2014 Italy

Roero Arneis “Entriard”, or “late-release” in local Piedmont dialect, spends an extended time on its fine lees, and further time in tank before bottling, gaining creamy richness and complexity. The palate is a complex smorgasbord of mint, saffron spice, ginger, salt and candied fruit; the palate rich, full, incredibly textured and complex. Fresh waves of breaking mineral energy, savoury depth and saline refreshment weave into pools of golden, liquid joy. Drink now to 2030.
Davy yw, Wine Buyer

Bottles of this product are discounted by 30%. Price shown includes saving.

Barbaresco was 40 percent drier than Barolo during the 2014 vintage and the wines do show a different profile because of it. Roberto’s Rabajà vineyard is one of the great sites of Barbaresco; west-facing with deep, grey, marlclay soils. The nose is fine and compact; dried roses, truffle and bright fruit jump from the glass. Broad and mineral, it has a plump mid-palate fruit core and loads of juicy, fruity flavours, seasoned by flashes of minerality and floral top-notes. Charming and serious. Drink 2022-2040.
Davy Zyw, Wine Buyer

The Cerretta vines sit between 320 and 450 metres above sea-level on the eastern extremities of the Barolo area. The soils are mixed limestone and clay which give more plump and ripe styles compared to the mineral finesse of Davide’s other Serralunga sites. Three years in French botti grandi have polished these fine tannins which are as smooth as china, while the fruit is bright, fleshy, plummy and expansive. Drink 2020-2040.
Davy Zyw, Wine Buyer

Terrifyingly steep and totally calcareous soils make up this special vineyard, which perches in front of the Giovanni Rosso winery between 350 to 390 metres’ altitude. A stone’s throw across the road lies Vigna Rionda, the most prized vineyard in Barolo. The nose is brimming with bramble, crushed stone and floral highlights, inviting and electric. The palate is poised, linear and crunchy; saline minerality carries a wash of bright red and black berry fruits, pricked with fine oak spice and savoury charm. Ceramic-like tannins are both silky and chewy. Drink 2020-2038.
Davy Zyw, Wine Buyer

Like the Vigna del Sorbo, the 2014 Flaccianello della Pieve spends a few additional months in botte grande than usual. The wine still breathes in large oak cask, but the environment is slightly more reductive (oxygen-free) compared to smaller barrique, thus allowing for a more complete and slower integration that is necessary in a cool vintage like this. The result is a beautifully complete wine that takes a few minutes to spread its wings. The bouquet starts off with a timid personality, but soon reaches a full regime of red fruit and spice that is so specific to this celebrated selection of Sangiovese from Panzano in Chianti. The September heat (following a gray, soggy summer) helped to eventually achieve fully ripened tannins. There is no greenness or astringency to disturb the soft and velvety mouthfeel. Thanks to severe fruit selection, production of the 2014 Flaccianello della Pieve is one-third less than average. Giovanni Manetti calls 2014 a vintage of opportunity. Although Panzano saw less average rainfall in 2014 compared to neighboring villages, Fontodi vineyards required double the work that year. This is an impressive achievement.
Monica Larner - 28/04/2017 Like the Vigna del Sorbo, the 2014 Flaccianello della Pieve spends a few additional months in botte grande than usual. The wine still breathes in large oak cask, but the environment is slightly more reductive (oxygen-free) compared to smaller barrique, thus allowing for a more complete and slower integration that is necessary in a cool vintage like this. The result is a beautifully complete wine that takes a few minutes to spread its wings. The bouquet starts off with a timid personality, but soon reaches a full regime of red fruit and spice that is so specific to this celebrated selection of Sangiovese from Panzano in Chianti. The September heat (following a gray, soggy summer) helped to eventually achieve fully ripened tannins. There is no greenness or astringency to disturb the soft and velvety mouthfeel. Thanks to severe fruit selection, production of the 2014 Flaccianello della Pieve is one-third less than average. Giovanni Manetti calls 2014 a vintage of opportunity. Although Panzano saw less average rainfall in 2014 compared to neighboring villages, Fontodi vineyards required double the work that year. This is an impressive achievement.
Monica Larner - 28/04/2017

The 2014 Solaia will be released during the second half of 2017. This is a fine-tuned expression that shows a focused sense of detail and careful attention. The quota of Cabernet Franc has been upped by a hair and this makes a big difference, especially in terms of the wine's bouquet. Otherwise, this celebrated Tuscan blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese. It opens to dark fruit aromas with crushed mineral, pipe tobacco, pressed flower and toasted spice. Its appearance is midnight black and profound. The wine delivers a sense of sheer excitement and nervousness that will subside with another few years of bottle age. Nonetheless, I think a certain amount of that bright edginess or rigidness will always be part of this cool vintage Solaia. In the mouth, the wine is firm, compact and dense. The tannins are chiseled to the point of sublime integration. Marchesi Antinori made 40% less Solaia in this vintage in order to maintain the quality you taste here.
Monica Larner - 28/04/2017

Bottles of this product are discounted by 20%. Price shown includes saving.

Pure notes of red and black fruit on the nose, reminiscent of cherries, raspberries and damsons, with hints of medicinal herbs in the background. Lovely depth on the palate, with juicy red and black fruit flowing in waves and filling the mouth, tempered by bright acidity and microscopically fine tannins. The finish is very long, velvety and elegant. A fabulous wine with amazing concentration, energy and balance. Quite forward for Vigna Rionda, this will give very pleasurable drinking while we wait for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 vintages to come round. 
Chris Pollington, Private Account Manager

Vigna Rionda is sited on a slope at elevations ranging from 820 to 1180 feet above sea level; the beneficial siting of this hill insures a great deal of sun throughout the day. The soils are a combination of marl, calcaire and a touch of sand; the vineyard is sheltered from excessive winds by the nearby Castelleto hill.

These vintages have been offered to our customers to allow them to take part in the regeneration of this outstanding vineyard and the latest 2014 offering proves once again that this perfectly situated and incredibly special vineyard will always capture the very best of vintage conditions.