There are some wines that get us very excited here at Baythorne Wines, and the Passo Antico is certainly one of them. Few wines combine such vibrant flavours, rich texture and exception value for money.

Here are the headlines: Appassimento method, 100 year old vines, full bodied, flavoursome, fresh and a rare Sardinian wine at this price.

The wine is one of the growing number of Italian wines made in the appassimento style, whereby at least a portion of the grapes are air-dried following harvest to intensify the flavour and sugars. This ensures a depth of flavour, but what is so appealing about the Passo Antico is that it hasn't reduced the freshness and vibrancy, and neither has it resulted in either excessive sweetness or high alcohol levels that can happen. What we have here is something of a Sardinian masterpiece.

The dominant grape is Cannonau (the Sardinian name for Grenache) blended with Carignan and Barbera Sarda (only found on Sardinia). It's made by Cantina Bortolato Emanuela, a mainland Italian producer based in Veneto, but working with wineries dotted around the country and islands. They produce exceptional wines and this one shows an intense aroma of stewed autumnal fruits, and on the palate it's fairly full bodied, with an intense flavour of damson and fresh summer fruit notes in the background.

This is a wine that should be in everyone's wine rack.

This has to be one of the most impressive wines you will find at this price. It is wonderfully rich, smooth textured and flavoursome, largely due to the partial drying of some of the grapes prior to the wine production process. There are intense red fruit on the nose and the palate is warm and full-bodied with harmonious acidity and smooth and elegant tannins. Baglio Gibellina is situated in picturesque Sicily where its vineyards are surrounded by the hills of Salemi and Santa Ninfa.

Ripe and healthy grapes are selected at the time of the hand picking. The thinnest bunches are chosen, with the berries not too close one to another, so that the air can circulate. The grapes are laid out in large perforated plastic boxes, to ensure excellent ventilation. The boxes are stacked in the fruttaio, a large airy room and the grapes are periodically monitored so that the Appassimento process takes place. A selection of the grapes are slightly wilted before the soft pressing. The wine is then aged partly in steel tanks and partly in Tonneaux. Intense ruby red turning to garnet with ageing. Bouquet is spicy with hints of cherry, black cherry and plum compote. fine and velvety palate, persistent, with soft tannins at the end.

Baglio Gibellina is situated in picturesque Sicily where its vineyards are surrounded by the hills of Salemi and Santa Ninfa. The landscape is dotted with vineyards, olive groves, citrus trees, juniper trees and fichi d'India trees. Old vineyards located between 300-600m above sea level are grown on a mixture of clay and volcanic soils using the Guyot system with limited yields allowing for the production of outstanding wines with incredible food matching potential. Ruby red colour lined with a purple tinge. The bouquet has a pleasant fresh fruit fragrance. Fresh red fruits and a fresh lively and soft palate.

Nero d'Avola has become one of Sicily's more recognised red grape varieties due to the easy drinking nature of the wines it produces. This excellent wine has a lovely deep colour and vibrant cherry and plum flavour, yet it is not a heavy wine. It can be enjoyed on its own as well as with lighter meat dishes.

Bardolino neighbours Valpolicella in north east Italy, and the wines share much in common with those from its better known neighbour. Corvina and Rondinella grapes combine to produce a light to medium bodied red with a delightful aroma of stewed plums and flavours of cherry and plum that lead to a pleasant finish. It's smooth and light textured and very versatile with food.

This friendly wine is typical of the exceptional value to be found in Sicily at the moment. It's a mid-weight and easy drinking example of Cabernet Sauvignon, with currant and damson flavours to the fore.

Combine Piedmont's top red grape variety with one of the region's top producers and the result is this super red wine. It may not say Barolo on the label, but it puts many to shame, such is the depth of flavour and intensity to this wine. It's not heavy, in fact it has quite a freshness to it, but it's laden with dried fruit and damson flavour, with a hint of chocolate and spice. This exceptional wine is delicious with Italian meats, and grilled flavours in general.

Rich chocolate notes on the nose, a full body wine with velvety finish. Pairs well with barbequed meat and rich stews.

The vineyards that produce the grapes for the Brolio label are located from 280 to 480 meters above sea level. Vineyard soils vary greatly, but all are strewn with stony fragments adding mineral richness. This exalts the structure of the Chianti Classico vintage.

Intense ruby red colour. Complex aromas of iris and violets, red fruit and balsamic scents. Soft, elegant and well-smoothed tannins in the mouth. A true expression of the territory with well-balanced acidity and mineral tannins, before finishing long.

