News & Events
June 05, 2023
FEATURED: Welcome to Cream: Swick Wines
A 5th generation Oregonian, Joe Swick is making some of the Pacific Northwest’s most unadulterated wines. He caught the wine bug while working in the wine department of his local Portland organic specialty food store. Soon, he landed at Owen Roe as a cellar hand, the beginning of a journey that took him to Piedmont, Tasmania, and Portugal. After nine years and fifteen vintages, it was time to start his own winery.
May 11, 2023
FEATURED: Michigan Wine Seminar & Tasting May 15th
There is a wine movement happening in Michigan.
History is in the making.
Our palates are stimulated by what’s happening northeast of us. We are invigorated and state with conviction that Michigan is the new frontier for fine wine.Why?
Opportunity
Talent
Land Cost
Climate Change
Passion
Fresh Water
Carbon Neutrality/Sustainability
We represent mavericks defying perceptions and disrupting the notion that fine wine ≠ Michigan wine. They are making delicious artisan wines (don’t forget ciders too!) from a variety of grapes, with an experimentation spirit alive and well. Many are single vineyard bottlings to showcase the terroir. Organic, biodynamic, and even regenerative farming principles are becoming the norm. Some are even making natural wines.
We invite you to meet our producers, taste, and learn about the past, present, and future of Michigan wine.
This is an industry only event.
SCHEDULE 10:00AM TO 11:30AM : Seated Seminar The seated seminar is limited to 30 people. Join our producers for a panel discussion and guided tasting of 4 flights. Learn about the past, present, and future of Michigan wine. RSVP MANDATORY.
12:00PM-2:30PM : Walk-Around Tasting Converse one-on-one with each producer as you taste through their whole portfolio of wines available in the Illinois market. RSVP requested but not required.
PRODUCERS BOS Left Foot Charley Modales Stranger Wine Co. Wyncroft
April 17, 2023
FEATURED: Cream Sake Week May 1-5 - Event Calendar
MONDAY, MAY 1ST - SAKE WEEK KICK OFF!
TUESDAY, MAY 2ND
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3RD
Cream Sake Portfolio Tasting - Trade Only @ Bridge 410 11-2pm
Sake Tasting Happy Hour w/ Mas Takeda of Wine of Japan @ Sushi-San 3:30-6pm (no reservations required)
THURSDAY, MAY 4TH
- World Sake Imports By The Glass Takeover @ Arami All Night Long
FRIDAY, MAY 5TH
March 20, 2023
FEATURED: SOIF WEEK 2023 - Event Schedule
SOIF WEEK EVENTS
Wednesday, March 22nd
Thursday, March 23rd
Little Trouble & Ruth Lewandowski Wine Tasting @ Easy Does It 5-8pm
Pet Nat Posse Pizza Party @ All Together Now! featuring Mersel Wines
Friday, March 24th
Mersel Happy Hour @ Consignment Lounge 4-6pm
Stranger Wine Co. Dinner @ Wherewithall - All Dinner Service
Les Lunes/Populis Wine Tasting @ Diversey Wines 5-8pm
Zev Rovine Selections BTG Takeover @ Red & White - All Night - They will be OPEN LATE!
Saturday, March 25th
Pizza & Natural Wine @ Middle Brow featuring Les Lunes, Las Jaras, Ruth Lewandowski, and Mersel - Wines by the glass, by the bottle, and $20 tastings 2-5pm
Little Trouble & Ruth Lewandowski Dinner @ Wherewithall - All Dinner Service
Chateau Beru / Zev Rovine BTG Takeover @ Table, Donkey, & Stick 5-7pm
Mersel Dinner @ Galit - All Dinner Service
Les Lunes/Populis BTG Takeover @ Outside Voices 8-10pm
Zev Rovine Selections Wine Tasting @ Diversey Wine 7-9pm
Sunday, March 26th
Monday, March 27th
February 14, 2023
FEATURED: Cream Rose & Orange Wine Tasting
Monday, February 27th
12:30-3:30pm at Bridge410
Do you recall our past rosé tasting known as Pink Floyd & The Wall of Rosé? It was a fun and successful way to taste the new releases as well as check in with the current stock (premiere & retrospective)…and find homes for both.
Rosé, once a seasonal beverage, is now on lists all year. Vintage seems to matter less and less to the end consumer. The category has evolved. We think this is fantastic. May the year 2023 be the rosé lover’s year!
Orange wine is a phenomenon that doesn’t seem to be slowing. Some are funky and tannic. Some are light and aromatic (hello orange Muscat!). Consumers seem to be exploring and enjoying all the category has to offer, from BTG options to the serious producers like Gravner & Dario Princic.
Thus, we invite you to our first ever combined Cream Rosé & Orange Wine Tasting!
