Old-vine Barbaresco with flavours of dried rose, liquorice, leather and tobacco.

As seen in The Independent: this wine was selected as an Indy Best Buy product in the best organic wines range (2017 vintage).

Barbaresco DOCG is one of Italy’s greatest red wines, and this UK-exclusive is an excellent example. It was awarded a remarkable 94 points by Wine Enthusiast – and for good reason. Grapes are grown in the old vineyard L’Ciaciaret, in the Gallina MGA (cru) in the municipality of Neive. Gallina is one of the most valuable crus in the Neive area, and is listed on Renato Ratti’s historic map of Barbaresco cru-vineyards. In 2014, the winery and the Francone vineyard were listed as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Only 3,000 bottles of this Barbaresco are produced per year, making this a seriously exclusive wine. We recommend buying now if you want to taste it.

Sustainable winemaking

Grapes are harvested by hand in the first part of October (usually around the 10th of the month). After fermentation and 14 days of maceration on the skins, the wine is matured for 18 months in French oak casks, and refined further in bottle.

This sustainable Barbaresco wine is produced following the “Green Experience” system. This is a set of rules for eco-friendly grape-growing. It started in Piedmont, where winemakers decided that the traditional organic laws don't provide enough protection for the environment. It already unites more than 100 vineyards, including renowned producers of Barolo and Barbaresco.

Tasting notes

In the glass, this old-vine Barbaresco has medium garnet colour. It's refined, concentrated and deep, with classic Barbaresco flavours of dried rose, liquorice and clove. Seconds later, the wine reveals nuances of sweet pipe tobacco, old leather and chocolate. Very tannic.

Ageing potential

20 years

Awards

Wine Enthusiast - 94 points (2019 vintage) | Decanter World Wine Awards 2020 - Silver Medal (2017 vintage) | Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 - Gold Medal (2016 vintage) | Luca Maroni, 91 points (2017 vintage)

Dark and powerful Lagrein from the Gries cru, with tastes of sweet black cherries, dark Darjeeling tea, black pepper and dark chocolate. "Best in Show" award at Decanter 2020

This Lagrein Riserva wine by K. Martini comes from a vineyard in the Gries area of Bolzano. This land has been the best-known historic cru for Lagrein since the 11th century. Ian D'Agata writes "at that time the monks of the abbey at Gries were the most famous local producers of the wine - not surprising, considering that the terroir of Gries is the one true grand cru for this variety". I picked this Lagrein Riserva because in my opinion it's one of the best examples of this wine: in 2020, Decanter Magazine named it "Best in Show", and in 2021 it continued its winning streak and brought home the Decanter Silver Medal.

Lagrein wine is dark and deep. It's known as Dunkel - dark- in German. It's because it has the highest level of anthocyanins (a type of tannins responsible for dark ruby colour) among all Italian grapes. Lagrein is a late-ripener that needs a lot of warmth, and a very finicky grape with unstable productivity. So it's only cultivated by the most dedicated and hard-working winemakers who dare to go the extra mile.

Winemaking

Grapes are picked by hand in the first week of October. Back in the day, Lagrein wine was known for its bitter aftertaste. But now any unpleasant flavours are avoided thanks to modern techniques such as cold fermentation. Lucas Martini, the winemaker, ferments grape must for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, at a controlled temperature of 25°C. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is placed in 1500-litre French oak barrels for eighteen months, for ageing and refinement. Ultimately, the wine is lightly filtered, bottled and left in the cellar to rest for at least seven months, where it finished developing while the flavours integrate.

Tasting notes

In the glass, this Lagrein Riserva has a dark, deep ruby colour. The wine offers rich flavours of sour black cherries, blackberries and sweet prunes. It has silky, dense tannins, and is packed with flavours of Darjeeling tea, black pepper, dark chocolate as well as balsamic notes. Despite the deceiving sweetness, the wine is perfectly dry, with only 0.8 g/l residual sugar.

Awards

Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 - Silver Medal (2018 vintage) | Decanter World Wine Awards 2020 - Best in Show (2017 vintage) | Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 - Silver Medal (2015 vintage) | I Vine di Veronelli - 3 stars (2016 vintage)

Old-vine passito Primitivo wine with very rich and concentrated tastes of blackberry and liquorice

Pietrafinita is the top wine of the winery, and as such it's only produced in the best years. It has quite a remarkable depth of flavour, because of the particular winemaking process.

Winemaking

The grapes for Pietrafinita come from a vineyard with "old vines" aged 55-60 years. After harvesting by hand, the grapes undergo a period of appasimento - they are dried until they almost become raisins, in wooden crates for a period of one month. As the water evaporates, the acids and flavours in the grapes become more concentrated.

The appasimento process is very long and expensive, because the grapes lose so much volume and can produce much less wine. So, it's typically used only to make premium wines like Valpolicella Superiore or Amarone.

After drying, the grapes are delicately pressed, and fermented for two weeks. The resulting wine is then aged in small French oak barriques for twelve months. Finally, after bottling the wine is allowed to settle for six months, so its flavours have time to fully integrate and develop.

