Festive Flavors

Founded by Stanko Polanič, Marof seeks to showcase the untapped potential of Slovenia’s Prekmurje region. Winemaker Uroš Valcl brings his passion for honest, terroir-driven wines, shaped by his upbringing in his family’s vineyard. Situated on a historic aristocratic estate, Marof employs minimal intervention winemaking, focusing on blends with native and international varieties. Their wines, known for structure and ageability are only released after years of careful maturation.

Cave Spring was founded in 1973 by John Pennachetti Sr., who transformed an abandoned orchard on the Niagara Escarpment into a vineyard. With remarkable foresight, he planted Riesling and Chardonnay at a time when their potential was largely overlooked in Canada. Beyond producing exceptional wines, Cave Spring has played a pivotal role in advancing the Canadian wine industry; John Sr.'s son Len co-founded the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) and Cave Spring became the first winery to achieve the Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario credential.

Founded in 1988 by Tony Kooyumjian, Augusta Winery aims to revive Missouri's rich winemaking heritage, echoing the region's 19th-century glory. Recognized as one of the state’s most influential winemakers, Kooyumjian expanded his vision by acquiring Montelle Winery in 1998. Today, under the guidance of Colin Pennington, Augusta showcases the exceptional potential of hybrid grape varieties, including the award-winning Norton, Chambourcin, and Chardonel.

Tóth Ferenc - affectionately known as Uncle Feri - and his wife embarked on their winegrowing journey back in 1983. A passionate advocate for rare grape varieties like Kadarka and Leányka, Tóth Ferenc has significantly contributed to the Eger region’s viticultural landscape, earning him the prestigious Hungarian Order of Merit for his efforts in 2017. In 2005, his daughter Katalin and son-in-law Zoltán joined, enhancing the winery's legacy and championing the official recognition of Egri Csillag (the region's flagship white wine) into appellation law.

Davino is highly regarded as one of Romania’s top wineries, praised for its work with Eastern European native grapes. Founded in 1997 by Dan Balaban, Davino was only the third private winery in the aftermath of the 1989 revolution. Winemaker Bogdan Costachescu, at Davino since 1998, champions low-intervention winemaking and sustainability, with full organic conversion of the winery expected by 2028. Master of Wine Caroline Gilby calls Davino “Romania’s wine aristocracy,” with its wines consistently used as reference samples by top universities.