Bodega Alion caused quite a stir when it was inaugurally released. Aficionados of the mother winery Vega Sicilia's established style rejected the more modern, newly oaked, wider Ribera Del Duero delineation of Alion. It has since become a regional classic.

$31999each $3837DOZEN EACH DOZEN Bodega Alion lies at the heart of the Ribera de Duero Denominación de Origen. Tempranillo is sourced off blocks adjacent to the wineworks, eighty five hectares in total, and a further fifty hectares dedicted to Alion within the historic mother company Vega Sicilia's properties at Valbuena. Vines are planted to chalk dominated, minerals rich topsoils over water retaining schist bedrocks, the same structures found under the finest Port vineyards further down the Duero. Fruit is treated to a traditional vinification and malolactic in steel vats. The following January, Alion is transfered to a selection of new French Nevers oak barrels for a year's maturation and a further twelve months ageing in bottle under the estate cellars.

A bright deep red colour with streaks of violet. Full and elegant nose, a wide range of aromas, vanilla, ripe fruits, syrup and compotes. The palate is opulent and elegant with harmonious tannins providing a subtle backbone. Great aromatic persistence in the mouth, the tannins will support at least ten years ageing.

Bodega Alión was born of noble parentage next to the River Duero, it's very beginnings boasted the aromas and tastes of a wine that was open, modern and attractive, full of strength and exuberance, with the exclusive expression of the Tempranillo grape.

$36999each $4437DOZEN EACH DOZEN Bodega Alión is a regionally and stylistically significant wine, adapted to the international taste at the end of the millennium, shaped by a standard of quality that knows no bounds, but which bears the mark of the character and personality of the Duero Vally whence it originates. Vines are planted to chalk dominated, minerals rich topsoils over water retaining schist bedrocks, the same structures found under the finest Port vineyards further down the Duero. Fruit is treated to a traditional vinification and malolactic in steel vats. The following January, Alion is transfered to a selection of new French Nevers oak barrels for a year's maturation and a further twelve months ageing in bottle under the estate cellars.

Bright deep red colour with streaks of violet. Full and elegant nose, a wide range of aromas, vanilla, ripe fruits, syrup and compotes. Good intensity of spicy, gamey fruit, showing chocolate, red and black berries plus a note of soy sauce. The palate is opulent and elegant with harmonious tannins providing a subtle backbone. Great aromatic persistence in the mouth, the tannins will support at least ten years ageing.

Bodega Alión is a stylistically and regionally significant wine, adapted to the international taste at the end of the millennium, shaped by a standard of quality that knows no bounds, but which bears the mark of the character and personality of the River Duero whence it originates.

$29999each $3597DOZEN EACH DOZEN Bodega Alión was born next to the River Duero, in the vein of Vega Sicilia, but with a vocation that is independent and innovative. Alion's very beginnings boasted the aromas and tastes of a wine that was open, modern and attractive, full of strength and exuberance, with the exclusive expression of the Tinto Fino grape, a concept that was very different from the tradition of Vega Sicilia. Tinto Fino bears the character of River Duero, treated to the most up to date oenological practices, a year's maturation in exclusively new French oak barrels and a further twelve months ageing in bottle under the estate cellars, achieving a wine that is at once, monumental and refined.

Concentrated dark, colour. An intensity that's rare for a Ribera del Duero, it exhibits roasted expressions of Tempranillo and quality new French oak. On the palate, sweetened tannins of concentrated black fruit flavours blend with the dry creamy tannins. Alion is full of flavour, fleshy and strong, revealing a truly engaging complexity of fruit, the tannins will support at least ten years ageing.

A wine of massive concentration that's only ever made in the finest years. A super Tuscan cépage of Cabernet Sauvignon with a fifth of Sangiovese and minor portion of Cabernet Franc, from vines grown to an elite ten hectare site within the Mercatale Val di Pesa of Chianti Classico.

$89999each $10797DOZEN EACH DOZEN Grapes are harvested by hand after a careful selection aimed at retaining only the ripest fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon was macerated for three weeks, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese for a fortnight. Extractions are treated to the greatest care, alternating pumpovers with délestage according to the requirements of each component. Parcels are devatted and transferred to a selection of new French oak barriques for a spontaneous malolactic. Upon completion, the wines are assembled and matured for eighteen months in barriques while being treated to a course of racking. The best barrels are sampled and bottled, to be released after a further year's ageing. Alcohol 13.5%

Intense ruby red colour. Aromas of ripe fruits and spice, black pepper and chocolate, vanilla and coffee bean. Generous, vibrant and balanced on the palate with sweet, mouthfilling tannins, forward minerally hints, substantial weight and character enhanced by the complexity and finesse. A long, lingering finish, evocative of its terroir, with a profound varietal expression.

The ancient house of Antinori own and operate one of the most distinguished vineyards in Chianti Classico. Solaia is a wine of massive concentration that's only ever made in the finest years. A super Tuscan cépage of Cabernet Sauvignon with a fifth of Sangiovese and minor portion of Cabernet Franc, from vines grown to an elite ten hectare site within the Mercatale Val di Pesa.

