Latest news with #DomainedelaRomanée-Conti
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Brit charged with £73m wine scam after he allegedly sold vino that didn't exist for £12k as he appears in New York court
He has been detained on charges of wire fraud and money laundering SAV PLONK Brit charged with £73m wine scam after he allegedly sold vino that didn't exist for £12k as he appears in New York court Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BRIT is facing charges in a New York court over his alleged connection to a major $99 million wine fraud. James Wellesley, 58, pleaded not guilty on Friday after he was extradited from the UK. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 James Wellesley, who allegedly sold vino that didn't exist for £12k Credit: Kent Police 7 The defendants are alleged to have solicited $99 million in investments from residents (picture is not of wine in question) Credit: Bonhams 7 The US Attorney's Office alleges that neither the wine collections not the wine itself actually exist Credit: Linkedin 7 Stephen Burton had been extradited from Morocco in 2023 Credit: Kent Police He has been detained on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. Wellesley was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy The alleged Ponzi-style scheme involved getting investors to lend money to the wine collectors in return for regular interest payments. But the US Attorney's Office alleges that neither the wine collections not the wine itself actually exist. This included Domaine de la Romanée-Conti - which is listed online for more than $17,000 per bottle. These loans were said to be secured against a stockpile of expensive wines. The defendants are alleged to have solicited $99 million in investments from residents of New York and other areas between 2017 and 2019. Wellesley's co-defendant Stephen Burton had been extradited from Morocco in 2023. He had been trying to enter the north African country on a false Zimbabwean passport. 60-year-old Brit Burton has also pleaded not guilty to similar charges. Wellesley is reported to have had many aliases including Andrew Fuller and Andrew Templar. Shocking moment woman has full blown foot-stamping airport MELTDOWN at check-in Christopher Raia, assistant director in charge of the FBI New York office, said: "James Wellesley and his business partner allegedly concocted an elaborate scheme defrauding investors out of millions of dollars to finance their own personal expenses. "Their alleged deceit spread across years and continents." If convicted, the two each face up to 20 years in prison. 7 The alleged Ponzi-style scheme involved getting investors to lend money to the wine collectors in return for regular interest payments 7 The defendants are alleged to have solicited $99 million in investments from residents of New York Credit: Kent Police 7 The Brits are facing charges in a New York court Credit: Alamy Prosecutors allege the pair used loan proceeds "to make fraudulent interest payments to investors and for their own personal expenses". Ricky Patel, a Homeland Security special agent, said: "James Wellesley and his co-conspirator are accused of masterminding their nearly $100 million international fraud scheme that exploited the unsuspecting public, including New Yorkers, for their own selfish enrichment. "As alleged, the defendants claimed Bordeaux Cellars boasted a high-value wine stockpile and a clientele of 'high-net-worth wine collectors' – and in turn profited handsomely – all while they swindled investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more. "Let it be known, regardless of the nature of the transnational criminal scheme, HSI New York, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to adapt and evolve to fight global and domestic financial crimes wherever and whenever possible." "Today's arraignment sends a message to all perpetrators of global fraud schemes that my office will work tirelessly to ensure they answer for crimes committed in the United States," said US attorney Joseph Nocella. "We will not rest in our efforts to seek justice for victims of fraud."
