Azienda Agricola Cos 'Pithos' 2006 Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Sicily
The story: two grape varieties - Nero d'Avola and Frappato - grown biodynamically and fermented in terracotta amphorae. No sulfur dioxide is used until bottling, so this wine is pretty 'natural'. Bottled in a beautiful squat, wide bottle. The nose has a haunting perfume, combining red fruits of great purity with fine minerally, spicy, earthy notes that frame the fruit quite precisely. Think of the aromatic profile of a great red Burgundy, warmed up a notch or two by the sun. It's the sort of nose you can keep returning to, and each time you attend you get something different. The palate is medium bodied and savoury, with an elegant earthiness. It has a spicy, subtly meaty complexion that makes me think of brettanomyces, but I feel stupid suggesting this, because it is hinting at a wine fault, when this wine is most certainly not faulty - it all pulls together to produce a profound result. But, at the same time, this is a relatively understated sort of wine that whispers, rather than shouts. The finish is long and dry. I think it's fantastic stuff, and I reckon this will develop nicely over the next 15 years or so, although it is drinking now. Strange to think, but that with its traditional elevage, this is a wine that could have been made 1000 or even 2000 years ago. 93/100 (Les Caves de Pyrene) 11/07

Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio 2005 Toscana, Italy
Really nice white with a bright, subtly herby, slightly lemony nose and a sense of transparency to it. There’s a lemony tang, together with some herbiness and some grapiness. It’s a really nice Italian white. 89/100 (£7.99 Majestic) 03/07

Feudo di Santa Tresa Nìvuro 2003 Sicilia
A blend of Nero d’Avola and Cabernet Sauvignon, this deep coloured red has a sweet, brooding dark fruits nose. It’s bold, spicy and quite dense with a nice savoury character to the chunky fruit. Smooth and dark. Very good+ 88/100 (£8.99 Oddbins, Thresher) 06/06

Feudo di Santa Tresa Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2004 Sicilia
Blending Nero d’Avola and Frappato, this is an interesting red with pure, sweet red berry fruits and a liqueur-like purity. It’s fresh, bright and fruity with a smooth, elegant character and supple texture. Finishes spicy. Very good+ 88/100 (£7.39 D Byrne, Regency Wines, Trenchermans) 06/06

Tresa Avulisi Nero d’Avola 2003 Sicily
Ripe, sweet spicy nose with rich fruit. Palate is rich and dense with sweet fruit and smooth spicy structure. There’s a bit of oak, but ripe fruit to match it. Good concentration: a dense, but easy going southern wine. Very good+ 89/100 (£12 Thomas Panton, Wright Wine, D Byrne, Satchell’s of Burnham Market, Trenchermans) 06/06  

Trulli Chardonnay 2003 IGT Salento, Italy
Quite deep yellow. Rich, open buttery nose leads to a fat palate with broad, soft fruit. A bit oxidised? Some appeal though. 78/100 (£4.99 Somerfield, Sainsburys, Coop) 11/05

Trulli Pinot Grigio 2004 Pavia, Italy
Super-fresh bright, crisp easy drinking white with a nice slightly savoury, herby character. A bit grippy, too. Very good 80/100  12/05

Castello di Bossi Berardo Chianti Classico Reserva 2000 Tuscany, Italy
Intense, savoury, earthy spicy fruit dominates with a slightly medicinal edge. There some acid and tannin giving structure. It’s intense, taut and full, with a typically Italian slightly bitter plummy character. Needs time. Powerful stuff. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£19.99 Laithwaites) 12/05  

Fiano di Avellino dei Feudi di Santa Gregorio 2005 Campania, Italy
Now for something a little different, from the Fiano di Avellino grape. A deep yellow/gold colour, this full bodied white has complex flavours of minerals, spice and intense lemony fruit. There’s a nice contrast between the intense, rich fruit and some grapefruity freshness. Thought-provoking stuff and highly food compatible. Very good/excellent (£9.99 Waitrose) 12/06

