It is taking a while, but paperwork is being filed, labels are being approved, and in general things are going forward. Just wanted to post a quick update that we are fairly certain our first two wines will be Fattoria Rignana Chianti Classico, and Stefano Amerighi's Syrah from Cortona.
Both of these wines fit our criteria of small, handcrafted production, with super high quality fruit and hands on, traditional, winemaking techniques. They are also both from "organic" farms - meaning no pesticides, herbicides, etc. except for the approved naturally occurring compounds of copper and sulfur (I will be posting complete details when the product pages are created - there are various levels of organic and/or biodynamic farming in Italy and I want to make sure we get that all right and customers have complete information).
But most importantly, they are wines that make you say "WOW" when you try them. In fact the Rignana Chianti Classico was the first wine I really "found" here in Florence - I had got a bottle at a small shop somewhere in town (I claim it was at Le volpi e l'uva but they don't seem to remember ever stocking it), and after drinking it with a dinner one Friday night just got up and drove down to Panzano the next morning to see where exactly it came from - the wine was that good. Luckily the owner showed up to meet me eventually (he was in Florence too) and I have been drinking their wine ever since. I am incredibly excited to be able to bring these wines to America and hope that some of you will be too!