WHO IS IMPORTS INC./chicago?

Imports Inc./chicago is Beverly Malen, a Chicago based entrepreneur previously known as the owner of Photo 60, the city's first one hour photo shop. After running her photo business for 15 years in Piper's Alley and then in the heart of Wicker Park she decided to totally change directions. Encouraged and initially coached by the late (greatly missed) Pete "Rudi" Rudiger, Beverly decided to import wine.

As with many circumstances in her life, a series of fortuitous co-incidences brought to her doorstep a portfolio of wines from Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of the lesser known of Italy's wine regions. These were produced by wineries with limited or no exposure to the American market, many made from varietals no one had heard of or could pronounce, least of all Beverly. But she loved the wine. "I never even liked white wine until I met the whites of Friuli, specifically until I met Tocai," Beverly freely admits, adding "The reds were more interesting than any I had ever tasted partly because they had more complexity and depth of flavor and partly because they were a substantial step up in quality from my usual quaff, although not more costly in most cases."

Thus bolstered by her full confidence in the quality — if not the marketability — of her wines Beverly set out to learn the business and begin to know the wine community. She went to Friuli to visit the wine-makers, met their families who had been producing the wines for several generations, visited their vineyards, learned their history and began studying Italian. Now not only can she pronounce Schioppettino without even pausing to think, she can speak to Emilio Bulfon, one of the most unique wine makers in Italy (as well as an all-around nice guy), in his own language.

Since the wines arrived on the shores of Lake Michigan, they have found their way into some of our most exclusive restaurants, onto the shelves of some of our best known retailers and onto the tables of some of Chicago's most knowledgeable wine connoisseurs. Many have won awards at international wine fairs and have been highly praised by Gambero Rosso, Robert Parker and the Italian Sommelier's Guide "Due Mille Vini," as well as other wine guides.

THE FRIULI PORTFOLIO OF WINERIES

Borgo San Daniele
Emilio Bulfon
Casere
Dal Fari
Dorigo
Oscar Filiputti
Furlan
Isola Augusta
LaViarte
Moschioni
Petrussa
Pra Di Pradis

THE WINES FEW HAD HEARD OF UNTIL NOW!

Ancellota
Cividin
Picolit
Picolit Neri
Pignolo
Ramandolo
Refosco
Ribolla Gialla
Riesling Italico
Schioppettino
Tazzalenghe
Tocai Friulano
Uculut
Verduzzo

THESE PRODUCERS ALSO PRODUCE EXCELLENT

Chardonnay (un-oaked)
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Merlot Rosato (dry rose)
Moscato Rosa Brut
Pinot Bianco
Pinot Bianco Brut
Pinot Grigio
Sauvignon
Traminer

AND EXTRORDINARY BLENDS

Arbis Blanc (Sauvignon, Chardnnay, Pinot Bianco, Tocai)
Arbis Ros (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pignolo)
Augusteo (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc)
Bianco delle Grazie (Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon, Tocai)
Bianco Petrussa (Tocai, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco)
Celtico Bianco (Tocai, Chardonnay)
Celtico Rosso (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)
Gotis di Rosade (Tocai, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla)
Liende (Tocai, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla, Riesling)
Montsclapade (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot)
Rosso Dorigo (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pignolo)
Rosso D'Orsone (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Schioppettino)
Rosso Petrussa (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon)
SoleTerraVita (Merlot, Refosco)
Stuccara (Merlot, Cabernet Franc)
Tai (Tocai based blend — this year Tocai, Riesling, Sauvignon, Traminer)

THE THREE WHO BREAK THE MOLD

Dos Cabezas, Arizona!
Marco Donati, Trentino
Malvirà, Piemonte

PRODUCING WONDERFUL REGIONAL VARIETALS

From Trentino:
Lagrein
Marzimino
Moscato Giallo
Muller Thurgau
Nosiola
Riesling Renano
Teroldigo

From Piemonte:
Barbera D'Alba
Brachetto
Roero Arneis
Roero Superiore (100% Nebbiolo)

Cochise County, Arizona:
Chardonnay
Riesling
Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon

AND MORE EXTRAORDINARY BLENDS

Langhe San Guglielmo (Nebbiolo, Barbera and Bonarda)
Langhe Treuve (Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Arneis)
Vino Del Maso (Lagrein, Teroldigo and Merlot)
Novai (Teroldigo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot)
Toscano (Sangiovese and Merlot)
La Montana (Petit Syrah and Merlot)