Wines Of Kings Founders Announce The bhn Collection- A Limited Edition Barolo, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The Italian Luxury Import Partners Bring Their Experience and Passion to the Table with an Offering of Premium Delicacies & Provisions

PORTLAND, Ore., March 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Winemakers and luxury wine importers Wines of Kings announce the launch of their highly-awaited private label offering, The bhn Collection - wines and specialty goods that honor their exceptional regional origins with unique expression. This debut offering of includes bhn No. 23 2018 Maison Barolo (grown and bottled in the Italian Barolo appellation), bhn No. 15 2021 cold-pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil (hailing from Trapani, Sicily), and bhn No. 8 2022 Parmigiano Reggiano (direct from Parma, Italy) - available now in an extremely limited number of units.

Following the successful 2021 launch Wines of Kings - the direct-to-consumer (and often, cellar-to-cellar) ultra-premium, US wine-import ecommerce business, Italian natives and co-founders Marco Prete and Cristina Fragni have been quietly working for years to develop their very own collection of fine provisions to add to their diverse offering. A venture close and personal to the entrepreneurs hearts, the launch reflects the dedication to providing authentically made products, made exclusively by trusted producers that meet bhn's strict, quality-control standards.

The bhn name – an acronym for "be here now" - reflects the co-founders personal philosophy and demonstrates an ardent attention to detail and persistent quality. Entrepreneurs since their 20's, every product in the bhn Selections portfolio reflects their devotion and creativity, down to the labels, all of which were hand-drawn by founder Marco himself, each carrying their own unique and personal story.

The bhn No. 23 2018 Barolo, the premier bhn Maison Wines offering is a late-harvest Barolo illuminated by power, grace and a focused purity. Derived from 50-year-old Nebbiolo vines at the highest elevations in the Barolo appellation, this complex wine is aged in large oak casks, and the primary fermentation develops over 60 days. Silky and graceful, the complex bouquet exhibits notes of violets, blood orange and rustic, tilled Earth . This inspired, elegant wine evolves in the glass, beaming with poise, elegance and rousing aromas. With only 3,000 bottles in existence, this 2023 debut demonstrates carefully measured intensity and marks the first wine produced by growers that meet the strict, premium, quality-controlled standards.

Made in Parma, Italy, bhn No. 8 2022 Parmigiano Reggiano is made using methods acquired by producers across multiple generations. Its name evokes the tight bond between this product and its territory, recalling undisputed quality and authenticity records. The milk, sourced from local cowsheds, is raw thanks to the rigorous and consistent analysis, resulting in high quality microbiological features with wellness properties. This cheese gently ferments in wooden molds and is finally transferred to aging rooms, where it acquires an inimitable flavor, grainy hue, and soft, creamy texture – distinguishing features. Signature characteristics of the No. 8 cheese are also defined by environmental factors which require precise and careful quality control – honoring the delicate balance among milk, environment and dairy culture, and preserving the essence of the cheese. 100% natural, Parmigiano Reggiano is naturally lactose free, and without any additives or preservatives. The end result is a Parmesan which is ripe with enzymes, nutritionally rich, and decidedly pungent and perfectly sweet - with only 350 units produced for sale.

The bhn No. 15. 2021 Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil arrives from Trapani, Sicily, where it's created with exceptional care. This glossy, velvety delicacy is artfully created by a technique employed by the same family for generations, including a ritual that requires the olive crops are crushed twice a day- at 11:00 AM, and after 5:00 PM at the end of the daily harvest, during peak season. On the surface, No. 15 sparkles, with inflections of herbaceous green. Hints of artichoke and green tomato arouse aromas, the result of manually cropping Belice Nocellara (10%), Cerasuola (60%), and Biancolilla (10%) olives, cultivated 110 mt. above sea level. This golden elixir demonstrates an intensely fruity, perfectly bitter flavor profile and spicy nose, thanks to continuous cold-pressing, which ensures that only the purest expression of the olive is represented. With only 1,000 bottles available, the bhn No. 15 2021 Extra Virgin Olive exhibits an intensely fruity, perfectly bitter flavor profile and spicy nose - destined for bold sauces, swordfish, vegetables, tuna or red meat. 

With a diverse range of sourcing, the bhn founders have historically focused on providing superb, high-end wines purchased directly from producers across Italy, France and Spain. Synonymous with prestigious vintages, their Wines Of Kings enterprise sells most sought-after and beloved wines in the world - selected carefully for their quality, vintage, their producer, and their terroir. After working with top European winemakers for decades - learning, tasting, and testing, they began to rethink the process from scratch in order to develop a portfolio of their own bespoke delights. The bhn private label Collection launches just ahead of the opening of their prestigious wine tasting room– set to debut in Portland in 2023."BHN is really a philosophy we live by. It's about being present in the moment," remarks founder Marco Prete. "It's an anecdote for expressing that when you pay attention in the moment, you will capture a depth and meaning you may not otherwise. The same goes for making wine — you must be present and a captive collaborator with nature, you must be patient and you must be present." "This is a principal we live by," adds co-founder Cristina.

In 2021, the co-founders broadened their ambitions and stepped up their own winemaking game when they opened a US-based wine-making facility in Portland, another milestone in the journey towards launching their own bespoke offering. In 2022, they purchased 81 Acres in the McMinnville appellation in Willamette Valley, Oregon, home to generations of winemakers. Thanks to his years spent studying great cellar masters, the founders found and identified a specific terroir in this region, replete with a dense, nutrient-rich soil, spectacular for harvesting grapes. The quality of the soil is unlike anything in the region, distinguishing the estate from other wineries in the area. Fermentation process is already underway for bhn No. 30 2022 Pinot Noir and bhn No. 33 2022 Chardonnay.

The current bhn Selection - bhn No. 23 2018 Barolo ( $199), bhn No. 15 2021 cold-pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($99.00 US, *sold in 2-pack bottles), and bhn No. 8 2022 Parmigiano Reggiano $99 USD (1 kg=2.2 lbs) are all available in limited quantities and can be purchased at Wines of Kings and bhn Collection

For More information, visit Wines of Kings and https://bhn.wine/

Hi-Res Assets can be Found HERE

MEDIA CONTACT / PRESS INQUIRES:
Erin Smolinski, Public Relations Consultant
[email protected]

For Sales or Marketing Related Inquiries:
Marco Prete: [email protected]
Cristina Fragni: [email protected]

SOURCE Wines of Kings