A DOZEN OF OUR VERY BEST VALUE ITALIAN RED WINES
Affordable – Our offer of the Super ‘Super 2008’ Tuscans was highly successful in its appeal to investors and collectors alike, but our range also includes many hidden gems from Italy which are so much more affordable.
Drinkable – well of course they are, but all the more so because most of these wines are not in need of lengthy cellaring (though many will mature well if kept), at the same time as being surprisingly attractive to wine drinkers new to the charms (or hesitant maybe?) of Italy.
Exciting – Like almost everything Italian, be it the Sistine chapel or a ‘bunga-bunga’ party. All these wines speak volumes about the people who make them and the vineyards they come from.
FRIULI
GALEA ROSSO 2003 Colli Orientali del Friuli i Clivi £94.50 per case of 6 bottles (£15.75)
Made from very low yielding old vines this nine year old Merlot has only been released by i Clivi this year as ready for drinking, and is really gorgeous. Brick red in colour it is reminiscent of a maturing right bank Bordeaux, yet with a touch of north Italian attitude.
PIEDMONT
LANGHE NEBBIOLO 2009 Andrea Oberto £89.70 per case of 6 bottles (£14.95)
Fabio Oberto (together with his father Andrea) is a heroic producer of Barolo, making wines that are not only exceptional quality but also incredibly approachable with layers of deep fruit. This Langhe Nebbiolo is really a baby Barolo, coming from the same vineyards and undergoing exactly the same vinification with only a briefer aging period in oak.
LANGHE NEBBIOLO Sottimano £89.70 per case of 6 bottles (£14.95)
If Fabio is our hero in Barolo, then Andrea Sottimano is our hero in Barbaresco, and this Langhe Nebbiolo is his baby Barbaresco. A much tighter knit wine, with higher toned fruit and tremendous length this will drink beautifully over the next few years.
TUSCANY
CHIANTI ‘Don Guido’ 2009 La Collina £53.70 per case of 6 bottles (£8.95)
From the Montalbano district in the northern hills of the Chianti region this brilliantly made Sangiovese is aged in large oak ‘botte’ to give greater depth and flavour. Savoury, spice and rich cherry fruit make this full bodied Chianti great value for money.
CABURNIO 2007 Tenuta Monteti £67.50 per case of 6 bottles (£11.25)
From the deep south of Tuscany a mini ‘super Tuscan’ which already enjoys a popular following among our customers for its combination of sheer class and exceptional value. A deep, earthy blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Alicante Bouschet aged in new oak casks, which gives a lot more expensive Bordeaux a run for their money.
CORTONA SYRAH 2008 Tenimenti Luigi d’Alessandro £69.00 per case of 6 bottles (£11.50)
Cortona is now quite well known for its quality Syrah, led by the d’Alessandro estate, where quite remarkable wines were made in the 2008 vintage , from the top ‘Migliara’ to the simple Cortona Syrah. Rated by Antonio Galloni (erobertparker.com) as ‘ridiculously good wine for the money’ this may not be especially ‘Italian’ but the notes of violets, leather and dark fruits make is so very captivating.
MORELLINO di SCANSANO ‘Heba’ 2009 Fattoria di Magliano £71.70 per case of 6 bottles (£11.95)
The coastal vineyards (Maremma) produce riper and softer fruit than in central Tuscany, so that this Sangiovese and Syrah (15%) blend, fermented in cement vats, makes for delicious, fruit led, easy drinking with a juicy twist on the finish.
BOLGHERI ROSSO 2009 Le Macchiole £95.70 per case of 6 bottles (£15.95)
Having sold out of the 2008 within days of our last offer, we are now offering the 2009 which is another beautiful wine and an even better contender for mid-term drinking. The blend remains Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah, and has got to be one of Bolgheri’s greatest buys.
UMBRIA
ASSISI ROSSO 2009 Sportoletti £57.00 per case of 6 bottles (£9.95)
Rated by Robert Parker as one of Italy’s top value wine, this full bodied Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend, given just a kiss of oak, is packed with dark, juicy red fruit and dead easy to drink.
MONTEFALCO ROSSO 2008 Arnaldo Caprai £77.70 per case of 6 bottles (£12.95)
Arnaldo Caprai champions the resurgence of Montefalco’s own infamous Sagrantino grape variety, and while this is perhaps the tamest of the wines with its large proportion of Sangiovese it is richly textured with crisp tannins and demands hearty food such as a borlotti bean stew or chunky steak.
CAMPANIA
KLEOS Aglianico 2009 Luigi Maffini £81.00 per case of 6 bottles (£13.50)
Aglianico has the potential of being one of Italy’s most exciting varietals, and in the hands of Luigi Maffini it really excels. Quite gutsy in its structure it is given a brief passage in oak to soften the tannins and round out the juicy fruit. Great food wine.
PUGLIA
CAPOPOSTO Rosso 2008 Alberto Longo £76.50 per case of 6 bottles (£12.75)
Puglia is well known for making large quantities of indifferent wine, so often baked from the heat. However, this Negroamaro, made by Graziana Grassini (who not only makes our best-selling Tassinaia, but also now responsible for Sassicaia) is far removed from the norm. Full of savoury, sweet ripe fruit, beautifully fresh and textured, it is not unlike a light Pinot Noir.
If you cannot make up your mind which wines to choose, why not take a mixed trial case and try them all before coming back for more?
BUY THE MIXED CASE THE ITALIAN MOB ‘Dirty Dozen’ – a mixed case of one bottle of each of these wines: £154.40 (including FREE delivery nationwide – mainland UK south of Perth).
All prices quoted are at the discounted rate for a minimum order of 12 bottles, which can be mixed. Our normal delivery terms apply.
WINE TASTING Monday 17th October 2011 at The Vintner’s Hall, 6.00 pm – 9.00pm. Tickets still available at £25 per person. Call Tom Morgan on 020 7244 0522.