This is quite a youthful and restrained Chianti Classico from Castellare di Castellina and the 2017 vintage. It has aromas of redcurrants, red fruits and firm tannins. This wine will suit another 3-5 years in bottle before approaching it or a long decant. Rating: Good. Abv: 13.5%. Website: www.castellare.it. Reviewed: January 2020.
This is an excellent Valtellina wine from Nino Negri. It has swirling aromatics of florals and roses. The palate has a firm structure and high acidity. This nebbiolo is rather delicious and can be approached now or over the next decade. Rating: Very Good. Abv: NA. Price: mid $50s. Website: NA. Reviewed: January 2020.
This is a fairly basic Soave from Monte Tondo in north eastern Italy. Made entirely from garganega, it has a herbal aroma with lemon undertones. The palate is dry with no oak and is ready to drink now. Rating: Acceptable. Abv: 12%. Price: <$20. Website: https://www.montetondo.it. Reviewed: December 2019.
This is a sound Soave Classico from Zeni, and a blend of garganega and trebbiano. In the glass, there are aromas of peach and cedar which gives a chardonnay like impression. The palate is medium bodied and dry, with some residual sugar. Pleasant enough, this wine will suit current drinking. Rating: Good. Abv: 12.5%. Price: $16. Website: https://www.zeni.it/en/. Reviewed: November 2019.
This is a good wine at a fair price. Lightly coloured in the glass, the 2017 vintage of Antinori’s Peppoli Chianti Classico has typical sangiovese aromas of sour cherry and licorice. The palate has firm tannins and good length. This wine can be approached now, but will suit a couple of years in the cellar. Rating: Good. Abv: 13.5%. Price: $27. Website: https://www.antinori.it/en/. Reviewed: October 2019.
This is a good value Chianti at $19. It has typical sangiovese aromas of sour cherry and earth, and a palate with fresh acidity, firm but not hard tannins, and little evident oak influence. Ready to drink now, this wine can be approached over the next few years. Rating: Good. Abv: 13%. Price: $19. Website: https://www.cecchi.net/en.
Villa Antinori’s Toscano Rosso continues to be a great value wine. The 2015 vintage is quite the blend, featuring sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, syrah and merlot. Yet it retains a sense of place, and is identifiably Italian in style in the glass. The 2015 vintage is deeply coloured in the glass, with aromas of earth, blackcurrant and cedar. The palate is savoury and has good balance and length. Rating: Good to Very Good. Abv: 13.5%. Price: $20+. Website: www.antinori.it.
This is a good quality Prosecco D.O.C. from La Marca. It has aromatics of savoury apple and earth. The palate has a frothy mousse, the finish is off-dry and its component parts are in balance. Rating: Good. Abv: 11%. Price: $25. Website: danmurphys.com.au. Source: Sample.
From Friuli in Italy’s north west, this pinot grigio opens to sweet smelling aromas of apple skins, green mango and herbs. The palate is dry with a fullish body and is a linear, stoney expression of pinot grigio. Good length on the finish and not bad value for $18. Rating: Good. Abv: 12.0%. Price: $18. Website: na.
This is a good Langhe nebbiolo from Benevelli, particularly at $28. An aroma of sour cherry, chalk and potpourri. Fruity, for nebbiolo. The palate has good length, firm acidity and a youthful spritz. A quibble: one bottle corked (four tasted). Rating: Good to Very Good. Abv: 14%. Price: $28. Website: n/a.