 

 

Paolo Leo and his family specialise in the indigenous varietals of southern Italy and Puglia. Here we have a wine made from the Negroamaro grape which has been aged to Riserva level. It spends 12 months in French oak barrels, 6 months in large oak barrels, 4 months in stainless steel tanks and 4 months in bottle before it is released to the market and the result is exceptional.

In colour it is intense ruby red with garnet reflections; elegant bouquet, intense aromas of jam perfectly balanced with spicy and wood undertones; full-bodied, harmonious with delicate tannins.

Made from Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella grapes grown in the Valpolicella Classico area using the traditional method of drying in large fruttaio, or drying rooms.

The colour is deep garnet red, and on the bouquet there are intense fruity notes of cherry and dried plums, floral notes of dried flowers and sweet spices. On the palate is is rich and smooth with ripe cherry, a hint of cocoa and lovely sweet spice on the finish.

Volpetto's Riserva is made 100% from their best hand-selected Sangiovese grapes.

IL Volpetto Chianti Riserva has a highly concentrated bouquet. Well structured and full-bodied, the tannins are well-integrated giving a smooth, yet complex wine with a deep intensity of fruit and a powerful, long finish. Ideal with game and mature cheeses.

Gazzarotta “Brown & productive land” 90 ha located further inland, here temperatures scorch the brown clay limestone soils, making it perfect a rich red made from Nero d’Avola. Part of the ‘Family Estate’ range – 4 wines that are made from single varietals perfectly suited to the many terroirs of Sicily.

Complex and persistent aromas of red berries, plums, marasca cherries and violets lead to a palate that's mellow and well-structured, with pleasant notes of red berries, prunes and slight hints of rosemary. 

IL Volpetto Chianti is well structured and full bodied, lively and intense, made from a blend of mainly Sangiovese, with a small percentage of Canaiolo. To be served with red meats, roasts, pasta with meat sauce and cheese.

 

This wine is made from grapes harvested in various vineyards located on hills in the Valpolicella zone (Mezzane and Tregnago hills). Different sources and different grape varieties are important to obtain well-balanced wines with the fine structure that only a few single areas in the Valpolicella zone can provide. Colour: strong ruby red. Clear and transparent. Bouquet: notes of vanilla and ethereal airs depending on the period of aging in the barrel; notes of sweet fruits such as currants, blueberries, cherries depending on the varieties of grapes. Flavour: wine with a velvety, raisiny character combined with the structure and typical stylish bitterness to give it good balance. It has an enduring and persistent flavour.

Sustainable agricultural practices, following the rules for integrated farming which prohibit the use of herbicides. Rigorous green harvesting and bunch selection in the vineyards ensure that only perfectly ripe fruit is harvested for this wine. This wine is typified by a deep and bright ruby-red colour with a rich concentrated nose depicting cherry and berry fruit aromas. The palate is generous and full-bodied with a long and enticing finish.

In the heel of Italy, Manduria is considered the birth place of the native Primitivo grape, and was officially recognised as such in the 1970s when a DOC was created for the region. However Produttori di Manduria had been making wines for 40 years by then, unashamedly proud of their deep affection for Primitivo.

Medium ruby red colour with a pure nose of ripe dark fruits, cherry, plum and sweet spices like ginger and aniseed supported with discreet oak. The palate is round and textured with a well balanced freshness, ending with a long and broad spicy finish.

Montepulciano has a rich red colour, with a cherryish nose. A deeply characterful wine, it is really soft and velvety, with red berry fruits, and a smooth, gentle finish.

The grapes for PEMO Montepulciano are grown exclusively on hillside slopes, at an altitude of at least 250 metres above the sea level. The Grapes are hand-picked around the beginning of October

The Azienda Agricola Il Borghetto do things differently in this most well known and established region of Italy.

Led by English winemaker Tim Manning who cut his vinous teeth in vintages in Oregon, there is a determination to show the potential of the region. As a result he is at odds with the Consorzio of Chianti Classico over his methods and approach.

The percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese making up the blend in Collina change slightly from year-to-year to enable them to make a soft, perfumed and easy-drinking wine. Red cherries, earthy aromas and notes of tea and tobacco.

It's quite staggering how different this wine is to the estate's straight Valpolicella. It's called a Ripasso because the grape skins from their Amarone wine production are added to the Valpolicella to give it a lift in terms of both richness and flavour. The skins are from partially dried grapes, so they add a layer of sweet spice and dried fruits that sits alongside the more vibrant youg fruit from the Valpolicella. The result is a delicious wine with so much flaour intensity. 

