Italy

  • The Best Organic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

    The Best Organic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

    This has been a long-time favourite of mine. At the last Morrisons press tasting, I found that the 2024 vintage was even better than usual and it ended up being my favourite red of the whole tasting. More recently, I had to try it again when I saw it on offer, just to check it…

  • Lidl Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

    Lidl Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

    I came across this 2020 vintage Amarone at a Lidl press tasting, where I thought it was the best wine on show, clearly better than the previous 2019 vintage and easily the best supermarket Amarone I have come across so far. Since then, I had been keeping an eye out for it to appear in…

  • Piccini ‘Histrio’ Anfora Toscana Rosso

    Piccini ‘Histrio’ Anfora Toscana Rosso

    ‘Histrio’ Anfora Toscana Rosso, by Piccini, is a blend of Sangiovese and Malvasia Nera, given 12 weeks maturing in special clay amphorae, which is where the name comes from. As a bit of context, clay is slightly porous, so tiny amounts of oxygen work their way in over time. It behaves a little like oak…

  • Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico

    Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico

    Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico comes from an estate in Panzano in Chianti, with a documented history reaching all the way back to 1408. “Classico” matters here because it means the wine is from the original, historic Chianti zone, before the area was expanded much more widely. This is 100% Sangiovese, given 12 months of maturation…

  • Montidori Sangiovese

    Montidori Sangiovese

    This one comes from Emilia-Romagna in Italy. It’s made from Sangiovese, the grape behind Chianti, with a touch of appassimento, that dried-grape technique that brings extra mid-taste richness. It has a high 4.1 scrore on Vivino and this is the 2024 vintage. You get red fruit and caramel on the aroma straight away. Full bodied,…

  • Nebbiolo Day

    Nebbiolo Day

    In early March 2026 I was at Nebbiolo Day in London, a showcase of 91 Italian producers with hundreds of wines, all made using the Nebbiolo grape. Nebbiolo is a northern Italian story, with the main wine areas being Alto Piemonte, Valtellina, Roero, Barbaresco and Barolo. It’s a grape with real detail and variation, including…

  • Lucale Primitivo Appassimento

    Lucale Primitivo Appassimento

    This wine by Masseria Borgo dei Trulli comes from low yielding vineyards in the communes of Avetrana and Manduria, in the Province of Taranto in southern Puglia. It is 100% Primitivo. The label says Appassimento, which is usually the traditional Italian method where harvested grapes are dried for weeks or months, often on mats in…

  • Piccini Collezione Oro Chianti Superiore

    Piccini Collezione Oro Chianti Superiore

    Piccini Collezione Oro Chianti Superiore by Piccini. Collezione Oro translates to Gold Collection, and the range represents their more refined, region expressive wines that showcase both tradition and innovation. Chianti Superiore is a sub category of the Chianti DOCG, requiring stricter quality standards, slightly riper grapes and lower yields compared to base Chianti. The 2024…

  • Irresistible Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Riserva

    Irresistible Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Riserva

    This Italian red comes from the Abruzzo region and is made by Botter for the Co-op. Montepulciano is the grape used here, not to be confused with the Tuscan town of the same name which is entirely unrelated. Being a Riserva and from the 2021 vintage, it’s been aged longer, likely in oak. This typically…

  • Arpeggio Nero d’Avola

    Arpeggio Nero d’Avola

    This 2024 vintage comes from Cantine Settesoli, a Sicilian cooperative of 2,000 members. At 13% ABV, it is bottled at source and brought into the UK by Liberty Wines Ltd, one of the UK’s larger wholesaler-importers. The name Arpeggio refers to the musical technique where the notes of a chord are played one after another…

  • ZONIN Annual Portfolio Tasting

    ZONIN Annual Portfolio Tasting

    In January 2026 I was invited to ZONIN1821’s portfolio tasting, an event that combined structured masterclasses with the opportunity to explore the range more informally via a walkaround tasting. A key part of the event for me was a food and wine matching masterclass, which offered useful insight into how different styles performed alongside carefully…

  • Borsa Vini Italiani

    Borsa Vini Italiani

    In January 2026 I attended Borsa Vini Italiani, run by the Italian Trade Agency. There were 43 producers presenting more than 300 wines. I previously attended this tasting in 2024, when I focused on seeking out more atypical Italian offerings by grape variety. This time I went with a wider remit, but there were still…

  • Tuscany – The Smart Traveller’s Guide

    Tuscany – The Smart Traveller’s Guide

    I picked up Tuscany – The Smart Traveller’s Guide because a trip to the region is looking increasingly likely, prompted by a friend who has recently bought a property there. What I found was a compact but impressively wide-ranging book that works equally well as background reading at home and should be a practical companion…

  • Surani Costarossa Primitivo di Manduria

    Surani Costarossa Primitivo di Manduria

    The 2023 vintage from Agricola Surani is made from Primitivo grapes and aged in oak for a year. It has earned a strong reputation, with 96% of 622 reviewers at Majestic saying they’d buy it again and a solid 4.0 rating on Vivino. The aroma is generous with black cherry, fig and spice, hinting at…

  • La Masseria Del Borgo Primitivo di Manduria

    La Masseria Del Borgo Primitivo di Manduria

    This wine has been a long-time favourite of mine, though my feelings about it have moved up and down over the years as the wine changed over the vintages. It comes from Puglia in southern Italy. The Primitivo grape shows different characteristics depending on where it is grown, and there are clear distinctions between the…

  • NA.TI.VO Sangiovese

    NA.TI.VO Sangiovese

    It’s rare these days to come across a truly enjoyable wine in a modestly priced restaurant, but the NA.TI.VO Sangiovese found at the Franco Manca chain bucks the trend. Behind it is Botter, a producer with a knack for Italian wines that have impressed me more than once. The name NA.TI.VO stands for Natura, Tipicità…

