was one of the first in Italy and the first in the region to switch to an entirely organic production, and this commitment is now deeply rooted in our approach to farming and wine making.
The winery is also open to guests and, following extensive and careful restoration works, hosts the exclusive boutique wine relais Roncolo 1888 in the hills of the estate, creating the perfect hub for guests to discover the Food Valley and Motor Valley in Emilia.
Winemaking
As typical for an organic estate and especially one in the hills, the harvest is done manually, allowing Venturini Baldini to be very selective in choosing only the best grapes. Yield per hectare is significantly lower than in other Lambrusco wineries situated in the plains, ensuring the highest quality grapes are used for the wines.
In addition to a local team of wine experts, the winery’s consultant is Mr Carlo Ferrini, a famed enologist who also consults with greats such as Donnafugata and who in 2008 was nominated by Wine Enthusiast as the most influential enologist in the world.
VESTINI
Vestini Campagnano was among the wineries to nurture Pallagrello Bianco, Pallagrello Nero and Casavecchia away from obscurity and into the resurging prominence they are now enjoying. These wines are imbued with an extraordinary amount of pure personality and a timelessness that is impossible to miss.” – Antonio Galloni, Central And Southern Italy: A Wine Lover’s Paradise (Feb 2013)
In the region between the towns of Castel Campagnano and Conca della Campania, an area where great wines have been made since Roman times, the Barletta family followed their passion for historical grape varieties by taking over some old vineyards and starting an important project to recuperate and restore ancient varieties on the verge of extinction. Being the first winery to research the almost extinct Pallagrello (red and white) and Casavecchia clones, the estate of Vestini Campagnano started in 1990 with rudimentary research in a garage-style setting and only a few vines growing in the backyard. Stimulated by the idea that Pallagrello once belonged to the noblest varieties of Europe and was held in high esteem by the Bourbon kings, the Barletta famiily enlisted famed enologist of Campania Luigi Moio to lead their research.
By 2000, Vestini Campagnano had planted organically-farmed vineyards propagated from the original vines discovered here and was producing 6,000 liters of wine divided between Pallagrello Bianco, Pallagrello Nero and Casavecchia under the denominazione Terre del Volturno IGT. Today, they own six hectares of vines and produce about 60,000 bottles per year in these volcanic-material laced, clay-based soils.
The name “Terre del Volturno” translates literally as “lands of the Volturno” and refers to the Volturno River, which flows southwest through the Caserta province from the Central Apennine Mountains to the Tyrrhenian Sea. It designates the southern half of the Caserta province, in northern Campania. It is of particular note as the home of the rare, native varieties of Pallagrello Bianco and Nero and Casavecchia. While the origin of the name “Pallagrello” has several supposed origins, the name for Casavecchia (literally, “old house”) derives from the fact that the local farmers who re-discovered the native vine referred to it as the vine found “up there in the old house.”
STRING
Stringtown was born of the need in the market for affordable, high-quality, domestic Pinot Noir. All the grapes grown for Stringtown are done so without pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Here, the focus is on organic farming that examines the ecological relationship between soil, plants and animals. The winemaking is built on community and the strong support of independent growers who uphold this philosophy and make wines that are true representations of the land, vintage and climate. The integrity of the winemakers and the luscious, carefully farmed fruit make Stringtown a standout.
The Stringtown project had got off to an initial auspicious start, but without a reliable supplier, the bottling was briefly suspended. In a circuitous route, connections we had in the Walla Walla Valley led us to Eugene Wine Cellars, owned by grower Bruce Biehl. Bruce had been managing hundreds of hectares of vineyards in Oregon since the 1970s. Between his connections and his own sources, he has been able to offer us a consistently impeccable quality of Pinot Noir sourced from the Willamette, Rogue River and Umpqua valleys that is honest, genuine and unadulterated. The Stringtown is pure and elegant yet juicy and approachable, featuring the nuanced minerality and medium-body that make Oregon Pinot Noir so unique and so appealing.
SAINT ROCH
The Bardon family is located in the small commune of Meusnes in the region of Loir-et-Cher on the Cher River’s edge. Their family history dates well back into the 19th century and has always included a vocation for winemaking. The family vineyard, perfectly situated on the slopes overlooking the village, boasts the distinctive soils that once gave rise to a bustling weapons-supply industry because of their large quantities of flint. This unique type of soil known as “gunflint “ creates the perfect conditions for making wines that are highly representative of the Loire Valley, the “garden of France.”
Denis Bardon runs now his family Estate. With almost 40 hectares of vineyards, Domaine Saint Roch produces a variety of wines offering great value from their vines planted in mainly clay and flint soils with some limestone. The estate pratices sustainable viticulture. Attentive work in the vineyard, selective pruning, and perfectly ripened grapes are the motto for Denis Bardon, who makes wines with balance, good acidity and typical Loire-Valley wine characteristics.
The estate got its name from the patron saint of the church in the Bardon’s hometown of Meusnes, also the patron saint of stonemakers. Due to his family’s long history in stone and flint production, Denis Bardon thought it the perfect name to represent the wines under his Touraine label.
SPORTO
The Sportoletti family has been passionately dedicated to producing wine in Umbria for generations. In the late 1970s, brothers Ernesto and Remo turned their attention exclusively to winemaking. With great reverence for the teachings of their father Vittorio, they began to bottle wines under their own label. From that point on, they began a long journey in pursuit of the perfect balance between innovation and tradition, endeavoring to unleash the full potential of their terroir – situated on the hills between Spello and Assisi – where they now own 20 hectares of vineyards from which they produce an average of 200,000 bottles per year.
In 1998, the company decided to join forces with the highly esteemed agronomic and oenological consultant Riccardo Cotarella, thus marking the start of a highly successful professional collaboration as well as a valued friendship. They regularly replant their vines and cultivate them using the spur pruning system and high density planting. With 5,000 vines per hectare, they are able to control the number of buds and consequently the productivity of the vines. For the reserve wines, a first harvest of the grapes is carried out while the grapes are just beginning to ripen, in order to obtain an average yield of 1 Kg of grapes per plant. Vines currently cultivated include the indigenous Grechetto, for which they chose the G5 clone, a lower yielding yet more characteristic strain. The Merlot they grow is a particular massale clone that was selected and propagated from an old vine that had been on the property for fifty years and which, over the years, has given rise to one of their most successful wines. Specific clones of Sangiovese that provide a lower yield but are much richer in color were also chosen, the same holding true for their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
It’s nice to see Sportoletti back in the US market. [These wines are] all highly recommended. Even better, they won’t break the bank.
– Wine Advocate, 6/2010
Sportoletti is one of Umbria’s leading properties. Consulting oenologist Riccardo Cotarella oversees winemaking, but these delicious wines stand out for the qualities of the raw materials as much as they do for what goes on in the cellar.
– Wine Advocate, April 2009