Tasty Tuscan rosso with ripe lush red berry flavours in a soft, smooth and succulent, blend, made mostly of Tuscany's great Sangiovese with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon to add structure and a commanding presence. Affordably delicious wine for drinking now and over the next two years. 

It's named after the Villa di Remole in Tuscany, which has been owned by the Fresobaldi family for over 700 years. 

The wine is aged four months in stainless steel and two months in bottle, prior to release.

Altitude adds character to this beautiful savoury Chianti Classico from a hillside vineyard in Gaiole; 500 metres above sea level where cool nights preserve freshness. Hand picked grapes were fermented in stainless steel and the wine was aged for 12 months in barriques and stainless steel. 

Flavours run a broad spectrum of flavours from ripe black berries, cherry, wood and spice into a beautifully complex wine with lovely length and excellent potential for further aging in your cellar or dark, cool corner. 

Bright and deep garnet color. The nose is rich and concentrated with hints of blueberries, licorice and cocoa. The palate is fresh and juicy. Balsamic and appealing scents of graphite lead to mellow notes of rhubarb. Fine-grained and silky tannins. The 2018 Promis perfectly mirrors the Mediterranean scrubland of which it is surrounded.

Blend: 55% Merlot, 35% Syrah, 10% Sangiovese

"Amazing wine of power," we wrote in our notes after tasting this maverick blend of Nebbiolo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the great Gaja family in Barbaresco, in Piemonte, north west Italy. This wine is produced along biodynamic guidelines and is named after the site of Moresco, hence Sito Moresco; a reference to the previous owner of the vineyard, to whom Angelo Gaja and his daughter, Gaia Gaja both want to pay tribute. 

On the face of things, it can sometimes seem at odds with the strong personalities of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo to blend them both together, but it works in this wine because both get to express themselves, with Merlot adding juicy ripe flavours.

Classic old school Negroamaro created by the legendary oenologist Severino Garofano; considered to be one of Puglia’s greatest. Severino passed away in 2018, and the winery is now run by his brilliant son and daughter. Both are trained winemakers, who only work with Negroamaro – Salento’s most ancient grape variety.

Redolent of liquorice and tobacco with cherry fruit and spice, this is an elegant wine that totally over-delivers for its price.

A superbly structured and beautifully velvet expression of Montepulciano that is overflowing with ripe plum flavours. New oak adds smoky sandalwood aromas and an elegant framework to this outstanding full bodied southern Italian red wine.  

This great white is made from one of Italy’s oldest known white grape varieties – and undoubtedly one of its best, Verdicchio. This grape originates either in the Marché region on central Italy’s east coast or it comes from the Veneto region in the north. It’s found in both regions but goes under different names in each (as Verdicchio or as Trebbiano). Those details aside, Verdicchio makes wines with intense lemon flavours, a medium to full body and lingering finish, due to its relatively high acidity. The best Verdicchio can age well for up to a decade.

Garofoli’s Podium shows another side to Italian wine; it’s a complex dry white for drinking now and can also undoubtedly age well. Try it. 

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. 

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is one of Italy's great reds and comes from Montalcino, a hillside town that's about 42 kilometres from the city of Siena, 150 kilometres from Florence and is 567 metres above sea level. 

Brunello di Montalcino must legally be aged for five years prior to its release in bottle, so when looking at the great wines from this small township, it's important to take that into consideration. 

The name Brunello comes from the Italian word Bruno, which means brown. It was given to the grape variety that Brunello di Montalcino is made from; it's a 100% varietal wine, meaning it is made entirely from only one grape variety. And until 1879, that grape was thought to be a distinctively different variety than the main grape in Tuscany, namely Sangiovese. 

In 1879, it was discovered that the Brunello grape is, in fact, a clone of Sangiovese which happens to produce particularly powerful, velvety smooth reds in this little highly prized hillside appellation. So, Brunello is one of Tuscany's few red wines that is made 100% from the Sangiovese grape and it is one of Italy's great red wines. 

This fabulous Italian red is old school Barolo with a modern twist; clean, bright and fresh with savoury, earthy flavour notes and a truffly overtone that says Piemonte and Nebbiolo in every lingering sip.

Castellero is a 0.4 hectare vineyard, situated between Bussia and Cannubi, which produces wine full of earthy freshness and flavours of roasted mushrooms, porcini supported by a firm backbone of refreshing floral notes and firm acidity, which provides this wine with its long finish. 

The winemaking is considered traditional. Long macerations of up to 40 days see the wine go through a natural fermentation without added yeast in steel tanks. It was then aged for 30 months in Slavonian oak barrels. It's old school with a modern twist; clean, bright and fresh with savoury, earthy flavour notes and a truffly overtone that says Piemonte and Nebbiolo in every lingering sip.

What the critics say

Wine Enthusiast - 94 points

"Rose, wild berry, baking-spice aromas mingle with whiffs of menthol. Linear and structured, the vibrant palate delivers raspberry, orange zest, cinnamon and tobacco set against tightly knit, refined tannins while bright acidity keeps it balanced and energized. Drink 2024–2036."

Vinious Media - 93+ points

"The 2016 Barolo Castellero captures so much of what makes this site special. Mint, lavender, blood orange, raspberry and chalk notes give he 2016 striking aromatic brightness to play off its translucent, mid-weight feel. A wine of tremendous fascinating complexity, the Castellero will delight readers who enjoy classically-built Barolos. The Castellero is perhaps not quite as deep as the most complete wines in this lineup, but that is really splitting hairs at this level."

James Suckling - 93 points

"Aromas of strawberries and spices and hints of wet earth follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a long, driven finish, Better after 2022."

Giacomo Fenocchio's winemaking philosophy

Giacomo Fenocchio is regarded as one of the best Barolo producers today. Here's a piece that sums up why he is so highly respected and what makes his wines an authentic expression of Piemonte as a wine region.

"Claudio Fenocchio took over from his father Giacomo in 1989 – probably the moment of greatest pressure to follow the ‘modern’ winemaking path of short fermentations and aging in new barriques. In fact, it’s difficult now to understand how much pressure was exerted – from peers and neighbors, old and young, from the press, importers, customers, and that mysterious thing called “the market”. It took a strong will to resist, and a strong devotion to tradition. Lucky for us that Claudio stuck with the best of tradition – organic farming, long fermentations, and aging in large Slavonian oak casks. Easy for us too, since we get to drink his wines. Here’s a rare group of Fenocchio bottles spanning the generations, and ending with the beautiful 2016s."

From Chalmers Street Wine

Giacomo Fenocchio is regarded as one of the best Barolo producers today. Here's a piece that sums up why he is so highly respected and what makes his wines an authentic expression of Piemonte as a wine region.

What the critics say

"Woodland-berry, new leather, camphor and fragrant blue-flower aromas align in the glass. Showing youthful tension and depth, the palate is still immaturely austere but delivers juicy cherry, raspberry and licorice alongside firm, refined tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2024–2041." 

96 points
Wine Enthusiast

"The Villero cru is quickly gaining in prestige and celebrity. The 2016 Barolo Villero raises the bar on this group of new releases from Giacomo Fenocchio. If some of the other Baroli are slightly muddled in aromas, this wine shows a greater degree of focus and precision. You are aware of clear aromas of black fruit, plum, spice, leather and cured tobacco. The tannins are textured but integrated into the rich fiber of this vintage."  

92 points
Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Giacomo Fenocchio's winemaking philosophy

"Claudio Fenocchio took over from his father Giacomo in 1989 – probably the moment of greatest pressure to follow the ‘modern’ winemaking path of short fermentations and aging in new barriques. In fact, it’s difficult now to understand how much pressure was exerted – from peers and neighbors, old and young, from the press, importers, customers, and that mysterious thing called “the market”. It took a strong will to resist, and a strong devotion to tradition. Lucky for us that Claudio stuck with the best of tradition – organic farming, long fermentations, and aging in large Slavonian oak casks. Easy for us too, since we get to drink his wines. Here’s a rare group of Fenocchio bottles spanning the generations, and ending with the beautiful 2016s."

From Chambers Street Wines

Outstanding new vintage 2019 Barolo from a classic producer. Giacomo Fenocchio has a reputation for producing classic traditional Barolo with traditional long maceration times, of up to 40 days on skins with natural indigenous yeasts. 

The result is a group of stellar Barolos that can age for between 10 to 20 years in good cellaring conditions and which offer exceptional value for money. The style is savoury all the way from the clean, fresh, earthy note to the rich mushroom, truffle, tar and roses notes that typifies great Barolo. This wine punches above its weight for its price and will age gracefully.

100% Freisa from hillside sites of Helvetian soils with clayey sediments, blue marl and tuff at around 300 metres.

Traditional fermentation with skin contact and natural yeasts for approximately 8 days in stainless steel tanks prior to aging for six months in stainless steel and six months in Slavonian oak barrels - subsequent refinement in bottle

An intense ruby red colour with intense spicy aroma and flavours (red cherry, black cherry, raspberry, grilled red plum, violet, rose, and cocoa bean) with good body and tannins.

This Langhe Nebbiolo offers a great opportunity to get up close and personal with one of the world's great (and one of the trickiest) red grapes. Concentration of flavour and fresh acidity with earthy darkness and flavour interest all make this wine a winner - and, we think, one that offers stunning value for money as a great introduction what the superlative Nebbiolo grape is all about.

Claudio Fenocchio is the fifth generation of winemakers in the family and succeeded his father Giacomo in running the family business in 1989, triggering debate about modernist versus traditionalists in Barolo. Claudio's approach is different yet again; radical traditionalism. His aim is to make wines that are approachable in youth rather than austere but can also age impressively with time in the bottle.