Best of Italy ~ Value 7 Pack - Bonus Free Bottle

Best of Italy' value 7 pack, which includes a bonus free bottle. Dive into the flavors of Italy with this curated selection featuring seven premium Italian wines. Plus, as a bonus, enjoy an additional free bottle, offering exceptional value and variety. Perfect for enthusiasts seeking the best of Italian wine culture in one convenient package.

1 x Botter Prosecco Extra Dry NV - Veneto Italy

Commended - International Wine Challenge 2018
Silver - International Wine & Spirit Competition 2018
Bronze - International Wine & Spirit Competition 2017
Commended - International Wine Challenge 2016
Bronze - International Wine & Spirit Competition 2016
Commended - International Wine Challenge 2014
Bronze - International Wine & Spirit Competition 2014
Gold - Mundus Vini 2014
Bronze - International Wine Challenge 2013

Jancis Robinson "Pear juice, lemon, off-dry. Functional, fine."

Falstaff Magazine "Filigree nose with elegant nuances of white flowers and a hint of wet stone."

Casa Vinicola Botter is a multi-awarded Italian wine producer. The company was founded in 1928 as a small business selling local Veneto wines in barrels. After World War II, it moved onto bottled wine and began to export internationally. Botter is now managed by the third generation of the family. Botter owns two wine estates; including Divici a winery with 100 hectares (250 acres) of organic vineyards in the hills around Treviso. These are planted with a range of classic Veneto varieties such as Corvina, although the initial focus has been on an organic Prosecco.

Wine Spectator - 'Sparkling Success' "Prosecco has brought Italian sparkling wine to the forefront of the wine world. Prosecco has almost become a byword to mean any sparkling wine. In reality, Prosecco DOC, the most widely available example from the region, is specifically the product of vineyards that span a large swath of approximately 70,000 acres through the Veneto and Friuli–Venezia-Giulia regions. The soft, creamy texture and approachable structure that people love is the result of the Charmat production method, and the pretty floral and peach flavours typical to the wine are characteristics of the area's native Glera grape, Prosecco's dominant variety."

Veneto is a substantial and increasingly important wine region in the northeastern corner of Italy. Veneto is slightly smaller than Italy's other main wine-producing regions – Piedmont, Tuscany, Lombardy, Puglia and Sicily however it generates more wine than any of them. Although the southern regions Sicily and Puglia were for a long time Italy's main wine producers, this balance began to shift north towards Veneto in the latter half of the 20th Century. In the 1990s, southern Italian wine languished in an increasingly competitive and demanding world, while Veneto upped its game, gaining recognition with such wines as Valpolicella, Amarone, Soave and Prosecco.

Glera is a long-standing synonym of northern Italy's Prosecco grape and the name by which it is now officially known. This green-skinned variety has been grown for hundreds of years in the Veneto and Friuli regions, most famously to produce sparkling Prosecco wines.

1 x Collosorbo - Brunello di Montalcino 'Sangiovese' 2018 ~ Rosso di Montalcino, Italy

92/100 Vinous
92/100 Raffaele Vechionne, Wine Critics
91/100 Falstaff
Bronze - Wine Enthusiast

91/100 Falstaff (2017 vintage)
90/100 Wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)

Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards
Gold - Decanter World Wine Awards (2017 vintage)

Vinous "The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino impresses with a rich mix of crushed cherries and plums complemented by hints of clove and dried roses. This is soft-textured and potent, with a sweet-and-sour interplay of tart wild berries and spice enlivened by bright acidity. It tapers off with dusty tannins, yet only lightly structured, leaving hints of salted licorice and red currants to linger."

Raffaele Vechionne, Wine Critics "Slightly reductive on the main profile, it alternates notes of red plums, dates, sautéed mushrooms, and wet earth. Medium-full body, very soft tannins, and a juicy and harmonious finish."

Falstaff "Bright ruby red color. Very restrained on the nose, comes out of the glass with difficulty. Shows on the palate with fine sweet texture, also with grippy, vivid tannin, warm-hearted, currently drying in the aftertaste."

Wine Enthusiast "This opens with subtle aromas suggesting underbrush, wild herb and a whiff of toasted nut. Smooth and juicy, the palate shows ripe Morello cherry, pomegranate and ground clove. It's already accessible thanks to polished tannins and fresh acidity."

