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- Origin
- Italy
- Trentino
A seductive rich red wine packed full with elegant red fruits and soft spices. Finished long and warming on the palate. Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Trentino
A seductive rich red wine packed full with elegant red fruits and soft spices. Finished long and warming on the palate. Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Trentino
A delicious deep copper coloured Vino Santo. Made from grapes that are left on the vine to become raisins. Sweet honey notes with a character of dried... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Trentino
A delicious deep copper coloured Vino Santo. Made from grapes that are left on the vine to become raisins. Sweet honey notes with a character of dried... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Tuscany
Ruby red colour. Intense aromas of raspberry and blackberry combine with notes of liquorice & coffee. The structure is large and enveloping with a lon... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Tuscany
Ruby red colour. Intense aromas of raspberry and blackberry combine with notes of liquorice & coffee. The structure is large and enveloping with a lon... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
This de-alcoholised sparkling white wine is made from the Macabeo grape variety. Off-dry on the palate with tropical fruit notes and Mediterranean cit... Read More- Origin
- Italy
This de-alcoholised sparkling white wine is made from the Macabeo grape variety. Off-dry on the palate with tropical fruit notes and Mediterranean cit... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Sardinia
A refreshing palate with crisp acidity and flavours of lemon zest and golden apple, complemented by a more savoury finish. Perfect as an aperitif or w... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Sardinia
A refreshing palate with crisp acidity and flavours of lemon zest and golden apple, complemented by a more savoury finish. Perfect as an aperitif or w... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Sardinia
Lifted aromas of rose petals, violets and plums. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft, silky texture, soft tannins and hints of blackberries, cherr... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Sardinia
Lifted aromas of rose petals, violets and plums. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft, silky texture, soft tannins and hints of blackberries, cherr... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Sicily
Ruby red in colour. Fresh aromas of red berries and blueberries leading to a smooth, medium-bodied, red-berry fruit palate with a dash of moreish acid... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Sicily
Ruby red in colour. Fresh aromas of red berries and blueberries leading to a smooth, medium-bodied, red-berry fruit palate with a dash of moreish acid... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Northern
- Friuli
Ruby red with purple tinges. An intense nose of violet and red berry fruits with a typical capsicum notes. Full-bodied, with velvety, spicy fruit and ... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Northern
- Friuli
Ruby red with purple tinges. An intense nose of violet and red berry fruits with a typical capsicum notes. Full-bodied, with velvety, spicy fruit and ... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Abruzzo
Ruby red colour, with violet reflections, intense notes of berries and black cherries, slightly spicy, good structure and well balanced. Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Abruzzo
Ruby red colour, with violet reflections, intense notes of berries and black cherries, slightly spicy, good structure and well balanced. Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Sudtirol-Alto Adige
Clear light straw yellow in colour with a delicate nose and pleasant hints of walnut & honey. Ideal accompaniment to fish & shellfish. An excellent ap... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Sudtirol-Alto Adige
Clear light straw yellow in colour with a delicate nose and pleasant hints of walnut & honey. Ideal accompaniment to fish & shellfish. An excellent ap... Read More -
- Origin
- Spain
A crisp and creamy non-alcoholic sparkling rosé, packed with aromas of red berry fruits, nectarine and raspberry, with hints of white peach on a lon... Read More- Origin
- Spain
A crisp and creamy non-alcoholic sparkling rosé, packed with aromas of red berry fruits, nectarine and raspberry, with hints of white peach on a lon... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Tuscany
The 2017 Tignanello is rich and aromatic, with black cherry, plum, spice, sweet tobacco, and a hint of menthol. Silky and smooth on the palate, it sho... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Tuscany
The 2017 Tignanello is rich and aromatic, with black cherry, plum, spice, sweet tobacco, and a hint of menthol. Silky and smooth on the palate, it sho... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Tuscany
Briliiant ruby red. Complex nose of cherry, rose, cedar, violets & prune. Balanced, soft & elegant body with ripe red fruits. Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Tuscany
Briliiant ruby red. Complex nose of cherry, rose, cedar, violets & prune. Balanced, soft & elegant body with ripe red fruits. Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Veneto
- Valpolicella
Clear and transparent ruby red hue. On the nose, cherry and berry characteristics with strong notes of basamic and tobacco. Full-bodied and elegant wi... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Veneto
- Valpolicella
