Italian Region Report

Angelo Ballabio

Born at the start of the century, in 1905, it is one of the most long-established Italian wineries and one of the oldest in the Oltrepò Pavese. To speak of its founder, Angelo Ballabio, today, is to remember a rare man, loved and known as the “local authority” when it came to wine: a kind, simple man of exceptional knowledge thanks to an entire life spent making the best possible wine. He was not one to buy a single bunch of grapes or a single litre of wine. This is testified by the numerous national and international awards received by the Company since long-ago 1911. It is our intention to produce wines that express and exalt the natural distinctiveness of our vineyards. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 3 in Stock

Cantina Soc. di Montepulciano

Nobile di Montepulciano is a red wine with a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano, Italy. The wine is made primarily from the Sangiovese grape varietal (known locally as Prugnolo gentile) (minimum 70%), blended with Canaiolo Nero (10%–20%) and small amounts of other local varieties such as Mammolo. The wine is aged for 2 years (at least 1 year in oak barrels); three years if it is a riserva.
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 3 in Stock

Leone de Castris - Riserva

Salice Salentino is a DOC of the Puglia wine region in south-eastern Italy. Its original incarnation exclusively covered red wines, but the rules were modified first in 1990 and then again in 2010, and now permit white and rose wines too. The catchment area for the wines centers on the small town of Salice on the Salento peninsula, and spreads out to the north and west.
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Price: £139.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Riforma Fondiaria - Riserva

Aglianico del Vulture 1961 Riforma Fondiaria Riserva

Vintage & Background
1961 is considered a classic year in Italian wine history, particularly for Nebbiolo and similarly age-worthy grapes. Here, the Aglianico grape—the noble red of Southern Italy—is showing what decades in bottle can do when it comes from volcanic soil on the slopes of Monte Vulture. The “Riserva” designation and “Riforma Fondiaria” name suggest extra care, selection, and ageing; this is a wine made to be savoured with patience.

Appearance & Nose
Given its age, you can expect the wine to show a deep garnet centre, but with rim tones tending more toward tawny, russet, or mahogany. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 5 in Stock

Bertani

1961 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella

Vintage & Background
1961 is a well-celebrated Amarone vintage, and Bertani is one of the producers traditionally known for elevating the style with elegance, structure, and ageability. Amarone’s winemaking method, with partially dried grapes (appassimento), gives concentration of flavour, high alcohol, and the potential to age into something complex and beguiling.

Appearance & Nose
In the glass this Amarone shows a deep, strong ruby red colour, though now it may have begun to edge slightly toward garnet or brick around the rim with age. …
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Price: £389.00
Stock: 4 in Stock

Bertani
Clearance Offer | Level 4 cm below capsule | Was £389 | Now £180

1961 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella

Vintage & Background
1961 is a well-celebrated Amarone vintage, and Bertani is one of the producers traditionally known for elevating the style with elegance, structure, and ageability. Amarone’s winemaking method, with partially dried grapes (appassimento), gives concentration of flavour, high alcohol, and the potential to age into something complex and beguiling.

Appearance & Nose
In the glass this Amarone shows a deep, strong ruby red colour, though now it may have begun to edge slightly toward garnet or brick around the rim with age. …
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Price: £180.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

ESM Cortese

1961 Barbaresco – ESM Cortese

The 1961 vintage is regarded as one of the outstanding years for Piedmont, producing wines of structure, longevity and remarkable depth. This Barbaresco from ESM Cortese offers a rare opportunity to experience mature Nebbiolo from a celebrated era of traditional Italian winemaking.

Tasting Notes:
Now brick-garnet in colour with tawny highlights at the rim, the nose is beautifully evolved and complex. Aromas of dried cherry, rose petal and redcurrant mingle with notes of leather, tobacco leaf and forest floor. With time in the glass, subtle nuances of truffle, cedar and warm spice emerge. …
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Price: £149.00
Stock: 5 in Stock

Gaja

1961 Barbaresco – Gaja

The 1961 vintage is considered one of the landmark years in Piedmont, producing Barbaresco wines of structure, perfume and remarkable longevity. From the historic estate of Gaja, this bottle represents a formative period in the region’s modern history. Founded in 1859, Gaja has long been synonymous with quality in Barbaresco, and even before the transformative era of Angelo Gaja, the estate was recognised for meticulous vineyard selection and traditional winemaking methods that emphasised Nebbiolo’s purity and ageing potential.

Tasting Notes:
Now showing a classic brick-garnet hue with tawny highlights at the rim, the nose is beautifully evolved and aromatic. …
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Price: £349.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Enrico Serafino - Serafino

1961 Barolo – Enrico Serafino

The 1961 vintage stands among the great years of the twentieth century in Piedmont, producing Barolo wines of structure, perfume and exceptional longevity. Enrico Serafino, founded in 1878, is one of the region’s historic houses, long associated with traditional methods that emphasise Nebbiolo’s capacity for graceful ageing. This bottle offers a rare glimpse into Barolo from a celebrated era of classical winemaking.