$84999each $10197DOZEN EACH DOZEN Grapes are carefully selected, ensuring the delivery of perfect bunches to the winery. Harvesting is done strictly by hand and great attention is paid to the vinification. A course of dèlestage and pumpovers are aimed at preserving the varietal aromas and intense colour. Following completion of ferments at 27°C to 31°C, parcels are racked and transferred to barriques for malolactic by year's end. Components are matured in new French oak for eighteen months. Individual barrels are closely monitered, the evolution of each is followed to ensure elegance and integration, the best are assembled into the final wine and bottled for a further year of ageing before release. Alcohol 14.5%

Intense ruby colour. Fruity, intense arama, sweet with notes of ripe Cabernet achieving a strong individual identity. In the mouth the tannins are soft, gentle and harmonious. Very complex with a solid, full bodied structure, the varietal notes are dominant and work together to indulge the palate with a long and wonderfully persistent finish.

Solaia means the sunny one, an elite ten hectare site within the Antinori estate at Santa Cristina, contiguous to the Tenuta Tignanello vineyard which is on the same property, in the Mercatale Val di Pesa zone of Chianti Classico. Antinori first produced a single vineyard, limited release from these vines in 1978. A wine of massive concentration that's only ever made in the finest years, small adjustments were made to the cépage, arriving at an optimal balance of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a fifth of Sangiovese and minor portion of Cabernet Franc.

$38999each $4677DOZEN EACH DOZEN Grapes are harvested by hand after a careful selection aimed at retaining only the ripest fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon was macerated for three weeks, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese for a fortnight. Extractions are treated to the greatest care, alternating pumpovers with délestage according to the requirements of each component. Parcels are devatted and transferred to a selection of new French oak barriques for a spontaneous malolactic. Upon completion, the wines are assembled and matured for eighteen months in barriques while being treated to a course of racking. The best barrels are sampled and bottled, to be released after a further year's ageing. Alcohol 13.5%

Intense ruby red colour. Aromas of ripe fruits and spice, black pepper and chocolate, vanilla and coffee bean. Generous, vibrant and balanced on the palate with sweet, mouthfilling tannins, forward minerally hints, substantial weight and character enhanced by the complexity and finesse. A long, lingering finish, evocative of its terroir, with a profound varietal expression.

A single vineyard, super Tuscan of exceptional concentration, only ever made in the finest vintage years. Solaia is an elite ten hectare site within the Antinori estate at Santa Cristina in the Mercatale Val di Pesa zone of Chianti Classico. A cépage of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a fifth of Sangiovese and minor portion Cabernet Franc, fine grained tannins underpin black fruit flavours and supple new oak.

$35999each $4317DOZEN EACH DOZEN Particular attention is paid to selection of grapes in the vineyard, only perfect bunches are considered. Harvest is done completely by hand, picking by single hectare plots, according to the vigor of vines. Sangiovese arrives slightly earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc. Great care is applied to ferments and extractions, employing délestage and pumpovers to maintain varietal characters. Vinifications are carried out at temperatures between 27°C and 31°C, the active musts show great complexity. Upon completion, the wines are racked into new oak barrels for malolactic, assemblage and twelve months maturation, followed by racking, bottling and a further year in bottle. Alcohol 14.0%

Intense ruby red colour. Fruity aromas in perfect harmony with the vanilla and chocolate notes of oak. Powerful on the palate with a firm tannic texture, yet remaining smooth before an intense aftertaste of ripe blackberries and cherry fruit, a seemingly endless finish.

A cépage of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a fifth of Sangiovese and minor portion Cabernet Franc. Solaia is an elite ten hectare site, yielding a single vineyard, super Tuscan of exceptional concentration, only ever made in the finest vintage years.

$37499each $4497DOZEN EACH DOZEN Grapes are carefully selected, ensuring the delivery of perfect bunches to the winery. Harvesting is done strictly by hand and great attention is paid to the vinification. A course of dèlestage and pumpovers are aimed at preserving the varietal aromas and intense colour. Following completion of ferments at 27°C to 31°C, parcels are racked and transferred to barriques for malolactic by year's end. Components are matured in new French oak for eighteen months. Individual barrels are closely monitered, the evolution of each is followed to ensure elegance and integration, the best are assembled into the final wine and bottled for a further year of ageing before release. Alcohol 14.5%

Intense ruby colour. Fruity, intense arama, sweet with notes of ripe Cabernet achieving a strong individual identity. In the mouth the tannins are soft, gentle and harmonious. Very complex with a solid, full bodied structure, the varietal notes are dominant and work together to indulge the palate with a long and wonderfully persistent finish.

