Castellare Chianti Classico 2022

Sangiovese with a couple of friends, Collorino and Cannaiolo, who seemed to show up as soon as the water started boiling and the amount of pasta needed to be calculated. The three combine for amaro and blood orange juice running over terracotta with enough bright acidity to get through the host’s famous ragu.

Orsumella Chianti Classico 2021

Drink it from a Gabriel Glas to feel a little fancier on your not-so-Juliette balcony that looks east at the beautiful Dandenongs. If the flavours still matter… cherries with chewy but velvety tannins.

Querceto IGT 2022

Very much on the bright side for Sangiovese, complete with all the black and red cherries, and a lot of dusty tannins. Some wines are just honest in the best way and taste and behave, true to style. Pair it with any Tuscan specialty at lunch – Pappardelle with pork.

Sagona Gattorosso Sangiovese Blend 2022

A very well regarded bottle in Brunello with a proper structure and traditional style. If it's a super wine from Tuscany, does that make it a Super Tuscan? Maybe not, but it'll give you red cherry-skinned smiles after all sips and a lasting tannin. It's wine like these that made the Tuscan wine store owners upset when I went in and asked for Barolo.

La Magia Il Vispo Sangiovese 2022

This feels like the kind of wine to warm you up a little on a spring evening by the river when it just gets a little colder than you thought it would do. With bread, and a basket of cheeses, antipasti and some glasses we think you’ll have an evening to remember and come back for a second bottle.

Sensi Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2022

A great Italian red that's safe, approachable, sensible and delicious! Feels like a dinner party bottle, but night-in worthy too, we can’t decide whether it’s more dark choc and Scacchi, or chicken cacciatore and mates. Either option sounds great.

Cantina Etrusca Morellino di Scansano 2022

Deliciously ripe and fleshy cherry notes, wrapped delicately in tobacco leaf and a lovely bitter cherry edge in this Chianti that’s sitting more in the plush and weightier.

Tenuta Casabianca Chianti Collo Senesi 2021

A lovely bright nose, full of red cherry and black cherries that seem to develop naturally and delightfully into a sandy tannin. It’s fruit forward thanks to all the forest berries, and some stony minerality which softens the profile and keeps it approachable. Open it up and put it between the Reggiano and the pasta, then grate, pour, mangia and drink!

Tenuta di Carleone Chianti Classico 2020

Deliciously plump morello cherry, a sprinkle of dried herbs and dusty tannins tie this all together. A wonderful wine we can't help but come back to, time again!