Italian Red Wines
I love Italian red wines, Amarone is a particular favourite of mine, especially the Amarones from Zenato. Both the standard Amarone and the Sergio Zenato Riserva are consistently superb year on year. If you can’t stretch to this price point Zenato Ripassa is known as “baby Amarone”. It is Valpolicella wine that has gone through the “Ripasso” treatment of a secondary fermentation on the Amarone pommace which gives it more depth, flavour and alcohol. Indeed Zenato’s Ripassa is better than many cheap Amarones.
There is much more to Italian red wines than just Amarone though. Many of Italy’s best red wines are world famous in their own right such as Brunello di Montalcino, the pinnacle of Sangiovese. Barolo is known as “the king of wines” although personally despite having tasted many of the highly rated ones, it’s just not my personal cup of tea, but everybody has their own preferred taste. There is great Sangiovese in the form of good Chianti Classico Riservas. Superb Bordeaux blends such as DOC Bolgheri, and we have an organic beauty from it”s neighbour Maremma from Cantina La Selva. The “Super Tuscans” sprang up when the authorities over regulated production and great winemakers chose to avoid the classification system altogether and label their top wines as “Vino da Tavola” – costing upwards of £100 per bottle for the great ones!
There are a great many natural producers in Italy too such as Sequerciani farming traditional grapes such as Pugnitello and Foglia Tonda. And good value hot weather wines coming from Puglia such as Negroamaro and Primitivo. Without a doubt Italy has a red wine to suit every taste and budget.
93 Points – James Suckling
A new “Appassimento” wine from Zenato.
Big, smooth and delicious as you would expect. This is a neat fit between their Valpolicella and Ripassa.
£17.50
93 Points – James Suckling
A new “Appassimento” wine from Zenato.
Big, smooth and delicious as you would expect. This is a neat fit between their Valpolicella and Ripassa.
£17.50
Amarone Guiseppe Campagnola is a delicious Amarone, perfect with food. It’s a bit softer and lighter in style than Campagnola’s Caterina Zardini Amarone, but is still a big wine. It’s super smooth and full flavoured. It’s great value to get such a quality Amarone at this price.
Guiseppe Campagnola makes some great red wines at affordable prices when compared to other Amarone, Valpolicella and Ripasso wines. They are consistently good quality and great value for money.
£32.50
Amarone Guiseppe Campagnola is a delicious Amarone, perfect with food. It’s a bit softer and lighter in style than Campagnola’s Caterina Zardini Amarone, but is still a big wine. It’s super smooth and full flavoured. It’s great value to get such a quality Amarone at this price.
Guiseppe Campagnola makes some great red wines at affordable prices when compared to other Amarone, Valpolicella and Ripasso wines. They are consistently good quality and great value for money.
£32.50
Sergio Zenato’s personal Riserva Amarone is something special. We’ve been stocking it for years and enjoyed many great vintages. It is the one wine we turn to when we decide to treat ourselves to a special wine. Sergio Zenato sadly passed away a few years back, so this wine is now made by his son Alberto. It is still extremely limited of course and made to honour the great Sergio Zenato who is one of the all time great exponents of Amarone.
Regrettably we’ve had to pass on significant supplier increases as Italy is struggling with excessive energy prices affecting both production and transport.
£100.00
Sergio Zenato’s personal Riserva Amarone is something special. We’ve been stocking it for years and enjoyed many great vintages. It is the one wine we turn to when we decide to treat ourselves to a special wine. Sergio Zenato sadly passed away a few years back, so this wine is now made by his son Alberto. It is still extremely limited of course and made to honour the great Sergio Zenato who is one of the all time great exponents of Amarone.
Regrettably we’ve had to pass on significant supplier increases as Italy is struggling with excessive energy prices affecting both production and transport.
£100.00
Amarone Classico Della Valpolicella Zenato to give it it’s full name is one of the finest Amarones on the market and Zenato are one of the top Amarone producers. They are members of the elite Amarone producers consortium of course. This Amarone is made by Alberto Zenato who took over the winemaking from his father, the great Sergio Zenato, who sadly passed away a few years back.
In my opinion one of the best and most consistent Amarones on the market. Certainly my favourite out of all the big name Amarones out there. I’ve been drinking this wine for as long as I can remember and have never had a disappointing vintage. Consistently excellent every year!
Regrettably we’ve had to pass on significant supplier increases as Italy is struggling with excessive energy prices affecting both production and transport.
