Farmstead Wines are made by the very same farmers who grow the grapes, without irrigation, chemicals or manipulation. You already know the quality and sustainability of farmstead cheeses- produced by artisans responsible for husbandry, milking and cheesemaking. Farmstead Wines are perfect for pairing with sustainable and local foods.

What people are saying about Farmstead Wines:

• Gretchen Roberts, Slashfood
“I had a chance to try the Farmstead Wines’ Martin Arndorfer Grüner Veltliner Die Leidenschaft 2005 from Austria recently, and the wine was everything Nicalo promises in his selections. Lively and bright, with wonderful mouth-watering acidity and a hint of vanilla oak, it practically sang a solo in the glass. Nicalo believes wines are meant to be enjoyed around the table, with food, and the Grüner Veltliner was certainly a candidate for pairing with a tangy salad or a selection of cheeses, but it was the kind of wine that was so vibrant, I hated to use it as a supporting player, so I savored it alone.”

• Jurgin Gothe, Georgia Straight
“Agricola Marrone Moscato d’Asti Sole d’Oro 2007 ($27.95) This one tops the list this time, both in terms of price and tasters’ preference. It couldn’t be any fresher, brighter, or more instantly appealing. The bubbles are soft (no built-in burp factor) and, yes, 28 bucks is a bit of a heartbreak, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find any better in B.C. at this time. This is one of those newly arrived Farmstead wines, and we found unanimity almost at once: it goes on the Best of the Year list, so we’ll taste it again around Christmastime – if there’s any more to be found. It finishes with an intriguing little tongue buzz from just a hint of the fizziness. One of the great finds of 2008. And there’s the healthy thing, right? Now, I’ve never drunk wine because it’s good for me, but the fact that it’s organic is an attractive bonus.”

• Julie Pegg, Eat Magazine
“Just as Kermit Lynch had done 20 years before, 32-year-old Nicalo follows his own off-the-beaten track to source and purchase wines only from growers he knows. He’s coined them “vinaroons,” an old English term meaning farmer/winemaker. Nicalo’s philosophy is, above all, “reconnecting wine to agriculture.” All Farmstead wines are farmed sustainably…And like Alice Waters, Nicalo only sources the best ingredients for his stove and pantry. On the hot August day I visited, we noshed on tiny purple, white and pink breakfast radishes as well as micro greens from his neatly cropped back garden followed by wild mushroom (from Trout Lake market) pasta (homemade pappardelle made from Anita’s Organic Grain Mill flour). From Cioffi’s there was ricotta salata and, again from the garden, wild strawberries. The earthy noodles washed down with a ripe, rustic 2004 Domaine de Courbissac Minervois, took me right back to the now legendary Berkeley café…”

Anthony Gismondi, Founder of Wine Access Magazine: