"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

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.

Italian designers bring their best bling to the design of the new Pizzolato Prosecco, which contains zero alcohol but loads of lovely aromatic flavour. This lightly sparkling wine is certified organic. 

This is a great red to drink on a cool night with its dense, dark and delicious flavours, thanks to the hot climate it comes from in Salento in the region of Puglia in southern Italy. This wine is made from Italy's Negroamaro grape, which is widely planted there around the warm southern Mediterranean.

It tastes full bodied, smooth as velvet and tastes of plush plum flavours, sweet licorice and has a dry finish.

Montefico is one of the richer of the Cru wines from Produttori coming from a warm clay soil site. A deep and lush wine that is more forward in its youth but that will still profit from long cellar ageing.

Made entirely from the highly structured, exceptionally age worthy Nebbiolo grape in the small and outstanding wine area of Barbaresco by Produttori del Barbaresco. This highly respected winery cooperative was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation, which means they own approximately a seventh of the appellation. The single vineyard wines, such as this one, are only made in highly rated vintages (all of the grapes go into a blend in other years) and released after four years maturation in the riserva programme. 

All single vineyard cru wines from Produttori del Barbaresco are fermented at 30°C and given 32 days of skin contact time before being pressed in large oak barrels for 36 months of maturation in wood followed by a further nine months aging in bottle, prior to release. 

Fast facts on Barbaresco

Barbaresco as an appellation was created in 1894

Barbaresco was given DOCG status in 1980

This is a small wine production area with approximately 700 hectares of vineyards registered to make Barbaresco – which must be 100% Nebbiolo and made within the same sub region in which the grapes are grown. 

The Allegrini Valpolicella is a blend of Corvina Veronese 65%, Rondinella 30% and Molinara 5%. It is ruby red in colour, with fragrant red cherry, pepper and fine herbs on the nose. The palate is juicy and vibrant with fresh berry notes and a herbal, peppery element. This wine is an elegant and approachable blend made from some harder to find varietals,

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

San Marzano 'Talo' Negroamaro Puglia IGP is a full-bodied, deep purple red wine with violet reflections from the Apulian based company, San Marzano. It has an intense aroma of blackcurrant and wild fruit, with notes of spice, vanilla and balsamic. 

The wine is aged in French oak barrels for six months and will age gracedully for five to six years. It pairs well with savoury dishes, meats and mature cheese.

This Lazio Vermentino IGT from Castello di Torre in Pietra is aged in steel tanks for about 3 months and offers a crystalline, vibrant and organic expression of the aromatic Vermentino grape.

A straw yellow colour in the glass opens with a nose of white fruit and ripe peach, broom and aromatic herbs. The palate it is full-bodied, fresh, savoury and with typically marine mineral traces.

This dry Italian red classic is a Super Tuscan is a superb collector's wine from the Tuscan coast. It is a non traditional blend of French grapes grown in central Italy;  Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot translate here to a dry, full bodied wine with balancing tart cherry fruit with darker tones of blackberry and plum. This vintage delivers especially chiselled and focused fruit characteristics that are elegantly framed by light spice, cola and earth. This vintage shows a heightened sense of intensity and territorial identity that is the hallmark of this storied estate.

Lots of mint with sage and fresh rosemary to the currant and orange character on the nose, as well as some ripe raspberries. The palate is very refined with creamy and crunchy tannins that run the length of the wine. It shows a crunchy and energetic personality. Give it a year or two to come together, but it?s showing brightness for the vintage. Drink after 2027.
94pts ? James Suckling


Made with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the Tenuta San Guido 2022 Guidalberto gives you a good taste of the same DNA that brings us one of Italy's greatest wines, Sassicaia, but it's offered in a more immediate style here (thanks to the addition of the Merlot). This warm vintage opens to medium-dark concentration and very plump aromas that take you immediately to blackberry and blackcurrant sitting out in the sun at your local farmers market. The wine shows a soft and gentle side with a pretty level of elegance transmitted through the fruit freshness and the light oak spice that is discernible here but delivered with grace.

94pts ? Wine Advocate

San Marzano Edda Bianco Salento IGP 2021

Area: Puglia/ Apulia

Edda (?she? in Salento dialect) is the feminine and sensual soul of San Marzano. It is a complex white wine, full of Mediterranean notes. Noticeable acidity intertwined with an enveloping and elegant warmth, savoury and mineral notes on the palate. The Chardonnay grapes give the wine finesse and longevity, together with different varieties indigenous to Puglia, that year after year compete to complement the blend.

Grapes: Mainly Chardonnay with white native grapes

Appellation: Salento IGP

Vine training: Guyot Vines per ha: 4.500

Production area: San Marzano (TA), Salento, Puglia. The area is about 100 m above sea level and benefits from great diurnal temperature variations

Vinification: Destemming of the grapes and cryomaceration for a few hours, followed by a soft pressing of the marc and cold settling. Alcoholic fermentation in French oak barrels

Ageing: In French oak barrels for 4 months on the yeasts with a weekly b?tonnage

Tasting notes: Straw yellow with goldish reflections; mellow floral notes, peach and delicate vanilla hints pervade the nose. Generous in its elegance, fresh, delicate and mineral

Best served with: Starters, fish first courses and cheese Serving temperature: 12-14?C

Mt Etna is Europe's largest active volcano and the inspiration for the artwork on the label of this funky new, savoury flavoured, silky textured red from Etna. It's pale in colour with huge structure and earthy aromas supported by red fruit notes from the Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio grapes; famous for being grown only on Mt Etna. This wine is a relative newcomer for the Piccini family, a Tuscan based wine family who now own a vineyard called Scalunera on Mt Etna.