On Monday, December 15th, City Vino was awarded a plaque recognizing us as one of the Top 10 retail shops for SHABO wine sales in the United States. I am completely floored. Yes, SHABO was part of our Wine Cru back in June, and yes, some bottles sold then. But what surprised me most was what happened afterward. The continued interest. The questions. The repeat purchases. The genuine curiosity. The demand came directly from you. As always, we aim to serve our community, and Fredericksburg embraced Ukrainian wine with enthusiasm. That kind of openness and trust is never assumed and never taken lightly.

Tucked into Italy’s far northeastern corner, where the Alps tumble down toward the Adriatic and the borders of Austria and Slovenia blur, lies a region that quietly produces some of the country’s most elegant and expressive wines, Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It’s a place of contrasts: mountains and sea, Italian warmth and Central European precision, centuries-old tradition and cutting-edge experimentation. For generations, this cultural crossroads has been a meeting ground for empires, merchants, and migrants, and today, for wine lovers seeking something both authentic and quietly extraordinary.

Sam Lerman, CEO of Spyrt Worldwide, a company focused on importing Ukrainian wine, vodka, and other spirits, visited City Vino to share his remarkable journey, the story of SHABO Winery, and a flight of eight Ukrainian wines with the King George Wine Society. The evening was a captivating blend of history, personal mission, and exceptional winemaking. Here are the highlights of a night that took guests from the shores of the Black Sea to the vineyards of Odesa, Ukraine.

Let’s talk about the phrase “room temperature.” Honestly, is this really a universally understood thing? For many of us, it’s that perfect temperature where you can walk around the house in your underwear, binge-watching TV, and not feel too hot or too cold. It’s comfort, it’s balanced—but it's not exactly scientific. And that’s kind of the problem.