Italian Wine

Dark plum, leather and delicate violet aromas, plus notes of woodsmoke and brown spice. A full, firm and ripe red with rich, powerful flavours. All balanced by ripe tannins, complex savoury notes and a long finish.

Araldica

Attractively aromatic with fresh red fruits, floral notes, and hints of sweet spice. The palate offers ripe plum and damson characters balanced by a lightly earthy, savoury complexity with finely-grained tannins.

A complex nose showing notes of black cherry, plum, violets, coffee and raisins. The palate is smooth and rounded, with a richly-textured mid-palate and a medley of spice, dried fruit characters and supple tannins. The wine remains elegant, being so beautifully integrated and sweetly rich, but with a long and complex, dry finish.

Montressor

Fruity with hints fo ripe cherry and red fruit on the nose. On the palate this is full-bodied and round with more red fruit and a poised acidity

The palate is rich and generous with juicy cherry and more plum fruit, and meaty, spicy notes beneath. Soft oak tannins offer an extra dimension to the texture. A refreshing smack of fruity acidity on the finish gives plenty of definition to the ripe fruit.

Araldica

Barolo Liste is a signature wine of Piedmont, cultivated in the small, prestigious zone of Liste within the Barolo zone.

Nebbiolo grown in calcareous-clay soil gives this pure expression of Barolo its intense, garnet red color, with a few orange highlights. Its nose is moderately intense with notes of wild fruit, liquorice, tobacco and cocoa.

The vineyard carries its 35 years well and enjoys ample sunshine from the east.

On the palate it is dry and full-bodied with a velvety persistence that marries well with the great Piedmont culinary tradition. It is an ideal accompaniment to braised meats and truffle dishes.

95/100 - The Wine Advocate

Damilano Barolo

Expansive aromas of wild berry, plum, aromatic cedar, tobacco leaf and leather. A generous, complex palate with meaty, savoury characters and fine-grained tannins, developing into a long, persistent and satisfyingly rich finish.

San Felice

A delicate nose of ripe stone fruit and a hint of creamy oak. The complex palate is well-balanced with ripe peach characters, a broad mouthfeel and some toasty oak in the background.

Azienda Agricola Il Cascinone

A crisp and vibrant white from Passerina, an indigenous variety from Italy’s Adriatic coast. Like the riper, fuller Pecorino, it’s a great accompaniment to the local seafood.

Fresh and lightly flora lwith lemon zest, sherbert and grapefruit. The palate is bright with incisive citrus and stone fruit characters balanced by brisk acidity, leading to a clean, crisp and mineral finish.

The grapes are cultivated on traditional trellised vines planted in marl soil at Montresor's ‘Capitel della Crosara’ vineyard on the hills of Negrar within the Classico zone. Grapes are picked by hand in October. Made by the Ripasso (literally ‘repassed’) method, which involves adding the unpressed skins from the dried grapes which were used to make an Amarone to a young Valpolicella wine. This helps to add extra flavour and alcohol to the wine (causing it to start re-fermenting) and gradually the luscious flavours of Amarone are imparted to the wine. After this the wine is aged for 12 months in French and American oak casks along with some small barriques.

A warm, inviting, richly fruity nose, with aromas of fresh morello cherry, ripe plum and hints of dried fruits. The palate is similarly full-flavoured with concentrated, crunchy black cherry, brown spice and vanilla notes and a hint of liquorice. The long finish has the classic bitter cherry fruit finish typical of ripasso.

Montressor

A sophisticated, elegant 100% Bellone wine that embodies its terroir. It is named after one of the mythical Dioscuri, venerated in the ancient Temple of Castor and Pollux, whose imposing ruins are among Cori’s archaeological treasures.

Brilliant straw yellow colour; delicate fruity nose, yellow peach, hawthorn; fragrant, fresh palate with mineral notes.

Cincinnato

Aromas of honeyed, ripe stone fruit with citrus and lightly spicy notes. The palate is complex with lime, citrus characters balanced by a spicy minerality, structure and length. Showing some development, but with the potential to age for 5 years or more.

Cavit

100% Timorasso. Five generations of Massas laboured tirelessly to keep the Timorasso flame alight whilst cheap Pinot Grigio and Prosecco rolled past by the truckload. It’s not difficult to see the origins of Walter’s frustration. Here on the steep hills just east of Tortona grow the last few hectares of Timorasso in the world. An ancient variety with thick skins, low yields, high disease susceptibility and immense concentration, it ought to be served by the glass in every restaurant with even the slightest aspirations to a decent wine list. The Timorasso ‘Derthona’ is initially shy in the glass but develops red apple, apricot and tangerine with time. Extended lees contact gives it a creamy mouthfeel often mistaken for oak (there is none) and the acidity will keep it developing in bottle for ages.

