Morrell & Company

Profile

The Morrell family takes so much pride in its oenophilic history (which dates back to the twenties) that the company has parlayed it into a slogan: Taste You Can Trust. And you can. Samuel and Joseph Morrell joined the American wine trade pre-Prohibition and survived the setback by selling to churches and hospitals�the only establishments not banned from purchasing alcohol. Current Chairmen Peter Morrell's résumé includes opening a wine school aimed at consumers and buying two 1865 magnums of Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux in 1970 for an unheard of price of $520. This love for rich reds shows: The deceivingly compact headquarters in Rockefeller Center features up to 5,000 labels with specializations in Bordeaux, Brunello and Barolo, and California Cabernet. The entrance showcases some of these pricey collectibles locked behind Plexiglas with price tags upwards of $4,000, but value wines under $15 are also plentiful and are afforded equal space in the annual catalogue of the 100 Best Wines of the Year. — Alexandra Vallis