There is just something about ‘vino di Italia’ – to us, every bottle seems like a celebration! From the bursting freshness and fun of prosecco to the enchanting allure of an etna rosso. Whether it’s splashing sangiovese with friends over a pizza or pondering the charm of chianti classico, the occasion, invariably is in the bottle.
We love Italian traditions, the language, their food and the capacity their wines have to light up a wine list or elevate a menu. We have set out to assemble a collection of producers, both traditional and modern, who offer a variety of opportunities to do so.
Kellerei Kaltern was founded in 1906 and has 450 wine growers and a cultivation area of about 300 hectares. It is among the most important quality wineries in South Tyrol and in Italy. Its members run the very heart of South Tyrol’s wine-producing area around Lake Kaltern.
The wine-growing estates of Pfarrhof and Castel Giovanelli are of the highest quality as are the single vineyard wines (Lagenweine). The self-imposed philosophy of quality is a mission and an incentive at the same time. Our winegrowers’ ambition is to achieve the highest quality of grapes possible.
Flavio Prà has the leading role in this new winery. Flavio is a young Veronese wine-maker who collaborates as consultant with some of the most important Italian wineries.
Flavio’s approach to wine is to research the essence of the grape variety and understand how its character can be clearly expressed. His style lead to a winemaking that does not overshadow the natural potential of the wine, which is respectfully expressed to its full capacity.
With great care he chooses the vineyards, or “fields” which are suitable for the production of high quality grapes. This is also where the name of the winery come from, I Campi (meaning “the Fields”) describing just how it is the land which is the starting point.
After 15 years of hard work and experience, Flavio decided to set to work on a project of a “mountain winery”. This project gave Flavio the possibility of experimenting with new production and wine making methods which are able to extract the highest quality possible out of the grapes. The wines are created taking the starting point of the land, the soil, the climate and also the maturation potential of the grapes on that land.
The creation of a DOC or controlled zone in Prosecco is good news for ensuring quality standards of this ever more popular wine. The Ruggeri family has a long tradition of wine production and its Prosecco di Valdobbiadene is among the finest expressions of this wine. The property is currently run by Paolo Bisol, son of the founder of the company as it exists today. Their range has been put together through years of experience and a great network of growers, and this year it was awarded with the coveted Tre Bicchieri (three glasses) award for the great Giustino Bisol. Paolo is nowadays helped in the company by his children Giustino and Isabella.
In the heart of Valdobbiadene lies Terre di Sant’Alberto – ten hectares of vineyard and a small plot of Cartizze. A secluded realm among the steep, beautiful hills farmed by hand for centuries. The job of preserving this beauty and making high-quality wine here has passed from mother to daughter. Now the young Isabella Bisol is in charge and supervises the vineyards with great passion as she continues her mother’s work.
This corner of paradise overlooks an ancient hermitage and therefore in accordance with a family tradition it is called Terre di Sant’Alberto (Lands of St Albert). Isabella likes to think that the charm and legend of the hermitage help to make each sip of her Prosecco a little miracle.
Tenute Rossetti is a modern, young and dynamic company located near Florence, in the heart of Tuscany. It is a leading winery, whose key to success is the strong passion in every single step of the winemaking process, a state-of-the-art equipment and an experienced and qualified staff of winemakers. The core business is represented by the well known Tuscan appellation, such as Chianti, Chianti Classico and Toscana Rosso.
The history of Rossetti goes back to the early years of 1900’s, with the founder Sabatino. Between the mid 70s and the mid 80s the third generation, represented by Tino and Linda, joins the company. They treasure the experience gained by their parents and invest in the modernization of the winery and in the research on the best winemaking techniques and the creation of wines with a distinct personality.
Founded in 2006, Tenuta Ulisse is today the symbolic mark of the enological renaissance in Abruzzo. Tenuta Ulisse presents itself as a modern, dynamic winery which values into a new era where it blends modern winemaking technology and the energetic lifestyle of contemporary life expressing the potential and character of the native grapes of Abruzzo. They have developed their own style of operation, and this is reflected in their approach to wine making. The wines are the result of the passion and experience of Antonio and Luigi Ulisse, two brothers dedicated to expressing the potential and character of the region’s wines. Each glass from Tenuta Ulisse’s wine is a journey, an experience that amazes a vision.
San Salvatore 1988 was founded in the heart of the Cilento National Park, an ancient land, rich in history and tradition, never touched by intensive agriculture . The winery is located in the same area where the Ancient Greeks began the colonization of Magna Grecia and where for the first time brought Aglianico, Fiano and Greco grapes. San Salvatore has been certified organic by the European Union and adopts exclusively biological processes and biodynamic preparations.
They own 110 hectares, 23.5 with vineyards, the rest for olive groves, orchards, vegetable gardens and woodland, in order to maintain a natural balance in the earth. There are two vineyards, the first one and largest, is located in Cannito area, at the foot of Mount Calpazio that protects it from the elements, with a south-southwest exposure towards the nearby sea, which allows it to be kissed from the sun throughout the day and be caressed by the sea breeze. The second, also facing south-southwest, is in Stio Cilento, in the very heart of the National Park, 500 meters above the sea, an altitude that is very challenging.
The winery Masseria Setteporte is located in a very unique place: on the south-western slope of the Sicilian vulcano Etna, in the town of Biancavilla, within the Etna D.O.C. area. Here, viticulture dates back to ancient times. The Portale family, owners of Masseria Setteporte, have passed their winemaking tradition down through generations. The farm was first modernised by Ferdinando Portale who turned the classic bush trained vineyards into a vertical trellis system, which is more suitable for modern growing techniques. In 2002 Piero Portale decided to carry on his father’s project, taking the farm from its original 12 ha to 27 ha, 16.5 of which are already planted with vines.
The vineyards are cultivated on terraces facing south, at an altitude between 650 and 800 m a.s.l. where the vulcanic soil, the high altitudes and the typical Mediterranean climate create a unique habitat for wines which excel in elegance and feature an intriguing aroma profile as well as superb drinkability. Masseria Setteporte is a certified organic winery.