Tasting notes

This wine has a very concentrated nose that brings out all the precious flavours of Primitivo. In the glass, Pietrafinita has a deep ruby colour. It offers a bold aroma of blackberry, blackcurrant and liquorice, as well as a savoury balsamic undertone. Since it's made from passito grapes, this wine has a complex palette of dried raisins, dates and prunes, followed by notes of coconut and cinnamon. Although this Primitivo wine is full of sweet fruity flavours, in the mouth it's dry, and with powerful tannins. It's full-bodied, has a high level of alcohol and fresh acidity - which will extend its life in the cellar. Pietrafinita offers a long, deep finish, with the taste of blackberries and liquorice lingering in the mouth.

Cellaring potential

15 years

Awards

Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 - Bronze Medal (2019) | Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 - Bronze Medal (2019) | I Vini di Veronelli - 2 stars (2015 vintage) | Luca Maroni - 91 points (2011 vintage)

New vintage of an award-winning Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Flavours of blueberry pie, white pepper and coconut

We loved the 2016 vintage of La Regia Specula, so we were excited to try this bottle from the dries summer of 2017. Due to the lack of water, the vines produced fewer grapes, but the ones that did develop had far more concentrated flavours. This wine tastes like blueberry pie, white pepper and coconut in the glass - it's a very classy dry red.

What does "La Regia Specula" anyway? It's the name of a naval fort observation post, designed to watch for pirates in the Adriatic sea. In the 17th century, the seas off the coast of Abruzzo were frequently raided by Uskok - Croatian pirates. Based in Senj in modern-day Croatia, the Uskok sailed their lightning-fast small boats and hunted down Venetian and Ottoman merchant vessels. Back then, protecting the sea trade in the Adriatic was an important mission. The name of this wine pays tribute to the men who once stood guard along the coast.

Winemaking

The Montepulciano grapes are harvested by hand in early October. First, they're crushed, and the free-run juice is left to ferment in contact with its skins for twelve days. After gentle pressing, the wine is aged for twelve months in oak - partly in 500-litre Slavonian oak barrels, and partly in large 2000-litre oak barrels. This lends sophisticated aromas of smoke, chocolate and white pepper to the finished wine.

Tasting notes

In the glass, this premium Montepulciano is deep ruby. Pleasant aromas of blackberries, strawberries, underpinned by hints of white pepper, pine smoke, chocolate and coconut. In the mouth, this Montepulciano tastes like blueberry pie and chocolate brownie, with medium acidity, mouth-drying tannins, and a medium level of alcohol. While the wine has a long finish and can be enjoyed now, it will further evolve and improve in the cellar.

Wine Geek's verdict

Tannins are still quite visible, showing the full character of Montepulciano. The wine has a really pleasant blueberry flavour, and it's not overpowered by alcohol. It's a really enjoyable everyday red, with so much complexity on the nose and in the glass.

Awards

Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 - Bronze Medal (2017 vintage) | Gambero Rosso 2021 - Two Glasses (2017 vintage) | James Suckling - 92 points (2017 vintage) | Luca Maroni - 93 points (2017 vintage)

This award-winning UK-exclusive wine is a perfect example of the fresh and elegant style of Ridolfi - a family-owned winery in Montalcino

Ridolfi's Rosso di Montalcino DOC is a deliciously fresh and floral wine, produced in the same vineyard as the famous Brunello di Montalcino. While the powerful Brunello is aged for three years, Rosso is released after only one year of ageing. Fresh and zingy, it is full of vibrant flavours of red cherry and raspberry. And while Brunello is a special wine you might use to celebrate Christmas, Rosso di Montalcino is made simply for celebrating life. But don't let its lightheartedness fool you - it's a jolly serious wine with a number of awards under its belt!

Winemaking

Ridolfi is a small private winery in the cooler north-east corner of the Montalcino area, which is known for its elegant wines. The wine is made from 100% Sangiovese, harvested by hand at the end of September / early October. Ridolfi is very careful not to overpower the delicate aromas of Sangiovese with the taste of oak. Because of that, they only use large Slavonian oak barrels, which introduce a subtle whisper of flavour and emphasise the natural aromas of the grape.

Tasting notes

Medium garnet colour. Delicate aromas of redcurrant, red plum strawberry, raspberry, chocolate, sweet cake and dried red cherries. On the palate, this wine is dry, with refined medium tannins, high alcohol, a full body and refreshing acidity to balance out the pronounced fruit flavours. Take a sip to experience the combination of red fruits, chocolate, dried red cherries and dried herbs, leading to a long, lingering finish.

"This shows lots of ripeness and an almost jammy sensation. Full and flavourful with lots of firm yet round and juicy tannins. Savory. Drink now." - James Suckling

Awards

Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 - Silver Medal (2018 vintage) | James Suckling 91 points (2018 vintage) | Wine Enthusiast 90 points (2018 vintage) | Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 - Bronze Medal (2017 vintage) | "Two Glasses" by Gambero Rosso | The WineHunter 2020 - Rosso (2018 and 2017 vintages)