New York Post
10-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
This 40-year-old bottle of wine worth $180,000 is up for sale
Wine enthusiasts and collectors, get your paddles ready. Christie's is hosting its first wine auction since 2022 on June 12, brought to you by billionaire businessman, private collector and America's Cup winner, Bill Koch. The three-day event features 1,500 lots comprising nearly 8,000 bottles of historic vintages from his private collection, which has a low estimate of $15 million, but could exceed $21 million. Bordeaux and Burgundy make up the lion's share, and at the heart of the collection is more than 750 large-format bottles — including over 45 Jeroboams (three liters) and Methuselahs (six liters) from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. In fact, the revered wine producer makes up the entirety of the top 10 by value list, with number one — a 1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru — seeing a high estimate of $180,000. 'A Chicago wine dealer brought this bottle to my attention in 1988. He acquired it from Europe,' Koch told The Post, referring to himself as a wine 'geek.' 6 Bill Koch said he's amassed some 43,000 bottles across his cellars at his estates in Palm Beach, Cape Cod and Aspen. Christie's Images LTD.2025 'I have loved large-format bottles because they take longer to mature,' he explained. 'It has to do with surface space and oxygen. The larger the bottle, the less exposure to oxygen, the better the wine ages. But putting aside my geekiness, this wine is one of the vintages my wife loves to drink. She has great taste. It was an excellent year for Burgundy.' Indeed, 1985 was a great year for wine, but this is also a big one. A methuselah holds six liters — or eight standard bottles. '$120,000 divided by 203.2 ounces equals $590-plus per ounce,' said Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate's Wine Reviewer for Canada, Napa Valley and New York State regions. 'That's the low estimate, which doesn't include the buyer's premium. If it goes to the high estimate, you're talking upwards of $900 per ounce.' 6 Experts told The Post the auction will dazzle wine enthusiasts. Christie's Images LTD.2025 Jhonel Faelnar, beverage director for NAEUN Hospitality, which includes New York City's Atoboy, Naro and two-Michelin-starred Atomix, believes it to be one of the best vintages ever produced. 'Romanée-Conti is, of course, one of the most storied vineyards in Burgundy and in the world, coming from one of the most hallowed producers of Pinot Noir ever to exist,' he said. 'I would certainly like to drink this bottle, were I to have the chance to.' He said the $180,000 price is worth it — for 'the people who can afford' it. 'These wines are pieces of history, and it's a special moment to encounter these, especially if you can be a part of opening and tasting them,' said Faelnar. While the collection features a variety of price points — the 1929 Château Haut-Brion going for $2,000 to $3,000 caught Faelnar's attention — he said some may be too rich for one's blood. 6 'These wines are pieces of history, and it's a special moment to encounter these,' Jhonel Faelnar said. Christie's Images LTD.2025 'You're bidding for a piece of art at this point — one you can potentially imbibe and ingest,' Faelnar said. 'Oftentimes, they can be disappointing in the glass — they are, after all, hundred-year-old bottles of wine. But the anticipation that it might be every bit as amazing as one can hope for, fuels every collector's hopes and folly.' Six magnums of the 1982 Château Mouton-Rothschild are also up for the taking for a tune of $9,000 to $14,000. This particular vintage unlocks a core memory for Koch, sharing it with Will Smith's agent, Jim Lassiter. (Yes, that Will Smith.) 'He came to my house with Steve Tisch and David Bloomfield of Escape Artists,' he recalled. 'They had purchased the movie rights to the book 'Billionaire's Vinegar' [and] were looking for my participation and investment capital. The superb wine was the only thing we agreed on that evening.' 6 Koch referred to himself as a wine 'geek' and keeps a massive collection across residences. Pictured here is his Palm Beach cellar. Christie's Images LTD.2025 Koch said his chemical engineering background helped influence his wine collecting. At one point, he had upwards of 43,000 bottles across his cellars at his estates in Palm Beach, Cape Cod and Aspen. He views the auction as a gift that keeps on giving — it's a part of a wine collection that he's spent half a century curating. 'These bottles reflect my taste, my interest in history, my passion for collecting and my respect for the care and work that goes into developing great wines, year after year,' he said of his lot, now at 21,000 bottles. 