Meet Dale Ott | Founder, Nossa Imports

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dale Ott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dale, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For myself (Dale), I have wanted to have my own business since I was a kid. I grew up on a farm in Coolidge, Arizona that has been in my family for 4 generations, and we have always been self-employed. Both of us have always wanted to work hard to have the freedom of movement in order to actually move the needle and make changes in our industry. Regarding the world of wine in particular, in a global setting we really only talk about 5 or 6 countries. The history and breadth of wine is so much more vast that just that very limited perspective. Portugal connects the Old World with the New World, and Mexico is the oldest New World wine-growing country on Earth, with nearly half a millennium of wine history. We are honored that we get to work with our producers in both countries, as well as the American public, to fill in the gaps of the global story of wine, as it is also the global story of humanity.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a wine importer, importing the wines of Mexico and Portugal into the United States through my company Nossa Imports. As a sommelier and beverage professional with nearly 2 decades of experience on all tiers of the industry, my partner (also a sommelier) and I found that over the years we were missing a lot of the global story of wine, as we all only really hear about the same 5 or 6 countries regarding their wine production. Because wine is produced in almost every country on Earth, we were excited to find a lot of the international history that we were missing in the countries of Mexico and Portugal. Mexico has the longest wine-growing history of any other country on Earth with nearly 500 years under their belts, and in fact houses the oldest winery in North America, and Portugal connects the Old World with the New World with 250 native varietals and 4 millennia of wine making tradition.
To us, the idea that wine is a restrictive and exclusive luxury item that is unattainable to many is the direct antithesis to the way that we feel about wine. Wine is the magical result of what happens when man and nature sing together in perfect harmony, and it is truly one of the most transportive consumable products on the planet. Wine is about connection: to the land, to the Earth, and to each other.
Regarding our business, importing alcohol is like playing a very long game of telephone in multiple languages, and I have had to learn a lot of flexibility, humility, patience, and tenacity over the past 5 years. Especially given the global climate regarding supply chain, nothing in our industry is a given, but that is what makes it special…it’s really one of the last bastions in the national alcohol industry that really still is a bit like the wild west in many ways.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In Phoenix, I love to:

– Take in the views from the top of Camelback Mountain
– Enjoy a glass at Sauvage, one of my favorite wine bars in the country
– Have a pool day at the Hotel Valley Ho, one of the best examples of Arizona mid century with impeccable programming and service
– Head up to Don Woods on top of the Rise Hotel for a beautiful cocktail
– Spend a day at the Desert Botanical Garden, where my botanist mother and my farmer father were the first people ever to be married
– Wait in line for a bit to grab a seat at Bacanora, some of the best elevated Mexican food in the state
– Slurp down some raw oysters and bubbles at Sottise downtown
– Brunch at Welcome Diner, where our friends have been killing it with delicious food and beverage in a fun and bright space for years

We are obvious food and drink focused!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My co-founder and partner, Stephen Ott, definitely deserves a shoutout. He is the company diplomat and professor. With his family hailing from the Mexican state of Colima, he brings deep cultural ties and understanding to how we interface with the American consumer. Additionally, Sariya Jarasviroj Brown, owner of Circo Vino, is a fellow Tucson-based importer who was a huge help and cheerleader for us. She is one of the minds and the palates that we respect most in the industry and we are very lucky to count her as one of our mentors.

Website: https://www.nossaimports.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nossaimports/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nossa-imports