Enthusiast Reds – Premium Selection

A curated selection of premium red wines for those who appreciate depth, character and exceptional quality. Featuring beautifully crafted reds from renowned wine regions, this collection brings together expressive fruit, refined structure and layers of complexity in every bottle.

From elegant and silky to rich and powerful, these are wines chosen for memorable dinners, special celebrations and moments when only something truly special will do. Discover exceptional reds worth savouring, sharing and coming back to.

1 x Illuminati - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 'Zanna' 2017 ~ Abruzzo, Italy

91/100 James Suckling
90/100 Wine Enthusiast (2015 vintage)
90/100 James Suckling (2015 vintage)
88/100 Decanter World Wine Awards (2015 vintage)

Silver - International Wine & Spirit Competition (2013 vintage)
Bronze - International Wine & Spirit Competition (2013 vintage)

100% Montepulciano

James Suckling " Rich red and black berries with hints of sea shells, dried herbs and a touch of balsamic. Medium-to full-bodied with a relaxed palate, where the firm, fine and polished tannins bring out a drier aspect of the fruit. This needs another year to meld together better. Try from 2023."

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. Alexander Peartree" (2015 Vintage)

James Suckling "Cherry, dried tomato, olive, cedar and spice on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tight tannins and bright acidity. Firm and savory. Best with hearty food. Drink or hold." (2015 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 Te Mata Awatea Cabernet Merlot 2018 - Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Commended - Decanter World Wine Awards (2007 Vintage)
Silver - International Wine Challenge (2007 Vintage)

95/100 Wine Enthusiast
95/100 - Huon Hooke
92/100 - Robert Parker
17/20 Jancis Robinson

Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers

Wine Enthusiast "This is an excellent bottling of Awatea, the younger brother of Te Mata's top red, Coleraine. From a long, warm growing season, this feels like a complete wine. Winter warming notes of plump plums, dark cherries and chocolate are complemented by a bounty of dried herbs, spices and graphite. The palate is similarly dense and structured but with elegance and balance. Tannins are powdery and fine, winding through dark, tangy fruit and herbs. Like many of Te Mata's wines, it has an old school Bordeaux vibe that will appeal more to some than to others. Christina Pickard"

Huon Hooke" Very deep, bold, bright purple/red colour leads into a superbly fragrant cabernet nose of violets, cassis, cedar and tobacco, while the palate is intense and bright, focused and elegant, with abundant fine tannins but also ready drinkabilty and superb balance. An excellent Awatea, with the structure to age and develop for many years. (48% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 15% cabernet franc)"

Robert Parker - "A blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Awatea Cabernets-Merlot is a bit leafy on the nose, with herbal, tobacco-tinged aromas accenting cassis and black cherries. It's medium to full-bodied and supple on the palate, finishing long, silky and mouthwatering."

World of Fine Wine 'Getting to know a legend' ""A visit to one of the world’s greatest fine-wine estates should be an integral part of any tour of New Zealand. On the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island is the independently owned, family-run, Te Mata Estate. Owners and staff still work on vineyards that began growing Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir back in the 1890s, making it the country’s oldest wine estate. Since 1905, this winery has been winning gold medals globally, which led to these sites becoming the country’s first to be protected by law due to their viticultural history. Te Mata Estate wines are currently available in 45 countries and have been presented at some of the world’s top tables— including to President Barrack Obama, President Xi Jinping, and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.""

Raymond Chan ""Te Mata Estate was the standard by which every other wine producer could be judged against, as the full range of styles has always been impeccable. In the earlier days, Hawke’s Bay was the scene of New Zealand’s quality wine, so it was very apt to have Te Mata Estate as the point of reference. Even when other regions developed, and Marlborough grew larger, and other varietals such as Pinot Noir became important, one could understand the state of the New Zealand wine industry by how Te Mata Estate behaved or reacted to influences, whether internal, or international.""

Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers. It is New Zealand's oldest winery, oldest wine estate and has the oldest winery cellars in the country - in continuous operation since 1895. Coleraine is Te Mata's most acclaimed wine and is often regarded as New Zealand's best red wine.

Hawke's Bay is located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island in and around the cities of Napier, Hastings and Havelock North. This historic region has New Zealand's second-largest wine industry (after Marlborough) and is highly regarded for its red Bordeaux Blend wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay are all planted widely across the region. Over the years, the region has won international acclaim for its very high-quality Bordeaux-style reds and full-bodied Chardonnays. Syrah, produced in a classic European style with strong black-pepper flavors, is another grape variety thought to have great potential here.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot wines are made from two of the world's most famous and most widely grown wine grapes. The pair form the foundation of many of the great wines of Bordeaux, where this classic blend (often dubbed ""Bordeaux Blend"") is thought to have originated. For centuries, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have been the quintessential Bordeaux wine grapes, but their fame and popularity have now taken them far beyond the banks of the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde, to the furthest reaches of the wine world.

In California the blend is often labeled as Meritage – providing the producer meets the requirements of the Meritage Alliance. The Australian regions of Coonawarra, Margaret River and Yarra Valley are highly regarded for their unique expressions of the blend. A Bordeaux Blend is any combination of those grape varieties typically used to make the red wines of Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon is widely accepted as a compulsory component of any Bordeaux Blend along with Merlot. In fact, the majority of Bordeaux Blend wines are often made exclusively from a blend of these two varieties. The remaining components are Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. "

1 x Tenuta Fizzano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020 - Tuscany, Italy

93/100 Wine Ethusiast
93/100 Decanter
93/100 Raffaele Vecchione, Wine Critics

Silver - London Wine Competition

Organic - currently undergoing certification

Wine Ethusiast "The nose offers first cherries and cranberries, then pencil shavings and crushed rocks and finally grilled meat and soy sauce, while the palate is bright with fresh, lightly astringent notes of more cranberry, deepening with cherry and strawberry and a last hint of bitter cocoa."