'I have some of the world's best wines, stored in a state-of-the-art cellar and more carefully researched and vetted than any collection I know of. I am enormously proud of it.' 6 'I just don't think we will see many more collections like this come to market again,' said Adam Bilbey, Christie's Global Head of Wine and Spirits. 'This is a chance to be part of vinous history.' Christie's Images LTD.2025 'I just don't think we will see many more collections like this come to market again,' said Adam Bilbey, Christie's Global Head of Wine and Spirits. 'This is a chance to be part of vinous history.' Koch told The Post that after the sale, he will 'still have about 12,000' bottles in his cellar, but doesn't 'expect to add to that.' 'As for the ones I am parting with, which include 45 large-format bottles, it would take two lifetimes and a daily regime of parties to go through them all. It's time for others to enjoy them.' 6 'I have some of the world's best wines, stored in a state-of-the-art cellar and more carefully researched and vetted than any collection I know of. I am enormously proud of it,' Koch said. Christie's Images LTD.2025 The top 10 wines at The Cellar of William I. Koch: The Great American Collector auction, by value: 1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Methuselah: Low Estimate: $120,000; High Estimate: $180,000 1991 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Methuselah: Low Estimate: $110,000; High Estimate: $170,000 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Methuselah: Low Estimate: $100,000; High Estimate: $160,000 1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Methuselah: Low Estimate: $100,000; High Estimate: $160,000 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Methuselah: Low Estimate: $80,000; High Estimate: $120,000 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Jeroboam: Low Estimate: $70,000; High Estimate: $100,000 1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Jeroboam: Low Estimate: $48,000; High Estimate: $70,000 1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Jeroboam: Low Estimate: $48,000; High Estimate: $70,000 1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Jeroboam: Low Estimate: $48,000; High Estimate: $70,000 1995 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Jeroboam: Low Estimate: $45,000; High Estimate: $65,000
Toronto Star
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Our wine critic uses these 6 secret tricks to make every bottle taste better
A good wine is one that gives us the exact shade of pleasure we're craving right then and there. But there are ways to deepen that pleasure, depending on the wine style. Here are six trade secrets that let you do just that. Because wine — even the most serious wine — is always about the joy. Reach for the latest vintage Seldom does a still rosé improve with age. It's a wine meant to be drunk young and fresh — within a year or two of bottling. So, when reaching for a rosé, always glance at the vintage before buying it. The newly released 2024 Toro Bravo Rosado is a fine example. In its absolute prime, this inexpensive charmer offers outstanding value. With lovely energy and focus, the chiselled flavours flit from ripe red berries to ruby grapefruit with a sleek, streamlined texture. Easy refreshment but tastes more expensive than it is. (12% alc., 6 g/L sugar) 2024 Toro Bravo Shiraz Garnacha Rosado, D.O. Manchuela, Spain Score 92. (Vintages 14145, $10.50) 2024 Toro Bravo Shiraz Garnacha Rosado, D.O. Manchuela. Supplied Learn your wine's history Discovering a wine's backstory can deepen the experience of drinking it. Such is the case here. Triennes Rosé is made by Jacques Seysses, founder of Domaine Dujac, and Aubert de Villaine, co-owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti — two of the most prestigious estates in Burgundy whose wines can fetch thousands of dollars per bottle. Little wonder then this wine is sublime. It's a smart blend of Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache and Merlot that's dry and delicately complex, each sip suggesting white cherries and melon, nuts and nougat, orange zest and wet stones. Long, lean and lovely. (13% alc., 2 g/L sugar) ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 2024 Triennes Rosé Méditerranée IGT, France Score 94. (Vintages 409771, $21.95) 2024 Triennes Rosé Méditerranée IGT. Supplied Consider the cuisine Sure, wine and food pairing can be overrated. But some pairings seriously elevate the moment — such as Sauvignon Blanc and fresh asparagus. There's something magic about local, tender-crisp spears, brushed with butter, sprinkled with salt, and chased with a sip of that wine. Try for yourself with a glass of the 2024 Te Henga Sauvignon Blanc, which spirals with aromas and flavours of damp herbs, jalapeno, green apple and salted