December 7: This week’s New & Back-In-Stock Products!

Brancaia Il Blu

Purchased in 1981 by Swiss couple Brigitte and Bruno Widmer, the original estate sitting atop the Brancaia hill, it was initially a place for their family to visit on holiday. The 20 ha site sported a house in desperate need of renovations and 4 ha of vineyards; a well-protected plot surrounding by deep woods, free from any neighbouring vineyards that have been sprayed with chemicals.

After their Chianti Classico (1983) won a blind tasting in 1986, it wasn’t soon after that the Widmer’s bought 53 ha more, located in Radda. During that time, their famous Il Blu was produced- a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. This blend didn’t meet the requirements and/or guidelines to be classified as Chianti Classico and the Widmer family found themselves part of the Super Tuscan movement, a label eventually granted by the Italian government in 1992 known as: Toscana IGT.

• Wine Type

  Red Wine

• Size

  750ml

• Vintage

  2019

• Country

  Italy

• Region

  Tuscany

• Sub-Region

  Chianti

• Grape

  Cabernet SauvignonMerlotSangiovese

• Food Pairing

  GamePasta DishesRoast meats

• Farming Method

  OrganicAll of our products that are tagged with the term Organic are either organic certified or organic practicing.

• ABV

  14.5%

• Vegan Friendly

  Yes

Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth

Carpano Antica Formula is the gold standard for sweet vermouth. Antica Formula is a recreation of Antonio Benedetto Carpano’s recipe from 1786 and uses only the highest quality ingredients. Each hand-blown and individually-numbered bottle looks just as good as it tastes. This vermouth will change the way you think about vermouth as a beverage.

• Spirit Type

  Fortified

• Spirit Category

  Vermouth

• Size

  1000ml

• Country

  Italy

• Region

  Lombardy

• Sub-Region

  Milan

• Tasting Notes

  Baking SpicesweetVanilla

• Cocktail

  Negroni

• Glassware

  Double Rocks

• ABV

  16.5%

Dr Zenzen Elite Riesling

The house of Dr. Zenzen has been wine growers in Germany since 1636. This family tradition of more than 380 years stands for great experience and exclusiveness concerning the quality of wines.  They have evolved into a modern facility producing exceptional wines at affordable prices, with sales and shipments all over the world. This family owned company is a 13th generation company. Their portfolio is vast and their focus is on native German varietals.

In 1939, the Einig-Zenzen company which is a wine trading company was founded by Jacob Einig and his son-in-law Peter Josef Zenzen. In 1971 the company starting importing wine from Australia and Chile to offer other value wines in addition to their German portfolio.

• Wine Type

  White Wine

• Size

  750ml

• Vintage

  2023

• Country

  Germany

• Region

  Rheinhessen

• Sub-Region

  Rheinhessen

• Grape

  Riesling

• Farming Method

  ConventionalMost products with this label come from producers who do their best to avoid any intervention at all but it’s possible that some of the aforementioned preventative measures and additions are deemed necessary.

• ABV

  11%

• Food Pairing

  Pad ThaiCurrySushi

Feudo di Santa Tresa Frappato

Brother and sister Stefano and Marina Girelli, wine entrepreneurs from Trentino, discovered the winemaking region of Sicily and purchased Santa Tresa in 2001.  

Santa Tresa (Sicilian dialect for Santa Teresa) is nestled in Vittoria, in the south east of Sicily; their estate encompasses 50 ha of land, 39 ha dedicated to vineyards. When the winery and properties were acquired in 2001, indigenous clones of Frappato, Nero d’Avola, and Grillo were discovered, planted across the existing vineyards. Aside from the abundance of indigenous varieties they already cultivate, an organic, experimental vineyard is used to rediscover other indigenous grapes, with their traditional vines. Within this experimental plot, Albanello and Orisi are grown- ancient varietals that date back to nearly the beginning of winemaking in the region. More recently, the winery has decide to source all their water from a local reservoir, using only natural rainwater for any irrigation. On top of that, green beans are grown and used to make natural fertilizer. 

• Wine Type

  Red Wine

• Size

  750ml

• Vintage

  2022

• Country

  Italy

• Region

  Sicily

• Sub-Region

  Vittoria

• Grape

  Frappato

• Farming Method

  OrganicAll of our products that are tagged with the term Organic are either organic certified or organic practicing.

• ABV

  13.5%

• Food Pairing

  Pasta DishesSeafoodSpicy Foods

• Vegan Friendly

  Yes

Footprint Merlot

The idea for African Pride Wines came in 2002, with a goal to create a range of wines that offer great value and character while staying true to South African wine style and terrior. With grapes sourced from contacted producers in Stellenbosch, Worcester, Wellington, and Paarl, the portfolio has grown since its inception and their wines are now available in over 30 countries with 100,000 cases produced per year. 

Footprint, Forager, and Just Nuisance make up their core lineup and all are overseen by winemaker and shareholder Mike Graham. Some 44+ harvests under his belt (the majority in South Africa and some in France), Mike was one of the first “flying winemakers,” alluding to his stints at different wineries in both Europe and home in South Africa.

• Wine Type

  Red Wine

• Size

  750ml

• Vintage

  2023

• Country

  South Africa

• Region

  Western Cape

• Sub-Region

  BreedekloofPaarl

• Grape

  Merlot

• Farming Method

  ConventionalMost products with this label come from producers who do their best to avoid any intervention at all but it’s possible that some of the aforementioned preventative measures and additions are deemed necessary.