£57.00
Amarone Classico Della Valpolicella Zenato to give it it’s full name is one of the finest Amarones on the market and Zenato are one of the top Amarone producers. They are members of the elite Amarone producers consortium of course. This Amarone is made by Alberto Zenato who took over the winemaking from his father, the great Sergio Zenato, who sadly passed away a few years back.
In my opinion one of the best and most consistent Amarones on the market. Certainly my favourite out of all the big name Amarones out there. I’ve been drinking this wine for as long as I can remember and have never had a disappointing vintage. Consistently excellent every year!
Regrettably we’ve had to pass on significant supplier increases as Italy is struggling with excessive energy prices affecting both production and transport.
£57.00
Organically certified by ICEA and Demeter. All Sequerciani grapes are farmed biodynamically too.
A beautiful wine from this amazing tiny natural wine producer! This is one of our biggest selling sulphite free wines.
More stock of the 2022 just landed.
£16.99
Organically certified by ICEA and Demeter. All Sequerciani grapes are farmed biodynamically too.
A beautiful wine from this amazing tiny natural wine producer! This is one of our biggest selling sulphite free wines.
More stock of the 2022 just landed.
£16.99
Foglia Tonda is an ancient Tuscan grape, similar to Sangiovese although larger cropping and later ripening. This wine is beautiful!
The 2021 vintage has just arrived.
£25.00
Foglia Tonda is an ancient Tuscan grape, similar to Sangiovese although larger cropping and later ripening. This wine is beautiful!
The 2021 vintage has just arrived.
£25.00
This Pugnitello is something special. Big and full flavoured yet really smooth and balanced. This is a very rare wine and a real treat!
Sequerciani have already sold out of it.
£29.99
Out of stock
This Pugnitello is something special. Big and full flavoured yet really smooth and balanced. This is a very rare wine and a real treat!
Sequerciani have already sold out of it.
£29.99
Out of stock
Organically certified by ICEA and Demeter
A truly magnificent dessert wine! Aleatico is a grape native to Maremma. Please note this is a half bottle 375ml.
“grapes, sun and earth – that’s it”
£23.99
Organically certified by ICEA and Demeter
A truly magnificent dessert wine! Aleatico is a grape native to Maremma. Please note this is a half bottle 375ml.
“grapes, sun and earth – that’s it”
£23.99
Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico DOCg – absolutely superb, having picked up Gambero Rosso’s highest award of Tre Bicchieri.
£18.49
Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico DOCg – absolutely superb, having picked up Gambero Rosso’s highest award of Tre Bicchieri.
£18.49
Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico Lucarello Riserva is a top class Chianti Riserva from the Livon family. Absolutely superb wine in a more powerful style with more wood ageing than their Classico Chianti.
£25.00
Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico Lucarello Riserva is a top class Chianti Riserva from the Livon family. Absolutely superb wine in a more powerful style with more wood ageing than their Classico Chianti.
£25.00
Chianti Classico Capraia is a superb Chianti from the owners of Rocca di Castgnoli.
£16.80
Chianti Classico Capraia is a superb Chianti from the owners of Rocca di Castgnoli.
£16.80
Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio a Frati Rocca di Castagnoli. A superb Chianti winning Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri for several vintages.
£29.99
Out of stock
Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio a Frati Rocca di Castagnoli. A superb Chianti winning Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri for several vintages.
£29.99
Out of stock
Organically certified by ICEA and Demeter
Sequerciani Ciliegiolo grapes which were previously blended with Sangiovese in their superb Libello, now used to produce a straight Ciliegiolo, fermented in concrete with no wood used.
Big black fruit flavours, super smooth with good weight. This is excellent.
£19.99
Out of stock
Organically certified by ICEA and Demeter
Sequerciani Ciliegiolo grapes which were previously blended with Sangiovese in their superb Libello, now used to produce a straight Ciliegiolo, fermented in concrete with no wood used.
Big black fruit flavours, super smooth with good weight. This is excellent.
£19.99
Out of stock
La Selva Organic Ciliegiolo is a lovely wine. Soft cherry flavours followed by strong vanilla. Very smooth and balanced. Delicious and highly recommended!
£17.95
La Selva Organic Ciliegiolo is a lovely wine. Soft cherry flavours followed by strong vanilla. Very smooth and balanced. Delicious and highly recommended!
£17.95
Wine Spectator 90 Points
90 points Wine Enthusiast
90 points Guida Veronelli
2 glasses Gambero Rosso
A fantastic sangiovese blend from this very highly rated DOCg. 8 months in French barriques.
