The 2014 Vinsanto del Chianti Classico Volpaia is a very pretty wine done in a floral, fresh style that really shows the personality of Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca nicely. Orange peel, spice, roasted almond and floral notes are perked up by bright acids in this impeccable, totally classy Vin Santo from Volpaia.”

Aromas of fragrant blue flower, mature plum, leather and tobacco emerge from the glass. The full-bodied palate offers crushed black raspberry, ripe Marasca cherry, orange zest and baking spice set against a tannic backbone. You'll also feel the warmth of alcohol on the midpalate, but the fruit richness supports it. Drink 2021–2030.

Underbrush, plum, crushed herb and French oak aromas mingle with a whiff of new leather. On the structured elegant palate, fine-grained tannins support sour cherry, red currant, ground clove and espresso alongside bright acidity. Drink 2021–2028.

Plenty of iron, sanguine and wild herb aromas lead off, while flavors of plum and cherry prevail in this rich red. Firmly structured and balanced, with the lingering finish echoing the fruit, Tuscan scrub and mineral elements. Drink now through 2028.

I really like the 2015 Montefalco Rosso and am happy to recommend this attractive value wine. It shows dark fruit and spice with a supple and round style. There is not too much dimension here, but the wine is upfront and immediate instead. I make roasted chicken according to an old family recipe with roasted garlic and potatoes, and this is exactly the kind of wine I'd want to pair with that dish. Some 180,000 bottles are made.

Royal Tokaji has been making the 5 puttonyos style since 1990... Golden in colour, the 2016 vintage bursts with dried apricot, peach, fig honey and Osmanthus, tinted with beeswax and pepper. After aging in second or third-use Hungarian oak casks for two years, the palate displays spiced apricot and honeyed fig flavours, with Furmint’s tell-tale acidity spine (9.9g/l), followed by a lip-smacking spicy finish. Sugar level sits at 158 g/l, much higher than the 120 g/l hallmark for 5 puttonyos.

Bright gold colour. Honeyed apricots and dried peaches with accents of marmalade and exotic spices on the nose. Great concentration of fleshy stone fruits at the core, with glossy honey and sweet vanilla adding to the complexity. Sweet without any sense of stickiness, this is fresh, vibrant and lifted on a long and sumptuous finish. Very, very moreish – the perfect wine to introduce someone to Tokaji.

The Riserva 2012 is a quintessential Biondi-Santi Riserva, reflecting not just the house style that made the firm famous, but it clearly shows Franco’s own hallmark of extreme elegance. The 2012 is a classic in the making, boasting enticing scents of rose, underbrush, wild red berry, new leather and underlying notes of crushed mint. It has a chiseled palate, featuring Morello cherry, pomegranate, orange zest, star anise and a hint of tobacco framed in taut, polished tannins. Firm acidity lends youthful tension and keeps it impeccably balanced.

Luminous garnet red. Perfumed nose of orange peel, cinnamon, sour red cherries, strawberries, talcum powder, and old fine leather, plus sneaky hints of slightly air-dried berries (not surprising, given how hot 2012 was, even taking into consideration that Biondi-Santi is one of the first estates to pick each year). Then juicy and dense with a silky mouthfeel to the flavors of red berries, blood orange and spices. Finishes long and silky now, but this specific Brunello Riserva was especially austere in its youth and so the estate decided to release it one year later than usual for sale...

The 2012 Riserva is the last vintage produced by Franco Biondi Santi, and so this release is dedicated to him. Of the 39 Riservas the estate has produced since the first one in 1888, Franco oversaw 24 of them. 2012 is considered a warm vintage, more dry than hot and with an advanced harvest on 10 September: quite early for a Sangiovese from higher vineyards in Montalcino. The age of the vines has helped to give the wine outstanding complexity. It shows the typical freshness of Biondi Santi with red currant, pomegranate and orris root aromas, becoming more austere on the palate...

Produced with fruit from the estate’s young vines (less than ten years old), this Rosso is firm, its flavors of cherry and raspberry gripped by cool, ferrous tannins. The flavors flesh out with air to reveal notes of savory herbs and cherry tomato that balance the fruit tones, but this will benefit from a few years of cellaring.

When compared with the almost severe austerity of this renowned Chardonnay producer's upper-tier wines, this entry-level one is downright boisterous. Bright gold in hue, it billows melon and stone fruit with undertones of honey and sea salt. The palate crunches with crystalline acidity wrapped up in texture that is simultaneously slippery and powdery, with a long, salt-flecked finish. Drink now and over the next few years.

The 2015 Prile is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Merlot. It is also one of the finer wines I have tasted from Volpaia's Prelius estate. Dark and beautifully resonant on the palate, the 2015 opens up nicely with a bit of time in the glass, revealing hints of black cherry, chocolate, licorice and espresso. Drink it over the next decade.

This red is juicy, offering cherry, raspberry, earth, tobacco and tar flavors. Dense tannins lend support as this stretches out nicely on the finish. Sleek and almost racy in style, with tobacco and mineral elements lingering. Best from 2023 through 2040.

This is a baritone beauty. The 2015 Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni is a darkly extracted and thick expression with inky-black fruit aromas that are followed by finer accents of licorice, smoke and tar. The bouquet is deep and complex. There is dark spice here as well, but those spicy tones are mixed with balsam herb, barbecue smoke and teriyaki. The wine is full-bodied and layered, with rich textural fiber. This vintage will award those who wait.

The 2015 Montefalco Sagrantino Collepiano benefits from more stringent fruit selection. "We are limited to only the best fruit for this wine, and we changed the way we pick with multiple harvests," says Marco Caprai. This warm and sunny vintage has shaped a generous and inviting wine that is opulent, bold and rich all at once. This wine offers ample power, yet it's not as bruising as past vintages I remember. The 2015 vintage flaunts its curvy physique.

Aromas of dark-skinned berries, toasted oak and underbrush lead the nose. The spicy, structured palate offers dried black cherry, black pepper, tobacco and clove alongside tight, close-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2029.

Though tightly knit and well-defined by sculpted tannins, this fresh red shows overall elegance, featuring a lovely, fragrant range of plumped cherry and strawberry fruit, with star anise, graphite and cardamom notes, ashy smoke accents and hints of dried mint and marjoram. Creamy finish. Drink now through 2030.

Aromas of blueberry brandy, underbrush, dark spice and eucalyptus take shape in the glass. On the tightly knit, brawny palate, assertive, close-grained tannins support dried black cherry, licorice and clove alongside the heat of evident alcohol.

As of the 2015, all of Val di Suga's wines spend less time in wood to curb Sangiovese's tendency to oxidise. This wine brings together grapes from all three of Val di Suga's distinct vineyard sites in equal proportions. Fragrant orange and raspberry notes progress into darker, earthier nuances. There is a saline edge and a gentle grip holding together lush fruit. It's a touch short but still bright and tangy on the finish.