New from Italy

Italian wine is all too often misunderstood. The bewildering array of grape varieties, wine styles, and unpronounceable names has misled many a wine drinker into seeing the often austere and aloof Chianti as representative of Italian wine as a whole.

However, the word “Renaissance” has never been more appropriate for describing the changes that have occurred in Italian wine culture over the last twenty years or so. Gone is the image of the thin, astringent red wine covered in sackcloth. More and more wine drinkers are discovering the veritable cornucopia of vinous delights that are to be had from one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world. Every region of Italy has something unique to offer, from Alto-Adige and Piedmont in the North, to the hotter regions of Puglia, Campania, and the always-improving Sicily. Even Tuscany has taken the bull by the horns in recent years and is now producing some stunningly deep, complex wines, in the Chianti region and elsewhere, that can often match many of the very best wines of Bordeaux.

With this in mind, we have decided to give a new lease of life to our Italian range, putting more emphasis on indigenous grape varieties and all things peculiarly Italian. We have spent many an exhausting (honestly) day tasting our way through scores of Italian wines, and have now added several of these to our range. 

Cusumano

Angimbe Insolia Chardonnay
This blend of 70% Insolia and 30% Chardonnay is an eye-catching deep yellow-gold color. An impressive array of aromas include peach, nectarine and baked apple. In the mouth, it is ripe and remarkably crisp. This full-bodied, complex wine would complement game bird, smoked turkey breast or even a fresh pea risotto. Angimbe is the name of a forest adjacent to the vineyard where these grapes are grown.

Nero D’avola
Nero D’Avola, 2007 is made with the Nero D’Avola grape, grown only in one small region of Sicily. This black-skinned grape lends chocolate and cherry undertones to the traditional dry Italian red. It is on the easy drinking side of the Nero d’Avola spectrum. Fruit driven with a little creaminess and light spice on the finish. Unmistakable combination of black cherry and strawberry, with juniper berries on the nose.