Italy

David brought me this on my 40th, and it was drunk a few weeks later. Originally a whiter label, but it took time to …

Bought as a palate calibration wine for the morning of Paper 2. Certainly a modern interpretation, but in terms of ripe and pure fruit, …

From a blind tasting practice paper I set, this is a pure Cabernet from the Chianti Classico zone. Not sure I’d have placed it …

And this was a classic Riserva, with more marked, fine-quality oak and deeper black cherry. Mid-deep garnet with a hint of rim brick. Dark …

A lovely, and I think classically-styled Chianti Classico. Mid-deep ruby. Clay-earth minerality, cappuccino oak and cedar. Fresh and dried red cherry. Herbal lift. Medium …

Apart from the 10X label invasion, this exam example was a textbook Ripasso. Dried cherry and prune fruit. Broad, cedary aromatics. Touch of spice. …

A split half-dozen courtesy of Planet of the Grapes, with both the 2011 and 2012 vintages. Planting them side-by-side, both were modern styles of …

I am now convinced by Etna Rosso. I get why people are raving about it. It’s a unique style, and in Nerello Mascalese, Sicily …

Great packaging, with a fantastic label. Sadly corked. A real pity, because tasting ‘beyond’ the taint, it appeared to be a deep, complex Aglianico …

My first Etna Rosso, and I immediately understood what all the fuss is about – weird and wonderful! I still don’t get Etna Bianco, …