Wine Enthusiast calls Amarone “one of 15 icons in Italian wine”. They are certainly some of the country’s most treasured reds. Rooted in the ancient tradition of sun-drying grapes before fermentation, Amarone wines offer exceptional richness and a glorious combination of power and complexity that cellars well, too. No wonder they are sought after worldwide. This 2020 from esteemed Cantina Negrar pays tribute to 18th century poet Bartolomeo Lorenzi, whose epic poems 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. Decant early and enjoy with hearty dishes, or cellar.

Château de Birot is an elegant, 17th-century property with vineyards perched on a high plateau looking down on the Garonne river and across to famous Sauternes. Until a few years ago, it belonged to the renowned Castéja family. They sold it and the new owners have been working hard, updating the estate. In the cellar, they discovered a forgotten batch of château wine from 2007.

Despite its 17 years’ age, it’s still tasting delicious, complex and long. It’s Merlot dominated from estate vineyards in the superior Premières Côtes, with a little of both Cabernets. After 17 years of maturing in the cellars, it has developed some sediment in bottle. A good sign. Stand the bottle upright for a few hours and carefully decant just before serving.

Founded 200 years ago, Château Pédesclaux is a magnificent estate, both in terms of wine and architecture. It combines the beauty of the 19th century with the modernity and technological advances of the 21st.

The additional work was undertaken by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, whose aim was to place “production at the heart of the estate within a high-performance building that is entirely fit for purpose and makes a harmonious whole with both the château and its surroundings”. It's quite something to behold.

Since the Lorenzetti family took ownership they've converted to organic. Their top wine is a rich, Cabernet-based claret, supported by Merlot, and finely expresses its gravel terroir. Still a young wine – best to cellar or open early.

Jean-Marc Diffonty’s flagship red is a rich, opulent, no-holds-barred style of Châteauneuf. It offers layers of dark, smoky, red berry fruit complexity, with a rich seam of spice. From the superb 2021 vintage, it scored 92-94 points from Decanter.