Decanter "Purchased in 1984, the Fizzano estate is comprised of 35 hectares of vines with an expansive southwestern exposure on gentle slopes. The 2020 is already showing its charms with strawberry, plum and pepper making way for hints of hyacinth and anise. Well-weighted, it's ample and generous though not heavy, packed with youthful fruit and a real juiciness. The tannins are chalky and restrained, and there's lovely balance. This is refined predominantly in 35hl oak barrels with just a small percentage in barriques."

Raffaele Vecchione, Wine Critics "Rich and spicy on the nose showing notes of black prunes, blackberries, coriander, white pepper and quinine. Full bodied, soft tannins and a finale which shows fullness and a sunny disposition."

Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.

The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.

Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.

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, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.

1 x McHenry Hohnen Hazel's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia

94/100 Steven Creber, Halliday's Wine Companion
92/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
91/100 Wine Enthusiast

5 Stars Winery - James Halliday

"Halliday Wine Companion - Australian Winery of the Year 2022 & 2023"

Steven Creber, Halliday's Wine Companion "Shows good regional and varietal expression... Blackcurrant, cedar and dried herb are present in the bouquet and on the palate, with a sense of depth of fruit still to emerge from underneath the emphatic grip of the tannin as it is."

Founded by one of the pioneers of the Margaret River winemaking region, David Hohnen and his brother in law, Murray McHenry, an accomplished fine wine retailer. Both have been making wine in Margaret River since the early 1970’s. McHenry Hohnen vineyards are 100% biodynamic. Their three unique vineyards (Burnside, Calgardup and Hazel’s) produce wines that are a reflection of the land. McHenry Hohnen focusses on crafting site-expressive wines and are known for producing some of the regions best wines.

Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined Cabernet Sauvignon and intensely citrusy Chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends and Shiraz.

Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.

1 x Chateau Maucoil Chateauneuf-du-Pape Tradition Red 2020 - Rhone, France

94/100 Wine Enthusiast
Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards
15/20 Jancis Robinson

Gold - Rioja List in London
Gold - New World List in London
Gold - Chilean List in London

Wine Enthusiast "An outstanding Châteauneuf-du-Pape showing powerful and intense redcurrant and cherry fruit flavours, beautifully structured with smooth tannins, creamy oak and a long, elegant finish."

Chateau Maucoil Tradition is produced from 60% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre, 10% Cinsault and a variety of other assorted grape varieties. The wine is aged in a combination of foudres and used oak barrels for 12 months. It shows bright berry fruit, subtle savoury spice, ripe tannins and vibrant acidity.

The history of Château Maucoil began several centuries ago. Ancient documents state that its first occupants were Romans who set up a base for Caesar’s legions. Later, Joseph de La Pise, Lord of Maucoil and archivist of the House of Orange-Nassau, the Dutch royal family, inherited the estate and the castle which was built in 1624. From then on, winegrowing became an intrinsic part of the history of Château Maucoil.

The 45 hectares of vines in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation have been organic agriculture since 2011. Château Maucoil uses ancient methods such as furrowing, forming mounds and ploughing to tend the vineyard.

Originally from Bordeaux, the Lavau family who now own Château Maucoil, have been involved with winemaking for generations, and have had vineyards ranging from Bordeaux to Tunisia. In 1964 they were seduced by the richness and quality of the Provencal soil and settled down to make wine in the Rhone Valley.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a historic village between the towns of Orange and Avignon, in France's southern Rhône Valley. It is famous for powerful, full-bodied red wines made predominantly from the classic southern Rhône grape trio: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. These three varieties are behind the vast majority of the appellation's red wines, although a total of eighteen are approved for use – a mix of red and white grape varieties.

Southern Rhone Red Blend refers to a wide range of grape varieties often blended together to make wines in the southern reaches of the Rhone Valley in the south of France. While the blend could theoretically consist of any of a wide range of grape varieties, it is usually made up of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, in varying proportions, typically with Grenache and Syrah as the dominant partners.

1 x Roccato Toscana "Super Tuscan" Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 - Tuscany, Italy

93/100 Wine Enthusiast
90/100 Wine Spectator

Organic - currently undergoing certification

Wine Enthusiast "The nose is primarily savory, with notes of cured meat, topsoil and graphite, but undertones of sour cherries and tart berries provide some buzz. The ebb and flow of earthiness and astringency continues on the palate, while insistent tannins and lively acidity provide structure for that interplay."

Robert Parker "The full-bodied Rocca delle Macìe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Roccato (with 6,500 bottles released) shows sweet fruit, dark cherry, toasted almond and milky cinnamon cream. Fourteen months of barrique aging plays a big role in the intensity and textural support of this wine. It feels rich over the palate and thick around the middle."

Winemaker "Very intense ruby red tending to garnet with aging. Broad and persistent, with hints of red fruits and spices ranging from cacao, to vanilla to coffee. Warm and well balanced, with a dense network of tannins that well support and sustain the long aromatic
persistence.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.

The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).

The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.

The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
"Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.

The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known 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, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.