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.

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.

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.

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.

A lovely wine from the vineyard surrounding the estate, this is some of the best value that you'll find in Piedmont. Delicate but not overly, the finish here is stunning, with so much energy and poise. Delicious, and approachable younger than some.

The Nervo comes from Serravalian soils, and shows the high-toned fruit, citrus lift, and minerality that you'd expect from such origins. In 2018 it's a real stunner: not to be missed.

From Tortonian soils, as found in Barolo and La Morra, this is for those who like a slightly silkier, richer style of Nebbiolo. Notes of tar and tobacco on the finish, and there's exotic spice, too. Beautifully complex, and very long.

The 2015 Riserva from Rabaja has plenty of breadth and volume as you'd expect, with notes of black pepper and sage, and a core of ripe fruit. This is a charming Barbaresco right now. Lovely.

Massara is Verduno's forgotten vineyard, and this has wonderful wild strawberry perfume and nervy acidity. Lovely energy here, and a long and fragrant finish.

Monvigliero is undoubtedly a Grand Cru of Piedmont: this shows why, in the classically styled 2013 vintage. Notes of wild strawberries and hint of pomegranate and blood orange. The palate is so silky and sensous, and the sapid finish lasts for minutes. Brilliant

One of the finest vineyards in Barbaresco, from a spectacular vintage. This is perfumed, intense, and fine-boned, with amazing precision on the finish. Outstanding.

The 2017 Coltassala, the single vineyard wine from Volpaia, is brooding, intense, and very powerful. With time it's sure to be an impressive wine: at this price, a no brainer.

On the nose notes of pomegranate, fresh morello cherries, and a hint of grapefruit pith. The palate is intense and tightly wound: this will need some time to come out of its shell. Yet you feel the rippling energy here, the purity of fruit, and the underlying complexity: this is an astonishingly good Nebbiolo from one of the region’s masters. Not to be missed.

The 2013 Bricco Boschis was an impressive wine, and this Riserva performs as you'd hope. Notes of blood orange and pomegranate support the core of fruit, and the tannins are incredibly well integrated. Brilliant

A touch more 'rustic' in the loosest possible sense than the San Giuseppe, the Vignolo shows notes of tobacco and dried leaves, alongside a dark cherry core, and a cool and mineral finish. The tannins are considerable, but soften with time in the glass, while the finish lasts an age. Another winning 2013 from Cavallotto.

Just 5,000 bottles produced from this one hectare vineyard, in the direction of Montalcino. Here, there’s volcanic sand coming from Monte Amiata. 2016 is a brilliant vintage, and this shows notes of ripe cherry, iron oxide, and plenty of floral lift. A bargain.

Juicy and fresh, this blend of Barbera and Nebbiolo is a charming, delicious wine from Clerico. There’s the intensity and juicy character you’d expect from 2017, but still with plenty of acidity. Bravo.

The Pajana comes from the Ginestra cru in Monforte d'Alba, and is undoubtedly a Grand Cru of Barolo, particularly in 2016. Intense on the nose, with notes of tar and rose petal, the palate is structured and intense. This is a viscerally thrilling wine: one with astonishing poise and balance. So long, and so impressive.

A little more closed today, there’s delicate strawberry fruit on the nose, as well as a pomegranate nose. On the palate there’s a richness, but perfectly balanced by grippy Serralunga tannins and loads of energy. So, so well balanced, but in need of a bit of time.

The fruit on this Barolo, a selection of the most open barrels, that then goes into large casks, is breathtaking. There’s intensity and purity, with also plenty of fine tannins and loads of energy. This is brilliantly balanced, and so long. Wonderful.

The Ciabot Mentin in 2016 is a brooding beauty. Monforte tannins and stunning power and intensity, there’s such a beautiful depth and energy to this wine from the team at Clerico. On the finish is a crushed rock character, and despite its power it’s never overbearing. A lesson in balance.