lime. Serve this pairing at a party with the new 1.5 L bottle. (12.5% alc., 6 g/L sugar) 2024 Te Henga Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand Score 91. (LCBO 41817, $29.95/1.5 L) 2024 Te Henga Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Supplied Feud and Forgiveness: A night of bold flavour and fine wine. Star FEUD AND FORGIVENESS Join Toronto Star wine columnist Carolyn Evans Hammond and Quinton Bennett, Michelin Star Executive Chef of Enigma Yorkville, for an exclusive four-course dinner inspired by the upcoming Prime Video series The Better Sister starring Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks. SEE DETAILS Shop for versatility Serving red at a party means appealing to a range of tastes while keeping costs down. It should be smooth and ripe, so it appeals to everyone, while offering enough complexity, structure and elegance to please seasoned drinkers. This bottle ticks all those boxes. It's a heady blend of Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet and Trincadiera. It sweeps in with both weight and lift, saturating the palate and cascading with crushed berries, poached plum and fruit cake scored with earthy minerality. Delicious crowd-pleaser. (14% alc., 7 g/L sugar) 2023 Bacalhôa Monte das Anforas Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal Score 91. (LCBO 37227, $12.70) 2023 Bacalhôa Monte das Anforas Vinho Regional Alentejano. Supplied Chill it down Fino and manzanilla sherry are excellent aperitifs, especially this time of year. But they're at their best served cold. As in straight out of the ice. Pick up a bottle of ever-popular Tio Pepe, chill it way down and see for yourself. You'll find each steely sip slips in cold and brisk, amping up the refreshment and lending a certain electricity to the experience. After the initial attack, the fino's briny tang and nuttiness emerge along with notes of green olive, apple and saltines. Perfect for patio season. (15% alc., 2 g/L sugar) Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Fine Extra Dry Palomino Fino Sherry, Jerez, Spain Score 91. (LCBO 231829, $19.95) Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Fine Extra Dry Palomino Fino Sherry. Supplied Add ice and bubbles How do you improve a white wine that has been kicking around for a few days and lost its finesse? You serve it on ice topped up with soda. It works especially well with unoaked styles, such as this bottle of Château des Charmes Cuvée Michelle Aligoté. When first opened, this local gem offers clear articulacy that nods toward salted lemon zest, lime slices and wet stones. When those flavours fade after the bottle has been opened for a few days, time to make a spritzer. Does not disappoint. (13% alc. 2 g/L sugar) 2023 Château des Charmes Cuvée Michelle Aligoté, VQA St. David's Bench Score 92. (LCBO 296848, $15.95) 2023 Château des Charmes Cuvée Michelle Aligoté, VQA St. David's Bench. Supplied
Sky News AU
15-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
James Halliday's rare Domaine Armand Rousseau Grand Cru Chambertin, Domaine G. Roumier Grand Cru Bonnes-Mares 1999 and more go up for auction
The wine sage James Halliday is living proof that quality wine is a pretty good investment. In a lifetime of collecting he amassed a large cellar. Along the way he quaffed the very best. In 2020 he reportedly sold around 5,000 bottles for $2 million, double what he paid for them. Some of the bottles fetched $2,200 and $30,000 each. They were pinots from the fabled Burgundy estate of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Mr Halliday, 87, whose elegant prose decorated The Australian's weekend colour magazine for many years, is selling another 1,800 bottles through Langtons, the fine wine auction house. They are expected to fetch more than $200,000. Some are being offered in an online auction for $20 and less. 'It was a massive wine collection,' said Michael Anderson, head of auctions at Langtons. 'Over the years we have sold thousands and thousands of bottles from James Halliday's private cellar. 'This sale will mark the closure of a great cellar that was decades in the making.' Age has caught up with Mr Halliday, a former partner at Clayton Utz who later became a merchant banker. He is selling his home at Coldstream Hills Winery in Victoria's Yarra Valley to move to Sydney to live with his daughter Caroline. 'His health is not what it once was,' Mr Anderson said. 'He is old. His home at Coldstream Hills overlooking the winery he established in 1985 is on the side of a hill and has a steep driveway. And there are many stairs.' Coldstream was Mr Halliday's second foray into winery ownership. He built Brokenwood Wines in the NSW Hunter Valley in the 1970s with two legal colleagues and still has great affection for the brand. Mr Anderson said oenophiles now have the chance to own many of Mr Halliday's 'unicorn' wines that would be hard to source. The latest sale includes vintages of Domaine Armand Rousseau Grand Cru Chambertin (2005, 2009, 2010) and a bottle of Domaine G. Roumier Grand Cru Bonnes-Mares 1999. These bottles may fetch between $5,000 and $6,000. 