Castello Vicchiomaggio La Prima Chianti Classico Riserva 2001
100% Sangiovese. This is an interesting take on Sangiovese. There’s a green leafy freshness to the minerally dark fruits – it reminds me of a full flavoured Loire red. Quite perfumed with lovely freshness of fruit, this is understated, elegant and well balanced, with a hint of tobacco leaf. This will no doubt age well, and elegance is the hallmark. Don’t come here if you want power and overt ripeness. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£20.39 everywine.co.uk) 11/05

Carpineto Chianto Classico Riserva 2000
Wonderful dark, tight, savoury black fruits nose with a smoke and tar edge, together with some minerals. The palate is complex and savoury with wonderful acidity and spicy tannic structure. There’s some gravel and bitter plum which meld well with the earthy tannins. A really top quality classic-styled Chianti. Intensely savoury and best with food. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£13.50 Averys) 11/05

Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 1998 Tuscany, Italy
Italian wines are a bit under-appreciated in the UK, but tangy, food friendly Tuscan reds like this are worth discovering. This isn’t a flashy, rich sort of wine oozing sweet fruit; rather, it’s savoury, tight, spicy and a bit earthy. A more serious, intellectual style that you can drink now or cellar for a decade. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£24.99 Majestic reduced to £16.99 until 31st January 2006) 11/05

Carpineto Chianto Classico Riserva 2000 Italy
Wonderful dark, tight, savoury black fruits nose with a smoke and tar edge, together with some minerals. The palate is complex and savoury with wonderful acidity and spicy tannic structure. There’s some gravel and bitter plum which meld well with the earthy tannins. A really top quality classic-styled Chianti. Intensely savoury and best with food. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£13.50 Averys) 11/05

Santo Stefano Prosecco Extra Dry NV, Italy
Crisp, fruity nose is nice and fresh, with a lemony edge. The palate shows lots of presence with some bright, slightly sweet lemony fruit contrasting nicely with good savoury acidic depth. Very fruity but great balance. Delicious. Very good/excellent 87/100 (£7.95 H&H Bancroft Wines) 11/05

Neive Briccoserra 2001 Cigliuti, Italy
What a superb wine. It has a beautiful nose of dense, sweet, full red fruits with a lovely smoothness. The palate is concentrated and dense with lovely vivid savoury fruit. Quite chewy, but smooth at the same time. Fantastic. Very good/excellent 94/100 (£21 Berry Bros & Rudd) 10/05

Alois Ladeger Riff Pinot Grigio 2004 Tre Venezie, Italy
Lovely fresh, minerally and focused bright fruit on the nose. Hint of smokiness. The palate is minerally, savoury and subtly spicy. A delicious fresh white wine that’s good value for the quality on offer. Very good+ 89/100 (£6.99 Tesco) 09/05

Tenuta di Trinoro 'La Cupole di Trinoro' 2000 Italy
Andrea Franchetti is fanatical about his wines, and this is quite stunning. A blend dominated by Cabernet Franc, it has a wonderful perfumed nose that is distinctly gravelly and minerally with ripe, tarry fruit and some smoky notes. The palate is structured and open with minerally notes and firm but smooth tannins. Striking stuff. Excellent 95/100 (£34.31 Corney & Barrow) 02/04

Vallone ‘Vereto’ Salice Salento Rosso 2000 Italy
A textbook, slightly rustic Italian food wine. It has a lively spicy, slightly animally nose with some lifted acid. The palate is dense, spicy and savoury with high acidity and some tannic structure. Quite traditional and very food compatible. Very good+ 86/100 (£4.99 Thresher) 11/03

Via Nova Amarone della Valpolicella 2001 Veneto, Italy
I was pleasantly surprised by this wine. Amarone is made from grapes that have been dried on racks after harvest for a month or two, and it doesn’t come cheap, yet this entry level Amarone has a lot going for it. The nose is open, smooth and sweetly fruited, leading to a dense, smooth elegant palate. There’s some spicy structure underlying the sweet fruit. A perfect wine for contemplation, alongside some good cheeses. (£10.99 Sainsbury) 09/04

Rodaro Colli Orientali del Friuli Ribolla Gialla 1998 Italy
Distinctive fresh, nutty, slightly waxy wine with good acidity and quite a rich texture. Smoky edge. Very good+ 89/100 03/04

