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On September 16th, 2024, Empire Distributors, Inc. of North Carolina customers and trade members were invited to our annual Trade Tasting for the Raleigh area! The 2024 Raleigh Trade Tasting brought together many of Empire’s brands with retail & on-premise beverage buyers from across the Raleigh, NC area. Read on to get a recap at some of the suppliers & brands that attended the event and their featured items available in the Raleigh, North Carolina market.
About Delicato Family Vineyards: Delicato Family Wines, one of the fastest growing wine companies in the country has more than 90 years of California winemaking and grape growing heritage. Family owned and operated since the company’s founding in 1924, three generations of the Delicato family have fostered the winery’s commitment to innovation, quality and environmental stewardship – cornerstones that have harnessed the family’s long-term focus and solidified the winery as an internationally recognized leader in the industry.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast, Black Stallion Chardonnay North Coast, Black Stallion Gaspare Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Stallion Sauvignon Blanc North Coast, Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc, The Wines of Francis Coppola Cabernet Sauvignon OnP, The Wines of Francis Coppola Chardonnay and The Wines of Francis Ford Coppola Pinot Noir
About Grgich Estate Winery: Grgich Hills Estate is a benchmark Napa Valley winery, consistently producing wines of the highest quality. Vintners Hall of Fame inductee Miljenko “Mike” Grgich first earned world-wide recognition when the Chardonnay he crafted won the 1976 Paris Tasting, beating the best of France and revolutionizing the wine world. Mike then partnered with Austin Hills to open their family-owned-and-operated winery in 1977.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: Grgich Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Grgich Estate Chardonnay, Grgich Estate Merlot, Grgich Estate Sauvignon Blanc and Grgich Estate Zinfandel
About Jackson Family Wines: Jackson Family Wines, based in Sonoma County – in the heart of California’s wine country – is one of the few family-owned and operated winery groups of its kind. Founded in 1983 with a focus on artisanal wines of distinct character and quality, Jackson Family Wines’ portfolio of wineries includes Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Freemark Abbey, Murphy-Goode, Stonestreet, Matanzas Creek and Cambria (plus many more!), as well as a collection of luxury wineries such as Cardinale, Lokoya and Verite.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: Bootleg Red Blend, Cambria “Katherines Vineyard” Chardonnay, Carmel Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Crowded House Sauvignon Blanc, Diatom Chardonnay, Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon, Hartford Court Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Il Fauno Di Arcanum, Jackson Estate Camelot Highlands Chardonnay, La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, La Crema Sauvignon Blanc, La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, La Crema Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Penner Ash Pinot Noir and Stonestreet Cabernet Sauvignon
About Copper Cane: Founded in 2014, Copper Cane Wines & Provisions has redefined the modern winery with their unique approach to the winemaking process. When grapevine canes begin to lignify, or turn to winter hardy wood, they take on a copper hue. This color shift signals that the green character and harsh tannins have been purged from the vine (and therefore the resulting wine). Only then are the grapes ready for harvest. For Copper Cane’s founder, Joseph Wagner, this patience is essential. While most growers pick their grapes as sugar content hits a certain mark, Wagner waits for physiological maturity to ensure consistency year to year. The result is a wine full of rich, ripe fruit flavors—a style Wagner and his family have always loved. Representative brands include Elouan, Belle Glos, Napa Valley Quilt, and Böen.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: Belle Glos Blanc de Noirs Oeil D Perdrix, Belle Glos Pinot Noir Taylor Lane, Boen Tri-County Chardonnay, Elouan Pinot Noir, Quilt Napa Valley Reserve “Grace of the Land ” Cabernet Sauvignon, Threadcount Paso Robles Cabernet, ThreadCount Red Blend and Threadcount Sauvignon Blanc