We hope you can make it.
TRADE ONLY | RSVP Required to Tori@creamwine.com
Bridge410
410 N. Paulina Street
Chicago, IL 60622
Parking: Brige410 has a parking lot for those who are driving. Paulina also has easy street parking that is not metered.
Public Transportation: Bridge410 is an 8 minute walk from the Ashland and Lake Green Line and Pink Line stop.
January 17, 2023
FEATURED: More Amorro this February 14th
November 29, 2022
FEATURED: Winter White Party on 12/12/2022
HOSTS: Cream + Olé & Obrigado
FEATURING: Winter White Wines & Sparkling Wine
TUNES: DJ Audio Jack
WHERE: The Charleston Chicago
WHEN: Monday 12/12 from 5-9pm
PLEASE RSVP: Industry Only Event
WHITE ATTIRE ENCOURAGED
November 01, 2022
FEATURED: New Cream Imports: Barone di Villagrande
We have a brand new Cream Imports producer: Barone di Villagrande. We love introducing Chicagoland to some of our favorite finds and buying directly from the source—it takes lots and lots of tasting, but bringing you the good juice / cream of the crop / is our mission.
The story of Barone di Villagrande started 300 years ago. It is the oldest cultivation story on Etna, fundamental to Etna’s wine history, and remarkably continues today with 10th generation Marco Nicolosi at the helm. Located on the eastern side of Mt. Etna, Barone di Villagrande has been growing grapes in some of Earth’s best volcanic soils since 1727, using a minimal intervention approach in winemaking, and letting the soil be the driving force for their wines. Today, this family estate with 10th generation Marco Nicolosi at the helm has 18 hectares of certified organic vineyards.
We are passionate about Etna wines, as many know, and are thrilled to start with their Etna Bianco & Etna Rosso. Contradas are coming next year!
We tasted their Etna Bianco (90% Carricante) recently, and the scent of Granny Smith apples brought back memories of making caramel apples with grandma. Nothing like the first fall apple or rather just drink this! The wine finishes with white fruit, bright acidity, and wonderful minerality with hints of the Mediterranean.
Their Etna Rosso (80% Nerello Mascalese, 20% Nerello Cappuccio) elicits memories of another favorite fall tradition; making soup…do you also crack so much pepper that your wrist gets tired? This wine smells like cracked black pepper and a bouquet of raspberries and blackberries. Herbs and berries show on the smooth palate…the fruit softened from the wine resting in chestnut barrels for one year.
Wines that evoke memories—Fall in Chicago; Active Mt. Etna with a land of Black Basalt; the Ionian Sea Breeze—is there anything better?
October 18, 2022
FEATURED: Green & Red Vineyard - Welcome to Cream!
I have been a longtime fan of this unsung Napa estate located in secluded Chiles Valley. This is way before I first visited and failed to convince Jay Heminway to join our portfolio in the early days of cream circa 2001. We are talking way way back, when Mark and I were selling wine for Vintage in the 1990s. The days of wine and roses, unlimited Kermit burgs and cult Cali.
Then and now Green & Red just hits different. Old vines with rustic soul and singularity. High elevation fruit that balances concentration and finesse. These were the wines I would buy personally in shops and restaurants or trade open bottles with friends and colleagues post big retail tastings.
The wine world is a small one and things usually come full circle. I was thrilled when Jay’s daughter Tobin, now proprietor, reached out and wanted Cream to represent her family business and father’s legacy in Illinois. What a huge honor. We just received the first shipment. Our team and I are excited to show you these wines and represent this Napa Valley treasure alongside other fellow heritage vine heroes Joel Peterson (Once & Future) and Morgan Peterson (Bedrock). Ain’t no school like the old school. When can we taste?
~ Andy Pates
October 11, 2022
FEATURED: Have you had Triticale?
In the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, in the middle of thousands of grapevines, is Branch Point Distillery, a whiskey house that is dedicated to working with Oregon farmers to use local grains to make a totally unique whiskey. They use traditional methods in production like using a low barrel entry proof and no chill filter to maintain the flavors that developed out in the field and in the barrel.
Branch Point’s Trit Whiskey uses Triticale grain, which is a rye-wheat hybrid. This type of grain brings the spice and complexity of rye and the sweeter notes of wheat. By itself, it has notes of caramel corn, vanilla, and green almond with a hint of spice. These notes lend themselves to be used in a stirred cocktail in which this whiskey would shine or even in a Gold Rush to accentuate the honey tones in the whiskey.
Branch Point is named after the moment in your life when you decide to take a new path. A moment that changes your life, and this whiskey may be that moment.
Pictured is a Manhattan. If you like yours with a high rye bourbon, then this is like the best of both worlds.