Falstaff "Hearty ruby red. In the nose with nuances of resin, candle wax, cedarwood, blackberries, coffee powder, and malt. On the palate with a rich cut, it shows fine balsamic components, then tightens slightly in the finish, ending on licorice notes." (2017 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast " Aromas of stewed prune, mocha, underbrush and licorice follow over to the no-frills palate along with blood orange and roasted coffee bean notes. Dusty, drying tannins and the warmth of alcohol provide the backdrop." (2017 vintage)

The Winemaker "The fruit is a highlight to the enduring popularity of Brunello di Montalcino, but it’s the tannins and acidity that extend the life of this wine."

The Tenuti di Collosorbo has been owned by the Ciacci family since 1850. The first bottle of Brunello di Montalcino was made in 1966 by Giuseppe Ciacci, progenitor of the first of the three generations of this winery. Now Giovanna Ciacci and her daughters, oenologist Laura and agronomist, Lucia Sutera Sardo, operate the vineyard and winery, assisted by esteemed oenologist Paolo Caciorgna and cellar master, Daniele Guidotti, who has been in charge of the Tenuta's winery for more than twenty years and is considered one of the family.

The region of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is situated in the heart of Tuscany, in central Italy. Brunello di Montalcino is a red DOCG Italian wine produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montalcino, in the province of Siena, located about 80 km south of Florence in the Tuscany wine region. Brunello, a diminutive of Bruno ("brown"), is the name that was given locally to what was believed to be an individual grape variety grown in Montalcino . In 1879 the Province of Siena's Amphelographic Commission determined, after a few years of controlled experiments, that Sangiovese and Brunello were the same grape variety, and that the former should be its designated name.

In Montalcino the name Brunello evolved into the designation of the wine produced with 100% Sangiovese.

In 1980, Brunello di Montalcino was among the four wines awarded the first DOCG designation. Today it is one of Italy's best-known and most expensive wines.

Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old.

Brunello di Montalcino, produced in Tuscany is one of Italy's most famous and prestigious wines. The wine is typically garnet in color with aromas of red and black fruit with underlying vanilla and spice, and perhaps a hint of earthiness. The wines are usually full bodied with alcohol levels around 14 or 15 percent.

1 x Conterno Fantino - Barolo Vigna del Gris 2018 ~ Piedmont, Italy

95/100 James Suckling
94/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
93/100 Falstaff
91/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous
17.5/20 Jancis Robinson
96/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage)
95/100 Falstaff (2017 vintage)
93/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2017 vintage)
91/100 Wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
96/100 Wine & Spirit Magazine (2016 vintage)
96/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advicate (2016 vintage)
95/100 James Suckling (2016 vintage)
95/100 Wine Spectator (2016 vintage)

James Suckling "Dense nose with licorice-tinged, crushed raspberries and blackberries. Full-bodied and full-fruited palate, then there’s a steady, velvety-tannin build through the long finish. Really well structured and polished. Showing great promise. Excellent 2018 from the Monforte d’Alba zone."

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "...is elegant and woven tightly together with small berry fruits, redcurrant, wild lilac and violet, crushed stone and licorice root. With fruit from Monforte d'Alba, the wine is streamlined and silky, but you also sense the power and tightness of the inner fiber that locks it all together with seamless precision."

Falstaff "Brilliant ruby ​​red with a delicately lightening edge. Very spicy on the nose, of kitchen herbs, pepper, some aniseed, then leather and wet stone, then again dried rose petals, very varied. Full-bodied on the palate, with very close-meshed tannins, shows a lot of pressure, lacks some draft on the palate overall."

Jancis Robinson "Lustrous ruby. Taut and compact on the nose and slow to reveal itself, except for the minerally savoury hints. Supple, juicy, mouth-filling and complex fruit with a deep layer of slightly drying tannins. Very long aromatic and focused finish but far from ready."