Podere Ai della Macina ‘Pogio Roncone’ 2000 Morellino di Scansino, Tuscany, Italy
I don’t know a lot about this wine other than I think it’s great. Deep coloured. Wonderful expressive nose of perfumed black fruits with a tarry, herby edge. Very nicely defined. The palate is savoury and quite spicy, with elegant dark fruits, a herbal edge (although this is well interated and avoids being overtly green) and some structure from the good acidity and tannins. Very fresh and expressive. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£9.99 Jeroboams)  11/04

Cusumano Greciano Sicilia 2003 Italy
Quite deep coloured. Nicely packaged. Fresh, gently herby nose gives way to a herby, slightly nutty palate with a distinctive savoury twist. A fresh, modern full flavoured white with a bit of personality. Very good+ 85/100 (£4.99 Oddbins) 01/05

Fattoria Le Fonti Vito Arturo 2000 IGT Toscana Sangiovese
Since 1994 Paolo Caciorgna has been consultant winemaker at Le Fonti, and this fairly serious wine is from a single vineyard replanted in 1991. It’s modern, yet it’s classic, at the same time, showing a distinct sense of place. A slightly faded red colour, the nose is vivid and bright with spice and complex dusty red fruits. There’s some tar, here, too, together with acid freshness. The palate is intensely savoury and initially very tight, with firm tannins, a dusty earthiness, and high acidity. There’s new oak present, but this meshes well with the intense spicy fruit. Nothing stands out awkwardly. With time in the glass it opens out: fantastic stuff, very Tuscan, but modern with it in the best possible way. Very good/excellent 94/100 (£19.99 Cadman Fine Wines)  04/05

Fattoria Le Fonti Chianti Classico Reserva 2000 Tuscany, Italy
Subtly tarry, spicy dark fruits nose with an earthy, herby seriousness. The palate is savoury, tarry and spicy with quite a rich texture and some earthy notes, coupled with good acidity. It’s chewy, spicy and minerally with a tannic finish – slightly awkward at the moment, but this is a fairly serious wine in a semi-traditional style. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£16.99 Cadman Fine Wines) 05/05

Meroi Sauvignon 2003 Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy
Very rich, exotic, in-your-face nose of sweet, rich, herb-tinged melony fruit with a distinctive vanilla and cream edge, coupled with some spiciness. The palate is bold, rich and dense with powerful creamy oak and deep herby fruit. The acidity is there to keep things fresh, but this is a striking rich wine with big oak impact. I’m not totally sure about it, although I suspect some will love it. Complex and full. Very good+ 89/100 (£14.99 Cadman Fine Wines) 02/05

Meroi Ros di Biuri 2002 Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy
Minimalist label is appealing. Dark coloured wine with a lovely tightly-focused nose of bright red and black fruits with a roasted, tarry, minerally edge. Fresh and bright. The palate is cool climate with dense, spicy, slightly mineralic fruit braced by high acidity. Modern, focused and sophisticated with good acidity. Food compatible. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£19.99 Cadman Fine Wines) 02/05

Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano 2004 Tuscany, Italy
This is a serious wine at an affordable price, which nicely combines modern and traditional aspects to fashion a classy red of broad appeal. A vivid colour, this has a lovely focused, savoury intensity to the pure, smooth red fruits. The palate shows restrained pure fruit with a savoury edge to it. Really lovely. (£8.99 Sainsbury) 05/05

Macaulan Dindarello 2004 Veneto, Italy
This is a really nice, sweet grapey white made from the Moscato grape. It’s quite expensive, but you’re paying for the perfumed finesse this wine possesses – it’s not just any old sweet white, but something to sip contemplatively. The nose is pretty, grapey and fresh with an aromatic honeyed character. The palate is rich and thick textured; quite sweet, but with good balance. If you are going to pair it with anything, it would work best with fruit-based desserts. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£7.89/half, Oddbins) 04/05

