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Frequently asked questions
How does The Urban Vintners Association source grapes?
Contracts are formed for specific vineyards with specific terms. The Urban Vintners Association is constantly evaluating the current selection of grapes to allow the best offerings possible, even if that means souring from various growers in the same area. Because we purchase from small yield, government controlled growers, our orders are often larger than an individual grower can provide. When this is the case, UVA℠ will combine grapes from different vineyards located in the same growing region, often side by side. Quality growers are never compromised to subsidize quantity requirements.
Are the Urban Vintners Association grape brokers?
Yes.
Most of our business revolves around grape brokerage: we match buyers and sellers; but we also go much beyond that. We take title for sourced grapes, we form the contracts, are responsible for payment collection and distribution, and help protect the contractual rights to the growers. We are also partnered, and work exclusively with, grower-shared cooperatives throughout Italy. Read more ...
We’re also winery consultants.
Our company is made up of award-winning winemakers, chemists, oenologists and strategic marketers who have all worked in the wine business for over two decades. UVA℠ offers winery consulting services including: winemaking, winery development and financial planning, equipment sourcing and much more. We are proud to be a multi-faceted company.
Does your company sell strictly Italian grape varietals?
No.
While the largest portion of our business is in Italy, we also market wine grapes from US regions such as Washington State, the San Joaquin Valley including Lodi, and Oregon. In British Columbia, we source from the Okanagan valley. We are in the process of developing contracts in Chile and New Zealand for future harvests.
I am a private winemaker/private winery/member of a wine club, can I buy from your company?
Yes.
Depending on the amount of grapes you want to order and where you are located, you may certainly order from us. Keep in mind that for our Italian grape offerings, the minimum order is 10 tons (one full 10 ft container). Orders within North America can be smaller. If you are ordering our Italian fresh grapes, food-importing licenses are required (check with customs in your country). We can work with you to design a custom order.
What does DOC or DOCG mean?
Dominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) is an Italian quality assurance label for wines and appellations. It was instituted in 1963 and overhauled in 1992 for compliance with the equivalent EU law on Protected Designation of Origin which came into effect that year.
Dominazione di Origine Controllata e Guarantita (DOCG) regions are sub-territories of DOC regions that produce outstanding products that may be subject to more stringent production and quality standards (lower allowable yields, for example) than the same products from the surrounding DOC region.
The need for a DOCG identification arose when the DOC denomination was, in the view of many Italian food industries, given too liberally to different products. A new, more restrictive identification was then created, as similar as possible to the previous one so that buyers could still recognize it, but qualitatively different. A notable difference is that to be DOCG labelled, wines must be analyzed and tasted by government–licensed personnel.
Our passion is grapes. Here are a few varieties we recommend
Nebbiolo
This is the star of the Piemonte region and used to make one of the most world renowned wines on the planet, Barolo.
Nero D’Avola
The best indigenous red grape in Sicily. The grape is full flavoured, almost New World in style, and a fantastic marriage when blended with Shiraz.
Sangiovese
This grape is widely cultivated across Italy and can produce great wines depending on the age of the vine, the location etc. Also widely used for Super Tuscan blends.
Montepulciano
The second most widely planted grape in Italy, this is a native Tuscan variety and produces wines which are elegant and well balanced. Also widely planted in Abruzzo, near Puglia.
Grillo
This is a native to western Sicily near Alcamo, it produces a light lemony wine that has a reasonable acidity and from older vines can produce really concentrated, complex wines.
Pinot Grigio
This is a copper coloured grape from Friuli. When grown with respect, it can produce a rich spicy wine with texture and structure.
Traminer
This is another widely planted white in Friuli, a prolific variety that can produce fresh, light whites with full, rich, styles when the yields have been reduced.
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