Premium Italian Lineup 3.0
- Mixed
- Various
This pack shows off the best of Italy’s two superstar regions - Piedmont and Tuscany - with a collection of wines that are sure to impress. We thought of calling the pack Piedmont v Tuscany, but that wouldn’t be fair, with each region having their own style and strength. Piedmont shows off here with the structured and age-worthy nebbiolo, along with a very easy-to-drink dolcetto. Sangiovese represents for Tuscany, with three very good wines that will be GREAT with food.
Each pack contains ONE of the following:
Red
-
- Sangiovese
-
- Tuscany
- Sangiovese
- Tuscany
This ‘Toscana’ is the result of what the producer calls “subjective conflicting opinions of style and what constitutes a Chianti Classico Riserva”. Essentially, the authorities of the region deemed the wine too elegant for the Riserva classification. Well, elegant is fine by us. This medium-bodied and mineral-laced wine is an absolute delight - full of cherries, spice and a nice dusting of tannin. It saw an extended period of two years in oak and is at the start of what we think will be a few years of very good drinking. Decant and serve with Bistecca alla Fiorentina for best results.
Red
-
- Sangiovese
-
- Tuscany
- Sangiovese
- Tuscany
This 2018 Chianti from the wonderful and terroir-focused producer Monte Bernardi is an absolute treat. Based in Panzano, the estate is run by the talented and meticulous Michael Schmelzer, who manages all of their vineyards using biodynamic principles (organically certified). It’s made in a traditional style of Chianti Classico - so expect a medium body, fruit-driven wine with a firm structure and great length. According to the producer: “The Italian word Retromarcia means more to us than its literal translation 'to back up' or 'to reverse', it has been our aim to produce intensely typical and expressive wines from Tuscany’s historic zone – Chianti Classico, using only traditional grapes. With the name Retromarcia, we are emphasizing a return to the natural elegance and charm of Sangiovese.”
Red
-
- Sangiovese
-
- Tuscany
- Sangiovese
- Tuscany
Chianti for the New World wine-lover. Bold and supple, with heaps of saucy black cherry action. The acid’s there; that common theme in pretty much all Italians that guarantees food-friendliness. Dusty cypress-lined gravel path tannins give just the right hint of the rustic, without taking away from the class and poise of what is a cracking vino.
Red
-
- Nebbiolo
-
- Piedmont
- Nebbiolo
- Piedmont
Baby Barolo doesn’t do it justice. The fruit is boisterously vibrant and the tannins altogether smoother and softer, but this doesn’t lack grown-up appeal at all. There’s all the tar-and-roses intricacy of its pricier nebbiolo stablemates, with none of the need for extended cellaring. It delivers exactly what you’d want in a Langhe nebbiolo and, frankly, quite a bit more!
Red
-
- Nebbiolo
-
- Piedmont
- Nebbiolo
- Piedmont
Ettore Germano is one of the great Barolo producers in the commune of Serralunga d’Alba in Piemonte. Ettore Germano’s Langhe nebb gets plenty of love and attention in the vineyard and winery since the producer has such a singular focus on quality. The grapes are hand-harvested, given a short maceration to retain freshness and aged in steel tanks rather than oak barrels so the wine is ready to go upon bottling. Cherries, raspberries and violets dominate the nose, followed by a palate of similar fruit characteristics, a bit of leather and savouriness, and soft tannins. It’s casually serious and imminently enjoyable.
Red
-
- Dolcetto
-
- Piedmont
- Dolcetto
- Piedmont
Dolcetto comes from the Alba region in Piemonte, northern Italy and is known and loved for its lower acidity, meaning it’s a wine to be enjoyed young and works well without food. This particular dolcetto is a well-balanced wine with notes of blackberries, cherries, violets and cloves. It’s fresh and fruity, and something to get into over the next two or three years.