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After all, right across Italy Prosecco is the bubbly of choice and as much a part of daily life as gelato or an espresso.
This wine is from northern Italy's Alessandro Gallici. He knows every grape grower worth knowing, every premium vineyard, and has spent his life making outstanding wines.
We first met him when he was head winemaker at a large winery. Every vintage, he'd impress us, but he was also keen to go out on his own.
We were delighted and promised we'd be his first customer. We're still championing his great wines today.
His fizz is beautifully fresh and, served chilled, makes a tasty aperitivo.
Antonio Federici is a small, 3rd-generation cellar in Lazio, just south of Rome. As you'll taste here, its wines are both authentic and delicious. Normally, they only supply their meagre output to top restaurants in Rome.
But with most shut in 2020, we managed to gain a small allocation of this superb, cherry-scented red. And again, the following year. On fine limestone soils (the rocks of which were used to build some of Rome's most famous buildings) they grow some of Italy's most characterful native grapes.
From these they make a small range of award-winning wines. No doubt the skill of top Italian consultant Franco and Matteo Bernabei comes into play, as well as the commitment and passion of the family.
A silky, smooth, easy red.
If you love big, powerful reds that make a statement, choose this gorgeous, dense, cherry charged Amarone. It’s made by specialist of this style Cantina Negrar – Italy’s 2016 ‘Winery of the Year’. Rich and packed with spiced red fruits!
Wine Enthusiast calls Amarone “one of the 15 icons in Italian wine”. They are certainly some of the most prized reds from Italy, made by the ancient tradition of sun drying grapes before fermentation. This gives them an amazing richness, a glorious combination of power and complexity that cellars well, too. No wonder they are prized the world over. This 2017 from the renowned Cantina Negrar is named after the 18th century poet Bartolomeo Lorenzi, whose epic poem celebrating rural life made Valpolicella wines famous. The grapes are from the ancient dry stone terraces of the cool Marano Valley, where they ripen slowly. They are then air dried for 120 days to intensify flavours. A superb bottle to enjoy now with hearty dishes or to cellar.
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Castel del Lago employs Soave’s Garganega with a dash of Chardonnay. From vineyards overlooking beautiful Lake Garda, the grapes are well ripened, adding peach and apricot notes to this beautifully expressive white.
Castel del Lago is an exciting, super-fresh white from Matteo Bernabei. Consultant for pricy top wineries by day, he has his own vines where, by night, he makes this gem. It features Garganega, the key grape of Soave, that naturally lends citrusy freshness. Grown on sloping vineyards that lead down to the lake (the largest in Italy) the grapes ripen really well. All that sunshine is reflected off the water back up to the vines. The soil helps too – stony and well drained, it adds to the fruity intensity. Matteo then blends in a dash of Chardonnay and ages the wine several months on its lees, which lends a delicious creamy weight to the freshness. It's a wine that's ideal on its own or with food, such as prosciutto and melon, fish or salads.
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The wine treasures of Lombardy's Oltrepo Pavese rarely escape Italian. Every reason to seize your chance with this mature, oak-matured masterpiece from a 13th century castle! Oak and cherry-scented, it is silky, yet firm and bewitchingly long.
Oltrepo Pavese lies in southwest Lombardy, next to Piedmont, hence its former name, Old Piedmont. Castello di Cigognola is an impressive, 13th-century castle, lying high on a hill, overlooking the Scuropasso Valley, across to Emilia Romagna. No wonder, then, it was once a stronghold for feudal lords. Over the centuries, it has been a gathering place for politicians and philosophers and today it remains a tranquil spot. It is home to many artistic pursuits, including great wine. Gabriele Moratti is in charge today. Sustainably tended, the vineyards are in the process of organic conversion. Using all Barbera from their 30-year-old La Maga vineyard, the wine had a year's ageing in small barrels. A very fine red. Open early and decant, or age.
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Top Soave is a revelation – it offers delicately nuanced fruit, creamy body and stony freshness that enable the wines to age gracefully. You find all this and more in this sensational white from local star winemaker Antonio Fattori. Wine Advocate says “his white Soave expressions are the true standouts”. He searches out Garganega grapes from the slopes of Monte Calvarina, the volcanic soils of which lend a bright minerality to the wine. Hand picking is as essential on these steep slopes as it is for quality, while lees stirring in old oak vats lends a creamy roundness and texture to this terrific wine. Delicate apricot with wild herb notes of sage make this an exciting white. Gently chill and serve with fine white meat or fish dishes.
For the last 25 years we’ve been championing the Tuscan wines from Paolo Masi and, before that, from his dad. This is our top-selling Chianti every vintage and for good reason - it captures deep cherry fruit and is always fabulous value.
We've worked closely with the Masi family in Tuscany's superb Rufina district for 30 years now, first with Renzo and now with his son, Paolo. They are like family. In fact, you may well have met Paolo and his wife Anna Rita at our wine shows. They come every year. Paolo took over the family estate in 1990 having passed his wine studies top of the class. And that talent shows in every one of his wines. Their beautiful property lies high on a hill overlooking the Argomenna valley – it's a prime spot for Sangiovese, placed on a par with Chianti Classico since the 18th century. One of his wines even won '3rd Best Wine of Italy' in 2020. Enjoy the cherry fruit and silky texture of his great-value Chianti - ideal with chicken or pasta.
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