James Suckling "This is extremely perfumed with rose petal and orange zest to the ripe-strawberry and cherry character. Full and intense palate with layers of fruit and firm, dusty tannins. Chewy at the finish, but there’s plenty of fruit." (2017 vintage)

Falstaff "Luminous ruby ​​red. Opens in the nose to a potpourri of truffles and iron, plus rich cherry fruit and elegant spice, to put away. Dense and polished on the palate, elegant, with handy tannins and plenty of excitement, still looks young, put it away and enjoy it to the full in a few years." (2017 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "...boasts a slightly more delicate and finessed aromatic approach with tighter weaving and an almost fragile personality." (2017 vintage)

Wine Spectator "Boasting well defined cherry, strawberry, currant and floral flavors, this red also reveals a savory side, evoking eucalyptus, sage and white pepper elements. Linear and sinewy, with fine length." (2017 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Aromas of underbrush, camphor and cellar floor lead the nose. The assertive palate lacks fruit richness, offering sensations of incense, coconut, licorice and oak alongside extremely astringent tannins." (2017 vintage)

Wine & Spirit Magazine "This wine captures the character of the 2016 vintage with exuberant aromas of rose petals, mint and sage and vibrant red berry and cherry flavors. Those aromas and flavors remain poised and balanced for days after the bottle has been opened, suggesting a long life ahead, though the sheer energy of this wine makes it immensely appealing even now." (2016 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advicate " These well-draining conditions add to the softness and concentrated aromatic intensity of Nebbiolo. In fact, the bouquet here brings us a medley of red and purple fruits with some ripe blackberry and plum. It shows a hint of pretty cherry sweetness with spice, tobacco and candied licorice." (2016 vintage)

James Suckling "Extremely perfumed with ripe strawberries and hints of dried flowers. Hints of hazelnuts. It’s full-bodied with a solid core of ripe fruit and ripe, polished tannins. Tight center palate. Very persistent. This is reserved now, but shows beautiful potential. " (2016 vintage)

Wine Spectator "Focused on bright cherry, black currant and freshly cut hay aromas and flavors, this red is vibrant, verging on racy. Accents of iron, tobacco and tar add complexity, and this is balanced and long on the finish." (2016 vintage)

Founded in 1982, Conterno Fantino testifies to the talent and vision of viticulturist Claudio Conterno and his partner, oenologist Guido Fantino. These great wines start in exceptional vineyard sites in Monforte d’Alba. Conterno Fantino’s historical nucleus is Ginestra, one of Monforte’s historical crus documented as far back as the 1800’s. is based on a hillside close to the village of Monforte d'Alba. The focus of the estate falls to four key grape varieties: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto and Chardonnay.

Barolo is a traditional hillside village in the rolling hills of Piedmont, northwestern Italy. The vineyards and wineries there have long been famous for producing some of Italy's very finest red wines – predominantly from the region's signature grape variety, Nebbiolo.

Nebbiolo is the grape variety behind the top-quality red wines of Piedmont, northwestern Italy, the most notable of which are Barolo and Barbaresco. Nebbiolo wines are distinguished by their strong tannins, high acidity and distinctive scent – often described as "tar and roses". They also tend to lose color. Within just a few years of vintage, most Nebbiolo wines begin fading from deep, violet-tinged ruby to a beautiful brick orange.

1 x Renato Ratti Barolo 'Marcenasco' Nebbiolo 2018 ~ Piedmont, Italy

88/100 Decanter
96/100 Stephen Blandford (2017 vintage)
96/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage)
94/100 Wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
92/100 Decanter (2017 vintage)
92/100 Robert Parker (2017 vintage)
90/100 Wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
16/20 Jancis Robinson (2017 vintage)
97/100 Wine Enthusiast (2016 vintage)
93/100 Raffaele Vecchione (2016 vintage)
95/100 Wine Spectator (2015 vintage)
92/100 Wine Enthusiast (2014 vintage)
90/100 - Wine Spectator (2014 vintage)
91/100 - Guida Veronelli (2014 vintage)
93/100 - Wine Spectator (2012 vintage)
95/100 - Wine Enthusiast (2013 vintage)
90/100 - Falstaff Magazin (2012 vintage)
90/100 - Falstaff Magazin (2010 vintage)

Wine Spectator Top 100 (2015 vintage)
Commended Decanter World Wine Awards (2007 vintage)
Silver - International Wine Challenge (2007 vintage)
Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards (2006 vintage)
Silver - International Wine Challenge (2006 vintage)
Gold - Indy International Wine Competition (2007 vintage)
Silver - (Best In Class)
International Wine & Spirit Competition (2006 vintage)
Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2005 vintage)

Award-Winning Winery

Decanter "Marcenasco is the classic Barolo of Ratti, a blend of several vineyards in Annunziata and La Morra; while it does display the typical round tannins of this commune, it is lighter on the palate and leaner in its finish than the winery’s two single vineyard Barolo. The aromas are highlighted by notes of morello cherry, wild strawberry, redcurrant and cumin, while brown spice notes dominate the finish.

