These are the kind of wines that’ll have detouring on your next trip to Sicily so you can walk through vines/lava fields and see where and how it all happens. Wines from Etna are extraordinary, especially when they’re silky with red/blue fruits, black pepper and a salty, savoury chewy finish like this one. Deserves some cellaring.

Passopisciaro Passorosso 2022

Teroldego has a lot of loyal fans who are going to love this Heathcote rendition. Fermented in stainless to keep things clean and pure, there are generous red fruits flavours, a divine dried currant edginess, and just a note of that trademark alpine spice. ‘Ndom is Trentino dialect for ‘let’s go’, so cheers!

L'appel Wines NDOM Teroldego 2024

La Ragose Valpolicella Classico 2022

An annual treat! After time in concrete with indigenous yeast, the wine is given a stint in oak which comes through in every sip as toasted wood spice. You’ll also get a bracing acidity and plenty of refined cherry liqueur notes.

Poggerino RISERVA Bugialla Chianti Classico 2020

Like wearing a finely knitted Italian cardigan–they're back ‘on trend’ right? One dyed a dark and classy red and oozes cherry and red currant comforts plus some crumbly tannins and cool leafiness. Perfect while cooking and eating with friends.

Produttori di Govone Langhe Nebbiolo 2023

If you’ve never had Brunello before, 2019 was an amazing year, so this will be one to hold onto for a very special occasion. Palate is all silky but bold fruits that'll change your life and have you travelling to Italy ASAP. Decant for perfection.

San Giorgio Brunello di Montalcino 2019

A brilliant wine for the money. Think deep, sweet red fruits and some liquorice root that gives all the comforting weight and richness. There’s also enough savoury tannic bite and bright acidity for it to be perfect for salami.

Piantaferro Montepulciano d Abruzzo 2022

Cool, sunny day southern Italy vibes complete with lifted aromatics, sweet nutty spices and some stylistically typical tannins that come through a little bricky. All those layers are wrapped in boysenberries and cherries. Perfect in a carafe between you and the last slice of pizza, while supporting your favourite Italian football (soccer) team.

Carlotta Rosso 2024

Who’d have thought… Sangiovese plus Merlot and Sagrantino can equal a Gamay-like wine. When it’s light and delicate thanks to a favourable growing season and the vines being at altitude. Unique and lovely.

Beulah Violetta Stesso Stesso Rosso 2023

Felsina Chianti Classico 2021

A great mountain Neb for everyone. Cradling tannins, textural appeal, and a very classy-looking bottle. The expression here is pure and smooth with cherry, herb and the kind of aromatics indicative of the vineyard being in one family for over 350 years.

Tenute Sella Orbello Coste Della Sesia Nebbiolo 2022

Dusty cherries and an earthy, savoury finish that are good and robust thanks to some big tannin. The palate is all liquored and glacé cherries that wash deliciousness straight over your soul.

Valpantena Torre del Falasco Corvina 2022

Some dreams begin with plum skins, raspberry pulp and cherry energised by bright crisp acidity and chalky bricky tannin. In our dreams, the glass turns into a bowl, the fruits become ragu and the gentle turning, spaghetti. Must be a dreamy pairing.

Carlin de Paolo Barbera d' Asti Cursus Vitae 2023

Lovely and fresh with a nice perfume and red cherry pips that pour coiled in chalky tannins. Actually, this may be the cheapest, and best, box of red cherries you'll enjoy this summer.

Carlin de Paolo Monferratto Dolcetto 2023

Aged in large format, old oak for less inference. Nadia Curto shines with La Morra fruit. Every decision she’s made is to let the grapes speak, and after a soft decant, you’ll love all the earthy spice and tannin-soaked fruit that glide over your palate and sink into your heart.

Nadia Curto Barolo La Foia 2020

Great value can come with big, ripe black cherries that are super pure and seem wrapped in sage leaves and that dusty Italian tannin we all think of when they say, contento.

Cantina Colli Morenici Valpolicella 2022

Think of autumn leaves falling and a little homemade porchetta roll–don’t forget the dried oregano and that last hot-as-your-oven-will-go 30 minutes to get the crackle, oh and there’s 1,000 great salsa verde recipes online.

Villa Migliarina Montozzi Chianti Superiore 2022

Pure berry conserve and punnets of raspberry delight the palate with hints of orange and chinotto and some lovely lightly bitter, ashy tannin to finish. With all its super pretty nuova Siciliana vibes, your friends will thank you while you pour them a glass, but they’ll love (even more) after they finish their glass.

Rouleur Nero d' Avola 2023

Deep, saturated flavours of fleshy black cherry, a lick of vanilla poached plum, and engaging violet lift meets velvety, rich tannins. Just delicious.

Feudi Bizantini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Terre dei Rumi 2022

Divine intervention? Probably not, but still unbelievable though. Think rose petals, florals and a good amount of peppery spice. This swings deftly between red fruited and savoury flavours but maintains a good drive of earthy tannin that is never overpowering.