Asinone is the top expression from Poliziano and only produced in very good vintages. It is 100% Sangiovese and made from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano is the Tuscan town (not the grape from Abruzzo). Vino Nobile is a top village expression of the Sangiovese grape.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a red wine with a DOCG status from the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano (not ot be confused with Montelpulciano d'Abruzzo). This is one of Italy?s most prestigious DOCG's. Predominantly made from the local Sangiovese strain called Prugnolo Gentile, this is luscious structured and powerful wine with the potential to gracefully age for many years.

Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico is a fabulously affordable expression of Tuscany's great Sangiovese grape, which makes up 95% of the blend here with 5% Merlot providing a softness and supple texture to the wine as well as adding smooth plummy flavours. 

This is a savoury little number with bright acidity adding freshness and length to every sip. This is a tasty little number for drinking now or in the next couple of years.

THE CHIANTI CLASSICO APPELLATION

Chianti Classico is the heart of the wider Chianti production zone and its wines are distinguished by a trademarked black rooster on their labels. The wines of Chianti Classico are higher in quality and noticeably so in taste than wines labelled Chianti, which come from a broader area in Tuscany. The wines taste better because the vines are planted on hillsides with a higher degree of  iron rich soils and a greater diurnal temperature range, which provides more powerful, riper fruit flavours, which are balanced by higher acidity thanks to the cooler night time temperatures. 

The Sangiovese grape must make up 80% of all wines labelled Chianti Classico compared to 70% Sangiovese for wines labelled Chianti. 

Chianti was first defined as a wine producing sub region within Tuscany in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III, whose wanted to protect the integrity of the wines and prevent fraud. The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium was formed in 1924 with the distinctive Black Rooster trademark chosen to feature on the labels. 

Castello Tricerchi Brunello di Montalcino was aged for 24 months in Slavonian oak casks and shows the potential of Sangiovese to age for the very long term. 

Impressive now and a keeper for the wine cellar.

Chianti Classico with a modern twist; Merlot makes up a small portion of this smooth, full bodied Tuscan red, giving it approachability and softness to complement the spicy, red cherry zing of the great Sangiovese grape. 

A Tuscan classic made in a modern style with beauty in every sip. Sensational now and will age superbly for up to a decade. 

Frescobaldi's Nipozzano Riserva Rufina Chianta is named after the Castello Nipozzano and is a delicious complex Riserva Chianti with extended aging time and made from vineyards in Rufina. Wild berries and cherry flavours are flattered by spicy undertones of pepper, nutmeg and roasted coffee. It has a silky texture and layers of depth and interest. 

Iconic big, full bodied red from the hillside town of Montalcino, which is a small enclave of big wines close to the Tuscan coast. Brunello di Montalcinos by law have to be 100% Sangiovese; the great red grape of Tuscany. Maceration and ageing times are long and result in wines that can be kept in a cool dark cellar for 10+ years, evolving beautiful into even more savoury, velvety reds over that time. 

This lovely smooth wine has a powerful structure with aromas of spice, balsamic and ripe dark fruit.

It?s not often we come across wines that date back to 1398 but Chianti is no everyday wine, especially when it's labelled Isole E Olena. All grapes in this wine were hand picked. It's a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 5% Syrah, which balance each other nicely with their ripe red berry flavours of cherries and raspberries which sit alongside complex notes of spice, smoky leather and a hint of cedar. This wine's lively acidity adds a freshness and gives length to the wine. 

This great red will benefit from ageing thanks to stellar winemaking and viticulture from Paolo di Marchi, one of the kings of the Sangiovese grape, who took over the winemaking in 1976. He ended decades of sharecropping and focussed on fine tuning work in the vineyards and pioneered Tuscan reds made entirely from the Sangiovese grape, such as the great Super Tuscan, Cepparello; now one of the region?s most iconic wines. 

Isole e Olena Chianti Classico is one of the great Tuscan reds.Try it. 

THE CHIANTI CLASSICO APPELLATION

Chianti Classico is the heart of the wider Chianti production zone and its wines are distinguished by a trademarked black rooster on their labels. The wines of Chianti Classico are higher in quality and noticeably so in taste than wines labelled Chianti, which come from a broader area in Tuscany. The wines taste better because the vines are planted on hillsides with a higher degree of  iron rich soils and a greater diurnal temperature range, which provides more powerful, riper fruit flavours, which are balanced by higher acidity thanks to the cooler night time temperatures. 

The Sangiovese grape must make up 80% of all wines labelled Chianti Classico compared to 70% Sangiovese for wines labelled Chianti. 

Chianti was first defined as a wine producing sub region within Tuscany in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III, whose wanted to protect the integrity of the wines and prevent fraud. The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium was formed in 1924 with the distinctive Black Rooster trademark chosen to feature on the labels. 

A great Italian red from one of the oldest family owned wineries in the world, which has produced wine since the 1200s. This expressive Chianti Classico is dense and complex with piquant spicy aromas, firm impressive tannins and the energy of a great red from one of the world's classic wine regions.

"Impenetrable dark ruby. Deep, concentrated marasca cherry and cherry liqueur with a minty, oaky note and a hint of cinnamon. A concentrated cherry-fruit palate layered with minty oak notes and lots of sandy tannins building up on the tangy finish. Will disappoint no one."

