Ampeleia is the high watermark of traditional coastal Tuscan wine. Marco Tait is creating wines that represent a totally different view of Tuscany and a totally different view of Western Mediterranean wines—combined!

Through biodynamic farming and minimalist winemaking, Marco is unveiling the 400 year history of Grenache (Alicante Nero in Italiano), Carignan (Carignano), and Mourvèdre, all spread by the Spanish during the Habsburg monarchy’s 16th century expansion and domination of the Western Mediterranean basin. These varieties were replanted by selection massale for centuries, leading to their uniquely Tuscan phenotypes preserved and beautifully rendered by Ampeleia. The Kepos and Unlitro cuvées capture this history in every delicious bottle, perfect pairings for a multitude of pastas and charcuterie.

The deceptively titled Bianco di Ampeleia is a true pet favourite of ours, ironically titled because this is probably the ‘orange'st’ wine we carry. This bottling transports us to the Ancient Roman and Etruscan dinner table. The plot is co-planted to numerous indigenous varieties anchored by Trebbiano, Malvasia, and Ansonica. Fermented on its skins for six months in concrete, this wine captures the food-perfect savoury and citrus character that would have beautifully complimented an ancient meal of roast pork, farro, herbs, and garum.

I VINI!

All of the below wines are biodynamic, unfined and unfiltered, with little to no added SO2. As pure, as nature intended!

2020 Bianco di Ampeleia

Trebbiano, Malvasia, Ansonica

A sunset hued wine with dancing acidity and a gentle grip of tannins showing a succession of tropical fruit, zesty citrus, camomile, and rosemary notes. A singular example of the endless possibilities being revealed by heavily macerated whites.

12’s  | 853815*  | Only 5 12-packs available

*New SKU (the 6-packs of 2017 Bianco are 803268)

2019 Kepos di Ampeleia

Alicante Nero (Italian phenotype of Grenache), Mourvèdre, Carignano.

Kepos, ancient greek for ‘garden’ is a wine that wins you over immediately with its spicy herbaceous aromas that jump out from the glass singing, going hand in hand with Ampeleia’s signature hint of balsamic like lift over a lush soft mouthfeel and gorgeous tannins.

12’s | 855505* | Only 10 12-packs available

*New SKU (the 6-packs of 2017 Kepos were 820171)

2020 Unlitro di Ampeleia

Alicante Nero (Italian phenotype of Grenache), Carignano, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Alicante Bouschet

Spontaneously fermentated: Partially semi-carbonic, partially whole-cluster, partially de-stemmed and crushed, all in concrete, all with shorter macerations. Aged six months in concrete.

Unlitro is the perennial glass pour favourite from Ampeleia, a wine that simply crushes with a plethora of dishes. 2020 displays harmonious balance, equal parts thinky and drinky! An explosion of fruit and mediterranean herbs.

1L | 12’s | 800104 | 45 12-packs available

The domaine now called Ampeleia (ancient Greek for 'vines') was purchased in 2001 by partners Giovani Podini and iconic vigneronne Elisabetta Foradori, currently retiring but still widely regarded as "the Queen of Italian Wine."

From the get-go Elisabetta put her protegée Marco Tait, Giovanni Podini's son and her former assistant at Foradori, at the helm of this Tuscan project. Since 2002, Marco has sculpted a vision in step with Foradori: finding the soul of their wines in farming.

Using biodynamics and light-handed winemaking, Marco coaxes forth the essence of coastal Mediterranean varieties, alongside a very different breed of Super Tuscan's, focused on Cabernet Franc rather than Cabernet Sauvignon.

These are terroir-driven wines that boast enormous complexity from densely concentrated fruit, indigenous yeasts, and unimposing élevage choices for all their wines, eschewing oak in favour of cement fermenters for all but for their tête du cuvée, Ampeleia di Ampeleia, a brilliant 100% Cabernet Franc from their oldest vines in their most elevated vineyards, seeing one year in french oak and two years in bottle before release. These wines are the definition of purity, windows into a quiet sea-side Tuscan terroir earning growing recognition each year.

Their Maremma vineyards teem with life. You can taste that buzzing electricity in all of their wines. We are immensely proud to bring this Tuscan sunlight to Alberta