Terso Rosso NV Puglia, Italy
4.79
50% Nero di Troia, 30% Primitivo and 20% Montepulciano. The vines are planted on calcareous-clay soils with a planting density of 4,500vines/ha and at an altitude of 350 - 400m. They are guyot-pruned and 5 - 25 years old. Grapes were harvested in late-Sept by machine with a yield of 95hl/ha. Fruit was soft-pressed and the must then refrigerated and clarified before undergoing fermentation in stainless steel tanks at 18 - 20°C with selected yeast. Winemaker Massimo di Bari. Suitable for vegetarians. Alc 12.5%, TA 5.50g/l, pH 3.50. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 244 branches.

Very aromatic with violets and sweet forest fruits. Very sweet and violetty in the palate. Easy and sweet.

Umani Ronchi 2011 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy
5.99
100% Montepulciano from 10 - 15 year old vines planted at 200m altitude with a density of 5,000vines/ha on sand and stony clay, cordon trained with short pruning. Grapes were harvested with a combination of hand and machine picking. 2011 vintage was early, very hot and dry and perfect for red grapes. Fruit was soft pressed and left to macerate for 10 days before fermentation at 24 - 26°C in stainless steel vats using selected yeasts and regular pumpovers. Full malolactic and matured for 4 months in stainless steel before bottling in early April. Winemakers Giacomo Mattioli and Giuseppe Caviola. Suitable for vegetarians. Alc 13.0%, TA 5.2g/l, pH 3.6, RS 3.5g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 214 branches.

Sweetly fruity nose. Fruity taste. It’s OK.

Poggiotondo Cerro del Masso 2009 Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
8.99
80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 5% Syrah and 5% Colorino, grown on a 50ha estate in the western part of the Chianti region. Vines are high density planted at 6,250 per ha on clay and calcareous soils and are VSP trained. Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 28°C for 7 days. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was transferred to French oak barrels, where it matured for 8 months, followed by a further 2 months in bottle before release. Winemaker Alberto Antonini. Alc 13.0%, TA 5.7g/l, pH 3.55, RS 0.3g/l. DWWA 2011 Bronze Medal Winner. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 266 branches.

Rich, ripe nose. Oaky, pleasant taste.

Paolo Leo Primitivo di Manduria 2010 Puglia, Italy
10.99
100% Primitivo from free-standing bush-trained 40-year-old vines located at 50m altitude between Manduria and Avetrana in Salento, Puglia, planted on tufa soil over limestone. Vines are planted at a density of 4,000vines/ha and were harvested in early-Sept by hand. Fruit was destemmed and delicately crushed to minimize damage to the skins. Fermented at 25°C for 10 days with frequent remontage and délestage, followed by a gentle racking and induced malo. 60% of final blend aged in French oak barriques for 6 months, remainder matured in tank. Winemaker Alessandro Michelon. Suitable for vegetarians. Alc 14.5%, TA 5.60g/l, pH 3.65, RS 4.0g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 172 branches.

Nicely aromatic. Sweetly floral. Sweet and baked. Not sure the price is warranted.

Bisceglia Gudarrà Aglianico del Vulture 2008 Basilicata, Italy
10.99
100% Aglianico del Vulture grown on a mixture of calcareous, clay loam and volcanic soil. The grapes were hand-picked in late October and were macerated on skins for 10 days in small, temperature-regulated fermentation vats at 24 - 27°C, with daily punching down. Matured for 12 months in new oak barrels followed by further bottle ageing. Gudarrà comes from the local dialect word for ‘enjoy’. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 14.0%, TA 5.6g/l, pH 3.57, RS 2.0g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 3 branches.
Fascinating aroma.  Farmyardy and headily floral at the same time.

Mmm.Pretty warm and spicy, but it seems just right.  Nicely developed. This is great.



Baiocchi Sagrantino 2007 Montefalco, Umbria, Italy
15.99
100% Sagrantino grapes from the Baiocchi vineyard in the Montefalco part of Umbria, 35 hectares of southeast-facing vines. Planted on limestone and clay at a density of 4,000 - 5,000 vines/ha. Grapes were hand-harvested in October with sugars at 225g/l and at a yield of 40hl/ha. Aged 12 months in French oak then stored in stainless steel before bottling. Kept for at least a further 18 months at the winery before release. Traditionally produced as a passito wine from semi-dried grapes, Sagrantino has been re-born as a rich, dry red wine of immense power. Winemaker Lorenzo Landi. Alc 14.08%, TA 5.0g/l, pH 3.42, RS 2.1g/l. IWSC 2011 Silver Medal Winner. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 7 branches.

Another nicely developed Italian.  The age on this is so appealing. Dark and furry in the mouth. Very good, but I slightly prefer the Aglianico.

Oddero 2007 Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
23.99
100% Nebbiolo from 2 vineyards: La Morra, 200m above sea level with a SE exposure and Castiglione Falletto Bricco Fiasco, 250m above sea level, with a SW exposure. Vines are Guyot-trained, 30 - 40 years old and planted at a density of 4,000vines/ha. Grapes were hand harvested in early-Oct and underwent a rigorous manual sorting in the vineyard. Fermented and macerated in stainless steel for 20 days at a controlled temperature of 28 - 29°C, followed by malolactic. Grapes from the 2 vineyards were kept separate throughout the process. Aged in 40, 60 and 75hl Slavonian and Austrian oak barrels for 30 months. Aged in the bottle for another 6 months before release. Winemakers Mariacristina Oddero and Luca Veglio. Alc 14.5%, TA 5.6g/l, pH 3.54, RS 1.0g/l. IWSC 2011 Silver Medal Winner and rated 5* by Decanter. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 142 branches.

Pretty stinky. Very savoury. It’s lovely, but I wouldn’t buy it to lay down. It’s perfect now.

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