About Volio Vino: As an importer of fine wine, Volio connects the customer to the vineyard by sharing the stories of our producers and the journey behind each bottle of wine.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore, Argentiera Toscana Villa Donoratico, Arrogant Frog Sauvignon Blanc, Berlucchi 61 Extra Brut Franciacorta, Borghese Pinot Grigio, Canali Pinot Grigio, Cantine Povero Barbera D’Asti, Cantine Povero Belvive Sparkling, Cantine Povero Dolcetto Monferrato, Duca di Salaparuta Lavico Etna Bianco, Florio Marsala Semisecco, Ilatium Morini Valpolicella, Paul Mas Languedoc Rouge, Rivetto Barolo Serralunga, Solegro Frizzante Secco and Villa Rose Chianti Gran Selezione
About Fever Tree: We start with the idea that, if 3/4 of your drink is the mixer, then you should use the best. Since day one, we have been uncompromising in our commitment to sourcing the world’s finest ingredients for our mixers; all in service of creating the most delicious and best-tasting long mixed drinks.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: Fever Tree Bloody Mary, Fever-Tree Blood Orange Ginger Beer, Fever-Tree Ginger Beer, Fever-Tree Indian Tonic, Fever-Tree Margarita, Fever-Tree Margarita Lite, Fever-Tree Sicilian Sparkling Lemonade, Fever-Tree Sparkling Cucumber, Fever-Tree Sparkling Lime & Yuzu, Mediterranean Tonic and Sparkling Pink Grapefruit
About Red Bull: Red Bull Gives Wiiings to People and Ideas. This has driven us – and all we do – since 1987. Today, Red Bull operates in over 170 countries, selling more than 12 billion cans annually and growing! Above all, our people remain the essential ingredient in bringing the Red Bull brand to life.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: Red Bull Original, Red Bull Original Sugarfree, Red Bull Sugarfree Watermelon and Red Bull The Red Edition Watermelon
About Treasury Wine Estates: At Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) we have a great passion for wine. Everything we do at TWE is dedicated to realising our vision of becoming the world’s most admired premium wine company. With over 11,300 hectares of vineyards and 70-plus wine brands, TWE brings together some of the most popular and collected wines from Australia, California, Italy, France and New Zealand.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: 19 Crimes Cali Rose Gold, 19 Crimes Cali Smooth Red Blend, Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, DAOU ‘Soul of a Lion’ Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, DAOU Reserve Chardonnay, Etude Pinot Noir, Gabbiano Chianti, Gabbiano Pinot Grigio, Matua Sauvignon Blanc, Penfold’s Max’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Squealing Pig Sauvignon Blanc, St Huberts The Stag Cabernet and Stags’ Leap Winery Cabernet Napa Valley
About Ste. Michelle Wine Estates: Established in 1933, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the leading Pacific Northwest wine company and among the most admired premium wine companies in the United States. As the founding winery of Washington State, Ste. Michelle is rooted in an unwavering passion for producing the highest quality wines, delighting wine consumers, supporting our communities and protecting our environment.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: Chateau Ste Michelle ‘Cold Creek Vyd’ Cabernet, Columbia Crest Founders Chardonnay, Erath Reserve Pinot Noir, Eroica Riesling Columbia Valley, Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, Liquid Light Sauvignon Blanc, NorthStar Merlot and Spring Valley Frederick Red Blend
About Kobrand Wine & Spirits: Kobrand proudly takes to market a distinguished portfolio of hand-selected brands representing virtually every major wine region of the world and its finest specialty spirits. Family-owned since its founding in 1944, Kobrand attributes its success to a single guiding principle that describes the people, products, and relationships behind it: quality. This commitment to quality woven through Kobrand’s evolution also drives its strong commitment to innovating compelling and relevant new products.
Product(s) at Trade Tasting: AIX Rosé, Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon, Cakebread Chardonnay Napa Valley, Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley, Dom Carneros Sparkling Rosé Pompour, La Chapelle Hermitage Rouge, Paul Jaboulet Parallèle 45 Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc, Paul Jaboulet Parallèle 45 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge, Rebellious Sauvignon Blanc, Resonance Pinot Noir Williamette, Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon and Taittinger Brut
Reach out with any questions you may have to see just how responsive, knowledgeable and downright friendly an Empire Representative can be.
