Ca’ Bolani Frizzante Prosecco DOC
RRP £8.99
ABV 10.5%
85% Glera, 15% Other
Producer: Zonin
Very light on the nose. Quite a bite on it. More sparkling than frizzante. Dry and with little taste. A touch of the soluble aspirin, but that’s just Prosecco.
Alessandro Gallici Prosecco 2012 DOC
RRP £10.99
ABV 11%
100% Prosecco
Producer: Casa Vinicola Bosco Malera
Quite a creamy nose. Light palate, lighly sparkling, some length. Not bad at all.
Fili Prosecco DOC
RRP £11.99
ABV 11.5%
100% Glera
Producer: Sacchetto SRL
Striking bottle and labelling. Very little aroma but at least it isn’t confected tinned pear aroma. Bone dry and long flavour, which gives me an excuse to say it’s good and give you a photo.
Bortolomiol Prosecco Superiore Extra Dry 2012 Valdobbiadene DOCG
RRP £13.99
ABV 11.5%
100% Glera
Producer: Bortolomiol S.P.A
Quite a savoury nose for Prosecco. Dry and with full body but pretty short.
Poderi dal Nespoli Pagadebit di Romagna 2012 DOC
RRP £8.99
ABV 12.5%
90% Bombino Bianco, 10% Sauvignon Blanc
Producer: MGM Wine World Producers
A hint of something spicy on the nose. Very savoury palate. This is my first bombino bianco. It has some grip but the overall feeling is that it’s a little flabby and Italian. There is some sauvignon on the finish.
Vesuvium Falanghina Beneventano 2012 IGT
RRP £10.99
ABV 12.5%
100 % Falanghina
Producer: Farnese Vini Srl
Deep colour. Very spicy aroma. Full-bodied and weighty. Long and savoury. Rich and very tasty indeed.
Sassi del Cardinale Roero Arneis 2012 DOCG
RRP £11.49
ABV 12.5%
100% Arneis
Producer: Terredavino
Very little aroma. Pretty intense palate as far as flavour goes. It is Italian, so I shouldn’t complain about a lack of acidity, but I wouldn’t choose this for home. The flavour is good and really lasts.
Collezione di Paolo Rosato 2012 Toscana IGT
RRP £8.99
ABV 12.5%
100% Sangiovese
Producer: Masi Renzo & Co.
Bewitching nose. Really interesting. All sorts of things going on. Salty, savoury – this would make a good crisp flavour. There is nothing sweet and fruity about this at all. If you’re a wine geek and need to make up a case, try a bottle of this, just for the interest.
Pietro Disarti Nebbiolo 2010 Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC
RRP £11.99
ABV 13.5%
100% Nebbiolo
Producer: Sartirano Figli Srl
Wonderful aroma. Could sit at sniff this for hours. Very inviting indeed. Light on the palate and low on tannin with plenty of tangy acidity. It is lovely. In the same broad style as Barolo but very different, in fact.
Luce di Lava 2008 Etna Rosso DOP
RRP £13.99
ABV 13.5%
80% Nerello Mascalese, 20% Nerello Cappuccio
Producer: Cantine Russo
Very old and oxidised nose. The palate is also pretty aged. If you like your wines old, then this will work for you. It’ll be lovely with Italian food but I wouldn’t buy any for laying down, or even for Christmas.
Fattoria Lornano ‘Le Macchie’ Chianti Classico 2010 DOCG
RRP £13.99
ABV 14.5%
100% Sangiovese
Producer: Fattoria Lornano
Little aroma. Salty palate. Light and refreshing. Not at all fruity. Good.
Lornano ‘Le Macchie’ Chianti Classico Riserva 2009 DOCG
RRP £16.99
ABV 14%
100% Sangiovese
Producer: Fattoria Lornano
Little aroma. Savoury, oaky palate. Refreshing with quite a lot of tannin on the finish.
Tenuta di Somaro 2011 Puglia IGP
RRP £9.99
ABV 13%
70% Aglianico, 30% Primitivo
Producer: Enogest
Earthy, baked nose. Sweet palate with violet and dark tannin. Very interesting. Again, if you’re making up a case this is worth adding. Bright and exciting.
Corsiero Nero 2012 Puglia IGP
RRP £9.99
ABV 13%
100% Nero di Troia
Producer: Enogest
Inky dark purply-black. Young and rather fascinating nose. Sweet and lovely. I like this very much. Young and alive.
Borgo dei Guidi Rosso 2011 Forli IGT
RRP £15.99
ABV 14%
70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
Producer: MGM Wine World Producers
Very appealing nose. Complex, slightly savoury but richly fruity aroma. Wonderful palate as well. Pretty sweet, violet-tasting and refreshing.
Countacc! 2010 Monferrato DOC
RRP £15.99
ABV 14%
40% Barbera, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz
Producer: Michele Chiarlo
A touch farmyardy on the nose. Woody, savoury and rustic. I like it, but the price is steep.
Selezione San Blâs Pignolo 2007 Friuli Colli Orientali DOP
RRP £17.99
ABV 14%
100% Pignolo
Producer: Aziende Vitivincole Valle
OMG – the aroma is fabulous. I suppose it is oak, but it is so extraordinarily inviting. There’s jasmine, gardenia and the merest hint of good furniture polish. I adore it. The palate is similar. There’s oak, but it’s balanced. Beautiful!
Tedeschi La Fabriseria Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2008 DOC
RRP £19.99
ABV 14%
35% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 5% Oseleta
Producer: Tedeschi
A little drainy. Needs some swirling. Sweet palate and rich. Nothing like normal AC Valpol, even with the classico and the superiore. This is much more like Ripasso. If you are going to serve it, decant into a jug early and it should smell lovely.
Massolino Barolo Parafada 2008 DOCG
RRP £46.00
ABV 14.5%
100% Nebbiolo
Producer: Massolino
Served in a decanter. Somehow makes you think it’s special. Note to self, do this at home more. Quite aromatic – black peppery and almost floral. Great palate. Savoury, woody and with textbook baked fruit and chalky tannins. Mmm. Ah, hadn’t looked at the price. Well, it is good, but not that good.
La Roncaia 2010 Friuli Colli Orientali DOC
RRP £40.00
ABV 15%
100% Refosco
Producer: Gruppo Vinicolo Fantinel S.P.A
Wonderful nose. Fragrant and pretty. The palate is gentle, balance but freshly acidity. Elegant and delicious. And expensive. Note to self: earn more money.
Poggio al Tesoro ‘W’ Toscana 2008 IGT
RRP £58.00
ABV 15%
100% Cabernet Franc
Producer: Poggio Al Tessoro
Wow! These decanted wines are fabulous. Really fragrant. Oaky, spicy with fresh mintiness. This is stunning. There are so many flavours and it sits so nicely in the mouth. The flavour lasts and lasts. Perfect.
Michele Chiarlo Barolo Riserva Cerequio 2006 DOCG
RRP £60.00
ABV 14%
100% Nebbiolo
Producer: Michele Chiarlo
Warm, farmyardy, composty, beautifully developed. Just gorgeous. The aroma and palate are so, so inviting. The taste carries on, with slightly chalky tannins. Would be fabulous with a special meal for two. Don’t share this with several people because you’ll want at least half a bottle for yourself.