Clear and transparent ruby red hue. On the nose, cherry and berry characteristics with strong notes of basamic and tobacco. Full-bodied and elegant wi... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Northern
- Alto Adige
Aromatic and rich bouquet, full-bodied and intense, with notes of exotic fruits, flowers, citrus fruits and spices, such as rose, orange, mint and pep... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Northern
- Alto Adige
Aromatic and rich bouquet, full-bodied and intense, with notes of exotic fruits, flowers, citrus fruits and spices, such as rose, orange, mint and pep... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Southern
- Puglia
A red wine with a ruby colour& garnet reflections that leads to a pleasant & fruity bouquet of wild berries & blackberry jam. On the palat... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Southern
- Puglia
A red wine with a ruby colour& garnet reflections that leads to a pleasant & fruity bouquet of wild berries & blackberry jam. On the palat... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Veneto
- Conegliano
Characterized by hints of ripe golden apple and acacia flowers, this Prosecco is a cut above the rest with a richer edge and more depth than most of i... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Veneto
- Conegliano
Characterized by hints of ripe golden apple and acacia flowers, this Prosecco is a cut above the rest with a richer edge and more depth than most of i... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Northern
- Piemonte
Intense ruby red colour with ripe red fruit aromas. On the palate, it is full-bodied and round, with a soft finish of dark chocolate and black pepper. Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Northern
- Piemonte
Intense ruby red colour with ripe red fruit aromas. On the palate, it is full-bodied and round, with a soft finish of dark chocolate and black pepper. Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- North East
- Veneto
This is what Prosecco is all about. A delicate example with a long persistent mousse. Light and fruity with hints of ripe apples, peaches and ripe sto... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- North East
- Veneto
This is what Prosecco is all about. A delicate example with a long persistent mousse. Light and fruity with hints of ripe apples, peaches and ripe sto... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Northern
- Piedmont
A classic rich Italian red. A deep, intense and concentrated wine with a fine scented bouquet of plums, berry fruit, wood smoke and leather alongside ... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Northern
- Piedmont
A classic rich Italian red. A deep, intense and concentrated wine with a fine scented bouquet of plums, berry fruit, wood smoke and leather alongside ... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Piedmont
A gently spiced nose with hints of green apple evolves into a crisp and elegant palate with a mineral, even nutty, character and notes of lime marmala... Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Piedmont
A gently spiced nose with hints of green apple evolves into a crisp and elegant palate with a mineral, even nutty, character and notes of lime marmala... Read More -
- Origin
- Italy
- Valpolicella
A deep, dense purple-red colour, with strong cassis and chocolate flavours on the palate. Great with strong cheeses. Read More- Origin
- Italy
- Valpolicella
A deep, dense purple-red colour, with strong cassis and chocolate flavours on the palate. Great with strong cheeses. Read More
History
The Romans found the vine flourishing, courtesy of the Greeks and Etruscans, by the time that they controlled the peninsula. With their love for wine they came to understand its requirements and develop an enormous range of indigenous grape varieties, many of which survive and thrive to this day. With the collapse of the empire the country was fragmented for centuries and, though it was unified in 1861, it will take more than 150 years to lose the fierce and fabulous regionality that developed in the era of the great city states.
Classification System
The Italian system of classification came late compared with Spain and France, but its laudable aim was to preserve the character and traditions of hundreds of regions and thousands of wines. Unfortunately, the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) classification of 1963 was flawed through an overly rigid approach. Since then it has been considerably altered and a total of four classifications now seek to clarify the often perplexing richness of Italian winemaking.
Climate and Conditions
Ten degrees of latitude and 1300 metres of altitude separate the extremes of Italian winemaking. From the steepness of the Alps to the shores of the Mediterranean the vine is ubiquitous. Over two thousand native grapes have developed across thousands of years and each has found a niche in the extremely varied regions of Italy. The diversity of wines this allows is immense.
The Wines of Today
It is hardly surprising that with over a million grape growers the Italian wine industry is highly fragmented and devoid of large international brands. There was a time when this greatly handicapped the quality of the wine being produced, but since the Second World War huge strides have been taken to remedy this. An emerging and discerning middle class, the DOC classification system, international influences and modernisation have been allied to the independent spirit, regional character and indigenous grape varieties that have always existed to produce unique and increasingly excellent wines. Italian wine, beyond the most famous, requires effort to understand but rewards the intrepid.