Tasting Notes:
Now displaying a brick-garnet colour with amber highlights at the rim, the nose is finely evolved and expressive. Aromas of dried cherry, rose petal and redcurrant mingle with notes of leather, tobacco leaf and forest floor. …
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Price: £169.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Pin Bologna - Riserva
Clearance Offer - Stained Label and Damaged Wax Capsule
Was £149 | Now £99

1961 Barolo – Pin Bologna Riserva

The 1961 vintage is regarded as one of the great post-war years in Piedmont, producing Barolo wines of structure, depth and notable longevity. This Riserva bottling from Pin Bologna reflects a more traditional era of Barolo production, when extended ageing and patient cellar maturation were central to the style.

Tasting Notes:
Now showing a classic brick-garnet colour with amber hues at the rim, the nose is beautifully mature and complex. Aromas of dried cherry, rose petal and redcurrant are layered with notes of leather, tobacco leaf and forest floor. As it opens, hints of truffle, cedarwood and warm spice emerge, adding further dimension. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 8 in Stock

ESM Cortese

1961 Barolo – ESM Cortese

The 1961 vintage is widely regarded as one of the great years for Piedmont, producing Barolo wines of structure, perfume and exceptional longevity. This example from ESM Cortese offers a rare opportunity to experience mature Nebbiolo from a celebrated era of traditional Italian winemaking, long before modern techniques reshaped the region.

Tasting Notes:
Now brick-garnet in colour with amber highlights at the rim, the nose is beautifully evolved and complex. Aromas of dried cherry, rose petal and redcurrant are layered with notes of leather, tobacco leaf and forest floor. …
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Price: £159.00
Stock: 4 in Stock

Troglia

Carema is a red winemaking zone and boasts the king of Italian red grapes, Nebbiolo, as its leading varietal. The wine must comprise 85% of this variety, the remainder made up of a maximum 15% of authorized Piedmont red grapes. Ageing requirements are 36 months, of which 24 must be in wood, while the riserva must spend an extra six months in oak. Carema is a small mountainous area neighboring the Aosta Valley in the far northern corner of Piedmont, in north-western Italy. This unique viticultural landscape is situated in the province of Turin and was awarded its DOC classification in 1967. Similar to the steep, …
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Price: £129.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Frescobaldi - Nipozzano

1961 Chianti – Frescobaldi Nipozzano

The 1961 vintage is regarded as one of the classic post-war years in Italy, producing wines of structure and longevity. From the historic Frescobaldi estate, Castello di Nipozzano in the Rufina zone of Chianti, this bottle reflects a period when traditional Tuscan winemaking emphasised balance, acidity and patient ageing. The Frescobaldi family, whose winemaking history dates back over 700 years, has long been synonymous with quality in Tuscany.

Tasting Notes:
Now deep brick in colour with tawny highlights at the rim, the nose is beautifully mature and complex. …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Melini - Stravecchio

1961 Chianti – Melini Stravecchio

The 1961 vintage is regarded as one of the classic post-war years in Italy, producing wines of structure and notable longevity. Melini, founded in 1705 and long associated with traditional Chianti production, crafted wines in a style that emphasised balance, acidity and extended ageing. This Stravecchio bottling reflects that historic approach to Tuscan winemaking.

Tasting Notes:
Now showing a brick-red hue with tawny highlights at the rim, the nose is mature and expressive. Aromas of dried cherry, redcurrant and plum are layered with notes of leather, tobacco leaf and earthy undergrowth. …
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Price: £129.00
Stock: 2 in Stock

Giordano

1961 Giordano Dolcetto

Vintage & Background
1961 was an outstanding year in Piedmont, best remembered for Barolo and Barbaresco, but Dolcetto also benefitted from favourable conditions. Normally Dolcetto is produced for earlier drinking, prized for its bright fruit and accessibility. A bottle that has survived since 1961, however, represents more of a historical curiosity than a wine of freshness, offering instead a glimpse into how this grape evolves over extreme ageing.

Appearance & Nose
After more than six decades, the colour is likely pale garnet to tawny with amber hues at the rim. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Leone de Castris - Riserva
Clearance Offer | One only £59

1961 Five Roses – Leone de Castris Riserva

The 1961 vintage is recognised as one of the notable post-war years in Italy, producing wines with structure and longevity. Five Roses, created by Leone de Castris in Puglia, is historically one of Italy’s earliest bottled rosé wines, first produced in the 1940s. This Riserva bottling from 1961 represents a rare and fascinating survivor from a formative period in southern Italian winemaking.