Ramato Pinot Grigio 2004 Veneto, Italy
Seven days’ maceration on skins gives a pale salmon/copper coloured wine with an intensely fruity, slightly herby nose. The palate has a lovely subtly herby cranberry fruit character: quite deep with a tangy, savoury finish. A moderately serious wine. Very good+ 88/100 (£7 Divino Wines) 09/05

Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1998 Italy
Aged in large slavonian oak barrels. This has an old-fashioned but lovely complex, perfumed, rather refined nose with a sweet menthol-like spicy edge to the red fruits. There are also subtle green notes and some old cedary wood hints. The palate is spicy and dry with a tarry, savoury streak, lots of concentration and a dry, but elegant structure. A rich, savoury style. Very good/excellent 93/100 (£30 DiVino wines) 08/05

Carminucci Naumachos Rosso Piceno Superiore 2002 Italy
Very deep red/purple colour. Enticing nose of lush, sweet dark fruits with hints of black cherries. The palate shows super smooth structure underneath the concentrated, dark, lush fruit. Modern and rich with some earthy, spicy structure under the fruit. Quite a serious wine but also accessible. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£10.50 Di Vino Wines) 08/05

Alvolo Alovini Aglianico del Vulture 2000 Italy
Lovely rich, dense, slightly tarry savoury nose: very full and savoury. Concentrated savoury spicy palate with lots of rich dark fruits. This is a serious, tight, structured spicy wine with a savoury character. Full and fruity, but lots of structure hiding under the fruit. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£16 Divino wines) 07/05

Catabbo Tintilia del Molise DOC 2004 Italy
Dark coloured. Rich, spicy black fruits (black cherry, blackberry) dominate the nose which is quite rich and fruit driven with a chocolatey edge. The palate is showing predominantly dark fruits. It’s in a modern mould but isn’t oaky. Quite low acidity with high-ish alcohol. It’s a bit of a conundrum: rich and ripe, yet quite elegant and complex. Perhaps this is one for the long haul? Very good/excellent 90/100 (£13.50 DiVino wines) 08/05

Baglio Curatolo Villa Tonino Nero d'Avola 2002 Italy
Vivid red black colour. Sweet red fruits, spice and tar on the nose: forward and appealing. The palate is vividly fruity with some sweetness and spice, vanilla and tar notes. It's all wrapped up in firm, savoury tannins. A modern, forward, spicy wine that is very attractive and represents a brilliant bargain. Very good+ 89/100  (£5.36 Moriarty, www.moriarty-vintners.com) 01/04

Villa Russiz Sauvignon 2001 Collio, Italy
High-toned bright, expressive nose is aromatic and fruity, with some grassy character. The palate is bright and fresh with grassy, herby notes. Light, fragrant white with some class. Very good/excellent 91/100 08/03  

Castello del Terricio Lupicaia 1995 IGT Toscana, Italy
Very rich menthol and tar nose. The palate is rich and slightly sweetly fruited with herby, spicy notes. Interesting stuff: almost Australian! Very good/excellent 90/100 11/03

Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano 2001 Italy
Deep coloured wine. Vibrant spicy nose with forward, tarry fruit. Quite rich, ripe, spicy palate on the palate with a firm spicy structure and good acidity. Assertive and approachable now, this is a great food wine, distinctively Italian. Very good+ 88/100 (Sainsbury £8.99) 05/03

Tedeschi Rosso La Fabriseria 1998 VdT Veneto
Toasty, tarry, slightly roasted nose with herbal complexity to the fruit. The palate is savoury, tarry and drying out a little, but showing some nice herbal complexity and a bit of leather and spice, too. Very good+ 87/100 (originally c. £11 Majestic) 05/03

Isole e Olena Collezione de Marchi Syrah 1994 VdT Toscana, Italy
This wine could be used as a primer on Brettanomyces. Slightly cloudy with a herby, barnyardy nose with some leathery notes. Savoury, spicy palate with a slight metallic tang. Animally. The brett obscures any other character this wine possesses, so at its best it’s a very rustic, savoury table wine if you don’t mind brett. Good 05/03

