Red Wine

Vineyards are to the north-east of Montalcino at 300m altitude where a meandering stream runs through it attracting much wildlife. Worked by hand, organically and biodynamically, the canopy is well-managed to produce healthy, juicy, thick-skinned grapes.

Bright cherry fruit, very drinkable and almost too smooth to be Chianti. Just very drinkable good affordable Tuscan red from a master winemaker.

"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

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."

Beautifully traditional interpretation of Sangiovese food wine - evolved, resolved and rural, all leaf tea and warm hay and Tuscan farmhouse with a delicate raisiny fruit to ameliorate the tannin. Class.

A cherry-packed joy. Lovely to let the sun shine on Sangiovese of Chianti fame, bringing plump ripe fruit with the classic bite. Multi-award winning grower. Great fun for the price Previous International Wine Challenge Abbruzzo Trophy and Gold Medal winner "Vibrant red fruit, crushed morello cherries with herbal undertones; raspberry vanilla oak with spice, lively acidity and firm tannins. Lovely drink"

Deep, slinky, modern, impressive. 90% Sangiovese, 1 year oak. Founded 1435. "The Chateau Margaux of Tuscany" Steven Spurrier. "Savoury richness on the palate. Excellent complexity and a real find." Olly Smith - Mail on Sunday

The 13th Century Ormanni estate is located in the heart of Chianti, between the towns of Poggibonsi and Castellina in Chianti. For the last 200 years the estate has been owned by the Brini Batacchi family, and it is Paolo Brini Batacchi and his daughter, Paola, who run the winery today. Certified Organic. Ruby red with notes of violets, cherries and wild strawberries. Medium-bodied with delicate tannins and a fresh and fragrant taste, it is perfect for serving on the table every day.

Very impressive complexity and length for the price. You’d have to pay near £50 to achieve the same sort of complexity in Bdx. Starts off with red plum, black cherry and loads of scorched earth, cigar box, cinnamon, smoke, licorice and thyme. The acidity is as expected, pretty high given the majority grape being Sangiovese and the tannins are somewhat dusty/ gritty. It needs food but 2 hours later and blueberry, leather and a much more seamless palate appears with a eucalyptus freshness to it.

The estate name, Monte Bernardi, dates back to 1085. Monte Bernardi are an organic and biodynamic producer based in the rolling hills of Tuscany. This is a delightful wine. Elegant, smooth, rich and packed with heady herbal aromas, juicy soft fruit and a gentle whiff of cedar. Match with anything from a gourmet dinner to pizza.

This is an elegant and rich Chianti Classico, made from Sangiovese (95%) and Canaiolo Nero (5%) grapes, originating from south facing vineyards which are over 40 years in age, and a soil rich in friable shale and limestone. The result is a fruity, aromatic Sangiovese based wine with soft, fine tannins and a long finish. Clean, intense, ripe black cherry, blueberry, rose and vanilla. This medium to full-bodied wine is an exceptionally well balanced wine and is ready upon release, but will reward significantly with further ageing.

Wow what a treat, this is everything you ever wanted in a Tuscan red. Dense tarry core, silky and svelte, evolved and a tad tawny. All the markers of greatness are in place: autumn forest, leaf tea, cigar box, woodsmoke, all perked up with citrus and Christmas spice. Has such a sense of grandeur, so assured, so very, very Tuscan.

We've been looking forward to this vintage for some time! Tasting not to follow.

We're very excited about this stunning new release from our friends at Il Palazzone. Please see below notes from their site: "2020 sees the release of a small bottling of 2000 liters of Brunello made from fruit exclusively from this special vineyard. Vintage 2015 is the first Le Due Porte Brunello. 2000 liters represents under half of the wine made from these 1.24 hectares (3 acres). Le Due Porte is 540 metres above sea level. Budbreak is later here, often avoiding issues with late frosts and snow. Ripening is slow and constant. The soil profile preserves humidity; important when making a wine such as Brunello that does not contemplate irrigation. Alberese has high levels of calcium carbonate which favors acidity, aided and abetted by the slower ripening and later harvest due to the exposition and altitude. We generally pick Le Due Porte as much as two weeks after our vineyards in Castelnuovo dell’Abate and are often amongst the last in Montalcino to harvest. The grapes develop organoleptic complexity from that extra hang-time and from the pronounced difference between day and night temperatures. In fact the altitude guarantees extreme thermal excursion even in hotter years which is wonderful for aromatic development. Over the last two decades we have seen, year after year, a pronounced character emerge in the fruit from this vineyard, a wine that maintains the typical structure of a Brunello vecchio stampo and epitomises finesse and elegance."

