Great Italian Reds

Big, bold & commanding a premium price, we’re sampling some of the finest reds of the 90’s and 00’s.

BARBARESCO 1995
Made from 100% Nebbiolo, Barbaresco is renowned as one of the finest wines in the world. Barbaresco has a slightly maritime climate: warmer, drier & milder than its neighbour meaning its grapes tend to ripen earlier than those in Barolo which results in wines that are less tannic & more approachable at an earlier age. However there is still plenty of acidity & tannins to make this an age-worthy red. Barbaresco is rich, with spicy flavours & perfumed sweetness & is considered more elegant & refined than its counterpart, which is a more robust & longer-lifed red.

TAURASI 1999
Aglianico is a red wine grape variety native to southern Italy, producing full-bodied red wines that show musky berry flavours with firm tannins & good ageing potential. Even when grown in hot climates, Aglianico is capable of reaching high levels of acidity, which makes it a particularly useful vine in the Mediterranean. The structure & richness of Aglianico make it a popular grape for blending in southern Italy.

BRUNELLO 2005
Good-quality Sangiovese is prized for its high acid, firm tannins & balanced nature. Savoury flavours of dark cherries & black stonefruit are characteristic, & may be backed by secondary notes of tomato leaves & dried herbs. The use of oak has become more popular & this coaxes richer flavours from the grapes, tending toward plum & wild raspberry.

GATTINARA 2008
Beautifully concentrated fruit on the nose, with hints of marzipan, redcurrant, & black tea. Complex, concentrated & wonderfully supple.  Nebbiolo is the grape variety behind the top-quality red wines of Piedmont, most notably Barolo & Barbaresco. Nebbiolo. Wines are distinguished by their strong tannins, high acidity & distinctive scent – often described as “tar & roses”. A less obvious characteristic, visible only over time, is their tendency to lose colour. Within just a few years of vintage, most Nebbiolo wines begin fading from deep, violet-tinged ruby to a beautiful brick orange.