A sparkling Albarino, what a fantastic idea! Light and citrus with hints of pear and apple and a slight a seaside saltiness as you might expect. Good weight with a faint sherry like finish.
Small and lively bubbles burst onto the tongue. A smooth mousse and subtle wild apples and pear fruits exude from the palate with a refreshing lift on the finish. Fit for a celebration, though ideal for a toast on any occasion.
Il Caggio Sparkling Rosé has a persistent, creamy foam and a crisp and fruity bouquet, with aromas and flavours of raspberry, strawberry and floral notes. Dry, soft and well balanced with a lingering finish.
Small and lively bubbles burst onto the tongue. A smooth mousse and subtle wild apples and pear fruits exude from the palate with a refreshing lift on the finish. Fit for a celebration, though ideal for a toast on any occasion.
A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this 2013 vintage is only the second release of this fine Super Tuscan, some 10 years after the first. Named after the owner's parents it is elegant, juicy, complex and polished.
Well-rounded, rich vanilla on the nose and palate, this vermouth also shows bitter orange, dates, cocoa beans and saffron flavours. Makes for a mean Negroni. Also available as a half-bottle.
Perfect example of properly mature Nebbiolo. Wonderfully leathery and evolved but still with years to go. Supple, velvety tannins, layers of savoury complexity. Ready to wear fine wine.
Old vines, Amarone-style appassimento, tiny yields. Wonderfully extracted, deeply layered and complex. A year in French oak. V. classy.
One of our biggest-selling wines. Old vines, Amarone-style appassimento, tiny yields. Wonderfully extracted, deeply layered and complex. A year in French oak. The 'Black Grape of Troy" another southern best. From Decanter "Left on the vine to partially dry, the grapes for this wine were not harvested until early November, giving it a powerful character and rich texture. Dark, liquorice-imbued fruits of the forest aromas alongside menthol and blueberry notes, almost medicinal. It is really rich on the palate with plummy, leathery flavours, macerated black cherries and even a hint of nectarine on the finish. Really gorgeous and complex..."
Deeply coloured rich red wine, full-bodied and juicy, Italian rusticity in a glossy package. Combinations of blackcurrant and red fruit flavours are complemented by a twist of spice on the palate.
Red and black fruits, intense and ethereal bouquet of vanilla, full, firm but velvety flavours with a fine lingering aftertaste of liquorice and ripe red fruits.
92 points Decanter "Since acquiring the property in 2009, Virginie Saverys has worked to convert all 162-plus hectares of vineyards to organic and biodynamic practices. Hints of dried rose petals, violet, pepper and black tea add complexity to fragrant red cherry and strawberry. While light on its feet and immediately appealing, it has the substance and structure to hold for the next eight years.Drink 2018-2026"
This modestly priced red from the Negroamaro grape tastes anything but modest in the glass. A warm, sunny, brambly fruit, with slightly bitter chocolate tones and a velvety texture is great on its own and with italian dishes.
Villa Sandi is a beautiful Palladian style villa which dates back to 1622 and lies in the heart of Treviso, at the bottom of the foot of the Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG hills. This wine is fruity and flowery with delicate aromatic and citrus hints. Fresh and lively in the mouth. Light bodied and elegant with an agreeably aromatic and fruit persistence. An excellent aperitif to accompany savouries. Ideal with steamed shellfish.
The sexiest Cab-based Tuscan, no contest. Decanter 95. Parker 95 "beautiful... profound elegance of this classic vintage... layer after layer of dark fruit, oak spice, chocolate...tobacco... a big personality".