Drinking Window 2022 - 2032"

Stephen Blandford "Bright garnet, a touch of orange. The layered bouquet offers aromas of ripe plum, sweet spice, purple flowers, chalky crushed rock and delicate pie crust oak. Lovely. Medium-bodied in the mouth, the wine is already well-rounded and integrated, juicy plum with spice, smoothing barrel notes, a layer of velvety tannin and a long, supple finish. Traditional charm with the ability to age" (2017 vintage)

James Suckling "This is so perfumed and beautiful with cherries, strawberries and dried flowers that follow through to a medium to full body with firm, fine tannins and a long, energetic finish. All about length and finesse. Drink in 2024." (2017 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Camphor, pressed rose and oak-driven spice aromas come to the forefront. The smooth, full-bodied palate features spiced cranberry, dried cherry, licorice and coffee bean framed in tightly wound, fine-grained tannins that clench the close. Drink 2025–2032. Kerin O’Keefe" (2017 vintage)

Decanter "Marcenasco is a historic selection of three of Renato Ratti's vineyards. The winery extends today over 35 hectares. In the warm 2017 vintage this classic Barolo shows enticing leafy lightness, with strawberry fruit and rosewater notes. Extremely pale in colour, it is supple, almost silky, full bodied, and crunchy on the finish. It's a bit empty on the mid-palate, but remains an enjoyable Barolo.

Drinking Window 2021 - 2040" (2017 vintage)

Wine Spectator "Plum, leather, spice and tar flavors highlight this lively red, with dusty tannins coating the finish. Not that expressive today, yet long. Best from 2023 through 2037. 3,750 cases made, 3,750 cases imported. — BS" (2017 vintage)

Robert Parker "Although it is not an official MGA vineyard designation, the Marcenasco vineyard is located directly under the Ratti family winery and is the site most historically linked to the legacy of this estate. The Renato Ratti 2017 Barolo Marcenasco is balanced and fine with a long and polished sensation. Like the other wines in this estate portfolio, the hot vintage is played forward in terms of dried fruit aromas and dusty tannins and not overt jamminess or ripeness. This 70,000-bottle production makes for a thinner mouthfeel and ultimately a shorter drinking window." (2017 vintage)

Raffaele Vecchione "Expressive and exuberant on the nose thanks to the matrix, completely unbalanced on the & quot; red & quot; profile shows acid hints with raspberries, currants and rose hips. Medium body, slightly rigid tannins and a crunchy and vibrant finish. Better from 2022." (2016 vintage)

Wine Spectator "A deep well of macerated cherry, plum, freshly cut grass, white pepper and tar flavors highlights this dense, muscular red. Quickly goes from enticing to closed down as the beefy tannins ply the finish. All the components are there. Best from 2022 through 2043. 3,500 cases imported. —BS" (2015 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Elegantly structured, the youthfully austere, precise palate delivers cherry, cranberry, star anise and crushed mint while bright acidity and tightly wound tannins provide the taut framework. Give it time to fully unwind and develop...Aromas of wild berry, pressed rose, ground clove and a balsamic note of menthol lead the way." (2014 vintage)

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate ".... the wine also reveals the depth and the sophistication of aged Nebbiolo...Marcenasco is a trademarked name that belongs to the Renato Ratti estate, but it also refers to a vineyard in the La Morra township. The 2014 Barolo Marcenasco offers dark and rich aromas of pressed rose with dark fruit, smoke and tar. " (2014 vintage)

James Suckling "Sweet-smelling dried red cherries, potpourri and herbal accents, all leading to a medium-weight palate. Has approachable, easy, red-berry flavors. A lighter style." (2014 vintage)

Wine Spectator "Mint, fresh-cut hay and juniper aromas give way to cherry and underbrush flavors. Rich in the middle, conceding to assertive tannins on the finish. (2014 vintage)