Made from 100% Corvina, one of the grandest red grapes of the Valpolicella appellation, and a major constituent of the famous wines made there. 

It's a soft textured gem of a wine that has a lovely balance of vibrant cherry and subtle spice on the palate. It hasn't seen an oak barrel so we were astonished just how much complexity of flavour has been coaxed out of the grapes alone. It's not a bruising heavyweight, but it still packs a punch for a wine at this price, and the beautifully balanced acidity keeps it fresh and summery. This really is a wine for all occasions, whether it be a summer barbecue or Sunday lunch on a cold winter's day.

Nostru takes inspiration from the vibrant Sicilian landscape, rich and bold in colour, abundant and generous in all it produces.The wines themselves are vibrant, made using Sicilian varietals normally used in premium Etna wines.

This Nerello Mascalese is light in texture, yet packed full of fresh fruit. Cherry and raspberry dominate and continue through on the long finish.

Rinazzo “Harsh desert terrain” 11ha of low lying vineyard is even hotter. Here the soils were formed from an ancient seabed helping to preserve water during the scorching summer months. This vineyard is perfectly suited to low yielding Syrah grapes.

Part of the ‘Family Estate’ range – 4 wines that are made from single varietals perfectly suited to the many terroirs of Sicily.

Grown on the active volcano of Mount Etna, Sicily. Here the indigenous varietals Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio grow at over 600 metres on volcanic soils. These unique varietals and terroir create an incredibly distinctive and complex wine.

Ripe and healthy grapes are selected at the time of the hand picking. The thinnest bunches are chosen, with the berries not too close one to another, so that the air can circulate. The grapes are laid out in large perforated plastic boxes, to ensure excellent ventilation. The boxes are stacked in the fruttaio, a large airy room and the grapes are periodically monitored so that the Appassimento process takes place. A selection of the grapes are slightly wilted before the soft pressing. The wine is then aged partly in steel tanks and partly in Tonneaux. Intense ruby red turning to garnet with ageing. Bouquet is spicy with hints of cherry, black cherry and plum compote. fine and velvety palate, persistent, with soft tannins at the end.

Renato Ratti is one of Piedmont's pioneering winemakers, having championed the idea of individual vineyard bottling to highlight the characteristics of different 'Terroir'. This wine is produced from Renato's grapes in the excellent Marcenasco vineyard in the heart of the Barolo DOC. The intense wine is matured for two years in barrel before it is bottled and released and the resulting wine is full bodied and elegant. Dark cherry combine with hints of liquorice, cocoa and tobacco, to give a complex, hugely impressive wine.

"The 2017 Giusto di Notri is a special 25th anniversary bottling that is chiseled, sharp and focused. The small part of Merlot gives it some added sweetness (the percentage of Merlot was slightly reduced in this vintage), the touch of Cabernet Franc contributes the power, freshness and dark fruit, and along with a starring role of Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has lots of beautiful plushness restrained by a tight, disciplined linearity. This vintage saw less time in barrique (about 16 months) but the barrels had more toasting. There is a lasting mineral note of chalk or limestone that frames the dark and opulence quality of fruit at its core. The bouquet is stunning. The wine treads lightly in the palate, with a very elegant and nuanced approach. It really is another gorgeous wine from Tua Rita that shows the profound skill of this winemaking team even when faced with a hot vintage such as this. 2020-2040" 96pts Wine Advocate

This 100% Nebbiolo highlights that wonderful wines of this style are still being produced by some of the region's top small producers and that it's noble production methods of long maceration, indigenous yeast, and old oak 'Botti' are still being used with great vigour. Ca Nova' Barbaresco's maintain that earthy undertone which gives them superb character and a fantastic display of their origins and terroir. A beautiful and delicious wine all round.

Ripe and healthy grapes are selected at the time of the hand picking. The thinnest bunches are chosen, with the berries not too close one to another, so that the air can circulate. The grapes are laid out in large perforated plastic boxes, to ensure excellent ventilation. The boxes are stacked in the fruttaio, a large airy room and the grapes are periodically monitored so that the Appassimento process takes place. A selection of the grapes are slightly wilted before the soft pressing. The wine is then aged partly in steel tanks and partly in Tonneaux. Intense ruby red turning to garnet with ageing. Bouquet is spicy with hints of cherry, black cherry and plum compote. fine and velvety palate, persistent, with soft tannins at the end.