'Having long since sold the last of my DRCs, my Rousseaus are the best wines in my cellar, led - of course - by the Chambertins from top vintages,' Mr Halliday said in a statement. 'Clos de Beze is a worthy second, Clos de Jacques, the wine often offering outstanding value for money. Rousseau now fills the shoes left by the impossible-to-find DRCs.' Mr Anderson said champagne and German riesling was up for sale. 'Highlights from the collection include a Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart Brut from the exceptional 1996 vintage, a 1997 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling-Spätlese and a 1980 Domaine Clape,' he said. 'Closer to home, Halliday's collection also includes a House of Arras E.J Carr Late Disgorged Methode Traditionnelle 2000 Magnum from Tasmania, 1997 Bindi Block 5 Pinot Noir from the Macedon Ranges and 1992 vintage Charles Melton Nine Popes Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre from the Barossa Valley.'' Various vintages from top Australian producers Penfolds, Henschke, Tyrrells, Clonakilla, Seppelt, Tahbilk, Vasse Felix, Taylors, Peter Lehmann and McWilliams are also offered. And there are cheaper options. A sampler: Plantagenet Mount Barker Shiraz 1993 ($30), Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise Kuitpo Semillon 1994 ($15), Jolimont Liqueur Tokay, Rutherglen NV ($21) and Hamilton's Richard Hamilton Old Vine McLaren Vale Shiraz 1992 ($16). Mr Anderson said the auction didn't only attract serious collectors. Everyday wine enthusiasts often pool their money to buy a top bottle share over dinner. He said several famous winemakers (he declined to identify them) had already logged bids. So, too, had sommeliers from prominent restaurants. Mr Halliday isn't selling everything he collected at Coldstream. 'He kept back 30 or 40 boxes to send to his new address in Sydney,' Mr Anderson said. Mr Halliday is also selling his collection of wine books. There are 700 of them, many rare first editions. There are 40 that the winemaker wrote himself.
Forbes
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Ukraine Wine Producer Winning Top Wine Competitions Helps Those In Need
Sunrise during autumn in Ukraine getty Lake Como, Italy getty A breeze gently moved the light brown hair off the shoulder of an elegant woman, a Mediterranean beauty with big, almond-shaped eyes and a golden tan that seemed to be kissed by the sun as she radiated health and grace on the stone veranda that seemingly hovered over one of the most enchanting areas of the world, Lake Como in Northern Italy. The soft sunlight made the vibrant blue water glimmer as if the lake knew it was part of a rare pocket of the world that could bewitch anyone with its serene charm. This refined woman was staying at the Villa d'Este hotel, a classical Italian villa, and she envisioned all the tsars, marquises, sultans and princesses who stood where she was standing right at that moment. Even more importantly, she was one of the lucky few to attend one of the most prestigious European wine symposiums with some of the greatest wine producers attending the Villa d'Este Wine Symposium. The week of the Villa d'Este Wine Symposium was filled with many tastings and seminars led by such fine wine leaders as Aubert de Villaine, co-owner of the iconic Burgundy estate Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and Richard Geoffroy, the soon-to-be-retired legendary chef de cave of Dom Pérignon. National flag of Ukraine getty One of the exciting parts of the agenda that week was the Cabernet Sauvignon wine competition results, where only ten Cabernet wines were invited to be judged by 120 wine journalists and wine trade, with a Ukrainian Cabernet Sauvignon coming in 5th place, ahead of First Growth Bordeaux such as Château Haut-Brion and Château Margaux. The judges were comprised of a surreal selection of people including the likes of Aubert de Villaine, Richard Geoffroy and Vega-Sicilia owner Pablo Álvarez. The Ukrainian wine producer was SHABO and in the past 20 years, they have received more than 600 awards, many from top international wine competitions such as IWC (International Wine Challenge), and became the first Ukrainian producer to receive two gold medals from the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards in 2021 and they have gone on to win more. SHABO is not only worth the wine enthusiasts' interest because they are wines from Ukraine, that make wonderful international variety wines like