Bonhams is auctioning off the cellar of Locanda Locatelli, and a few of us get to try some of the gems over lunch
Back in January 2025 well known Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli closed the doors on his London restaurant Locanda Locatelli rather suddenly, after 23 years. People with bookings had to be called to say that the restaurant could no longer serve them. Apparently, there had been discussions about rent for quite a while, and it got to the point where a rent review meant that it was no longer going to work out financially, hence the sudden closure. [This is not a rare story in the London restaurant scene, where rents are out of control, and there’s often no flexibility.]
Of course, a restaurant like this would have a lot of wine in its cellars, but more significantly would have been able to get very nice allocations of fancy wines, even if they weren’t all going to make it onto the wine list, but were stored in bond. Recently, Locatelli’s wine consultant Virgilio Gennaro (who’d been the wine buyer for Loncanda since 2008) contacted Mick O’Connell, who’d just started work heading up the wine arm of Bonhams, and offered him these Italian gems for sale. Hence the current auction running at Bonhams, online, which ends on 14th October.
So Mick convened a lunch to explore some of these wines. In attendance: Andrew Johnson, Brad Horne, Nelson Pari, Mick O’Connell, myself and a guest appearance from Virgilio Gennaro.
THE WINES
Ca’del Bosco Dosage Zéro Noir 2013 Franciacorta, Italy
This is quite lovely. Complex, toasty and spicy with concentrated citrus fruit and some subtle nut and toast, with a spicy finish. Lots of density and quite a bit of complexity here. 94/100
Cantine Terlano I Primo Grande Cuvée 2018 Alto Adige, Italy
13.5% alcohol. 65% Pinot Bianco, 32% Chardonnay, 3% Sauvignon from a sloping site, fermented and matured in foudres. This is complex, rich, bold and intense with melon, pear and peach fruit, as well as some grapey richness. Has some mandarin in the mix too. An impactful white. 95/100
Gaja Costa Russi 2008 Langhe, Italy
14.5% alcohol. Gaja acquired this vineyard in 1967, and until 2013 the wine was labelled Langhe because it had a 5% Barbera addition – it’s now Barbaresco. 12 months in barriques then 12 months in large casks. This 2008 is supple with a nice grainy structure. It’s stony and gravelly with nice depth to the black cherry and blackberry fruit, with notes of meat and olive as well as a hint of mint, and then some herbal notes. Nice complexity. 94/100
Gaja Sorì Tildìn 2008 Langhe, Italy
14.5% alcohol. Another 1967 acquisition by Gaja, this vineyard was also bottled as Langhe until 2013 because of a small Barbera addition. It’s 12 months in barrels and 12 months in large casks, also. Lovely focus to this wine, which combines supple blackberry and black cherry fruit. Very linear with some spice and tar complexity. Grainy, grippy and dense. 95/100
Sassicaia 1997 Bolgheri, Italy
13% alcohol. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. This is astonishingly good. Gravelly, spicy blackcurrant fruit with real precision. Taut and focused with fresh blackcurrant fruit, some herbs, a touch of gravel and then notes of olive and rosemary. Fantastic. 97/100
Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi 2008 Veneto, Italy
15.5% alcohol. Concentrated ripe raspberry and cherry fruit here with some spicy detail. Grainy and nicely structured with some peppery detail. Beautifully floral and expressive, and quite lovely. 96/100
