Brunello di Montalcino was one of the first four wines awarded the DOCG designation.  Colleoni focuses on natural winemaking practices, with minimal intervention in the vineyard and a natural algae-based preparation instead of sulfur. 

Winner of three prizes at the World Liqueur Awards:  Gold among Italian bitters, Best Italian Herbal, and most impressively, WORLD'S  BEST BITTER. The accolades for this digestivo (which can also serve as an aperitivo) began upon its released in the 1920s, and in 1936 Camatti was recognized as "Supplier to the House of His Royal Highness the Prince of Piedmont".

See what the fuss is about! 

Aromas of red fruit and spice. Medium-bodied with flavours of red cherry, smoke and vanilla. Enjoy with BBQ. 

Aged five years in Limousin oak barrels.  We were alloted a tiny amount of this delicious Pineau. 

A rich and weighty white blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Roussanne that is bursting with notes of peach, apricot, honeydew and meyer lemon. 

A big, slightly murky rose that hovers just outside of "light-bodied red" territory, and can easily serve the same function in terms of pairing, with bold fruit tempered by a night of skin-maceration and excellent acidity.

Natural yeast fermented dry Chenin from 20-60-year-old vineyards on the plateau above the premium slopes of Vouvray. Minimum of 12 months sur lattes before disgorgement. 

Cécile Paquet's wines are certified organic and she practices biodynamics.  This kind of care results in a wine with a "lovely ruby hue.  Rich nose with aromas of red fruits (cherry, raspberry)...Very complex, well-balanced and elegant Pinot Noir..."

New cuvée from Gautret, excellent on its own, but designed for the Baroudeur cocktail.

Here's our version:

The Baroudeur

2 oz Initial Cognac

1/5 oz (6 ml) Borgo Vecchio Nocciola (hazelnut liqueur)

1/3 oz (9 ml) cinnamon syrup

7 dashes Angostura bitters

Cacao powder for garnish

Method:  Pour the syrup and the bitters into a mixing glass filled with ice.  Stir with a wooden spoon, then add half the cognac.  Stir again, add the Nocciola, then, slowly stirring, add the rest of the cognac.  Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, and dust over with cacoa powder.

PS  The wooden spoon is Gautret's suggestion.

Made of fruit from the oldest vines (70 years) under Agricola Foradori's care, and aged for 15 months, with enough concentration and complexity to put it in the "vino di meditazione" category.

Pinot clones 115, 667 & 777 are picked by hand, then cold-soaked before fermentation to lift aroma, in concordance with a native yeast post fermentation maceration to get the tannin in place whereafter spends 10 months in 228 liter French oak barrels (26% new and older). Nom stands for nombulelo (gratitude in “Xhosa”) and Nomkhubulwane (a forgotten African goddess of agriculture). 

Fresh fruit on the nose, creamy on the palate. Made from Furmint grown on the volcanic soils of Váradi vineyard.

A flinty and floral riesling with notes of dried herbs and citrus. Riesling lovers rejoice!

Organic Sauvignon Blanc grapes that were naturally fermented in stainless steel, with partial full bunch maceration. Grassy, citrusy, and herbal. This wine matured on the lees for 7 months, hence the salty, herby, and brioche-esque undertones. A new staff fav!

We were so excited to get the Fatalone wines, which are among Puglia's finest.  The Spinomarino is made from Greco, and has a "delicate bouquet of spring flowers, with the heady scent of flowering grapes, green apple and pineapple, mixed with a mild note of honey. Smooth, pleasant, balanced taste of apricot, yellow plum, green banana and honey."

This wine is suitable for accompanying shellfish and cooked seafood. It also goes well with all types of fish, fresh cheeses and cured ham.

Enticing with notes of ripe fruit, honey and acacia blossom bouquet. Flavours of candied fruit and oak to remind you of its aging in Sauternes barrels.

