Producers

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    Founded in 1851, Old Hill Ranch is one of the oldest and most historic vineyards in Sonoma. In 1981 it was purchased by Otto Teller, the stepfather of current winemaker Will Bucklin, and resurrected from a state of disrepair having become overrun with old cars, blackberry bushes and old bathroom fixtures. After several years of work the vineyard was back on track and in 1984 they began selling the grapes to Ravenswood for their acclaimed Old Hill Zinfandel. In 1998 the four Bucklin siblings decided to start their own winery so, after having interned at Lafite-Rothschild, worked at Hardy and Sons in Australia, Navarro winery in Mendocino, and being the winemaker at King Estate winery in Oregon, Will Bucklin returned to take over tending the vineyard and winemaking responsibilities at Old Hill Ranch.

    The twenty-four-acre Old Hill vineyard is a classic California field blend, of which about three-quarters is Zinfandel; the rest is a mix of Grenache, Alicante Bouchet, and a least a dozen other varieties (Tannat, Trousseau, Colombard, Lenoir, etc…). The vineyard is both dry farmed and certified organic with yields that rarely exceed one and a quarter tons per acre.

    Wines are fermented using only native yeasts and are aged using modest amounts of new oak. The goal here is to allow this carefully tended piece of California history to show its terroir without adding or removing anything that might diminish its expression. Old Hill Ranch is an exceptionally well preserved relic from the genesis of California’s wine landscape and luckily, under the careful watch of the Bucklin family, it has a long life ahead.

    Here is a link to Will Bucklin's blog: buckzin.wordpress.com

    And a link to an interesting MAP of vineyard plantings.

    BOWLER E-Zine Issue 4 | January 2022: Compost Cookery with Foradori, Hoch, Bucklin, and Podere Giardino
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    Curro Bareño and Jesus Olivares—the duo behind groundbreaking Galician projects Fedellos de Couto, and Ronsel de Sil—are now bringing their vision and expertise much closer to home, to San Martin de Valdeiglesias in the Sierra de Gredos, where both started their careers.

    Ca’ di Mat (literally, “House of Fools” in a Piedmontese dialect) is the name of their new project and is a collaboration between the two brats (a fedello is a brat in Galician dialect) and long-time friends of theirs who own a family farm in the area. Together they work the twenty hectares of the farm, which is planted with a wide variety of trees and fruits: strawberries, rockrose, juniper, Holm oak, Pyrenean oak, and, of course, vines of Garnacha, Albillo Real, and Moscatell, ranging between thirty and eighty years old.

    The compact granitic soils of the Gredos are not strange to Curro and Jesus, who worked with similar terroir in Ribeira Sacra. However here the soil is composed of a variety of granites (white, pink, red) and have much less schist. Spread around various parcels, the vines of Ca’ di Mat grow on three different granites: pink (with a high percentage of feldspar), white (high in quartz, more porous than feldspar), and raw red granite. Each plays a role in the character of the different cuvées.

    Curro points out other terroir and vineyard variables that are important factors in the build-up of their wines. The climate is full-on continental, with healthy rainfall and colder winds. Their old vines are bush grown, and sit at around 800–850 meters high. The ruggedness of the terrain, the austerity of the climate and the age of the vines add up to crazy and hard labor cultivate grapes and make wines here, but the combination helps the “fools” of Ca’ di Mat realize their ideal wine: fluid, delicate, and open.

    Ca’ di Mat’s red wines owe their surprisingly light color to the work in their organically raised vines. Curro and Jesus prune lightly, and encourage high productivity aiming for rich vines and big grapes that are “not forced”. Winemaking is non-intrusive, with spontaneous fermentations in concrete. It is hard to believe that these pale reds undergo such long maceration periods—ninety days sometimes—but their work is so delicate, the grapes are foot-trodden softly and the must separated by hand from the skins and stems, that the heat and power of Garnacha give way to a subtly aromatic and fruity juice. The whites are expansive and expressive, their weight balanced by a tense mineral current. Élèvage is as neutral as possible, in concrete tanks, and mostly-used French oak.