A blend of Cataratto, Grillo & Fiano, hand harvested and fermented on skins for 2 days before finishing in oak botti (large barrels). The wine then spends at least 7 months aging on its lees.

Intensely golden in colour, which comes from the skin contact and ageing in large oak botti. The prominent bouquet has notes of coconut and tropical fruit, with an undercurrent of gentle spices. On the palate, there is a richness, balanced by well-integrated acidity. Excellent structure and length.

Pronounced and complex nose with savoury, nutty aromas and hints of fennel, ginger and white spice. The palate is fine, concentrated and textural, with crisp citrus and lightly honeyed stone fruit balanced by minerality and sappy acidity.

Cantine Nicosia

La Battistina, situated in the north west region of Piedmonte, is an estate situated around the town of Gavi, and considered one of the best sites in Gavi. The vineyards are south facing with chalky and mineral soils, which allow the Cortese grape to ripen to its fullest. The wine is aromatic, with zesty citrus, lime and pineapple notes with a hint of minerality. The weighty fruit gives this wine an immensely long finish.

La Battistina

With the grapes harvested at the end of Ocotber the long ripening season ensures a brilliant, luminous, deep golden colour with flashes of gold and green. An outstanding, elegant and balanced wine with captivating fragrances of white flowers, minerals, citrus, white fruit, pear and apple overlaid by subtle honey. The fine acidity melds well in the richness of the body and in the long aftertaste of mineral and fruit.

Terredora di Paolo

Ripe, warm and generous on the nose with abundant plum and cherry aromas, roasted coffee beans and hints of dried fruits. Full bodied and richly flavoured with berry and plum fruit, wild cherry acidity and a hint of dark chocolate. Supple tannins lead to a spicy finish, with the characteristic dry bite of good Amarone.

Montressor

Vibrant black fruit aromas with a touch of spice. On the palate layers of ripe plum, blackcurrant and juicy black cherry balance spicy, developed flavours. A well-structured and complex wine with ripe tannins and bright acidity on the finish.

Azienda Uggiano

Pretty pale pink in colour. The nose is lifted with cherry, raspberry and gently floral notes. The palate balances tangy cherry and red berry fruit with crisp, incisive acidity. A delicious style of pale rosé which has plenty of summer fruit character balanced by great texture.

Azienda Agricola Il Cascinone

Medium ruby red colour with a pure nose of ripe dark fruits, cherry, plum and sweet spices like ginger and aniseed supported with discreet oak. The palate is round and textured with a well balanced freshness, ending with a long and broad spicy finish.

• Colour - red with purple reflections, creamy foam
• Nose - floral and fruity with hints of raspberry and blackberry
• Taste - fruits of the forest, sweet with a pleasant hint of refreshing acidity
• Best with. appetizers, fruit-based desserts, puddings

Azienda Agricola Marco Porello

A portion of the grapes undergo Appassimento- partially drying the grapes for about 30 days to concentrate the sugars and richness, it is the process that makes Amarone, well, Amarone.

Deep, purple/red with an incredibly intense nose featuring black pepper and spices. The palate offers layers and layers of fruit with bursts of dark berry fruit, offering excellent balance and complexity, with a soft, long finish.

An intense wine with cherry, ripe plum fruit aromas and warm, earthy spice. The palate is densely packed with morello cherry, cassis and bramble fruit flavours. Tannins are ripe, giving structure to a substantial wine with a fresh sappy finish.

A subtle and restrained white with delicate stone fruit and lightly nutty aromas. The palate is textural with more nutty characters and good concentration, all beautifully balanced by peachy fruit, a dash of lime, and taut acidity on the finish.

Harvested several weeks before its bigger, richer sibling Villaia, this is leaner and more taut with poise and elegance. Same vineyard, totally different style.

From Nicosia's organically farmed vineyards on the slopes of Mount Etna. Delicate, complex aromas of wild strawberry and redcurrant with lightly floral notes. Fresh bitter cherry and red berry fruit on the palate with fresh acidity, earthy notes and a savoury finish.

It has a beautiful light cherry colour, with a fresh and vibrant bouquet, reminiscent of wild strawberries and a beautifully balanced palate, with silky smooth fruit, a real freshness running through it and a surprisingly long finish. Try chilled for a delightful summer drop.

Malvasia Nera di Brindisi (not to be confused with Malvasia Nera di Basilicata. obviously..) is another of these lesser known varieties that apparently have been knocking around Puglia for centuries and are only now emerging into the daylight of single varietal bottlings

Intense ruby red colour with purple tinges; pronounced aromas of red fruits, with hints of plum and spices. Full-bodied and well balanced, with a lively tannin and a pleasantly lingering finish of ripe red fruits.

