Our Wine & Spirit Region
ARGENTINA
Home of the Tango, Argentina is a multi-faceted country with a culture rich in European sophistication and indigenous tradition. Nestled between the Andes Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, Argentina’s diverse climates and high altitudes have yielded astonishing grapes for wine production.
Mendoza
Mendoza has achieved a world-renowned for the cultivation of wine grapes. Several noble grape varieties are cultivated here including Malbec, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc.
FRANCE
Loire Valley
Anjou Anjou lies in the heart of the Loire Valley. Here the cool breezes off the Atlantic Ocean marry with the two distinct terrains – Anjou Noir (Black Anjou) composed of dark schist soils and Anjou Blanc (White Anjou) white limestone - to create wines with lean acidity and perfect balance. Although the wines from the Loire age beautifully, they can and should be savored in their youth.
Savennieres On the western edge of Anjou lies the appellation of Savennieres. The terroir is composed of slate and sandstone that retains the heat from the sun. Morning fog followed by warm daytime temperatures nurture the steep hillside vineyards planted with Chenin Blanc.
Bordeaux
Saint Emilion is a wine
lovers paradise. The clay-limestone / sandy-limestone soil benefits
from the warm summer sun that nurtures the vines to perfection. Cool
humid winters follow creating an ideal microclimate for the noble
vines.
IRELAND
Meath The royal county of Meath is home to Slane Castle, The Book of Kells. Located here are the lush, verdant pastures of Pat Brogan’s family-owned dairy farm where the fresh cream is sourced for his legendary Irish Cream Liqueur.
ITALY
Abruzzi Located on the Adriatic Sea south of the Marches and southwest of Umbria, Abruzzi is sunny and dry with hillside vineyards cooled by gentle sea breezes. Popular grape varieties grown here are Trebbiano and the distinguished Montepulciano. Although Montepulciano is planted along the Adriatic coast, it is in Abruzzi where it flourishes.
Tuscany is blessed by nature. The gentle rolling hills are warmed by the sun followed by nights cooled by soft breezes off the Tyrrhenian Sea. The alluvial hillside vineyards are predominately planted with the indigenous Sangiovese. Located between Florence to the north and Montalcino to the south the area is riddled with distinct microclimates each producing wines with distinctive characteristics. Enchanted wine connoisseurs enjoy the celebrated Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano all of which have Sangiovese as the principal varietal component.
RUSSIA
Russia is world-renowned as the premier producer of vodka. “Little Water” or Vodka in Russian has been a staple in the world marketplace for generations and has become one of the world’s most popular spirits.
Until the 1950’s, Vodka was rarely consumed outside of Europe. That changed and by the mid-1970’s when affluent younger consumers embraced a more relaxed lifestyle and an enhanced sense of adventure they began to explore the spirits category. Vodka’s popularity soared and Vodka became the most popular spirit in the United States. Its continued success can be attributed to vodka’s proclivity to be served in many ways – from straight up to mixed into a variety of cocktails.
SOUTH AFRICA
The Western Cape
Southwestern Africa is home to the The Cape Winelands. Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Indian Ocean on the south, the western cape is the home of the fabled Cape of Good Hope. The climate here is classic Mediterranean. The growing season - hot sunny days with the evenings cooled by gentle ocean breezes and billowing fog – is followed by mild, wet winters very similar to the climate in parts of France and northern California.
The Western Cape is divided into regions, then into districts and finally subdivided into wards. There are 4 principal regions, 13 districts and 50 wards. Although the ward designation is important in defining the character of the wine, wines are often referred to by their district rather than ward designation.
Stellenbosch, which sits on False Bay, is critically acclaimed for its red wines notably Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon. Elegant white wines that continually receive stellar ratings include Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Darling Hills, situated just 7 kilometers from the chilly Atlantic Ocean the cool climate is perfect for the cultivation of noble gape varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc which produces superlative fruit – unique to the terroir of the Darling Hills.
Coastal Region
Comprised by districts that border both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts, the fertile Coastal Region is world-renowned for excellent wines.
Paarl, about 40 minutes inland from the ocean, is protected by mountains whose granite hillsides add a distinctive depth and flintiness to the wine. Although most noble varietals flourish in Paarl, distinction has been achieved from its earthy Rhone-style Shiraz.
Franschhoek, first settled by the French Huguenots, literally translates to the French Corner. Franschhoek, a ward in Parrl, is noted for its elegant, tropical Sauvignon Blanc’s.
SPAIN
Rias Baixas, Galicia is the smallest of Spain’s varied wine zones. Located on the Atlantic seaboard just above Portugal, Galicia is damp yet lush and verdant benefiting from nearly twice as much rainfall as the rest of Spain. The abundant rainfall nurtures the chalky soil coupled with the fresh sea air to lengthen the growing season. Albarino thrives on the hillside vineyards to create a light wine with lively acidity, stone fruit and honeysuckle flavors.
Méntrida is located in the center of Spain just north of Toledo. Here the gently rolling hills are composed of sand and granite. Grape varieties that thrive here are Temprarillo and Garnacha, which enjoy the hot summers and limited rainfall, the result: low yielding vineyards that produce grapes with exceptional concentrated flavor.
Rioja Wine enthusiasts around the world often refer to Rioja as the Bordeaux of Spain. Nestled between the Sierra de la Demanda and the Navarra wine regions, the terrior is divided into three zones:
- Alta the highest in the west.
- Alavesa centrally located on an elevated plateau.
- Baja the hottest and lowest.
Tempranillo, a delicate grape with Pinot Noir characteristics, dominates the area. It is traditionally blended with Garnacha to create robust wines with exceptional forward fruit. Although the majority of wine produced in this area is red, white wines produced possess mild fruit flavor and a delicate acidity. Viura, Malvasia Riojana and Garnacha Blanca are cultivated in this region.
Toro Northwestern central Spain where the climate is hot and arid and the soil challenging is the perfect environment for Tinto de Toro, a strain of Tempranillo. Tinto de Toro is generally blended with Garnacha to create lush, full-bodied wines.
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