We're very excited about this stunning new release from our friends at Il Palazzone. Please see below notes from their site: "2020 sees the release of a small bottling of 2000 liters of Brunello made from fruit exclusively from this special vineyard. Vintage 2015 is the first Le Due Porte Brunello. 2000 liters represents under half of the wine made from these 1.24 hectares (3 acres). Le Due Porte is 540 metres above sea level. Budbreak is later here, often avoiding issues with late frosts and snow. Ripening is slow and constant. The soil profile preserves humidity; important when making a wine such as Brunello that does not contemplate irrigation. Alberese has high levels of calcium carbonate which favors acidity, aided and abetted by the slower ripening and later harvest due to the exposition and altitude. We generally pick Le Due Porte as much as two weeks after our vineyards in Castelnuovo dell’Abate and are often amongst the last in Montalcino to harvest. The grapes develop organoleptic complexity from that extra hang-time and from the pronounced difference between day and night temperatures. In fact the altitude guarantees extreme thermal excursion even in hotter years which is wonderful for aromatic development. Over the last two decades we have seen, year after year, a pronounced character emerge in the fruit from this vineyard, a wine that maintains the typical structure of a Brunello vecchio stampo and epitomises finesse and elegance."

Poised and perfectly balanced, this intense purple- black wine has a harmonious bouquet of red and black berries, with soft and sweet tannins on the finish.

One of the most reliable estate-grown Chianti Classicos around. The wine shows crunchy tannins and youthful fruit nuances with bright cherry and blackberry. The mouthfeel is generous and fresh.

Bright cherry fruit, very drinkable and almost too smooth to be Chianti. Just very drinkable good affordable Tuscan red from a master winemaker.

We've been anticipating the 2016 for some time. Tasting note to follow.

Decanter 92/100 "The first Riserva released since 2010, Il Palazzone’s 2015 is ethereal and subtle in fragrances with pretty blossoms, herbs and wafts of tea. Midweight, it exhibits Sangiovese’s delightful ability to remain buoyant. Orange and pomegranate grace the palate, which is sprinkled with powdery tannins, while a crunchy, mouth-cleansing cranberry note brings this to a close. It isn’t necessarily the most profound Riserva but it's very easy to like and sports a refreshingly balanced 13.5% alcohol. It begs for pappardelle with duck ragù."

Decanter 92/100 "The first Riserva released since 2010, Il Palazzone’s 2015 is ethereal and subtle in fragrances with pretty blossoms, herbs and wafts of tea. Midweight, it exhibits Sangiovese’s delightful ability to remain buoyant. Orange and pomegranate grace the palate, which is sprinkled with powdery tannins, while a crunchy, mouth-cleansing cranberry note brings this to a close. It isn’t necessarily the most profound Riserva but it's very easy to like and sports a refreshingly balanced 13.5% alcohol. It begs for pappardelle with duck ragù."

Wine Merchant Top 100 award winner 2020. Made from small, bush-trained vines at 290 metres on limestone-rich clay. It's darkly fruited, all blackberry and black currants, yet lifted by accents of orange zest. The fruit is polished, round and powerful, rending the wine gracious rather than austere. Vigorous, clayey tannins cling to the palate but this finishes on a fresh, tangy note.

We've shipped this wonderful 'declassified Brunello' from Il Palazzone for over a decade now. Always a treat, and an utterly delightful bargain. The wine is 100% Sangiovese Grosso, known in Montalcino as Brunello - all from the estates own Brunello di Montalcino vineyards. the 01/20 is a blend of something old and something new - 1:1 blend of two five star vintages; 2016 and 2019. 13% ABV. This wine tastes of bright late September mornings in Tuscany. It is pleasantly fresh on the palate. The body is elegant and structured with polished tannins and a persistent, mouth-watering finish. Bright garnet red. Micro-hints of chocolate and some earthy notes. Sottobosco and oak giving way to red berry fruits and a backdrop of violets.