Inama Soave Classico Superiore 2001 Italy
Soave is normally a dull, thin, joyless, cheap white wine. Not this example, from one of the region’s leading producers, Inama. Made from the little-known Garganega grape, it is a concentrated, richly flavoured dry white wine with herby, minerally character. Distinctive and quite individual, but worth every penny. Very good/excellent (£7.99 Sainsbury) 01/03

Allora Primitivo 2001 Apulia, Italy
Hand harvested from old vines. Deep coloured this has an attractive forward nose of spicy ripe cherry and berry fruit, with some chocolatey, oaky notes. The palate is herby, ripe and spicy with good acidity and some tannins, together with some spicy warmth from the oak. A very assertive, fruity wine with some spicy savouriness. Very good+ 09/02

Allora Aglianico 2001 Basilicata
Brightly fruited nose showing cherryish fruit together with a chocolatey edge and some spiciness. The Palate is robust with drying, spicy tannins. A substantial, chunky wine with good acidity. Modern style, but lots of character. Very good+ 09/02

Anselmi Capitel Foscarino 2000, IGT Veneto
This supercharged Soave (though Anselmi bottles under the broader IGT Veneto appellation) has a fresh, lemony floral-edged nose. The savoury nutty palate has a rich texture and a citrussy edge. With good concentration this is quite a serious bone dry white which may age some more. Very good/excellent (£12 La Vigneronne) 04/02

Calatrasi Terre di Ginestre 651 2001, Sicilia
A blend of Nero d’Avola and Syrah from vineyards at an altitude of 651 metres, hence the name. Very deep red/black colour. Multilayered liqouricey berry fruit on the nose with a herbal, spicy edge. The palate shows notes of coffee and chocolate together with some intense, plumy fruit. Quite savoury with a spicy finish which provides balance to the sweet fruit. New world in style but with some Italian character, this is a substantial wine that may well develop in the bottle over the medium term. Very good/excellent  09/02

Giorgi Oltrepo Pavese Pinot Nero Frizzante 2001, Italy
Highly unusual, this is a fizzy white Pinot Noir with a yeasty, baked apple nose. Light, fresh, yeasty palate with good acidity and some bready savouriness. Apples and nuts dominate. Very good+ 11/02

Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano ‘Sanice’ 2000
Late-picked Vernaccia blended with 10% Chardonnay. Quite a deep yellow/gold colour. The nose displays a nutty, straw-like character with a toasted edge. Very unusual nutty, savoury palate with lots of davoury herby complexity and quite low acidity. It has an intense, almost oxidised character. Quite a classy, unusual wine, full of interest. Very good/excellent (£8.25 Wannop Wines) 08/02 

Pieropan ‘Le Colombare’ 1999 Recioto di Soave Classico
A brilliant sweet wine. Herby, spicy nose with a tpuch of thick-cut marmalade character and a lemony lift. Great balance on the palate between the herby, spicy, marmaladey fruit and the honeyed sweetness. Good texture and acidity, and an attractive bitterness on the finish. Don’t serve this too cold. Very good/excellent (£18/half bottle Wannop Wines) 08/02

Scarpa Barbaresco ‘I tetti di Nieve’ 1978, Piedmont, Italy
(Tasted blind, note as written) Deep coloured. Intriguing spicy, earthy, slightly meaty nose with rich, sweet medicinal elements. The palate is quite wild, initially showing quite a severe medicinal nature with lots of tannic structure. In the glass it opens out to show rich spicy, balsamic complexity. Quite brilliant, in a robust sort of way. Excellent  06/02

Pieropan Soave La Rocca 1999, Italy
Attractive nutty/floral nose is savoury and intense. Full flavoured palate has a honeyed, nutty edge with some minerality. Good concentration and very attractive. Very good/excellent 05/02

Marchesi de Frescobaldi Nippozano Reserva 1997 Chianti Rufina
A serious Chianti with some structure, this has a savoury nose of herbs and olives. On the palate there are savoury, spicy, herby notes, good fruit (damsons and cherries) with great balance and some complexity. It has a spicy edge and dry tannins that are firm enough to suggest that this wine will age nicely. Very good+ (£8.99, Oddbins) 12/00

