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Alvento, home of quality red blends, Viognier and Nebbiolo, told to sell winery

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It is a sad end to a rather wonderful chapter in Niagara wineries.

The delightful, warm and dedicated couple, Bruno Moos and Elyane Moos Grenier, along with their partner, Morrie Neiss, have ended their feud over the ownership of the Alvento Winery in Vineland, with a judge ruling that the 50-50 partners must sell the winery and vineyards and go their separate ways, Elyane told me today. I have not seen the court order and do not know all the details, but I can say that it is a devastating development for the Moos.

It will end 10 great years in Niagara for the Moos and their well-made Bordeaux-style red blends, Viogniers and an exquisite Nebbiolo, one of only two made in Niagara (the other is at Ridgepoint).

Bruno and Elyane are the visible partners but put in less capital into the project. They took reduced salaries to make, market and run the retail store for less of a financial contribution in the partnership, said Elyane.

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The way she explained it to me, the differences between the partners had everything to do with the portfolio: Bruno and Elyane wanted to build a quality, boutique brand, the other partner wanted some less expensive, more popular wines to round out the portfolio at the lower end. Once the differences couldn’t be resolved, it went to court and a decision was rendered. It’s as simple as that. A difference of opinions on how to run the business made more difficult when the partners are equals.

CIMG5898Alvento is such a treasure in Niagara. They make boutique, small-production, hand-crafted and artisinal wines that are basically hand sold to wine lovers (though Vintages had just started taking notice) who appreciate well-made wine. I can’t remember a time when Elyane or Bruno haven’t been behind the counter enthusiastically pouring their wines. Bruno accepts nothing other then the best. He just won’t sell or make sub-par wines. The Moos have been growing grapes at their five-hectare waterfront Vineland estate for nearly 10 years, crafting three different styles of Bordeaux blends (which changed to two styles in 2008) as well as a Viognier and a Nebbiolo.

They have kept their promise to produce only ultra high quality wines or they will not bottle the vintage.

“We were just starting to do so well,” Elyane said today. “Our preference would be stay here but with a different partner.”

I don’t know a lot of the details of the court case, only what Elyane has told me. And I have never met or talked to the other partner.

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Alvento Merlot grapes still on the vine.

Alvento is in the process of selling off its 2011 grapes and some of it is still on the vine (such as some of the Merlot). A lot of it has already been sold, including the Nebbiolo to Ridgepoint, of course.

Before the sale goes forward, an appraiser will access the value of the operation and the assets, including the inventory. They have been given a date of late January to make a sale or it will simply close.

There is plenty of inventory. 43,000 bottles, 27,000 litres of juice not yet bottled of high-quality wine. Some of the 2011 harvest that wasn’t sold is now sitting in tanks. They plan on bottling the 2010 Viognier and the 2010 reds are all in barrel (irony alert! Probably the best reds ever made at Alvento are sitting in barrels in limbo). The 09 reds are still in barrel while the 2008s are in tanks ready to bottle.

It is sad. Very sad.

The Moos toiled in the vineyards of Tuscany for 17 years before chasing their dream in Niagara 10 years ago. And now?

“I think for us we are finished.”

Sad, indeed.