The Winemaker "An absolute master of the table, this Barolo conquers the palate with the strength and harmony at the same time. Barolo Marcenasco is smooth, balanced and elegant with a long finish.Pair with grilled red meat, game and aged cheeses. Aromas of wild berry, pressed rose, ground clove and a balsamic note of menthol lead the way. Elegantly structured, the youthfully austere, precise palate delivers cherry, cranberry, star anise and crushed mint while bright acidity and tightly wound tannins provide the taut framework." (2014 vintage)

Renato Ratti was one of the most influential and important figures in the modern history of Barolo. He created his own acclaimed estate in the frazione of Annunziata (La Morra). He was also a strong advocate for a modern style winemaking, and set the wheels in motion to convert the Barolo castle into a museum honouring the production of its most famous export. These days his son Pietro and long-time winemaker Massimo Martinelli continue to turn out exemplary wines all hung off more modern styling. The most significant of the wines is his top Barolo Marcenasco but the wines across the range are superb. In style they all share a plushness and suppleness that plays well with the La Morra terroir.

Renato Ratti makes three single-vineyard Barolos, from the Marcenasco, Conca and Rocche dell'Annuziata cru vineyards. These are the top offerings from the estate, and can be cellared for up to 20 years. Along with the range of classic Piedmont wines from Alba and Asti, Ratti also makes a varietal Sauvignon Blanc wine called I Cedri and a blend of Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot called Villa Pattono, both of which are labeled under the Monferrato DOC.

Barolo is a traditional hillside village in the rolling hills of Piedmont, northwestern Italy. The vineyards and wineries there have long been famous for producing some of Italy's very finest red wines – predominantly from the region's signature grape variety, Nebbiolo.

Nebbiolo is the grape variety behind the top-quality red wines of Piedmont, northwestern Italy, the most notable of which are Barolo and Barbaresco. Nebbiolo wines are distinguished by their strong tannins, high acidity and distinctive scent – often described as "tar and roses". They also tend to lose color. Within just a few years of vintage, most Nebbiolo wines begin fading from deep, violet-tinged ruby to a beautiful brick orange.

1 x Castello di Gabiano - Barbera D'Asti 'Adornes Superiore' 2013 ~ Piedmont, Italy

89/100 Wine Enthusiast
89/100 James Suckling (2011 vintage)
89/100 Wine Enthusiast (2011 vintage)
88/100 Wine & Spirits Magazine

Wine Enthusiast rater
James Suckling favourite

Kerin O' Keefe, Wine Enthusiast "Tobacco, dark berry and new leather aromas take shape in the glass. The structured, juicy palate offers blackberry jam, licorice and white pepper alongside polished tannins."

Wine Enthusiast - "This dense, savoury wine has tobacco, black-skinned berry and red plum aromas and licorice, blackberry jam and black pepper flavours. Fine-grained tannins provide support." (2011 vintage)

The Winemaker - "Concentrated and balanced... with a long finish. This wine can be a lovely match with grilled red meats, roasted meats, wild fowl and aged cheese." (2011 vintage)

The Castello di Gabiano vineyard and winery, situated in the Piedmont Region of the northwest of Italy, boasts more than a century of history. In the 8th century, a document signed by Carlo Magno indicated the presence of a “Cortem magnam nomina Gabianam,” proving the land has been owned by the Gabiano family since that time. Today, Giacomo Cattaneo Adorno, the last Marquis of Gabiano, and his wife Emanuela are personally involved in the winery.

Castello di Gabiano vineyards are planted on the highest fields with exposure at noon. The chalky clay soil enhances the wines' unique terroir. Two different prunings are made throughout the year: the first one in July, which equalizes the bunches, the second one in August, aims to achieve the maximum concentration and quality. Harvest in small cases with an accurate selection of the best grapes. Fermentation with native yeast in cement tanks and oak vats. Many délestages and pumping over ensures a rich extraction with the calcareous clay soils giving great structure and complexity to this wine. The wine is finished in barrels for 18 months and in bottle for 12 months.

Barbera d’Asti is one of the most famous wines from the Piedmont region of north-western Italy. It became a DOC in 1970 and was upgraded to its DOCG classification in 2008, adding to Piedmont's impressive haul of DOCG titles (the highest level of Italian wine classification). The Barbera d'Asti title covers the area around the town of Asti, and exclusively focuses on red wines made from Barbera. Softer and more approachable in its youth than the Nebbiolo used to make Piedmont's most prestigious wines, Barbera is a firm favourite among winemakers and consumers. It is also the region's most widely planted red-wine variety.