Organic and biodynamic 100% Merseguera, no tractors, no tilling, hand harvested, and following the biodynamic calendar of Maria Thun.  Result: superb, vibrant wine.

Luzador, a blend of 50% Garnacha and 50% Tempranillo, comes from 40 acres of biodynamically farmed vineyards in Navarra, where the soils are a mix of clay, gravel, and limestone.  Perfect with a slight chill, it’s a versatile, easygoing wine ideal for everyday enjoyment.

This one's for riesling lovers. Good acidity, crisp and clean, with notes of orchard fruit and a satisfying amount of the petrol/kerosene edge that makes the varietal a challenge to some and a delight to others.

Nearly extinct Timorasso is native to the Colli Tortonesi region of southeast Piedmont. Often labeled as "Derthona", which is the traditional name in the town of Tortona, after which the Colli Tortonesi DOC is named. Fragrant yellow wildflower, cedar, botanical herb and citrus mingle with a whiff of eucalyptus in this racy white. Extremely savory, apricot, orange zest, dill and hazelnut. Honey and mineral notes linger while vibrant acidity keeps it balanced. Timorasso's pomace brandy is often used in local Grappa making.

This unique amaro is made using a traditional Piedmontese recipe and is slowly infused with a selection of herbs, roots, aromatic plants ,and citrus fruit. Expect aromas of spice cake, cola, molasses, grapefruit zest, and mint. Enjoy it neat, chilled, or on the rocks as a digestive. Not to be overlooked as a cocktail ingredient either! A new staff fave!

Roussane's one of the only 2 white grapes allowed in the Crozes-Hermitage AOC, Hermitage AOC and Saint-Joseph AOC. The grape develops a unique russet color when ripe, and is is often reminiscent of a flowery herbal tea. "buttery and brioche aromas, followed by honeyed floral, spicy and smoky notes: gingerbread, iris, dried apricots, candied citrus fruits, cardamom and graphite." 

Skin contact (ten to fourteen days) Chardonnay-Tokaj Friulano blend grown on ponca soil. The wine is replete with Radikon's customary character and complexity.

It Ain't Fancy, this Sauvignon Blanc with notes of citrus, stonefruit and a hint of hazelnut. Drink chilled, shake to integrate sediment, and drink quickly. 

Yes, we have bananas today!  There are more banana cocktails than is widely known (eg, the Fay Wray!), so time to put this in your home bar.  Not only that, boozy banana milkshakes are the cat's pajamas.

100ml single-serve bottle of amaro infused with Sicilian blood oranges and broom flowers collected from the slopes of Mt. Etna.

Amaro infused with Sicilian blood oranges and broom flowers collected from the slopes of Mt. Etna.

The right choice for a long night to keep you energized, no thinking necessary, just clean red-berry-fruited bubbly. 

The 2023 vintage is a deep ruby red in color, with lush red berry notes and a hint of spice wrapped in forest floor, structured and silky, contoured by a delicate oakiness.

Light bodied red with notes of black currant, red cherry and fresh garden herbs.

Saillard's top cuvée, Blank is made from 70-year-old vines in the fabled Clos Roche Blanche vineyard.  This, along with the Gaudry Sancerre, is our best Sauvignon Blanc.  2023 was a small harvest, so get these while you can.  

Made from grapes grown organically between 2600 and 4300 feet above sea level, Tilia is more refined than the usual Argentinian Malbec, while no less flavourful.  The Syrah adds a touch of spice.

From the producer:  The vines are planted in the commune of Igé in the Mâconnais region...This Mâcon-Villages has a pretty pale gold hue. Very perfumed nose of spring flowers and orchard fruits (pear, vineyard peach). The palate is rich, powerful, and well-structured. 

A great, inexpensive Garnacha, fruit-forward with a good amount of black pepper-y spice and subtle tannins. Delicious!

The Saurwein Chi Riesling is floral, concentrated and fresh. Notes of fragrant citrus blossom, yellow flowers and citrus, white pear, ginger and flint. A Rielsing lovers Riesling. Chi means "life force" and Chi stands for CHIUTA (an African rain god). 