The statuesque super Tuscan cépage of Sangiovese, with smaller components of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc. Tignanello is produced exclusively from a vineyard of the same name, a parcel of some forty seven hectares on limestone soils and a southwestern exposure. It was the first Sangiovese wine to be aged in small oak barrels and the first modern Italian wine to include non traditional varieties such as Cabernet. Pointedly, it was among the first red wines of Chianti Classico to be vinified without the inclusion of white grapes.

$5999each $717DOZEN EACH DOZEN A rigorously selective picking of fruit is conducted amongst the various vineyard parcels and varieties, followed by a further selection of bunches and berries as they arrive at the winery. Ferments are managed with a regimen of pumpovers and delestage at temperatures between 27°C and 31°C to preserve fragrance and varietal character while extracting the most supple of tannins. Upon completion, the wines are run off skins and transferred to small oak barrels for a completely natural malolactic before the end of January. Parcels are assembled and aged for a further twelve months in small oak while being racked at regular intervals. A final selection, barrel by barrel, determines the final wine. Alcohol 13.5%

Intense ruby red colour. A concentration of complex characters on the bouquet, red fruits and jam accompanied by spice notes, liquorice and vanilla. The palate is distinguished by an elegance fruit, lovely supple tannins and fine textures, all supported by the vibrant acidity of Sangiovese, followed by an extremely long, lingering finish.

Antinori's Tenuta Tignanello is situated between the Greve and Pesa valleys, between the little villages of Monteridolfi and Santa Maria a Macerata, thirty kilometres south of Florence. The elite Tignanello site grows Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc. An ancient villa on the property dates back to 1346. In the seventeenth century it was owned by a branch of the Medici family, who named it Fonte dei Medici. Acquired by the Antinoris in the mid 1800s, it is now source to one of the most historically significant wines in Chiant Classico.

$10999each $1317DOZEN EACH DOZEN Grapes are selectively picked over a course of three weeks between the end of September and early October. Fruit is treated to the highest scrutiny during harvest and again following it's arrival to the wineworks. A regimen of pumpovers with rack and returns is employed throughout the fermentations to retain varietal characters, intense colour and fine tannins. Upon completion, the wines are run off skins and transferred to small oak barrels for a completely natural malolactic before the end of January. Parcels are assembled and aged for a further twelve months in small oak while being racked at regular intervals. A final selection, barrel by barrel, determines the final wine.

Intense ruby red colour. A concentration of complex characters on the bouquet, red fruits and jam accompanied by spice notes, liquorice and vanilla. The palate is distinguished by an elegance fruit, lovely supple tannins and fine textures, all supported by the vibrant acidity of Sangiovese, followed by an extremely long, lingering finish.

Tenuta Tignanello was already a large estate with ancient buildings and extensive vineyards in 1892 when it was detailed as one of the highest and most picturesque points in Chianti Classico. The property was once owned by a branch of the Medici and it remains one of the most historically significant super Tuscan blends of Cabernet and Sangiovese.

$24999each $2997DOZEN EACH DOZEN Tignanello is only ever made from the healthiest fruit grown to the finest vintages. Selection of grapes at time of picking is followed by a further scrutiny after arrival in the winery to include only the finest bunches and cleanest berries. Vinifications are carried out at temperatures between 27°C and 31°C, retaining maximum varietal character and extracting the most supple tannins. Upon completion, parcels are racked and transferred to a selection of small oak barriques for a completely natural malolactic. Components are then assembled and left to mature for twelve months, periodically racked and regularly sampled, barrel by barrel until bottling and a further year of ageing.

Intense ruby red colour. A concentration of aromas ranging from ripe red fruit to complex spice, hints of vanilla and toasty notes for a bouquet of great elegance and persistence. A wine of impact and personality, super ripe Sangiovese fruit characters and supple tannnin structure which deeply bonds the wine to the land where it was born.

Just south of Florence, amongst the warm dry climes of Montalcino, growers of a small dark Sangiovese clone, nicknamed Brunello, have been tending their family vines since the 14th century. The best parcels are reserved for processing by Argiano, who fashion this unique grape into one of Italy's most stately wines, the perfect combination of elegance and power.

$7999each $957DOZEN EACH DOZEN Argiano's vineyards are blessed by favourable climes and choice terrains. Temperate winds from the Maremma cool the vines in summer, while nearby Monte Amiata shelters the whole area from inclement weather. Grapes are usually picked September to October, depending on the type of soil, the exposure of vineyards and vagaries of vintage. Juices are vinified on skins for two to three weeks in fermenters. Upon completion, batches are treated to a natural malolactic, largely dictated by seasonal influences, over the course of a few weeks or months. Wines are matured two and a half years in a combination of barriques and larger format oak, followed by the final assemblage, bottling and a further term of ageing.

Intense ruby colour. Ripe nose with black berry scents, stalk and a hint of freshly ground spice. Solid structure and full palate are accompanied by captivating perfumes of ripe berries and clean pastoral fragrances. Quite developed, maintaining remarkable complexity, a good structure and exceptional balance, a lingering finish, round and luscious with silky tannins.