Via Nova Primitivo del Salento IGT 1999
Great value from this chunky southern Italian red. The rich nose matches lovely, deep chocolatey berry fruit with some herbal, tea leaf-like notes. The palate is firm, dense and slightly rustic. This cheapie gets the balance right between modern fruit flavours and a pleasant, rustic authenticity, and it is very attractive stuff. Very good+ (Sainsbury £3.99) 2/01

Trulli Dry Muscat, Puglia IGT 2000
A modern style 'branded' southern Italian white wine made by Kym Mylne and Augusto Cantele. Nice spicy/grapey nose leads to a clean crisp, grapey palate. Showing good varietal character this is pure and fruity, but perhaps just a little too dry on the palate? Great value and a nice summer wine. Very good (£3.99 Tesco) 2/01

Tedeschi 'Capitel San Rocco' 1997, Vino da Tavola Veronese, Italy
Made by the ripasso method, in which young Valpolicella is fermented on the lees of Amarone (a wine made from grapes that have been concentrated by drying). This has a lovely, complex nose of spice and herbs, with a bitter, dry edge to it. On the palate it is a dense, spicy mouthful, bone dry and with a slightly bitter, high-acid character. Super stuff, calling out for food to accompany it -- very Italian in style. Very good+ (£5.99 Majestic) 1/01

Santa Sabina, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 1997
Very attractive wine with real character. Dense, concentrated red/black colour. Bright smoky/herby nose with tar and spice notes. On the palate there is smoky, complex cherry and red berry fruit, backed up by firm tannins, spicy oak and high acidity. Quite serious stuff for the price. Very good+ (£7.99 Majestic) 10/00

Barbera d'Asti 1999, Tabarin
An unusual Italian red wine, with come character but perhaps too much rusticity for my tastes. Deep purple/black colour. Sweet caramel on the nose with a rather medicinal palate that shows firm tannins and chunky, savoury, funky cherry fruit. Good/very good (£8.99 Oddbins) 10/00

Copertino Riserva 1996, Sainsbury
A stinky, herby, cheesy red wine. Medium bodied and with high acidity, I enjoyed a previous bottle of this wine, but this time the stinkiness and rusticity crosses the line to the point where it's a fault. Poor. (£4.29 Sainsbury) 11/00

Briante Chianti Classico 1998, Italy
Light, medium bodied red wine with attractive, spicy cherry fruit and great balance. Warm and rounded, this has a spicy/earthy character on the palate, and high-ish acidity. Very good (£5.99 Sainsbury) 10/00

Incyon Chardonnay 1999 IGT Bianco di Sicilia
A big, ripe Chardonnay in a new world style. Golden colour with a big nose of tropical fruits. Full and ripe on the palate, with a slightly alcoholic finish. Attractive, but a little rough. Good+ (£4.99 Sainsbury) 10/00

Santa Christina 1999, Antinori, Italy
90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, from the Chianti Classico region. Deep red/purple in colour, with a lively nose of red fruits. Savoury, spicy fruits on the palate: attractive in an understated sort of way. Good/very good (£5.99 Majestic) 10/00

Valpolicella Classico dei Nicalo 1997, Tedeschi, Italy
A blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara Rossignola and Dindarella that has spent 18- 24 months in old Yugoslavian oak barrels. Red with a brick tinge. Full, pungent nose. Savoury, dry and spicy on the palate from the extended oak ageing, this is a nice, old-style food wine. Good/very good. (£5.99 Majestic) 10/00

Barbera d'Asti Alfredo Prunotto 1999, Italy
Purple/red colour, with a lovely bright nose. It's bold and fruity, with high acid and good concentration, showing nice varietal character. Very good (£5.99 Majestic) 10/00

Carlino Bonardo 1998, Oltrepo Pavese, Castello di Luzzano, Italy
Red/black colour. A mid-weight wine with bright fruit and high acid. Good. A bit overpriced? (£7.99 Majestic) 10/00

Nebbiolo d'Alba Ochetti Vineyard 1998, Prunotto, Italy
This is a rather backward Nebbiolo. Light cherry/red colour, with a restrained, leathery nose. Austere and spicy with medium concentration. Very dry. OK/good. (£8.99 Majestic) 10/00

