When most people think of New World wines, they think of budget brands that, although not bad, do not aim to compete with the best Europe can offer.
 
However, much of this has to do with the choice of producers and not the potential of the regions themselves. Many countries like Chile, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa and the United States have developed into wine producing regions to be reckoned with, and Premier Wines and Spirits aims to introduce the best of what some of these regions produce to Cayman’s wine-drinking public.
 
One of the most intriguing labels represented by Premier is Sbragia Family Vineyards.
 
Ed Sbragia is the former winemaker for Beringer and still serves as winemaster emeritus for the well-respected winery.
 
All the wines from Sbragia Family Vineyards are single vineyard wines, which allows the individual character of each vineyard to shine through.
 
As family run business, Sbragia takes what he has practiced at Beringer and makes it more personal for a product that is well worth a closer look.
 
Another interesting winery in the Premier line-up is Cono Sur from Chile. One of the main features of the winery, apart from the quality of the products, is the brand’s deep commitment to environmental consciousness.

Cono Sur’s signature wine is Ocio, the first ultra-premium Pinot Noir from Chile. The winery also produces the Vision range of single vineyard wines, as well as an organic range.
 
The winery has some 250 hectares under an organic programme in which no man-made chemicals are used, whether as fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides or fungicides. There is also a strong focus on sustainable agriculture, using geese, sheep, insects and plants to help with the control of pests and weeds.
 
The winery was also the first in the world to obtain CarbonNeutral delivery status, back in July 2007. What this amounts to is that the carbon emissions produced by shipping the wine has been offset by greenhouse gas emissions reduction programmes.
 
Another New World wine imported by Premier is Spy Valley from New Zealand, a boutique wine company producing whites and reds, with the white wines in particular attracting recognition.
 
On the spirits side of the business, Premier imports Snow Queen vodka, a premium vodka from Kazakhstan. According to those in the know, Kazakhstan is to vodka what Scotland is to whisky. Part of the secret of the vodka is the purity of the water, which is assured using a unique reverse osmosis process and sand filtering until only pure water remains. With no synthetic ingredients added during the manufacturing, the vodka remains absolutely pure.
 
Premier is also the importer of Molly’s Irish Cream, a blend of fresh Irish cream, aged Irish whiskey, fine Irish spirits and natural chocolate flavours.