Le Maurin: Aperitif with Iconic Flavours, Famous "Green Devil" Poster.

Communally produced from Florence and Benoit Chazallon's neighbours' organic vineyards with some herb notes suggestive of the wild and dry landscape of southern France. Organic Syrah-Grenache, straight out of stainless steel and fermented with native yeasts for a clear look at the grapes as nature intends. 

From Cépie in Limoux Valley, at a 9 hour transit from Spain. Cepie is a limestone plateau that peaks at 350m overlooking the Aude.  Confluence of Mediterranean and Atlantic influences. This organic - no sulphite added Chenin was whole bunch pressed and follows through to it's Malolactic fermentation making things blessedly creamier.

The same grapes as the regular Sgarzon, but is racked out of the first amphora, skins removed, into a second, cylindrical amphora for another year of aging.

Aromatic and fresh, this rosato is packed with cherry, strawberry and a touch of almond. Ideal for your next charcuterie!

Non-vintage Chenin Blanc, aged oxidatively under wild flor in a solera.

Delightful glou glou Pinot-Chard! Vinified using a borrowed "flottaison" technique, in which a proportion of the grapes are pressed directly at harvest, and the remaining grapes are added as whole bunches to the must, which gives it a gentle infusion without too much extraction of colour or tannin. All of Santini wines are stored in steel tanks, which get bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal added sulfur. Healthy good stuff. 

Lively citrus forward blend with notes of pear, lime and a hint of botanicals. 

Emilien’s mother, Rose-Marie (1634-1702) oversaw the daily management of the family, which lived a practically self-sufficient life off the land at that time. 100% Merlot with red fruit aromas alongside notes of peonies and white flowers. 

The same grapes as the regular Morei, but is racked out of the first amphora, skins removed, into a second, cylindrical amphora for another year of aging.

Recioto is the most ancient wine used in Valpolicella, going back to Roman times.  The bunches dry for about 3 months before pressing, and the wine ages in French oak tonneaux for about 30 months. The result is a delicious sweet wine backed with the necessary acidity.  The best match for chocolate in the store. 

Dreamy alpine Jacquère grown a days hike from Switzerland. Fruit mixes with esters, spices and rustic accents: flint, chives, breadcrumbs, caramel, narcissus, peach pit and lemon balm. Empyreumatic aromas (burnt, cooked or smoked qualities) with subtle oxidation and a slight fermentation note. 

"Mountain wine regions are complex for a reason: their topographical challenges have meant, through most of history, that they were a series of little kingdoms and fiefdoms, clinging on to specialities and traditions which reflect, with some fidelity, precise and highly contrastive local conditions."

While Colleoni is famous for his Brunello, he has identified top terroir in other parts of Montalcino, from which this wine is made.  The Selvarella is a prime example of Sangiovese, deep and luscious, with fresh acidity and a long finish.

Well-regarded Triple Sec, a cut above the standard stuff.  Perhaps suited to a Margarita even more than our pricier orange liqueurs.

Franciacorta is Italy's finest traditional method sparkling wine. The cuvee Prestige is dry and toasty like many of France's Champagne houses. 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay.

Grappa Riserva which has been aged for two years in oak, is then aged an additonal two years in rum barrels. It has a rich elaborate bouquet with spicy notes, hints of coffee and vanilla and a long elegant finish. 

Franciacorta is Italy's finest traditional method sparkling wine. The cuvee Prestige is dry and toasty like many of France's Champagne houses. 79% Chardonnay, with the rest made up of mostly Pinot Noir.

This Ambre du Quebec - a blend of fresh apple juice and oak-aged apple brandy - is produced solera-style, for greater complexity. Similar to the Pommeau of Normandy and Brittany. Pair with lightly funky, good hard cheese!