£18.95
Wine Spectator 90 Points
90 points Wine Enthusiast
90 points Guida Veronelli
2 glasses Gambero Rosso
A fantastic sangiovese blend from this very highly rated DOCg. 8 months in French barriques.
£18.95
Gambero Rosso – Due Bicchieri
Fabulous! Pugnitello is an old Tuscan grape, with literally less than a dozen people farming it these days. This wine is beautiful, real Brunello quality!
£30.00
Gambero Rosso – Due Bicchieri
Fabulous! Pugnitello is an old Tuscan grape, with literally less than a dozen people farming it these days. This wine is beautiful, real Brunello quality!
£30.00
Moncaro Marche Sangiovese IGT is an easy drinking Sangiovese, great value at this price.
£10.99
Moncaro Marche Sangiovese IGT is an easy drinking Sangiovese, great value at this price.
£10.99
Luca Maroni 95 Points
Passo del Sud is a new wine for us made in the Appassimento method of pre drying the grapes in the sun to concentrate flavour, alcohol and power.
This wine is the collaboration of two friends (Benedetto & mario) using local indigenous grapes with a little Merlot.
It is very good indeed. Made on a slightly larger scale than our boutique wines but still much smaller than mass produced wines. We have given it a medium rating for sulphites just to be over cautious, so please avoid it if you have a sulphite intolerance. For everybody else though this is an excellent choice if you want a powerful wine at the right money.
Big, powerful yet velvet smooth. Excellent wine!
£11.99
Luca Maroni 95 Points
Passo del Sud is a new wine for us made in the Appassimento method of pre drying the grapes in the sun to concentrate flavour, alcohol and power.
This wine is the collaboration of two friends (Benedetto & mario) using local indigenous grapes with a little Merlot.
It is very good indeed. Made on a slightly larger scale than our boutique wines but still much smaller than mass produced wines. We have given it a medium rating for sulphites just to be over cautious, so please avoid it if you have a sulphite intolerance. For everybody else though this is an excellent choice if you want a powerful wine at the right money.
Big, powerful yet velvet smooth. Excellent wine!
£11.99
Luca Maroni 91 Points
Another very good wine from Cantine due Palme. Named “celebration” and bottled in a heavyweight bottle to reflect it’s quality.
Big, full flavoured and velvet smooth. Great with virtually any food or just to enjoy on it’s own by the fire.
£14.99
Luca Maroni 91 Points
Another very good wine from Cantine due Palme. Named “celebration” and bottled in a heavyweight bottle to reflect it’s quality.
Big, full flavoured and velvet smooth. Great with virtually any food or just to enjoy on it’s own by the fire.
£14.99
Primitivo di Salento IGT Il Medaglione Leone de Castris is a great quality Primitivo and a great value price. Soft and fruity with just a minimal amount of oak.
We have a couple of the old presentation left then we are onto new stock with the new label.
£14.99
Primitivo di Salento IGT Il Medaglione Leone de Castris is a great quality Primitivo and a great value price. Soft and fruity with just a minimal amount of oak.
We have a couple of the old presentation left then we are onto new stock with the new label.
£14.99
Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Zenato is one of the very best red dessert wines I have ever tasted. Certainly the best Recioto. It is simply stunning
£46.99
Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Zenato is one of the very best red dessert wines I have ever tasted. Certainly the best Recioto. It is simply stunning
£46.99
James Suckling 93 points
Sommelier Wine Awards – Gold
Ripassa Zenato is a powerful wine with sweet fruit initially, balanced by more savoury mid palate flavours and a long finish. It’s very smooth, and like all good Italian wines is superb with food. This one from Zenato is often referred to as “baby Amarone” and is certainly better than many co-operative produced or supermarket listed Amarones out there. While Zenato are very highly regarded for all their wines, particularly their Amarones, they are the undisputed Ripassa champions with this wine.
Regrettably we’ve had to pass on significant supplier increases as Italy is struggling with excessive energy prices affecting both production and transport.
£25.99
James Suckling 93 points
Sommelier Wine Awards – Gold
Ripassa Zenato is a powerful wine with sweet fruit initially, balanced by more savoury mid palate flavours and a long finish. It’s very smooth, and like all good Italian wines is superb with food. This one from Zenato is often referred to as “baby Amarone” and is certainly better than many co-operative produced or supermarket listed Amarones out there. While Zenato are very highly regarded for all their wines, particularly their Amarones, they are the undisputed Ripassa champions with this wine.