Tasting Notes:
Now showing a deep amber-rose hue with copper reflections, the nose is mature and gently oxidative. Aromas of dried strawberry, orange peel and candied red fruits are layered with notes of honey, toasted almond and subtle spice. …
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Price: £59.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Luigi Nervi - Riserva Speciale

Gattinara is a red Italian wine produced from Nebbiolo grapes grown within the boundaries of the commune of Gattinara which is located in the hills in the north of the province of Vercelli, northwest of Novara in the Piedmont region. The wine is made from a minimum of 90% Nebbiolo grapes and is renowned for its longevity. Notes: a meaty, chunky wine with a subtle, clean nose. Hints of tar and bark, with undertones of cherries and rose petals. Light tannins.
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 3 in Stock

Luigi Nervi

Vintage & Background
1961 is remembered as one of the greatest Piedmont vintages of the 20th century. While Barolo and Barbaresco gained most of the fame, Gattinara—crafted from Nebbiolo (locally known as Spanna)—also produced exceptional wines with structure and longevity. Luigi Nervi, the oldest continuously operating winery in Gattinara, has long been regarded as a benchmark producer, making wines that combine firm mountain structure with elegance and aromatic complexity.

Appearance & Nose
After more than sixty years, the wine shows a garnet core shading to tawny and amber at the rim. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 8 in Stock

Fracchia
Clearance Offer | Damaged label as pictured | Only £75

1961 Gattinara – Fracchia

The 1961 vintage is regarded as one of the landmark years in Piedmont, producing wines of structure and remarkable longevity. Gattinara, located in northern Piedmont at the foothills of the Alps, produces Nebbiolo of distinctive character, often showing a slightly firmer structure and mineral edge compared to its southern counterparts. This 1961 bottling from Fracchia reflects a traditional era of winemaking, where patience and extended ageing defined the style.

Tasting Notes:
Now displaying a brick-garnet hue with amber highlights at the rim, the nose is mature and finely layered. …
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Price: £75.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Luigi Einaudi

1961 Nebbiolo – Luigi Einaudi

The 1961 vintage is regarded as one of the landmark years in Piedmont, producing wines of structure, perfume and impressive longevity. Luigi Einaudi, founded in the late 19th century and associated with the distinguished Einaudi family, has long been recognised for traditional winemaking rooted in respect for Nebbiolo’s ageing potential. This bottle offers a rare opportunity to experience mature Nebbiolo from a celebrated era of classical Piedmont production.

Tasting Notes:
Now displaying a brick-garnet hue with amber highlights at the rim, the nose is beautifully evolved and aromatic. …
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Price: £89.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Vino Pazzo - Ce.Di.Vi

1961 Nebbiolo – Vino Pazzo (Ce.Di.Vi)

The 1961 vintage is regarded as one of the landmark years in Piedmont, producing wines of structure, perfume and impressive longevity. This Nebbiolo from Vino Pazzo (Ce.Di.Vi) reflects a traditional mid-20th-century style, when patient ageing and classical vinification allowed the grape’s natural character to evolve slowly over time.

Tasting Notes:
Now displaying a brick-garnet hue with amber tones at the rim, the nose is mature and expressive. Aromas of dried cherry, rose petal and redcurrant are layered with notes of leather, tobacco leaf and earthy forest floor. …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 4 in Stock

F.lli Minuto

1961 Pertinace Antico – F.lli Minuto

The 1961 vintage is recognised as one of the outstanding post-war years in Piedmont, producing wines of structure, longevity and classical character. This Pertinace Antico bottling from F.lli Minuto reflects a traditional era of regional winemaking, when extended ageing and patient cellar maturation shaped the style and evolution of the wine.

Tasting Notes:
Now brick-garnet in colour with amber highlights at the rim, the nose is mature and layered. Aromas of dried cherry, redcurrant and rose petal are interwoven with notes of leather, tobacco leaf and forest floor. …
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Price: £89.00
Stock: 3 in Stock

Ruffino Rosso, Puglia
Sweet Red Wine

Salento is in the region of Puglia on the heel of Italy. The Ruffino is a fortified wine made predominantly from the primitivo grape. The wine has a liquorice and spice bouquet, a mediaum body and a long alcoholic finish.
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Price: £189.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Bianco, Ruffino, Puglia
Sweet White Fortified Wine

Salento is in the region of Puglia on the heel of Italy. The Ruffino is a fortified wine made predominantly from the primitivo grape. The wine has a liquorice and spice bouquet, a mediaum body and a long alcoholic finish.
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Price: £195.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Bianchi Giuseppe - Riserva

The wines Sizzano must be made from grapes coming from the following varieties: Nebbiolo (Span): 50-70%; Vespolina and Uva Rara (Bonarda Novarese) alone or in combination 30-50%. Colour: ruby red with garnet; Bouquet: vinous, typical, with hints of violet, fine and pleasant; Flavour: dry, full-bodied and harmonious with a slightly bitter aftertaste; Aging: "Sizzano": at least 22 months of which at least 18 in wood; "Sizzano Reserve": at least 34 months of which at least 24 in wood.
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Price: £69.00
Stock: 1 in Stock