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    Ca’Liptra was founded in 2012.  The four partners met either at enology school or on the job at some of Le Marche’s top wineries (La Distesa, Pievalta, Fattoria Le Terrazze).  Calyptra is a botanical term; it’s the thin cap that protects the flowering parts as they are developing.  In grapevines this part blows off as the flowering process begins. The name Ca’Liptra is a combination of Ca’ (meaning “house of”) and the initials of the partners’ last names (Giovanni Loberto, Agostino Pisani, Antonella TRaspadini, Roberto Alfieri).

    The estate is located in Cupramontana, one of the highest-quality villages in the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi denomination.  Specifically, Ca’Liptra’s vineyards are in the contrada of San Michele.  San Michele is unique, as it is one of the warmest spots in the Jesi zone and it also contains its oldest soils, with elevated limestone and gypsum content. Wines from this area tend to be concentrated without lacking verve, and also quite saline and long.

    Ca’Liptra’s five hectares of vines are split between seven parcels, all walking distance from one another, allowing the estate to focus on producing wines that are truly representative of a small area. Because almost no land is for sale and planting new vineyards is exceedingly restricted, the estate works with old vines, mostly planted in the ‘70s and ‘80s, with one plot dating back to 1948. The vineyards are planted to Verdicchio, Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Toscana/Malvasia Romagnola, Montepulciano, and a touch of Sangiovese. 
    Farming is organic (with certification for most parcels), with a focus on restoring a sense of balance, which is difficult to come by in a de facto monoculture such as a vineyard.  To that end, no fertilization is done, only the first few centimeters of topsoil are worked, and cover crops are matched to the specific needs of each vineyard, if they are even needed.

    In the cellar, much is left to intuition and taste, like old-school vignaioli.  While the ragazzi have day jobs as enologists elsewhere that require understanding and reacting to lab analysis, at home at Ca’Liptra, these measurements are not taken. Though there has been much experimentation and searching since the inaugural vintages of each wine, the range is now feeling complete, reflecting the particular terroir of San Michele in a valid but personal way.

    To view their website, click here.

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    The Cabrols are a wine-growing family with a domaine that has been passed down from father to son for four generations. The domaine and its 17 hectares of vines are located in the small village of Castelnau de Guers, which is in the northern part of the Picpoul de Pinet AOC and is in the process of becoming a “cru village” of the Languedoc. The domaine practices sustainable viticulture and is certified by Terra Vitis. The Mediterranean climate and the fact that they harvest at night protects the aromas and freshness of the wine. Estate bottled.

     

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    Similar to the steadily increasing influence of smaller, grower Champagne producers over the past 20 years, the best producers in Catalunya’s Penedès region have been leading by example to distinguish themselves from the largest cava houses and further differentiate each other from the D.O. and brand of Cava. In 2015, The Association of Wine Producers and Growers Corpinnat was formed as a collective to essentially walk away from this blanket term. After trying to make a positive influence within the D.O. this group of growers realized that so many were indifferent to environmental practices and the reputation of being lower-priced sparkling so they decided to drop the name entirely.

    Today, there are 11 Corpinnat producers who have all agreed on a set of rules in an attempt to elevate these Spanish Sparkling wines. In order to be labeled as a Corpinnat, grapes must be made from at least 90% indigenous varietals (Xare.lo, Macabeo, Malvasia & Parellada) 100% organic, and harvested by hand. Also, wines must be made within the Corpinnat territory in the DOP Penedes and entirely vinified on a certain winery's premises. In the cellar, wines must be aged for a minimum of 18 months (for NV & 36 months for vintage).

    Can Descregut is a small, third-generation, family-owned winery. In 1992 Arantxa de Cara and her husband, Marc Milà purchased the estate which made base wine for cava until 2005 when the pair decided to convert their vineyards to organic farming. Vines are scattered in a variety of different soils, predominantly clay, between Vilobí and Font-rubí, where old vines of white and red Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada, and Sumoll are planted. The winery itself is located within a farmhouse called Masia de Can Descregut which--not surprisingly is what the wine is named for. The pair makes both sparkling and still wines with a production of about 5,000cs per vintage.