  • Specially Selected Chianti Riserva

    Specially Selected Chianti Riserva

    I first came across this wine during the Aldi Autumn/Winter 2025 press tasting and was immediately taken with it, enough so to purchase a bottle for a closer look. This is a 2022 vintage with an alcohol content of 13%, made primarily from Sangiovese (70%), with the remaining percentage made up of other varieties allowed…

  • Ca’ Bolani Sauvignon Blanc

    Ca’ Bolani Sauvignon Blanc

    The 2024 Ca’ Bolani Sauvignon Blanc is the sister wine to the previously reviewed Ca’ Bolani Merlot. Grown in the Friuli DOC Aquileia appellation, in the northeastern corner of Italy, it comes from the Zonin family’s extensive collection of estates. Acquired by Zonin in 1970, this was their first venture beyond the Veneto region. With…

  • The Essential Guide to Italian Wine 2026

    The Essential Guide to Italian Wine 2026

    The Essential Guide to Italian Wine 2026 is the latest edition of an annual reference for anyone with even a passing interest in Italian wine. Curated by Daniele Cernilli, the renowned Italian wine critic better known as “DoctorWine”, the guide continues to cement its place as a leading authority in the world of wine. Cernilli,…

  • Tasting for The Essential Guide to Italian Wine

    Tasting for The Essential Guide to Italian Wine

    In October 2025, in London, wine professionals and enthusiasts gathered for a tasting event to celebrate the The Essential Guide to Italian Wine 2026. The event was led by Daniele Cernilli, better known as Doctor Wine, one of Italy’s foremost wine experts. A celebrated journalist, author and educator, Cernilli is also the co-founder of Gambero…

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Did You Know?

Rías Baixas wines reached more than 107 countries in 2025 and exports represented 31 per cent of the denomination’s total sales. More

Light Strike Can Cause Wine Degradation in Just One Day. More

People actively adjust their wine choices depending on who might see them. More

In the UK, 73% of Alcohol is Bought From Retail Rather Than Hospitality. More

UK wine production reached 124,377 hectolitres that year, meaning the UK accounted for roughly 0.05 per cent of world output. More

For Crémant, grapes must be harvested by hand and the wines must undergo at least nine months’ ageing before release. More

In 2024, the UK was the second-largest export market for Champagne globally, after the United States. More

Local UK bottling of wine represents about 40% of imported wine. More

Around 1% of people, typically severe asthmatics, have a sulphite sensitivity. More

A large 80% of Australian wine arrives in the UK in bulk. More

Only about 0.02% of Australia’s landmass is dedicated to vineyards. More

In 2024, New Zealand produced only 1% of the World’s wine. More

In 2024, the US imported 37% of World production of Pinot Grigio and the UK was is in second place at 27%. More

In 2024, the UK was South Africa’s largest export market, with 40% of total exports. More

In 2024, the United Kingdom imported 22.3 million bottles of Champagne, a decline of 12.7% compared to the previous year. More

Larger Champagne producers source grapes from as many as 80 different vineyards throughout Champagne. More

Champagne houses and growers collectively produce around 300 million bottles annually. More

In 2025, the Champagne region was home to about 2,124 Champagne houses and approximately 19,000 growers. More

Provence is one of the leaders in the conversion to organic viticulture, with 61% of vineyards certified. More

8% of the South Africa’s grape production is Fairtrade-certified. More

Up to 80% of wine aroma compounds come from grape skins. More

Glycerol is the third-largest component of most dry wines after water and alcohol which is why they so often feel ‘smooth’ or ‘silky’ in the mouth. More

Humans are more than 400 times more sensitive to bitter than sweet. More

Humans can detect the earthy molecule geosmin at about 100 parts per trillion and camels are so sensitive to it they can locate damp ground from roughly 50 miles away. More

During the phylloxera crisis of the nineteenth century, 90% of Europe’s vineyards were destroyed. More

In 2025, for La Vieille Ferme, also known as “The Chicken Wine”, sales surged by 49.4% to £110.8 million. More

In 2025, in the UK, Yellow Tail held the top position with sales, marking a 9.8% increase over the previous year. More

In 2024, the UK was the second-largest wine importer in volume and value. More

In 2024, the UK was the fifth-largest wine-consuming country globally. More

In 2025, global wine consumption continued its downward trend, estimated at 214.2 million hectolitres, the lowest since 1961. More

In 2025, online alcohol sales had a 20% increase in value over five years. More

In 2025, the number of UK vineyards rose to 1,104 and wineries to 238, with land under vine expanding to 4,841 hectares, a 510% increase since 2005. More

Moët Hennessy alone commands nearly 46.66% of the Champagne market, with the top three producers together holding about 61%, and the top five controlling over 72%. More

In 2024, the Champagne market was worth roughly €3.92 billion. More

In the marketing year 2023/24, white wine accounted for roughly 55% of Spain’s output, whereas red and rosé together made up about 45%. More

In the UK, 92% of wine is consumed within 48hrs of purchase. More

The majority of wines, 95%, use commercial rather than wild yeast. More

Between 0.5 and 10 litres of water, per litre of wine, are needed for cleaning during winemaking. More

Machine harvesting can achieve up to 100 tons of fruit per day vs 1 ton for a human. More

In Germany, 2025 was the smallest wine vintage since 2010. More

The majority of vineyards, 90% in 2019, are farmed with heavy chemical interventions. Only 6% are organic. More

90% of low and coastal areas in south Europe and California will no longer be able to produce good wine by the end of the century. More

IMAGE WALL