Commercial description

"Grapes are dried in temperature and humidity controlled warehouses in hillside locations till December. Fermentation for about 20 days on the skins with constant pumping over. Oak wood aging for 18 months and in bottle for 6 months.

Casalforte Amarone della Valpolicella is a full-bodied red wine with a garnet red shade. Its complex bouquet recalls cherry jam, ripe black cherries and spicy notes of vanilla and licorice. On the palate it is juicy, well-structured with a fresh and fruity finish. It pairs perfectly with rich pasta dishes, game and grilled or stewed red meats as well as mature cheeses."

Sangiovese blended with Merlot in a wine with a vibrant ruby colour and flavours of raspberries, cherries and spicy clove aromas.

Drink now and decant… or keep for three to four years

Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Bianco is a distinctive and complex white wine from Sicily.

 It is made from a blend of two native grape varieties: Albanello and Zibibbo. The grapes are handpicked from sustainably managed vineyards and fermented with natural yeasts. The resulting wine displays aromas of citrus, white flowers, and herbs, coupled with a minerality and saline character that is characteristic of the Sicilian terroir. It has a rich, full-bodied texture and a crisp acidity that balances out the wine's unique character. This wine pairs well with seafood, light pasta dishes, and fresh salads. It's a must-try for those who appreciate authentic and expressive wines.

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.  

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. 

Smooth, fruity Italian red blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah grapes. This Tuscan wine is a lovely introduction to the great world of Italian reds in the Antinori stable; a family company that has been continuously producing wine back to the 1300s.

What the critics say...

"It's delightfully fruited and fragrant on the nose with dark plum."

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

The climate tempered by the nearby sea and the characteristics of the karst soil give this Malvasia a personal identity and superb texture. The aging in bottle drives a straw colour and emphasises the aromatic fragrance. The palate is elegant, lively and sumptuously savoury.

An ideal match for seafood and grilled fish in particular.

Produttori del Barbaresco was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation (itself nearly 700 hectares). This wine is a blend from various vineyards in the Barbaresco DOCG's limestone and clay soils, which are rich in calcium with sandy veins. 

Big but elegant, red fruited but powerful Nebbiolo made in small volumes every year from the Albesani vineyard in Neive, situated 230 metres above sea level on two hectares with average vine age of 50 years. This wine was first made in 2019 with long fermentation and maceration in oak at 30°C followed by ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels for up to 18 months with another 24 months ageing in bottle, pre release. 

Highly complex, open and fruity aromas with red fruit flavours and complex tastes of hay, spices and earth all providing great depth and fullness. Drinking well now and capable of long term ageing. 

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

"This 470 hectare estate is located northeast of Siena in the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, on the southern border of the Chianti Classico zone. Fèlsina epitomises the powerful style of southern Chianti, where the wines are stylistically more akin to those from Montalcino than their fellow Chianti from Fontodi or Isole e Olena. Domenico Poggiali bought the estate in 1966. Giuseppe Mazzocolin, son-in-law of Domenico, entered the family business in the late 1970s and played a significant role in the growth of the winery. In 1990 Giovanni Poggiali, Domenico's grandson, joined the management and continues his grandfather's enterprise with the same passion. Giuseppe Mazzocolin is now less involved in the running of the estate, and consultant oenologist Franco Bernabei is very much at the helm of the winemaking team." Wine Searcher.