Importers of the Year 2019 - Wine & Spirits Magazine

Importers of the Year 2019


Next time you’re faced with a sea of wines you don’t recognize, check the back of the bottle. That’s what we do, looking for importers we recognize and trust, like our six Importers of the Year. They’ve earned the most awards this year, with multiple brands among our Top 100 Wineries, Top 100 Wines and Best Buys of 2019. If you find importers whose tastes and interests align with your own, you’ll have guideposts you can trust to lead you to new bottles.


SKURNIK WINES & SPIRITS
New York, NY
Founded in 1987 by Michael Skurnik
178 wineries in 12 countries
Strengths: Austria, Burgundy, Champagne, Germany, Italy
This year’s standouts include Bründlmayer, Vincent Dampt, Pierre Gimmonet & Fils, Schloss Gobelsburg, Hirsch, Mullineux, Pedro Parra, Filipa Pato, Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez, Raventós i Blanc, La Rioja Alta, Paolo Scavino


WINEBOW IMPORTS
New York, NY
Founded in 1980 by Leonardo LoCascio
199 wineries in 14 countries
Strengths: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Italy
This year’s standouts include Estate Argyros, Catena Zapata, Grattamacco, Poggio di Sotto, Prager, Weingut Stadt Krems, Vasse Felix


WINESELLERS
Niles, IL
Founded in 1978 by Yale Sager
70 wineries in 12 countries
Strength: Affordably priced wines
This year’s standouts include Clos de Nit, Mont Gravet, Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Santa Julia, Zuccardi


MAISONS MARQUES & DOMAINES
Oakland, CA
Founded in 1987 by Champagne Louis Roederer
30 wineries in six countries
Strengths: Alsace, Barolo, Bordeaux, Champagne, Loire Valley, Napa Valley, Provence, Rhône Valley, Rioja, Port
This year’s standouts include Carpe Diem, Délas Freres, Marqués de Murrieta, Roederer Estate, Champagne Louis Roederer, Domaines Ott


NORTH BERKELEY IMPORTS
Berkeley, CA
Founded in 1979 by Allen Connolly; Billy Weiss, owner
110 wineries in two countries
Strengths: Burgundy, Loire, Champagne, Piedmont, Tuscany
This year’s standouts include Fratelli Alessandria, Murgo, Rocca di Montegrossi, Vadiaperti, Jean Vesselle


VINTUS
Pleasantville, NY
Founded in 2004 by Michael Quinttus
41 wineries in 10 countries
Strengths: France, Italy
This year’s standouts include Champagne Bollinger, E. Guigal, Quinta do Noval, Paternoster, Petrolo

This story was featured in W&S Winter 2019.


This story appears in the print issue of Winter 2019.
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