their Cabernet Sauvignon as well as thrilling native varieties such as their mineral-driven Telti-Kuruk white wine, but they are a must-try wine producer because of the great quality of their wines. Landscape in Ukraine during the sunrise getty SHABO Winery is the oldest Ukrainian winery in the village of Shabo, and it is just under a two-hour car ride from the port city of Odesa, located on the western part of the Black Sea (with an estuary on the other side) in the south of Ukraine. CEO and co-founder of the modern age of SHABO, Giorgi Iukuridze, said that the area first had vineyards planted by ancient Greeks more than 2,500 years ago on the coast of the Black Sea. Then, Swiss colonists settled in the village of Shabo and started a movement toward quality vineyard plantings and management and higher-quality winemaking, and that was the very beginning of the SHABO legacy. However, during Soviet times, the wines were restricted to the Iron Curtain. Still, on a positive note, it was mainly used as research vineyards, helping to discern the best grape varieties to grow on the estate. Giorgi Iukuridze courtesy of SHABO Winery Yet there was a big turning point for this winery in 2003 when the Iukuridze family, a Georgian family, from the country of Georgia, who immigrated to Ukraine, bought the estate and proceeded to invest over 110 million euros from 2003 until 2019, significantly improving the vineyards, updating the winery as well as building two more wineries that are specific for their sparkling and brandy production as well as building a hospitality center that is on the same impressive level as top producers in Napa Valley. But what is remarkable is the idea of the humble beings of the Iukuridze family as Giorgi's father, Vaja, was a Georgian winemaker before he decided to buy SHABO, and all the money they have invested as a family comes from loans and their only business is SHABO, hence all of their focus is devoted to their wines. Giorgi spoke about the great lengths they go to to ensure that all bottles are consumed by their customers who want to age the bottles. They offer cellaring within their facilities, and they taste all the wines and vintages meant for aging every year so they can report to their customers whether they should hold or drink particular bottles. The wonderful quality of their wines, made from various international and local grape varieties, has already started to greatly impress a few U.S. markets, such as Washington D.C. Recently, SHABO has become listed on a wine list at Imperfecto, a Michelin restaurant in Washington, D.C.. Giorgi lukuridze in the vineyards courtesy of SHABO Winery SHABO's white Telti-Kuruk, with its mineral edge and ability to age, is a stunning example. The red Saperavi grape native to Georgia, sharing roots with the Iukuridze family, is blended with Merlot and spends time in qvevri (a traditional Georgian clay vessel used for fermenting and aging wine) and is a wine with the ideal balance of multidimensional aromas and texture yet still being delectably delicious; its biggest issue has been keeping it in stock. They have brought 21 qvevri from Georgia to use in some of their winemaking. Giorgi Iukuridze's father already has extensive Georgian winemaking experience, so he knows how to find the balance when making Qvevri wines. Yet they took a further step by bringing in the legendary French consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt to oversee their teams and guide them towards excellence. Despite SHABO doing very well in Europe over many years, even garnering key placements at Michelin restaurants in London and Paris, as well as having their Cabernet Sauvignon featured at the famous wine museum, La Cité du Vin, in Bordeaux, France - the esteemed home of Cabernet Sauvignon, it took longer to get these wines into the U.S.. But that isn't that surprising considering the over-saturation of the wine market in this country and the logistical nightmare of importing alcoholic products as each state functions like its own country. SHABO estate courtesy of SHABO Winery But that all changed when Sam Lerman, an American military veteran, decided to volunteer as a wartime advisor by going to Ukraine in April 2022 on his own dime. Serendipitously, he wound up meeting a Ukrainian entrepreneur and eventually brought on a retired U.S. Marine who was also a career entrepreneur to import Ukrainian vodka and, to his initial shock, great Ukrainian wines, as Sam had no idea that they made wine, let alone ultra-premium level fine wine. That is how he connected with the Iukuridze family and established their U.S. import company, which focuses on Ukrainian products called Spyrt Worldwide. Spyrt Worldwide and SHABO are tied together by not only wanting to show the U.S. the amazing quality of wines made in