Italy

Only made in the best vintages, the 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva from Querciabella is a really beautiful bottling from this stunning estate. The product of three single vineyards, it’s currently pretty reserved, but with notes of fresh cherries, wild roses, and a hint of rosemary. It’s a simply wonderful wine.

The 2015 Camartina is an astonishing super-Tuscan. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, from high altitude vineyards in Greve-in-Chianti, it’s a wine that astonishes with its elegance, finesse, and purity. Notes of morello cherry, blackcurrant, and wild flowers, with an intensely structured core, and a long, savoury finish. Outstanding, a real tour de force.

The 2015 Camartina is an astonishing super-Tuscan. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, from high altitude vineyards in Greve-in-Chianti, it’s a wine that astonishes with its elegance, finesse, and purity. Notes of morello cherry, blackcurrant, and wild flowers, with an intensely structured core, and a long, savoury finish. Outstanding, a real tour de force.

The 2015 Camartina is an astonishing super-Tuscan. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, from high altitude vineyards in Greve-in-Chianti, it’s a wine that astonishes with its elegance, finesse, and purity. Notes of morello cherry, blackcurrant, and wild flowers, with an intensely structured core, and a long, savoury finish. Outstanding, a real tour de force.

The 2015 Camartina is an astonishing super-Tuscan. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, from high altitude vineyards in Greve-in-Chianti, it’s a wine that astonishes with its elegance, finesse, and purity. Notes of morello cherry, blackcurrant, and wild flowers, with an intensely structured core, and a long, savoury finish. Outstanding, a real tour de force.

Coming from a single vineyard on the Tignanello estate, Solaia takes its name from the sunny nature of vineyard. The 2017 is opulent and exotic, with loads of spice and a savoury, mineral finish.

One of the great Super-Tuscans, in 2017 Tignanello is intense and structured, with notes of wild herbs, baked earth, and cassis. There's a silkiness to the finish, which lasts an age.

A single vineyard Freisa, and a step up, this is a brilliant wine from this tiny estate. Wild hedgerow and flowers soar from the glass, with incredible structure and length. Mineral, precise, and very long, this is a delight. And it ages brilliantly: older bottles we tried blew us away.

Freisa is a forgotten grape variety of the Langhe. High up in the commune of Camo, Mario and Gabriele are showing just how good it can be. Floral and fresh, with elements of red berry fruit, some herbal character, and also nicely grippy tannins, this is a wonderful alternative to a Langhe Nebbiolo.

A blend of two declassified Nebbiolo da Barolo vineyards: Bussia Brovi in Monforte d’Alba & Roncaglie in La Morra. This has plenty of volume, with delicate fruit, notes of rose petal and plenty of minerality on the finish. A lovely example of what's to come.

Just 2000 bottles were made of this, from Monforte vineyards near to Monchiero. Dark and juicy, with blackcurrent and a hint of tar, there's lively acidity and a very pure and charming finish. This is so delicious. Bravo.

Lovely concentration and ripeness to the 2017 Cerasuolo, with just a hint of fava bean and blood orange on the nose, and hedgerow fruit on the palate. There's a depth here that comes from the vintage, but it's in no way overblown. Lovely.

Wow. What purity and focus, and also such silky tannins. This is a brilliant red. Notes of pomegranate and rose petal, and lots of blood orange add to the core of red fruit. The tannins are talc-like, and there’s such focus on the palate. This is outstanding.

Delicate and herbal on the nose, with fresh lavender as well as plenty of pomegranate and red berry fruit. The tannins sneak up on you: there’s an almost nebbiolo element with that grip and a tar and roses element. But the bright, pale colour and volcanic undertones give it away.

Sourced from across the Barbaresco region, from trusted suppliers, this is a wonderfully fragrant example of the region's everyday grape variety.

Yet another wine that shows just how good the 2014 vintage is. Soaring aromatics, incredible finesse, and remarkable length. A complete wine.

This comes from a single site in the Roero region, giving bright fruit and silky tannins. Giacosa's mastery of Nebbiolo is well known, and this shows their whole talent.

Wonderfully fresh and vibrant, particularly for a 2017, this has notes of cinnamon and freshly cut flowers swirling from the glass. A finessed and classy Barbaresco, that's surprisingly ready to go.

Yet another wine that shows just how good the 2014 vintage is. Soaring aromatics, incredible finesse, and remarkable length. A complete wine.

Juicy and fine boned, with notes of orange and a hint of ripe beef tomato, the 2018 Barbera is a lovely wine. It's drinking well out the gate, but will age nicely, too.

Wonderfully fresh and vibrant, particularly for a 2017, this has notes of cinnamon and freshly cut flowers swirling from the glass. A finessed and classy Barbaresco, that's surprisingly ready to go.

A top vineyard, the Rabaja shows real intensity and power, particularly in the brilliant 2016 vintage. Classic notes of tar and roses are also supported with hints of citrus zest, and a bass note of tobacco. Incredibly complex.

In the remarkable 2016 vintage, it's no surprise that this was a top performer. There's astonishing energy here, with dark berry fruit, a hint of cassis, and loads of exotic spice. The finish is incredibly long.

In the remarkable 2016 vintage, it's no surprise that this was a top performer. There's astonishing energy here, with dark berry fruit, a hint of cassis, and loads of exotic spice. The finish is incredibly long.