Ouroboros, or uroboros, defined as “a circular symbol depicting a snake, or less commonly a dragon, swallowing its tail, is an emblem of wholeness or infinity.”
After losing his job as a wine and beverage director in New York City because of the pandemic, Sam Anderson found a new purpose when he relocated to Delaware and resurrected his longtime passion for winemaking.
Specializing in artisanal beverages for over a decade, the 39-year-old recently founded Ouro Wines, a company that connects small, natural wineries from around the globe with wine shops and restaurants in Delaware.
Ouro’s vinos are sourced from winemakers who use only organic farming techniques, ferment their vintages with naturally occurring yeasts and forgo traditional cellar techniques or chemical additives.
Anderson is the first distributor in Delaware to focus solely on natural wines after recognizing the underserved niche in the market.
The idea for Ouro was uncorked in late summer 2020 after Anderson and his wife relocated here and realized they had connections to wines brands that shop owners wanted to carry. Working with those shops and somms from initial tastings to sale to delivery, Anderson describes it as a “create your own adventure.”
Ouro features an extensive list of wine offerings that ranges from a German Daniel & Jonas chardonnay to a fruity and floral French Patapon from a vineyard in Le Briseau.
“These winemakers in particular are benchmark producers for what we have called the natural wine movement, which I think is probably one of the most influential developments in the culinary and beverage landscape in a very long time,” Anderson says.
Natural wine is exactly what it sounds like, he explains—organic farming means no pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. The wines also receive minimal intervention and fewer or no flavor additives. Unlike conventional wines, these are left alone during the fermentation process.
Best of all, there are no added sulfites, a common trigger for hangovers, and are typically lower in alcohol, making them incredibly food friendly.
For more information on Ouro Wines, visit ouro-wines.com.
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