"Enticing combination of reserved freshness and bewitching ripeness here. Dried rose petals, stems, black tea, orange peel, steak tartare and tobacco simmer at the surface. The full-bodied palate has a complete but never overbearing feel, in that the tannins are fine-grained and precise, tracing an elegant positioning of subtle berries and cherries. Suave and polished. Drink now." 95 Points jamessuckling.com
"Enticing combination of reserved freshness and bewitching ripeness here. Dried rose petals, stems, black tea, orange peel, steak tartare and tobacco simmer at the surface. The full-bodied palate has a complete but never overbearing feel, in that the tannins are fine-grained and precise, tracing an elegant positioning of subtle berries and cherries. Suave and polished. Drink now." 95 Points jamessuckling.com
"Enticing combination of reserved freshness and bewitching ripeness here. Dried rose petals, stems, black tea, orange peel, steak tartare and tobacco simmer at the surface. The full-bodied palate has a complete but never overbearing feel, in that the tannins are fine-grained and precise, tracing an elegant positioning of subtle berries and cherries. Suave and polished. Drink now." 95 Points jamessuckling.com
A 'baby Brunello' declassified wine A blend of two vintages; 90% five star 2016 and 10% fantastic 2017. Bright garnet red. Typical Montalcino Sangiovese, aka Brunello. Earth and cherries, wet-stone minerality and a hint of licorice. Pleasantly silky tannins, juicy red-currant acidity. Fresh and balanced; supremely elegant rather than muscular.
Stellar producer, one of Italy's great family estates. Such intensity and focus. This is the 'baby version' but holds its own as a snappy, crisp ready to drink style.
Parker: 91+ pts. "the 2017 Chianti Classico Berardenga is a fine and precise wine that shows some of the warmth, good cheer and exuberance of the vintage, but that ultimately proves to be better contained and more carefully etched than I would have anticipated. The bouquet starts off with black fruit and light shadings of spice, but the best part is in those mineral aromas of flint and slate. Serve it with stuffed red peppers. Some 280,000 bottles were made."
Parker: 98+ pts. "The 2016 Fontalloro is the best vintage of this landmark wine that I have tasted thus far. This is a very elegant vintage, with more volume in the mouth and precise notes of tar, licorice, camphor ash, resin and Indian spice. In a race between the highly competitive 2015 and 2016 vintages, I give a slight advantage to this wine. The warmer 2015 vintage shows more richness and exuberant fruit. However, this wine from 2016 offers a more focused and chiseled delivery. I am hopeful that this wine will continue to evolve and sharpen as it ages in the bottle. This is a beautiful wine to put aside in your cellar for ten years or more."
Jancis: 17/20.
Parker 96 pts: "The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia knocks it out of the park. Like the other new releases from Fèlsina, this pure expression of Sangiovese needs more time to evolve and improve with bottle age. But even at this young stage, you are made fully aware of the beautiful intensity and complexity of the quality fruit at its core. There is so much energy and tension here, further reinforced by the fresh acidity of the vintage. There are vibrant tones of wild cherry, raspberry and spice, followed up by white truffle and tilled earth."
A masterpiece of subtlety, and class, and poise. I hope I don't sound like a wine snob by saying I guess you need to have enjoyed the Greats of white wine such as Grand Cru Chablis to 'get' where this fits in. They could easily have made a blockbuster Chard, or an oaky beast, but this is fine, so fine. Smells like crushed marble and distant pine trees. Not cheap, admittedly, but treat yourself to a glass a night over four or five days (it opens up remarkably). I've always been a fan and rated them the best of 15 Tuscan estates I visited back in 2000.
Parker: 91 pts. 'The Fèlsina 2017 Chardonnay I Sistri is a medium-bodied white wine with equal parts exotic fruit, toast and spice. The oak-driven notes here resemble pastry crust and sweet custard cream. This is a very well-executed and finely crafted wine with balanced thickness, acidity and fruitiness that ultimately find harmony in the glass. Serve it with some Florentine gnudi: spinach and ricotta balls.'
Asti is the next place along from Alba. This cheeky red is all Barbera should be: vital, cherry-red, bright, lifted, cool and crunchy. Shouts Piedmont loud and clear. Lovely chilled, with salads, with tomato sauces, and tomatoes, herbs, pepper steak. Truly epic value from this super grower.
When it is aged for a full five years, the Barolo DOCG becomes a 'Riserva'.
It further demostrates the aging potentiality of a great Nebbiolo. Its tannins are mellowed out and its bouquet becomes more ethereal and complex.
The finish is alluring and elegant and suggests pairing with sophisticated game dishes and savoury aged cheese.
