Awesome Italian Reds
I think it is time we go back to Italy. It’s been a while and we have been tasting through some of these recently and wow, they are shining! So good. The wines are at a number of great restaurants across the city so don’t miss out on these wines, which you would definitely be hard-pressed to find better values for this world-class quality.
Below is a list of our favourite Italian reds that are drinking absolutely perfectly right now. These have to be at the top of your “to drink” list. If they are not, then you are missing out on some of the best reds Italy has to offer.
Only the best grapes are used in this wine, which is then aged for 18 months in barrel and an additional 12 months in bottle before release. A beautiful classic example of Sangiovese and due to the elevation and winemaking, drinks great upon release. Leather, baking spices on the nose with hints of tomato leaf and red and dark fruits lead to a soft and long finish.
V 96+
Deep garnet red with ruby glints. Intense, complex, with earth scents recalling wild flowers and wild berries, spicy and toasted fragrances, up to ethereal perfumes. On the palate, this wine is warm with velvety and soft tannins; a wine with a great body, intensity and tasting persistence. 14.5% ABV
Critics have called this wine one of the most stylistically typical Brunellos of the vintage. This is a stunner, full of red fruit, smashed fruit and leather mixed with hints of balsamic.
RP 95, JS 94
Deep, dark and dense red in color. The nose is full of ripe red fruit, spices and preserves. The palate is intense, robust, with a long persistent finish. Each sip highlights the silky tannins present and masterfully integrated into the structure of this wine designed to be long-lived. Drinks beautifully right now.
Great aromatic richness of black berry fruit and pleasant spicy nuances. On the palate it is succulent, rich, with a very long finish. Aged 3 years in 10 hl Austrian barrels. Pair with aged cheeses, duck and braised meat. WS 95
This is a stunner right now and drinking perfectly. Not made each year, this is a special wine with silky tannins and soft red and dark fruit, leather and ideal for roasted or grilled meats. Will go for decades to come.
RP 94, JS 93
Great aromatic richness of black berry fruit and pleasant spicy nuances. On the palate it is succulent, rich, with a very long finish. Aged 3 years in 10 hl Austrian barrels. Pair with aged cheeses, duck and braised meat. WS 95
This Super Tuscan is a rarity, even for the innovative winemaking at Poggerino. A 50-50 split of Sangiovese and Merlot, this wine shows eloquence and depth. Soft red and dark fruits pervade, with hints of vanilla and baking spices on the nose break through along subtle leather and sanguine that develop in the glass and long after the each sip.