16.5/20 ? Jancis Robinson Purple Pages

'Dusty violets, lavender and cloves accentuate dried black cherries as the dramatic 2019 Brunello di Montalcino smolders up from the glass. This is impossible to ignore, bursting with energy as depths of ripe red fruits, chalky minerals and exotic spices saturate all they touch, balanced by textures of pure silk. The 2019 finishes with fantastic length and concentration, leaving a staining of tart blackberry and hints of orange that curl the tongue as crunchy tannins tug at the palate. It’s rare to see such a combination of vibrancy and power. Canalicchio di Sopra nailed it in 2019. Wow. Drink 2026-2042'

96/100 Vinous, Eric Guido

"Good bright, dark red.  Pure but restrained nose shows outstanding mineral lift to the aromas of red plum, red cherry, pomegranate and herbs. Densely built but weightless and sappy, with a distinctly juicy fruitiness and energizing minerality to the finegrained fruit and floral flavours. Beautifully delineated and seamless, showing superlative fruit intensity and lift. Long on the dense aftertaste with building, noble tannins. Drinking window: 2028-2045."

97/100 Ian D?Agata

"A solidly built red introduced by aromas of mint, lavender and wild rosemary. Shows cherry, raspberry, earth, iron, sanguine and tobacco flavors allied to an almost viscous texture as this cruises to the long finish. Impressive now, yet will be better in three to f ive years. Best from 2026 through 2045."

 94/100 Wine Spectactor, Bruce Sanderson 

"A juicy and pretty wine with berries, chocolate, and bark. Subtle. Medium-bodied with fine tannins that are slightly chewy and austere now but will soften nicely with age. Better after 2025."

94/100 James Suckling 

"The 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva is another super-classic wine in this range from Fèlsina. Dried herbs, game, scorched earth, tobacco, incense and dark fruit infuse the Riserva with tons of nuance. The Riserva conveys tons of village character as well as the house style. Drink 2024-2040"

93/100 Vinous, Antonio Galloni

"The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casaccia is impossible to ignore; it is earthy and mineral, almost smoky and animal in nature. Ashen stones, violets and balsam herbs complicate depths of dried black cherries, sage and clove. This is deeply textural and seductive, balancing ripe red and black fruits with sweet spice and minty herbal tones that create a kaleidoscope of sensation on the palate. A salty flourish shines through the finale, along with a crunchy tinge of blackberry seeds to contrast, as fine-grained tannins wrap the senses with youthful poise and a bitter twang resonates. The 2019 may be immortal. La Casaccia is a showstopper. Drink 2026-2040'

 100/100 Vinous, Eric Guido

'Produced since the 2015 vintage, Vigna Casaccia is fashioned from 30-year-old vines of the BBS11 clone. Reaching 315 metres, the plot is characterised by a high percentage of brown, magnesium-rich clay. Surely the most impressive release yet, the 2019 exhibits the cru?s intrinsic sumptuous character and girth, along with telltale resinous herb nuances of rosemary, thyme and eucalyptus. yet this year, there is an extra spark. Through that expansiveness, an underlying firmness keeps this from overflowing its limits. Plump fruit marked with a mineral lick and terracotta earthiness is all wrapped up in smooth, velvety tannins, and it carries its 15% alcohol with ease and grace. Drink 2026-2041'

 98/100 Decanter, Michaela Morris

'The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is coy in the glass, youthfully restrained and requires coaxing to reveal its delicate bouquet. With time, a dusty display of dried roses, licorice, cherries, cloves and camphor emanates from the glass. This model of purity is polished, silky and refined with savory spice and mineral-laden red fruits that saturate, all perfectly guided by brisk acidity. It leaves the palate stained in primary concentration, turning inward upon itself. Tart currant and mentholated herb notes add freshness to a web of fine-grained tannins. The 2019 is a breathtaking interpretation of Montosoli fruit. Drink 2027-2042'

 97/100 Vinous, Eric Guido

"Boasting aromas of new leather, eucalyptus, violet, forest floor and spice, the stunning 2019 Vigna Montosoli from Canalicchio di Sopra is an excellent expression of this celebrated site, great vintage and historic winery. Firm and youthfully austere, it delivers ripe raspberry, blackberry, tobacco and licorice before a salty finish. Framed in tightly wound, fine-grained tannins, it?s elegantly structured, packed with energy and intensity, with bright acidity that also keeps it balanced. Give it time to fully develop. A gorgeous wine. Drink 2039?2044."

98/100 Kerin O?Keefe

This complex and affordable Chianti Classico is a full bodied, ripe and powerful wine made from a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, each grape contributing depth, body and balance to the wine. 

This brand was traditionally produced by a well known cooperative with over 60 different grape growers contributing to the blend but the brand has now been acquired by Tenute Piccini, which employs the highly respected consultant oenologist, Riccardo Cotarella.

THE CHIANTI CLASSICO APPELLATION

Chianti Classico is the heart of the wider Chianti production zone and its wines are distinguished by a trademarked black rooster on their labels. The wines of Chianti Classico are higher in quality and noticeably so in taste than wines labelled Chianti, which come from a broader area in Tuscany. The wines taste better because the vines are planted on hillsides with a higher degree of  iron rich soils and a greater diurnal temperature range, which provides more powerful, riper fruit flavours, which are balanced by higher acidity thanks to the cooler night time temperatures. 

The Sangiovese grape must make up 80% of all wines labelled Chianti Classico compared to 70% Sangiovese for wines labelled Chianti. 

Chianti was first defined as a wine producing sub region within Tuscany in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III, whose wanted to protect the integrity of the wines and prevent fraud. The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium was formed in 1924 with the distinctive Black Rooster trademark chosen to feature on the labels.