Rizieri is located among the beautiful hills of Diano D'Alba, in the heart of Langhe, at an average altitiude of 350 metres. Most of the vineyard work is done by hand. The harvest is entirely by hand. They closely follow the principles of sustainable agriculture as set by the Piedmont Region. Production of the Barolo is from a single vineyard in La Morra. Tasting notes - On the nose it opens with aromas suggesting underbrush, chopped sage, wild berry and a whiff of leather. On the full-bodied and clean palate, notes of cinnamon and licorice add depth to dark cherry and fresh raspberry. The tannins are fine and silky. Good natural acidity contributes to a great ageing potential. A Barolo in which the characteristics of the Nebbiolo grape are expressed in their most delicate and elegant form.

From a 37-acre vineyard, Château Pavie Macquin is stunningly situated on the clay-limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion on the right bank of Bordeaux. 2010 has produced a formidable wine: a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a top release of the harvest year and a highlight from St-Émillion in 2010. Tannins, restraint and inward concentration are motifs, this is a wine for the patient, sophisticated collector who wishes to embellish a cellar with pedigree wines that need time and maturity to come to the fore.

Full bodied yet velvety texture with plums and raspberries dominating. Hints of sweet spice, black olive pepper add to the complexity.

Paringa Estate's The Paringa Shiraz is a multi-trophy winning wine that has been carefully selected from barrels prior to bottling due to the stand-out quality that was easily identifiable. Sourced from Lindsay McCall's estate, this Shiraz is almost eternal in flavour length and intensity. Flavours of plum, raspberry, redcurrant are accompanied by black pepper, anise and vanilla. Fine grained and in balance tannins complement the extraordinary fruit weight to deliver a wine that will reward careful cellaring.

This cool-climate Shiraz shows white pepper on the nose with dark fruit and blackberry characters. The palate is full and ripe with berry fruit flavour, tight acidity and fine grained tannins.

Boroli Barolo Classico is the estate’s benchmark Barolo, a traditional blend of their best Nebbiolo vineyards in Castiglione Falletto, capturing the commune’s mix of structure and fragrance in one bottle. East-, west- and south-west-facing clay-limestone parcels with touches of sand are harvested by hand in mid-October, then divided into micro-parcels so each plot is fermented and aged separately before blending. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with 10–12 days on skins and a further 20–25 days of submerged-cap maceration, followed by at least 18 months in large Slavonian oak and a year in bottle before release, giving a supple but ageworthy frame. In the glass, recent vintages show bright red colour, scents of fresh wild berries, rose, sweet liquorice and gentle spice, with velvety tannins, good line and a harmonious, savoury finish – a classic, “all-round” Barolo that drinks well in its first decade yet has the stuffing to go further in a good cellar.

Petaluma Merlot is medium body with a brick red colour, the superbly perfumed bouquet is a tangle of marzipan, spice, plum and confectionery and is the best nose of the early Petalumas. On the palate, flavours of cherry, plum and spice emerge, with very good depth and complexity.

ANTONIOTTI ODILIO, Bramaterra, Piemonte, Italy Today Odilio and his son Mattia work the vines, yet the Antoniotti family have been making wine in Casa del Bosco (west of Milan) in northern Piemonte for generations. The Antoniotti Bramaterra Nebbiolo blend is a fresh and attractive Piemonte red. With aromas of predominantly red fruits, herbs and spicy notes on the nose, this wine has a moreish mouth-coating quality with delicate tannins and a lengthy finish. An elegant and juicy wine of immense quality, especially at such a great price.

Orlando Abrigo Montersino Barbaresco DOCG Ruby red in colour with a rich, complex bouquet of vanilla and red fruit. At first, this wine is smooth on the palate; then robust tannins take over revealing excellent ageing potential. A true food wine, it will pair wonderfully with beef or hearty pasta dishes. The fruit for this Barbaresco (100% Nebbiolo) is sourced from the Montersino Me. GA (Italian equivalent of a French Cru) lies in the village of Treiso, where the elevations are the highest in the area. This plot of land produces exuberant, easy-drinking Barbarescos which are full-bodied and consistently show fine, silky tannins.