Ukraine but also making real changes under desperate circumstances. Since a large part of Spyrt Worldwide's mission is to help the Ukrainian people, they partnered with Invictus Global Response, which is made up of American veterans specializing in bomb removal. They go to liberated Ukrainian towns and mine everything, and Sam notes that a significant amount of their profits go to this project. SHABO's main mission was to show Ukrainian excellence, but that mission has evolved to include saving lives as well, and they have been supplying bottled, clean water to towns that have been cut off from their water sources in Ukraine. Not every day does one get to witness a true synergetic pair bring thrilling wines from a place that is on many minds yet is still unknowingly making great wines and, simultaneously, genuinely saving lives. Hopefully, one day, way in the future, the head of a Ukrainian family will open a special bottle of cellared SHABO wine with his grandchildren, who have just become young adults, to toast to their glorious country, Ukraine, toast to never taking freedom for granted and to toast to being one of the lucky ones who was able to survive so he could live to have children and grandchildren… and a big part of that luck was the lifesaving projects sponsored by those behind that SHABO wine. 2016 SHABO, Grand Reserve, Blanc de Blancs Brut Cathrine Todd 2016 SHABO, Grand Reserve, Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling Wine: 100% Chardonnay using the Champagne Method and aged eight years on the lees. Intense minerality with tantalizing notes of brioche and rich peach pie flavors on the palate with fresh acidity and a creamy texture formed by tiny, fine bubbles. 2023 SHABO, Telti-Kuruk Reserve Cathrine Todd 2023 SHABO, Telti-Kuruk Reserve White Wine: 100% Telti-Kuruk – a white native grape variety. A terroir-driven nose with wet river rocks, crushed limestone and wildflowers with lemon curd flavors and marked acidity that has a broad body balanced by lots of vitality. 2022 SHABO, Telti Kuruk Grande Reserve White Wine: 100% Telti-Kuruk that has been barrel fermented in French oak. Sea spray, lemon confit and a hint of spice with quince paste and mandarin oil on the palate with more texture to the wine than the Reserve, giving it a beautiful shape across the long finish. 2019 SHABO 'Iukuridze Family Wine Heritage' Telti –Kuruk Cathrine Todd 2019 SHABO 'Iukuridze Family Wine Heritage' Telti –Kuruk, Exclusive Release White Wine: 100% Telti-Kuruk. Giorgi Iukuridze noted that their top Telti-Kuruk will reach their peak of complexity in five to seven years and stay there for eight to ten years, yet in some cases, it can age a lot longer. And so, they have wines that they hold back for small batch releases once they have more age, such as this Telti-Kuruk "Iukuridze Family Wine Heritage" exclusive release. Multilayered aromas of honeycomb, seashell and hazelnuts with pear tart flavors and bright acidity with a very long finish of saline minerality. 2023 SHABO, Rosé Wine: 100% Pinot Noir. Freshly picked raspberries and strawberries with an uplifting aroma of lavender with a nice amount of weight yet still very minerally with mouthwatering acidity. 2022 SHABO, Qvevri Wine, Saperavi-Merlot Cathrine Todd 2022 SHABO, Qvevri Wine, Saperavi-Merlot, Limited Edition Red Blend: 40% Saperavi and 60% Merlot and spends six months in qvevri buried in the ground. Saperavi is a teinturier red wine grape, meaning it has red flesh as well as a red skin. Deep, brooding flavors are the first to reveal themselves with blackberry compote and black raspberry liqueur, which finds harmony with added layers of zingy tart cherry and orange peel that is grounded by smoldering cigar and graphite that is irresistibly juicy and flavorful while delivering so much complexity. 2023 SHABO, Cabernet-Merlot Grande Reserve Cathrine Todd 2023 SHABO, Cabernet-Merlot Grande Reserve Red Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot. This wine is aged in 70% new French oak and 30% 2nd use barrel. Many times, when there is a new, exciting wine country in the U.S. marketplace, there is the feeling that they should only show their native grape varieties and stay away from the most popular international grape varieties as the market is saturated with them. However, once this wine is tasted, it becomes obvious why their Cabernet wines have won competitions and awards, as well as a place at the famous Bordeaux wine museum, La Cité du Vin. Enchanting black and red fruit starts to waft from the glass with notes of cassis and blackcurrants with tobacco leaf and licorice that has lively acids with an impressive density that has precision created by finely sculpted tannins with a long, expressive finish that is reminiscent of blooming jasmine during an evening stroll.