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    Candialle is a farm with a history going back to Roman times. Like many Tuscan poderi, it supplied bigger estates with various agricultural products.  In 1999, the wife and husband (German/Finnish) team of Josephin and Jarkko Peränen purchased the land and began lovingly restoring it to the splendor it had once known.  2002 was their first wine release. 

    Located in Panzano in Chianti, just 20 km from Florence in the Conca d’Oro in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone, Candialle has 12.2 hectares under vine, 9 of which are planted to Sangiovese.  Panzano and the surrounding Conca d’Oro are well-known for a high percentage of galestro, a friable clay marl-like soil high in limestone; there is also some pietraforte (hard sandstone) and alberese (hard chalk). The zone is 300+ meters above sea level and sees large diurnal shifts.  It is one of Sangiovese's true natural habitats. The Peränens have a large variety of clonal and massale selections of Sangiovese in their vineyards, including their prized T19 and even a Candialle selection grafted from ancient vines that had been trained up tress (viti maritate or testucchio).  The vineyards are trained in either doppio cordone speronato or alberello at high densities ranging from 7,600-10,000 plants per hectare. The percentage of alberello (bush vines) is quite high; Candialle is one of only a handful of estates working extensively with this training method, which was once standard in Chianti Classico. 

    All vineyard work is 100% organic.  Increasingly, Jarkko and Josephin have come to look at their farming as regenerative. Their preference is for native/spontaneous plants rather than cover crops.  If they pass with a tractor at all, it is with specialized, lightweight equipment which does not disturb the subsoil.  Composting of vine cuttings is done on the property, using manure from their own cows.  

    The wines are elegant, pure, and fresh, but show great depth and concentration, true to their location.  In the cellar, grapes are destemmed and then gravity-fed through the roof.  Fermentations occur between stainless steel and concrete, much of which is unlined.  Macerations are often on the lengthy side, 30+ days, gently extracting the best the skins have to offer.   Aging vessels are many:  stainless steel, concrete, Burgundy barrels of 350L and 600L.  There are also Clayver, 250L ceramic orbs, made in Liguria, which are fired at twice the temperature of terracotta and only only 1/10th the oxgyen exchange of a wood barrel.   There is often long bottle aging before release; at the time of this writing in October 2021, the release of the flagship Chianti Classico Candialle is still 2013.

    Josephin and Jarkko have been quietly and successfully doing things their way.  Candialle is certainly one of the more overachieving wineries in our portfolio. 

    To visit their website, click here.

     
    BOWLER E-Zine Issue 2 | Q1 2021: Regenerative Farming: Scratching at the Surface
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    Thank you to importer Louis/Dressner for this Canonica profile:

    Giovanni Canonica is a hidden legend in the town of Barolo. He and his family run a small agriturismo where, in the cellars below, he makes his wines. For many years, he only produced from 1.5 hectares of vines in the Paiagallo vineyard directly on the hill above the village of Barolo. The only other proprietors in this vineyard site are Marchesi de Gresy and Fontanafredda, neither of whom does a mono-vineyard bottling from it. Gianni proves, in the right hands, that doing so merits consideration.

    In the early 2010's, Giovanni inherited a small amount of vines in the sector of Grinzane Cavour. The vines that produce the Barolo here are over 50 years old and contain a high percentage of the rare “rose” clone of Nebbiolo. The first vintage produced was 2012.

    In 2013, after much diligent work in the vineyards, Giovanni decided to produce a Langhe Rosso from the least interesting sectors in Paigaillo and Grinzane Cavour. 80% comes from Grinzane but this will likely decrease as the vines mature and Giovanni gets a firmer grasp of the land. Around 2000 bottles are produced annually.

    Giovanni's holdings are separated from the conventional vineyard work of most other producers in a way that keeps as much integrity to Canonica's vines as possible. Everything is traditional in the vineyard and cellar: no herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers, only sulfur and copper treatments, destemming maceration for 30-40 days using only indigenous yeasts, vertical hand press, then into cement and slavonian oak for aging. A small number of bottles are made, mostly sold at the cellar. But after a few years of asking and cajoling, Gianni is selling us some. We couldn't be happier; this is a beautiful, distinctively traditional Barolo from a singular, interesting and empathic guy.