Regrettably we’ve had to pass on significant supplier increases as Italy is struggling with excessive energy prices affecting both production and transport.
£25.99
Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Campagnola is a delicious smooth easy drinking Ripasso wine, perfect with red meat dishes.
£17.50
Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Campagnola is a delicious smooth easy drinking Ripasso wine, perfect with red meat dishes.
£17.50
Just moved onto the 2015
Leone de Castris is one of the region’s top wineries, established in 1665. They make some excellent wines which are great value. The previous vintage was awarded Tre Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso. Fantastic value wine.
£19.00
Out of stock
Just moved onto the 2015
Leone de Castris is one of the region’s top wineries, established in 1665. They make some excellent wines which are great value. The previous vintage was awarded Tre Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso. Fantastic value wine.
£19.00
Out of stock
Sansonina is a masterpiece of winemaking, a truly unique wine from Carla Prospero and Nadia Zenato.
£59.99
Sansonina is a masterpiece of winemaking, a truly unique wine from Carla Prospero and Nadia Zenato.
£59.99
Santa Cristina Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning wine from the Zenato family’s smaller Santa Cristina winery on the shore of Lake Garda.
It’s a blend of 85% cabernet sauvignon and 15% cabernet franc. It’s aged for 18 months in a combination of first fill and used French oak then a brief spell resting in stainless steel followed by a further 6 months or so in bottle prior to release.
It has initial sweet fruit with a delicious natural aspect. Full bodied, elegant and smooth with a long finish. This is a great wine.
£23.99
Santa Cristina Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning wine from the Zenato family’s smaller Santa Cristina winery on the shore of Lake Garda.
It’s a blend of 85% cabernet sauvignon and 15% cabernet franc. It’s aged for 18 months in a combination of first fill and used French oak then a brief spell resting in stainless steel followed by a further 6 months or so in bottle prior to release.
It has initial sweet fruit with a delicious natural aspect. Full bodied, elegant and smooth with a long finish. This is a great wine.
£23.99
Gambero Rosso – Tre Bicchieri – every vintage since 2004
Selvarossa Riserva, Cantine due Palme is one of the best reds to come out of Southern Italy, regularly being awarded Gambero Rosso’s highest accolade of Tre Bicchieri. I’ve been stocking it for years and every vintage has been superb. It’s a big powerful warming red with sweet tannins. Super smooth.
£22.00
Out of stock
Gambero Rosso – Tre Bicchieri – every vintage since 2004
Selvarossa Riserva, Cantine due Palme is one of the best reds to come out of Southern Italy, regularly being awarded Gambero Rosso’s highest accolade of Tre Bicchieri. I’ve been stocking it for years and every vintage has been superb. It’s a big powerful warming red with sweet tannins. Super smooth.
£22.00
Out of stock
A big, powerful wine well suited to food.
We are on the new presentation, not the blue label any more, but the wine is the same.
£11.99
A big, powerful wine well suited to food.
We are on the new presentation, not the blue label any more, but the wine is the same.
£11.99
Valpolicella Classico Superiore Caterina Zardini Campagnola is one of the finest Valpolicellas produced. It is a superb wine.
£21.95
Valpolicella Classico Superiore Caterina Zardini Campagnola is one of the finest Valpolicellas produced. It is a superb wine.
£21.95
Valpolicella Superiore Zenato. The image of Valpolicella suffered in the UK in the 1990s when cheap inferior Valpolicella and Chianti were everywhere. But a good Valpolicella is one of northern Italy’s most popular and most respected red wines. Zenato are one of the Veneto region’s best producers and members of the elite Amarone Consortium. All their wines are high quality. You will note this Valpolicella is a “Superiore” meaning it has to be aged for at least one year before release and must be at least 12% abv – a guarantee of quality.
This wine is delicious, and a long time favourite with many of our customers. It’s very smooth with great fruit and a long finish.
£17.50
Valpolicella Superiore Zenato. The image of Valpolicella suffered in the UK in the 1990s when cheap inferior Valpolicella and Chianti were everywhere. But a good Valpolicella is one of northern Italy’s most popular and most respected red wines. Zenato are one of the Veneto region’s best producers and members of the elite Amarone Consortium. All their wines are high quality. You will note this Valpolicella is a “Superiore” meaning it has to be aged for at least one year before release and must be at least 12% abv – a guarantee of quality.
This wine is delicious, and a long time favourite with many of our customers. It’s very smooth with great fruit and a long finish.
£17.50
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