The Asti area is located in the hilly areas of the Asti and Alessandria provinces in eastern Piedmont, where the region shares its borders with Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. The vineyards which produce Barbera d'Asti wine are typically situated on hilly terrain, ranging in altitude anywhere from 300ft to 1000ft (90m to 305m). They span a relatively large area that adjoins the production area of Barbera d’Alba to the north-east.

According to DOC regulations, any Barbera d'Asti wine must consist of at least 85% Barbera. The remaining 15% can comprise Freisa, Grignolino and Dolcetto. The bottles must not be released for sale before 1 March in the year after harvest and must achieve a minimum final alcohol level of at least 11.5% alcohol by volume. There is also a Superiore designation which requires a minimum of 12 months of ageing, with at least six months of this time spent in barrel.

Barbera d'Asti is a particularly good ageing wine, with the potential to reward cellaring for up to eight years. At its best it is a rich, tangy, full-bodied wine characterized by an intense ruby-red color which graduates towards garnet red with age. It is a full-bodied wine whose flavors become more balanced and appealing as it matures.

1 x Illuminati - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 'Zanna' 2015 ~ Abruzzo, Italy

90/100 Wine Enthusiast
94/100 Ian Dagata - Vinous Media (2010 Vintage)
92/100 Wine & Spirits (2010 Vintage)
92/100 Wine Review Online (2010 Vintage)
90/100 Wine Spectator (2010 Vintage)

Commended International Wine Challenge

100% Montepulciano

Wine Enthusiast “Aromas of crushed herbs and spiced cherry show a pleasing depth on the nose. Medium in weight, the palate brings juicy red cherry, tobacco and earth, with slightly sandy tannins rising up on the finish. Sourced from a single vineyard in the Colline Teramane DOCG, it shows very good vibrancy and concentration.”

Wine Spectator - "Elegant and well-spiced, with a finely meshed range of black raspberry, licorice string, grilled herb and black olive flavors structured by velvety tannins. Medium- to full-bodied, with a sweet, lasting hint of fig bread on the finish." (2010 Vintage)

Ian Dagata - Vinous - "Multilayered, deep and complex, Zanna is always one of Abruzzo's most refined Montepulcianos....Deep ruby. Ripe but fresh red cherry and spice aromas are complemented by refined notes of lead pencil and coffee. Very suave on the palate too, with brightly focused red cherry, flint and herb flavors that carry through a very long aftertaste." (2010 Vintage)

Wine & Spirits - "The 45-year-old vines at the Zanna Vineyard provides the fruit for this Riserva, aged in Slavonian oak for two years. It’s supple and concentrated, packed with black fruit that slowly yields hints of strawberries, red berries and licorice. The tannins remain smoky and as black as carbon, the finish clean and vast." (2010 Vintage)

Wine Reviews - "The flagship Zanna is produced only in the best vintages. Besides coming from old vines (45 years average age) of a single vineyard called Zanna, the wine ages for four years at the winery compared to only one year for the Riparossa. The 2010 Zanna has pronounced aromas of blackberry, spice and flowers, with mineral notes joining those impressions on the palate. It is full-bodied with impressively rich and smooth texture and soft tannins. For a wine so laden with fruitiness, it has beautiful complexity and holds your interest as only great wines can. (2010 Vintage)

Montepulciano Riserva 'Zanna' is the winery's flagship wine, a 3 Bicchieri Award winner for years in a row. Produced only in the best vintages, Zanna is made with a selection of grapes from old vines (45 years old on average) from a single vineyard, pergola-trained with monitored low production through green harvest.

Zanna is intense ruby red in color, turning garnet with time. There are hints of blackberry, berry fruits, and dried flowers on the nose. On the palate the wine has great texture and soft tannins, with an elegant and long finish. It will pair perfectly with red meat, game, truffles, and aged cheeses, particularly gorgonzola.

The Zanna vineyard, from which this wine takes its name, is located 287 metres a.s.l. in the Municipality of Controguerra, along the hills to the right of the Tronto river that gradually decline towards the Adriatic sea, with a gentle climate characterized by natural fresh ventilation.

The Zanna vineyard was one of the first vineyards to be planted by the Company and is provided with a pergola trellis system with approximately 1,100 stocks per hectare.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane is the jewel in the crown of central Italy's Abruzzo region – a fact confirmed by its promotion to DOCG status in 2003. Its name (Colline Teramane) means hills of Teramo, and it is thanks to this prime hilly site with outstanding growing conditions that the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo gem can shine.