Paretaio Falchini 1997, Italy
From the Paretaio vineyard in San Gimignano, a blend of 90% Sangiovese 10% other grapes. Deep red/purple colour, with good concentration. This is quite a full-on wine, with bright fruit and some oak complexity. Very good. (£9.99) 10/00

Rosso della Fabriseria Tedeschi 1998, Italy
A delicious, full flavoured red consisting of 35% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, from a 3 ha vineyard in the Valpolicella classico area. Concentrated red/black colour. Lovely spicy, exotic nose is followed with a palate of rich fruit and herby, medicinal complexity. Very good/excellent. (£11.99 Majestic) 10/00

Amarone della Valpolicella 1996, Tedeschi, Italy
A blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara Dindarella and Negrara. Concentrated red/purple colour. Slightly muted nose leads to an interesting palate of soft, rich, full flavours with a nice exotic edge. Good acidity holds things together well. Very good. (£12.99 Majestic) 10/00

Guado al Tasso 1997, Bolgheri Antinori, Italy
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Syrah. Concentrated red/black colour. Lovely, forward exotic nose, herby and rich. Tannic, oaky, menthol-laced palate, but still good balance in an international style. Very good/excellent, but expensive. (£29.99 Majestic) 10/00

Soave Classico Monte Tenda 1999, Tedeschi
A blend of Garganega, Trebbiano and Durella from a single vineyard. Soft and quite full flavoured, gently acidic white wine. OK. (£4.99) 10/00

Vernaccia di San Gimigano 1998, Vinea Doni Falchini
90% Vernaccia/10% Chardonnay, fermented in barrels. Soft, nutty white wine with clean fruit and low acidity. This doesn't excite me. OK. (£8.99) 10/00

Chardonnay Castello della Sala 1999, Antinori, IGT Umbria, Italy
Fermented in French oak, this is a striking Chardonnay with a pronounced toasty oak nose. On the palate, the barrel-ferment character combines nicely with savoury fruit and high acidity. Quite oaky, but very good none the less. (£6.99) 10/00

Chianti Classico 1997 Fattoria di Capraia, Rocci di Castagnoli
A very nice mid-priced Chianti, showing an attractive balance between the fruit and non-fruit components. Red/black in colour with good concentration. Nose initially quite subdued, but opens out after a while to reveal spicy plums and cherries. Balanced and dry on the palate with dusty, herby, spicy fruit and dry tannins match well with the firm acidity. There should be a nice evolution ahead for this wine. Very good. (£7.49 Waitrose) 9/00

Connubio Nero d'Avola 1998, IGT Sicilia
A satisfying, inexpensive Italian red with some real character. Attractive nose with cherries, plums, herbs and a touch of farmyardy character. On the palate ripe, chocolatey fruit combines nicely with some spice and a touch of oak. Authentic but modern. Very good. (4.99 Sainsburys) 9/00

Villa Pigna, Rosso Piceno Superiore 1997, DOC, Italy
From the Marches region comes this rather plonkish medium-bodied Italian red, showing cherryish, spicy fruit with herby, leathery elements. OK/good. (£3.99 Sainsbury) 9/00

Rocche Costamagna Annunziata 1997 Barbera d'Alba, Italy
Medium bodied wine with a lovely perfumed nose. It displays plummy, cherry fruit combined with leathery, herby complexity and spicy notes. Moderately firm tannins. It's only medium bodied, but it has lovely balance. Very good (£7.99 Majestic) 8/00

San Crispino Salento Rosso Primitivo IGT 1999, Italy
I've been impressed by the 1999 Primitivos from Southern Italy: this one is not quite as striking as the 1999 A. Mano Primitivo, but it is in the same league. Red/black colour. Initially reticent on the nose, it opens out to give a rich, tarry, cheesy, spicy aroma with a burnt rubber edge. The firm but drying tannins suggest this will be good for a few years yet. Great concentration and depth of flavour. Very good. (£4.99 Sainsbury) 9/00