     

     

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    Cara Sur is a small winery formed in 2011 as a partnership between two couples who were inspired to revive ancestral vines and produce wines from traditional Argentine varietals. Sebastián Zuccardi and Marcela Manini teamed up with Nuria Año Gargiulo and Pancho Burgallo, an avid mountaineering couple who live in Barreal, in the Calingasta Valley of San Juan, north of Mendoza. This mountaineering spirit is represented in the name: Cara Sur translates to "south face" and refers to the more challenging approach to Cerro Mercedario, one of Argentina’s tallest peaks, which can be seen from Panch and Nuria's hometown of Barreal.

    Sebastian and Marcela regularly make the trip north to Barreal to work alongside Pancho and Nuria, and the quartet produces wines made from 80 year old Muscatel, Muscatel Negro, Bonarda, and Criola Chica, the Argentine iteration of País (a.k.a. Listán Prieto, a.k.a.Mission). The vineyard sits alongside the Los Patos River in Barreal on stony soil at 1500 meters above sea level. The vines were trained to a Parral, a ceiling-trellised system that provides shade and maximizes airflow. The wines are made in a tiny winery next to Pancho and Nuria’s home, where they produce small quantities via minimal intervention. This team at Cara Sur are quietly producing some of the most unique wines from one of the most underrated microclimates of Argentina. 

    This profile and tasting notes were edited from the Brazos Wine website, along with the pictures used. For more information please visit: Brazos

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    Carmelo Patti’s wines have something of a cult following with devoted fans in Argentina and abroad.  “I don’t want to [make wine] for commercial reasons,” says Patti, who only has one employee. Patti was an important force for the rebirth of fine wine production in Mendoza in the eighties and to this day is one of the most respected enologists and winemakers in the country. His winemaking style is as unique as his character; no consultants, no manipulation, no pretentions. Carmelo simply does what he does best, and wine-loving consumers beat a path to his door. He defines his wines as “a classic style, a naked wine, without anything that can cover it up,” and he insists on holding all wine until he deems it ready for release which can be four to five years after harvest at the soonest for reds.  Nothing you have tasted from Argentina quite prepares you for the complex, wild flavors of this traditional, old-school Malbec. 

    This profile and tasting notes were edited from the Elixir Wine Group website, along with the pictures used. For more information please visit: Elixir

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    Thank you to importer Louis/Dressner for this profile of Casa Coste Piane:

    Loris Follador is from a long line of farmers in Valdobbiadene. Thanks to his father and grandfather, Loris and his two sons have never had to plant a vine. Their vineyards, featuring 60+ year old vines, are absurdly steep and the soil is very shallow, hitting solid limestone or sandstone rock in a few centimeters. The Folladors are well aware of this fortunate legacy and treat it with the reverence and respect it deserves. No herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers are used. It’s impossible to plow here, but it’s really not necessary with vines of this age; they’ve long ago found their sources deep within the stone formation below. The harvesting is, of course, by hand and would seem, especially in the steepest spots, near impossible. Most importantly, the focus on the vinification and the cellar work is to express, as simply and directly as possible, the potential minerality and the terroir of these vines.

    Loris follows a tradition of winemaking that was handed down to him from previous generations without adopting any of the “improvements” of the 60’s, but with a certain regard for technological innovation.  The grapes are immediately pressed using a pneumatic press. The must is then partially fermented and the lees and juice are separated and the lees cleaned through filtration. The cleaned juice and filtered lees are reintroduced together in bottle in the late winter and re-ferment by early to mid-summer, creating its own bead and a carbon dioxide environment that prevents oxidation without the use of sulfur. There is no disgorgement, so the expired lees remain in the bottle adding further complexity, but also some cloudiness. The wine can be decanted off of the deposit or poured as is. Either way, the flavor is unchanged and the minerality unmistakable.

    Click here for importer Louis/Dressner's profile of the estate and interview with Loris.

    Click here for an article in Saveur magazine on the traditional col fondo style of Prosecco.

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