Photograph by Kevin A. Roberts
If you haven’t noticed, the beverage industry is being shaken like a Ramos fizz: The “mixologist” is replacing the lowly bartender, and the cicerone (beer expert) is gaining ground on the sommelier. So is a glass of wine becoming as passé as a gin and tonic? Not if you spend a few minutes with Flora Tersigni, owner of four-month-old Royalty Importers. Last November, before the company even had a warehouse, she invited a dozen vintners over from Italy to conduct a grand wine tasting, followed by wine dinners at four restaurants over several consecutive nights—a first for St. Louis. A powerhouse, you say? She will be, just like that ’04 Brunello di Montalcino resting in her cellar.
Did your family have experience in the wine business?
Where I grew up in Italy, in Abruzzo, I remember every family making wine and everyone had at least a relative who sold wine.
When did your family emigrate from Italy?
When Mussolini was overthrown, my father was in the Italian army and refused to fight alongside the Germans, who then him off to a concentration camp where he learned metalworking. When my mother, father, and me emigrated to Michigan in 1954, his POW experience landed him a job as a tool and die maker at Ford Motor Company, which allowed us the means to help support the rest of the family back in Italy.
Did any of your family stay in the business?
I was part of the third generation in the business. Our children, who now own Reali Distributing near Detroit, are the fourth.
When did you move to St. Louis?
When we moved here in 2005, we had no intention of growing the business we started in Michigan, but the more we went out to eat, my husband would say “your wines are much better than this,” and the more we entertained, guests would ask “can you get us more wines like this?” That’s when I knew those brands were needed here.
What did you learn in Italy there that you could apply to the wine business here?
My first vineyard was one in the Veneto region, one that my cousin owned. I thought that vineyard produced the very best example of that grape varietal and my goal ever since has been to duplicate that experience and get that kind of wine over here.
I’m curious, what varietal did your family grow there?
Trebbiano di Lugana, a sub-variety of Trebbiano, a varietal well known in Veneto, not so much here. My cousin introduced me to the man who makes a very good Pinot Grigio, which I import here [Branko “Collio” Pinot Grigio, 92 points from Robert Parker]. Finding good wine hinges on making good contacts. From one comes the next, comes the next…
How long have you cultivated these contacts?
It took a long time and a lot of tasting to find wines with unique characteristics. I was not trying to direct the marketplace, but rather make Royalty unique in sourcing only hand-harvested varietals where the winemaker was involved, passionately involved.
The Italians see wine and food as being forever paired, correct?
And there needs to be harmony in those pairings. I have a fairly good palate and all I’m looking for is the best representation of a varietal, hopefully some nuance that I hadn’t tasted before. Too much oak, too much alcohol—too much of anything extra—is not what we’re about, although there are people who like those qualities. Each one of our wines has a uniqueness; each one is authentic.
Does authenticity affect food pairings?
If you had a cabernet that was overripe and highly alcoholic, you’d have a harder time pairing it with food than a cab made without all that. The same holds true for all of our wines. No part of the wine hits you over the head. Consequently, they pair better and go with more things.
Some folks call that quality “typicity,” being typical of the grape varietal.
It’s a sense of “somewhereness” versus “nowhereness.” Many Pinot Grigio’s have no provenance; the grapes could have come from anywhere. I don’t want our Pinots tasting like chardonnay. Our wines come from sustainable, family vineyards that produce 2000 cases per year versus the Kendall Jackson’s 3 million cases…and that’s just their Chardonnay.
What’s wrong with machine harvesting?
All kinds of undesirables get collected when using mechanical pickers--some living, some not. Our growers consider themselves stewards of the land: they not only harvest by hand but also cull the bad bunches--some using embroidery scissors--to be used as compost. That kind of dedication is seen in the grower’s bottle…the discussion often gets so personal you think they were talking about their children.
Don’t most boutique wine distributors tout their wines’ uniqueness?
That’s why we taste ours blind against theirs. That’s the only way to see if anyone’s wines are truly unique. You must shut out all other stimuli.
St. Louis has a lot of Italian restaurants that serve a lot of Italian wine. Does that make your job easier?
Yes, but restaurateurs are picky customers…your wine has to be good. And of course I patronize their restaurants and speak Italian when I’m there, both of which they appreciate.
Are they like most consumers, and buy predominantly on price?
Many times, yes. But if your wine is unique enough—and consumers know this, too--price becomes less of an issue.
What’s your favorite Italian restaurant in town? Dare I ask?
Each one truly has it’s own personality, so it’s impossible to pick. But I do have favorite dishes at each of them—the Bolognese sauce at Dominic’s, the piccata at Napoli, Portabella for something different…
I understand Royalty imports more than just wine.
We also import olive oils, food products, artwork…but we’re focusing on one part of the portfolio at a time, even though there is a newfound interest in olive oils here…St. Louis has always been a center for Italian cuisine, and that, next to New York City, St. Louis has the second largest Italian-American population in the country. As different olive oils come on the scene—and is proven to be a healthier oil for you—the mystique intensifies.
You worked in the corporate world, when did you decide wine was to be your business and not just your hobby?
So much of the wine that was out there was good, not great. I knew I had tasted better in our travels through Italy…so much undiscovered quality, different twists that simply were not available here.
There are importers that seem to favor one region or one varietal? True for you as well?
No, there are 234 labels in our portfolio, spanning every wine making region in Italy. There is one local restaurateur who carries every wine that we offer. I don’t think any other importer can make that claim.
How did you launch your company?
I asked a dozen winery owners living in Italy to my home for a big tasting and invited a group of local restaurateurs. All of them came, unusual because it was during evening hours when most of them insist on being in their restaurants.
The restaurateurs then helped host consecutive wine dinners at their restaurants over the next several nights.
After those events, once the winemakers got to actually meet their American customers, feelings changed on both sides. Each felt they had a vested interest; they really wanted to support each other. I was glad to bring both of them together. I felt like I was bringing two families together. Now we don’t say goodbye or ciao, we say un abbraccio, which means “a hug.”
Very impressive.
A few days later, a friend sponsored another tasting at Old Warson where we sold $30,000 worth of wine in two hours. After those events, we knew we were onto something. I did not expect kind of affirmation and those kinds of quantities. Until then, we hadn’t even discussed how we were going to introduce Royalty to St. Louis. Looking back, I guess that week was it.
What do you have planned for this year?
First, we just wanted to make the wines available to the St. Louis public, which we have done. All future events will be organized to benefit the community, not to pad Royalty’s pockets. It’s simply our way of contributing. A bocce tournament will benefit a charity or church on the Hill; a women’s event—planned around our seven female vintners—will benefit local breast cancer awareness… We’re literally just getting started.
Are there plans to expand the business beyond St. Louis?
I owe it to my vintners to expand their businesses, so we plan to take it statewide and to selected markets beyond Missouri.
Where to Wine
Portions of Flora Tersigni’s portfolio of wines can be found at the following wine stores and restaurants:
The Wine and Cheese Place
The Wine Merchant
Grapevine Wines
WineStyles
Il Bel Lago
Giovanni’s
Dominic’s/Dominic’s Trattoria/
Cafe Napoli/Napoli 2
Portabella
Trattoria Marcella
Lo Russo’s
The Crossing
Acero
Liluma
Terrace View