Borgo Faveri Pinot Grigio del Piave DOC 1999
(Organic) Clean, light and simple, this is a neutral, virtually flavour-free wine. Pleasant, smoky and spicy, but too neutral for me. Good by the jug in a restaurant. (£3.29 Sainsbury) 9/00

Punset Nebbiolo Delle Langhe 1994, Vino da Tavola, Italy
A really delicious traditional-styled Nebbiolo. A subtle, mature wine with attractive perfumed nose: it is a leathery, spicy wine with notes of tea and dried herbs. High acidity and good balance. The opposite of a new world fruit bomb; a little bit medicinal, but I love it. Very good + (£4.99 Majestic) 9/00

Vernaccia di San Gimigano La Lastra 1996, Italy
From Tuscany, this is an unusual, full flavoured, mature white wine. It has a nutty/waxy nose and soft fruit on the palate with very low acidity. It's a bit odd and I'm not sure about it. (Majestic £4.99) 8/00

Sainsbury's Copertino Riserva 1996 DOC, Cantina Social Coopertiva Copertino, Italy
A blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera, made by Severino Garofano. This may just be a modest co-op wine, but it's lovely, personality-filled southern red. Cherry red with brick edges, it is medium bodied with herby, meaty, medicinal and earthy notes. Spicy and complex, this is rustic but full of interest. Really good for the price. (£4.29 Sainsbury) 9/00

Eno Frulia Pinot Grigio 1999, Pyiatti,Collio DOC, Italy
Sweetly perfumed nose with floral notes dominating. On the palate it is light and dry with bracing acidity. Nice, crisp dry wine, but lacks real character. Were the yields too high? (£5.49, down from £6.99, Sainsbury) 9/00

Vinho Nobile du Montepulciano 1996, Cecchi, Italy
Although this is from a big producer, it is a lovely medium-weight wine with good balance and plenty of complexity and character; I really enjoyed it. Deep red/black colour with a herby, spicy nose. Spicy palate with high acidity, dry tannins and cherries, plums and tobacco notes. Very good (Sainsbury, £6.99 down from £8.99) 9/00

A Mano Primitivo 1999, Puglia, Italy
This has just been announced as the red wine of the year at the International Wine Challenge, so I thought I'd better check it out. Primitivo has recently been confirmed to be the same grape as the USA's Zinfandel, but this is the first Primitivo that has reminded me at all of its American counterpart. A dense red/black colour, this is a huge wine, with chocolatey fruit, hints of treacle, tar and rubber, and with a medicinal, pungent nose. Rich and ripe, with good acidity and chunky tannins. I drink a lot of wine and it's rare these days that when I pull the cork I'm surprised by what I find. But this is one of those wines. Very good; worth its award. (Sainsbury £5.99) 9/00

Trulli Chardonnay 1998, Salento, Italy
Golden colour. Nutty, figgy nose gives way to a simple but clean palate with good balance and acidity. Good and great value, but surprisingly mature, so drink up. (£4.49, Thresher) 9/00

Trulli Dry Muscat 1999, Puglia IGT, Italy
Lovely fresh grapey nose. On the palate this is fresh and dry, with high acidity and a touch of bitterness. Clean, fresh and grapey this makes a good value food wine. (£3.99 Tesco) 6/00

Il Padrino 1999 Nero d'Avola, Rosso Sicilia IGT
Easy-drinking cherry and herb-laced wine. Full flavoured, but nothing to dwell on for too long. Good value. (£3.99 Tesco) 6/00

Trulli Primitivo 1998, IGT Salento, Italy
Winemakers Augusto Càntele and Kym Milne have produced a lovely spicy, meaty wine. Warm flavours combine with a lovely dry spiciness (from the oaking?), with hints of cherry fruit, olives and coffee. Nicely balanced and quite complex, super value. Very good. (£4.99 Oddbins; £4.49 Tesco) 6/00

Bidoli Pinot Grigio 1999, Fruili Grave DOC, Italy
From Northeast Italy comes this light, spritzy dry white with a fresh, fruity nose and good acidity. Good food wine, perhaps a bit simple, but well made nonetheless. (£4.99 Oddbins) 6/00