Producers

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    Weingut Jurtschitsch is one of the most prestigious wineries in Austria. Having previously been run by the three brothers Edwin, Paul and Karl Jurtschitsch, the family-owned winery has now been in the hands of Alwin Jurtschitsch and his wife, Stefanie Hasselbach (of Gunderloch fame in the Rheinhessen) for more than ten years.

    Alwin and Stef are leaders of the natural wine movement in the Kamptal. When Alwin and Stef started working in 2006, they insisted with Alwin’s father and uncles on converting all the vineyards to organic viticulture. In the vineyards, they are continually improving how they work: replanting more densely, using whey to treat for mildew instead of using copper sulphate, and working with new pruning methods. All the vineyards are certified organic and protecting biodiversity has always been a priority. Jurtschitsch explains that, “The more life you have in the vineyard, the more stable the entire system is.” Wild life is abundant in the Jurtschitsch vineyards, with many fruit trees, grass, garlic, wildflowers and butterflies fluttering amongst the vines. 

    Jurtschitsch aims for a classic style of Kamptal wines, but more like an old-style of classic, that was made by their grandparents. This means, emphasizing the cool climate of Austria and making wines with finesse that strike a balance of ripe fruit and fresh acidity. Stefanie Jurtschitsch manages the winemaking and she is making wines which let the vineyards and soils speak for themselves. They only use spontaneous fermentations and work without any additions, aside from minimal sulfur. The entry-level wines are made in stainless steel, but all the single vineyard Erste Lagen wines are aged in large oak foudres. As of 2016, they have started a second line of wines called, 'Discoveries of Langenlois' which are bottled under "Alwin und Stefanie Jurtschitsch". These wines push boundaries and allow them to play outside of the classic style, opting for skin contact, and low to no sulfur. Although the two lines show different expressions, the essential is that the farming is the same and both are low intervention in the cellar; they are two sides to the same coin. The wines shine in multi-faceted elegance, offering drinking pleasure at highest level without being baroque and heavy. 

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  • Description:

    The origin of soju dates back to the 13th century Goryeo, when the Levantine distilling technique was introduced to the Korean Peninsula during the Mongol invasions of Korea from 1231–1259. The Yuan Mongols had acquired this technique of distilling arak from the Persians.

    Soju referred to a distilled beverage with 35% ABV until 1965, when diluted soju with 30% ABV appeared with South Korean government’s prohibition of the traditional distillation of soju from rice, in order to alleviate rice shortages. Diluted soju has showed a trend towards lower alcohol content. The ABV of 30% fell to 25% by 1973, and 23% by 1998. Today Soju has an ABV range of 17-25%. Soju is the #1 selling distilled spirit in the world and is traditionally served by the bottle as a “table vodka,” consumed by sipping or shooting neat. While typically served in Korean restaurants, a growing number of people are seeing the benefits of adding low-ABV spirits into their beverage programs.

    West 32 Soju was created by two college friends, Dan Lee and Max Fine, who were inspired by memorable dinners and nights out on West 32nd Street in New York City’s Koreatown. They saw an opportunity after learning that imported soju can be made from cheap ethanol and highly processed sweeteners . After countless trials, they achieved a refined recipe for an all-natural, gluten free Soju, with their take on the traditional Korean spirit that’s is true to heritage, but with a modern American craft influence.

    Dan and Max officially launched West 32 Soju in January 2017 as the first all-natural, gluten-free soju in the US. West 32 Soju is distilled and bottled in upstate New York in Clifton Park. It is produced from distilled corn and freshwater from the Catskills, and a touch of natural cane sugar. It is triple filtered and bottled at 19.99 % ABV. In September of 2018, they introduced West 32 Reserve, the first and only U.S.-made barrel-aged soju. Both Original and Reserve have less than .5 carbs and less than .5 grams of sugar in 375ml bottle.

    West 32 Soju won a Gold Medal at the 2017 New York International Spirits Competition and was Soju Producer of the Year at the 2017 and 2019 competitions.

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    The history at White Rock Vineyards extends back to the 1870s, when one Dr. Pettingill established one of the earliest vineyard plantings in Napa Valley. Like many seminal California wineries, it changed ownership several times over the years, endured prohibition, fell out of production, had the vineyards pulled out, and finally ended up used for something else entirely (horse training grounds). Luckily, this was not the end of the White Rock story.

    In 1977, over 100 years after its founding, Henri and Claire Vandendriessche purchased the property; they replanted the vineyards soon after and spent nearly a decade selling their fruit to other wineries. In 1986, however, they produced their first vintage and have produced continually since then. In the late 1990s, the second generation took up the reins — their son Michael—who, after studying viticulture in Napa, spent two years in France exploring other passions before returning to White Rock to take over vineyard management. In 1999 he was joined by his brother Christopher, who took over winemaking after working in Bordeaux, Rioja, and Mendoza, and spending two years learning under Napa legend John Kongsgaard as assistant winemaker at Luna.

    Situated on the eastern side of the valley at 300 feet elevation, the vines grow in the austere, white volcanic soils that are responsible for their distinctive wines, and are also the winery’s namesake. The 35-acre vineyard has always been farmed naturally, without chemical treatments and using cover crops such as bell beans, rye, and clover to enrich the soils. Today the vines are an average age of 30 years, comprised of 14 acres of Chardonnay on the cooler benchland and 22 acres of terraced Bordeaux varieties on the slopes above.

    Winemaking favors minimal new oak and native fermentations. Their goal has, from the start, been to produce the kind balanced, age-worthy wines that Napa Valley was once legendary for, and time has shown that they’ve succeeded; the wines are elegant and classic. They have persisted and thrived independently of the trends that have come and gone over the past three decades; they are the embodiment of a singular place. Such careful stewards as the Vandendriessche family are a rare thing indeed, and we are extremely excited to have White Rock Vineyards in our portfolio.

    White Rock Vineyards is a Napa Green Certified Vineyard and Winery.

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    Xavier Barbet and his brother Nicolas Barbet, manage this Moulin-a-Vent winery together. The fruit comes from four-hectares spread over several parcels - Champs de Cour, La Roche, le Moulin, le Clos, Perreins and Brouilleres. The grapes are mostly destemmed and fermentation happens in large conical-shaped (tronconique) wooden fermenters and some are placed in cement tronconique tanks. The tronconique shape gives more skin contact for a long and slow extraction. Fermentation lasts seven to ten days and is followed by a maceration totalling four weeks. Next the wines go by gravity into barrels and demi-muids, new to eight years old for aging. Moulin-a-Vent is considered to be the richest Cru in Beaujolais and the longest lived. 

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