First timie we've come across this Puglian variety, well known in the area around Brindisi. Apparently the name is thought to derive from it's synomym "Somarello" which also means donkey, or from Sumanus, the Roman god of evening rains. EIther way, we were very impressed when we tried it.

Deep ruby color with violet tinges; pronounced aromas of spices, black pepper and cloves, and red fruits like cherry and raspberries; medium body, elegant smooth tannins, well balanced with a good acidity. Lingering finish of spices and red fruit.

Bright yellow color with greenish reflections. Delicate hints of apple, citrus and nuances of white fruits. Fresh and salty, with a long and elegant finish.

An ambrosial nose of wonderful floral aroma's, on the palate there's an abundance of tropical fruit, melon, guava and peach supported by zippy acidity making it mouth-tinglingly moreish. A light refreshing wine for any occasion.

Biscardo Vini

A classic Italian Pinot Grigio, smooth and easy-drinking, light in body, with subtle floral notes and citrus flavours.

This is the first release of a wine named after the great Beppe Colla - who founded Poderi Colla in 1994 along with his brother Tino and daughter Federica, and did great work to improve the quality, and promote the wines, of the Langhe. It is a limited production of Barolo Bussia Riserva from the Dardi le Rose vineyard - considered to be one of the great Barolo crus - and which will be produced from the the very best barrel of only the best vintages.

Produced from the Bussia Dardi le Rose vineyard in Monforte d'Alba, a 6.2 hectare south / south-west facing vineyard 300-350 metres above sea level. The Nebbiolo grapes were hand-harvested in the first half of October and were destemmed, pressed and macerated on skins for 12-15 days at a maximum temperature of 30°C. The wine completed malolactic fermentation before winter, and in the spring it was transferred to oak barrels for 24-48 months. It then spent a further 48 months in bottle before release.

Delicate aromas of dried flowers, sweet spice and red fruits. The palate is complex with elegant berry and damson fruit supported by soft tannins and notes of liquorice. Long and appealing on the finish.

On the west side of Sicily close to Marsala, is where Rallo Azienda Agricola calls home.

Working organically, the Vesco family focus on creating fragrant crisp Catarratto and perfumed fresh Nero d'Avola from their hillside vineyards. These vineyards are certified organic and are nestled high up in the hills south of Alcamo to take advantage of the slightly cooler temperatures and greater diurnal differences. The vines look down on the town of Marsala where, when the grapes have been harvested, they are taken. Here Andrea Vesco treats them with respect, utilising modern technology to ensure the freshness is retained for the final wines and creating elegant examples of the varieties that are anything but what you would expect from such a hot land.

A heady mix of citrus, grapefruit and tropical fruits, this is well rounded and complex with a long mineral finish.

Cantine Rallo

Fresh, dry and crammed with summer fruits flavours.

Fabrizio Vella is a passionate winemaker living and working in Sicily.

Proud of the island that he calls home he wanted to create a wine range that was personal to him, that reflected where he was from. Working with indigenous varieties of Cattaratto and Nero d’Avola he conjured four wines using an organic approach and careful winemaking to create wines that are fresh, exciting, moreish and true to their origin. A Sicilian wine through and through.

A natural wine with a complex nose, which is spicy and packed full of punchy liqouirice, chocolate, and dark fruits. Crisp, pleasant and persistent in the mouth.

Not posh or sophisticated but very appealing - warm earth and herbs with a meatiness right in the middle!

Vibrant and youthful colour with cherry jam and red berry fruit characters. The palate is warm and generous, packed full of polished berry fruit, a touch of spice and a bitter plum twist on the finish. Tannins are gentle and add structure to this substantial, spicy red.

Monte Schiavo

Enitely made from the Sardinian Nuragus grape, which historically does not have the best reputation, this is hand-harvested, fermented with 24 hrs' skin contact in stainless steel. Aged in steel for 11 months on fine lees, unfined, unfiltered. A noble, deep, complex white wine, for lovers of Xarel.lo or whites from the northern Rhône.

From right in the centre of Sardinia, this is 95% Monica Nero (one of the many grapes found pretty much only in Sardinia)with a little Bovalleddu (Graciano) and Tintillu (Mazuelo/Carignan). The vines are all between 60-120 years old and provide intense dark peppery fruit. Hand harvested with wild yeast fermentation, 1/3 in steel and the rest in oak barrels before 12 months lees aging; the wine is big and structural with a nod to intense Southern Rhones but a bit more rustic in style.