Grenache Blanc, Rolle (Vermentino) & Chardonnay come together in a sappier southern style, with notes of Indian and Mediterranean spice. For $23 it's well worth 1000 cartwheels.

From a new and young Austrian winemaker who just took over his family's buisness in Engabrunn, Kamptal. Heat from the east gives plenty of sun to ripen, and night time coolness from the northwest helps the wine maintain its acidity. Kamptals diverse soils include loess, gravel, crystalline intrusions and red sandstone rich in feldspars, as well as conglomerate. These types of rock form the basis of a colourful geological patchwork, bearing testimony to the former existence of seas and volcanoes, the displacement of rivers in primeval times, and the rock dust that was blown in during the ice ages. It comes, therefore, as little surprise that the wines from the Kamptal – influenced by differences in aspect, elevation, and soils – exhibit very distinctive, individual characteristics.

Garnacha from 100 year old vines in Valdeponzos, Najerilla Valley. Lighly extracted and a year aging in casks, mirroring how they do it in Burgundy for a slept on, softer portayal of Rioja.  

Highly competitive cava considering how good it is for the price. 

Since the Luxardo was pulled from the MBLL, maraschino liqueur is hard to come, so we were thrilled to acquire this.

FINALLY you can make a Last Word again!

Fruit from 60-year-old vines gets basket-pressed and the juice sits on lees for 10 months before bottling. A slight edge of smokiness gives this wine's crisp fruit profile an added layer of complexity.

Organic co-fermented blend of Pinot Grigio, Glera and Chardonnay aged on lees in stainless steel with partial MLF which keeps the wine focused on the fruit but adds sublte yeast and dairy traits.

Apples are hand harvested, then, for the fruit that needs it, stored in an attic in order to slightly dehydrate the fruit and increase the concentration. The apples are then mashed to obtain a pulp that macerates for a few hours before being pressed through a web cloth to gather the juices. The juice is then racked into large barrels where it ferments for about six months. After racking the juices between barrels in order to calm down the yeasts, the juices are bottled partially fermented and will continue to ferment in the bottle, trapping the created carbon dioxide and resulting in a natural carbonation. A deposit at the bottom of the bottle is normal. No oenological products are used at any point. "complex ripe apple and floral aromas, creamy, earthy spiciness on the palate."

GSM named after the large clay vessels used by the Georgians since long before recorded history.  Serve slightly chilled.

Blend of Pinot de Bourgogne and Gamay de Chiroubles, made in a cleverly extracted style, with lots of fruit and minimal tannin. Chiroubles has the highest, steepest vines in Beaujolais, which makes working the vines a more physically demanding process. The reward for this meticulous work shines through in the bottle.

As sometimes happens with Pinot Gris/Grigio and skin contact, this wine is a strikingly vibrant, cerasuolo-esque colour. A little funky on the nose, with a saline, savoury edge cutting through blood orange and redfruit into a mouth-watering finish. Savour this one.

Approximate drinking window:  2028 - 2044.

Brunello di Montalcino wines represent perhaps the finest expression of Sangiovese.  Colleoni's is beautiful, precise, loaded with a variety of scents and flavours.  Lay it down if you can.

Excellent Crémant d'Alsace. The satisfying mousse reveals apple, pear, and citrus notes on the palate, perfectly curbed by the dryness and acidity. You'll have a hard time finding a better match for sushi or lighter seafood fare.

Two-week skin contact Sauvignon Blanc blended with Welschriesling that doesn't see any skin, keeping the orange wine traits slightly tamed. Delicious and so well structured.

High-quality grappa mellowed by 12 months in barrique. Great pairing with a variety of desserts.

Soft tannin structure with fresh fruit flavours. Serve it slightly chilled to really enjoy all the crisp and juicy berry flavours.

A blend of 50% Montepulciano, with 35% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented and aged in amphora for 6 months, followed by 6 months in barrique.

Aromatic, amphora-fermented Sangiovese from Marche.