If you enjoy the food-friendly reds of northern Italy, especially the Valpolicella Ripasso style, you'll love this. We have worked with Italian Winery of the Year Cantina di Negrar for years. They own a vineyard in the Marano Valley and they’ve offered us a deal on their Rosso Veronese – a wine usually reserved for their Italian fans. It’s named after Bartolomeo Lorenzi, whose epic 18th-century poem of rural life made Valpolicella wines famous the world over.

The Marano Valley is especially cool, so grapes take longer to ripen, which adds depth, character and freshness to the wines. Also included is a dash of dark Amarone. With black cherry fruit and Christmas cake spice, it’s hard to imagine a more appealing Veronese red. Great with game.

Lying deep in the warmth of southern Italy, Puglia is a haven for authentic, rich reds that exceed expectations without breaking the bank. Our buyer, Leo, took great pleasure in reserving this wine, named after its talented winemaker Leonardo Palumbo. Winemaker Leo says it’s a rule of his family that you only put your name on the label of a wine you’re really delighted with. And he is!

This wine showcases a luscious, smooth blend of Puglia’s finest red grapes. Nero di Troia for elegant peppery fruit, Negroamaro for deep colour, ripe plum hints and structure, and Primitivo for damson hints and deeper bass notes. Together, they make the perfect ensemble – dark, ripe deliciousness. Best with grilled meats or a hearty veggie casserole.

This plush and powerful example comes from Dino Taschetta, who uses old vine fruit from his grandfather's vineyard, high up in Poggioreale. It was abandoned after an earthquake, but when Dino discovered the quality of the ancient vines, he returned to create this silky and sensuous black red.

Founded in 1965 by Alfo Bartolommei, this remarkable family estate is one of the region’s star performers. It used to be part of the great Pieve Santa Restituta and is also a neighbour to the renowned Soldara. All in all, with its 21 hectares of vines, the property is perfectly situated to produce some of the very finest Brunellos. Every vintage, their wines gain top scores. Alfo’s three children – Paolo, Paola and Manuele – now run the estate, with grandson Giacomo as winemaker. They’ve been ratcheting up the quality in recent years, so it's remarkable how this domaine has remained relatively under the radar. Despite his youth and dynamism, Giacomo keeps methods fairly traditional, as well as organic. This is a mesmerising, complex red.

La Parrina is a tiny DOC, situated in the Orbetello peninsula on Italy’s Tuscan coast. It's part of the renowned Maremma zone and only one estate exists there – Antica Fattoria La Parrina. The wines are made by Valeria Vittori, a Montalcino winemaker renowned for her critically acclaimed HK$450 Brunello – so you know you are in good hands here.

Muraccio is Valeria’s special blend of Tuscany’s hero grape, Sangiovese, plus Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, all from vineyards close to the winery. Aged for 10 months in oak barriques before bottling, it has juicy red and black cherry flavours mingled with plummy fruit and notes of Mediterranean herbs. It’s a fullbodied wine with layers of deep flavour – yet wonderfully easy to drink. We love it. And we think you’ll love it too. We’re not the only ones who are impressed. The renowned international critic, Antonio Galloni, awarded Muraccio 92 points and called it “a real charmer”. James Suckling was equally impressed, awarding it 92 points as well.