This territory in the province of Teramo, with its special microclimate and good soil structure, is located between the high peaks of the Gran Sasso National Park and the Adriatic coast. Local wine growers demonstrate passion, professionalism and respect for the Colline Teramane terroir, as well as treating the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grape gently by cropping it at reasonably low levels so the vines can bear first-class fruit.

The wines require a minimum of 90% Montepulciano and a maximum of 10% Sangiovese. At least two years of ageing is required, with at least one year in oak barrels and at least six months in bottle before release. Those under the Riserva label must have spent a minimum of three years maturing. The result is a unique wine with distinct organoleptic sensations; it is often notable for its muscular and earthy character, robust but at the same time offering an elegant and velvet-smooth texture. Like a Vosne-Romanee, this wine can be described as ‘an iron hand in a velvet glove’. It is an expressive red delivering an intense purity of fruit, abundant in fresh dark cherries and black plums, with hints of spice and smoke evident from the time in oak. It comes into its element when paired with food.

1 x Tenuta Argentiera - Bolgheri Superiore - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc 2018 ~ Bolgheri, Italy

97/100 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2017 vintage)
96/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage)
95/100 Decanter (2017 vintage)
93/100 Wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
90/100 Wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
99/100 James Suckling (2015 Vintage)
95/100 Wine Spectator (2015 Vintage)
97/100 Robert Parker (2015 Vintage)
95/100 Wine Enthusiast (2007 Vintage)
92/100 Wine Spectator (2003 Vintage)

Super Tuscan at a great value!

Robert Parker - "This is a dark and penetrating Tuscan red that is beautifully elevated, thanks to the extremely elegant and buoyant quality of the aromas. They lift gracefully from the glass with light-footed, almost fleeting character. However, don't underestimate the power and the concentration of the wine, because this vintage delivers both with abundance. I've had my eye on this estate since the vineyards were first planted some 20 years ago, and there is no doubt that this vintage brings Tenuta Argentiera into a new era as a Bolgheri protagonist. Some 80,000 bottles were made."

James Suckling - "Love the complexity to this with lots of rosemary and lavender that complement the currant and violet character. Full-bodied, yet extremely polished and tight on the palate. The tannins are ever so fine. Extremely long and beautiful. Another excellent wine, after the superb 2015."

Wine Enthusiast - "The full-bodied palate delivers blackberry jam, star anise and roasted coffee bean alongside velvety tannins."

Decanter - "...The estate is located at the southernmost border of the appellation. In 2016, possibly because of the high percentage of Merlot in the blend, the wine shows great complexity from straw notes and earthy tones in a sort of Right Bank style, with meaty cassis fruit and a slightly leaner body full of finesse. The tannins in this vintage are almost silky from this higher altitude part of the appellation, at 200 meters above sea level. (AG) "

Wine Spectator - "Rich, with black currant, plum, loamy earth, vanilla and toasty oak spice aromas and flavors, backed by a spine of dense tannins and vibrant acidity, lingering with ample fruit, herb and spice notes."

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet

The Argentiera estate is situated on the coast of Alta Maremma, about 100 km west of Florence in the DOC appellation of Bolgheri. The estate is part of the historic Tenuta di Donoratico dei Serristori, an influential Florentine family that in 1512 acquired this land from the Medici family.

Today the property is owned by Corrado and Marcello Fratini, well-known entrepreneurs from Florence, and by Marchese Piero Antinori. The estate is planted with specialized vines all of which have the appellation DOC Bolgheri. The vines have an average age of 4–5 years and are situated on a plateau at an elevation of 150 to 200 meters above sea level, the highest altitude level in Bolgheri.

Argentiera’s vineyards, located only 2 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, benefit from breezes that provide consistent ventilation to the vines. The vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah; vines very much representative of the Bolgheri area.

Bolgheri is an outstanding wine region made famous by Marchese Mario Incisa Della Rocchetta, who planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines for his own consumption in the 1940s on his San Guido estate and called the resulting wine, Sassicaia.

Today the region’s Tuscan reds are based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which can be made as single varietal wines or blends. The local Sangiovese can make up no more than 50% of the blends.