Save the vines and enjoy a gorgeous, rich red! Poggioreale used to be an important wine village in Sicily. It was where Dino Taschetta grew up, like generations of his family before him. After an earthquake reduced Poggioreale to ruins in 1968, a new town was built further down the hill and the vineyards above the village, the highest and oldest in Sicily, were then neglected for decades. Now, with many of the island’s oldest Nero d’Avola vines grubbed up, there’s even more reason to treasure what’s left. Dino recently returned to the family estate and began to restore the vineyard. His first vintage was 2017 and he was in urgent need of a customer. Our Buyer tasted the wine and reserved it all. A year later, we’ve returned for more.

Saracosa is inspired by the ‘Super Tuscans’ – a style first developed in the 1970s. These wines kickstarted the region’s renaissance and became some of the most exclusive and expensive in the world. Saracosa is from the Barbanera family estate, where half the vineyards are in the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, and the remainder just beyond. In the 5-Star 2017 vintage Saracosa’s old vines delivered exceptional concentration. Dense, dark cherry and chocolatey tones make this a serious choice for pasta with pork ragù or bistecca alla fiorentina (steak with cannellini beans in tomato sauce).

Estrella Damm is a Spanish Lager, with universally appreciated character and taste it is ideal for drinking at any time. Its high quality is due to the finest selection of raw materials and the meticulous brewing process. It stands out for its creamy hops-flavoured froth and refreshing taste. It has been brewed in Barcelona since 1876 and is the flagship beer of S.A. Damm, a prominent Barcelona brewery.

We used to think that Sofia Barbanera's regular Saracosa was intense. And then she upped the ante, with this lavish, luscious, silky smooth Saracosa Governo. A limited-edition luxury version of her already indulgent ‘Super Tuscan’, Governo uses an ancient Tuscan method of allowing a portion of the grapes to air dry for a period of time, dialling the flavour concentration way up. Italy’s top critic, Luca Maroni, has long been a fan of the Saracosa reds, and this one is no exception – he has rated both the 2016 and the 2017 vintagehere a stunning 98 points! English wine writer Oz Clarke is also smitten by Governo’s many charms, calling it “indulgent and exotic”. One taste and we think you’ll fall in love with it too.

A fresh, grapey nose leads to a palate with lovely fruit flavours. Borgo Sanleo had just a hint of sweetness, making the finish is nicely crisp. Great value Prosecco.

MALFY® Con Arancia’s key botanical additions are Blood Orange peels sourced from Sicily. Blood Oranges are a prized variety in Sicily – and harvested in November – their rich red colour develops from the cool Mediterranean nights. The Blood Orange peels are steeped in alcohol and pressed in a basket press. The infusion is then blended with juniper and other botanicals before being distilled in a stainless steel vacuum still.

Aperol is a lively drink that evokes the sociable Italian lifestyle, from pre-dinner conversation to an evening with friends and family in the piazza. An infusion of high-quality herbs and roots, together with orange peel and rhubarb, Aperol is the perfect apéritivo.