• ABV

  14%

• Food Pairing

  PorkPoultryWarm Vegetable Dishes

Malivoire Gamay

Since planting its first vineyard in 1996, Malivoire has pioneered an innovative, eco-centric approach to wine growing on the Beamsville Bench in the Niagara Peninsula.  Malivoire currently draws the largest share of its grapes from several vineyards comprising a combined 40 hectares. These are located within the Beamsville Bench, Lincoln Lakeshore, Vinemount Ridge and Twenty Mile Bench Sub-designated Viticultural Areas, which lie within the Niagara Peninsula’s Niagara Escarpment Sub-appellation. 

Elisa Mazzi, who was hired and mentored by the previous winemaker, Shiraz Mottiar, took over as winemaker in 2023.   Shiraz is now the winery’s Team Principle and General Manager. Though Elisa did not come from a wine industry family, she was born in Verona, Italy, surrounded by the Valpolicella wine region and grew up surrounded by vineyards and wineries. She studied Viticulture and Oenology in Trento, Italy and graduated in 2010.  She developed her English language skills and winemaking while working for various wineries such as Jackson-Triggs in Canada and Oyster Bay in New Zealand. 

In 2021 Malivoire was recognised by the National Wine Awards of Canada as winery of the year after it claimed a total of 17 medals in that year’s competition by a panel of expert judges in a field of 260 competitors, including the most Platinums ever awarded to one winery. 

• Wine Type

  Red Wine

• Size

  750ml

• Vintage

  2023

• Country

  Canada

• Region

  Ontario

• Sub-Region

  Niagara

• Grape

  Gamay

• Farming Method

  ConventionalMost products with this label come from producers who do their best to avoid any intervention at all but it’s possible that some of the aforementioned preventative measures and additions are deemed necessary.

• ABV

  12%

• Food Pairing

  PorkSpicy FoodsWarm Vegetable Dishes

• Vegan Friendly

  Yes

Marchand Tawse Cote de Nuits Villages

French-Canadian Pascal Marchand moved to France in 1985 when he was 22 years old, beginning his winemaking journey at Clos des Epeneaux in Pommard and becoming part of a new generation of Burgundy producers who believed that good wine starts in the vineyard. After several stints all around the world and an impressive resume of consulting, Pascal became one of the best known “flying winemakers.”

Moray Tawse is a financier by trade, serving as the vice president and co-founder of First National. After realizing the potential of winemaking in Niagara, Ontario, Moray purchased his first six acres of vineyard in 2000. Five years later, he opened Tawse winery and has since acquired 200 acres of vineyards all over the Niagara region- being named Canadian Winery of the year in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2016. 

Marchand-Tawse is a co-venture between Pascal and Moray; this duo of vignerons/micro-négociants are working with their partner-growers in the many appellations of Burgundy while embracing organic and biodynamic farming practices, crafting wines of purity and class.

• Wine Type

  Red Wine

• Size

  750ml

• Vintage

  2021

• Country

  France

• Region

  Burgundy

• Sub-Region

  Cote de Nuit Villages

• Grape

  Pinot Noir

• Farming Method

  BiodynamicAll of our products that are tagged with the term Biodynamic are either biodynamic certified or biodynamic practicing.

• ABV

  14.5%

• Food Pairing

  ChickenGameWarm Vegetable Dishes

• Vegan Friendly

  Yes

Rocca di Castagnoli Fattoria di Scannano Chianti

With estates in Maremma (Magliano), Sicily (Ispica), and Chianti Classico- Rocca di Castagnoli is part of the larger Tenute Cali family of wineries. Purchased in 1981, and first belonging to the Tempi family, the estate is one of the most ancient in the Chianti Classico region, dating back to the 18th century. The winery itself has also been considered somewhat of an economic driving force for the village it surrounds, with a visit from Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo in 1773, who praised the estates excellent land management, maintenance, and innovation. Spanning some 850 ha with elevation ranging as high as 860m to 380m above sea level, 92 ha are dedicated to vines with Sangiovese being the primary grape cultivated.  They farm organically. 

• Wine Type

  Red Wine

• Size

  750ml

• Vintage

  2024

• Country

  Italy

• Region

  Tuscany

• Sub-Region

  Chianti

• Grape

  Sangiovese

• Farming Method

  OrganicAll of our products that are tagged with the term Organic are either organic certified or organic practicing.

• ABV

  12.5%

• Food Pairing

  CharcuteriePasta DishesPork

Terregaie Prosecco 1500ml

Salvatore Lovo along with his wife Rita Ferasin and their daughter Silvia operate the family winery Terregaie in Vo’ at the western end of the Euganian Hills; a region steeped in winemaking tradition.

This modern and dynamic winery produces about 100,000 bottles of high quality estate grown Prosecco from the picturesque & highly favored hillsides of the Padova province. Centrally located in  the heart of Veneto’s wine production area, the Terre Gaie Winery and Lovo family has been cultivating these lands for generations. 

• Wine Type

  Sparkling

• Size

  1500ml

• Vintage

  NV

• Country

  Italy

• Region

  Veneto

• Sub-Region

  Colli Euganei

• Grape

  Glera

• Food Pairing

  AperitifCharcuterieShellfish

• Farming Method

  OrganicAll of our products that are tagged with the term Organic are either organic certified or organic practicing.