Listed below are the Producers we list wines for. We believe we've got a superb selection including some of the smaller, 'boutique', family owned/run wineries. In our opinion they all have one thing in common: produce fantastic, top quality wines.

	A Mano - Italy Puglia By producing wines of such quality, Mark Shannon and his partner, Elvezia Sbalchiero, have succeeded in making Primitivo one of Italy’s most talked about grape varieties. By paying high prices for the best grapes (from 70 to 100 year old vines) and focussing solely on quality and a modern style, they have revolutionised the style and quality of Primitivo. Part of the reason for the continued success of A Mano is the greater knowledge that Mark and Elvezia have after six vintages (the first was as a consultant for somebody else) in the region. Not only are they getting access to Salento’s best grapes, but their growers have also come to realise that if they want the higher price paid by A Mano, they need to provide even better grapes than in previous years.
	Allegrini - Italy Veneto Producers such as Allegrini are very rare indeed. The quality of the wines they produce from their 70 hectares of vineyard – across the range and from vintage to vintage – is both stellar and impeccable. They have fruit, balance, intensity, length, elegance, tipicity and, above all, drinkability. In short, they are among the élite of the world’s best producers of red wines.
	Alpha Zeta - Italy Veneto Matt Thomson ensures that these wines improve with every vintage. Working with selected parcels of grapes where he has managed to convince growers to reduce yields and pick later (and, as a result, riper) he has produced some startlingly good wines.
	Anna Spinato - Italy Veneto Today the company is driven by Anna making use of two winemakers and consultants of international experience . With these two new people, young and enterprizing, we have introduced innovative tecnology and more accurate controls in all the productive processes, enabling the company to face the italian but more importantly the international market more comprehensively giving the palates of the world what they desire; high quality wine with characteristics linked to the territory but at the same time give consumer satisfaction. The company today is promoting not only wines from its own territory such as red raboso piave and the white incrocio manzoni but also international vines which spread from veneto to friuli and from friuli to trentino alto adige.
	Antica Masseria Venditti - Italy Campania For over four hundred years Antica Masseria Venditti has cultivated its own grapevines, making and improving its wines with dedication and passion. In addition, with the changing times it too has adapted, blending the ‘humanity’ of the ancient methods with the ‘rationality’ offered by modern technology. This approach, which the first edition of the Gambero Rosso Guide ’88 defined as “organic”, has resulted in a completely natural product, a refined and enhanced nectar of the gods: a wine sophisticated yet competitive in both quality and image.
	Argiolas - Italy Sardinia Just North of Cagliari, in the beautiful southern Sardinian countryside, lies the Argiolas Estate, known for its crisp, refreshing white wines and its complex, exceptional reds. Argiolas personifies Sardinia, due in part to the familys' devotion to indigenous Sardinian grape varietes such as Cannonau, Bovale Sardo, Carignano. Their passion is shared by the famous oenologist Professor Giacomo Tachis, the father of prestigious Italian wines such as Sassicaia, Tignanello, Solaia and the jewel in the Argiolas portfolio, Turriga, who has worked closely with the Argiolas family for over a decade now. Antonio Argiolas established the winery in 1918, committing his family and descendants to the Sardinian soil when he planted his first vineyard in Serdiana. In turn, his sons Franco and Giuseppe, took up their fathers mantle investing heavily in the vineyards and production facilities. Today, joined by the Antonio's grandchildren; Valentina, Francesca, Maria Luisa and Antonio, Franco and Giuseppe preside over a 230 hectare estate that covers some of the finest vineyard locations in Sardinia, producing wines that, according to the Wine Advocate are 'essential tasting for anybody interested in learning about Sardinia and its wines'.
	Avignonesi - Italy Tuscany, Montalcino Avignonesi is one of the great names of Italian wine. Ettore and Alberto Falvo have, over the past thirty years, taken a small estate and built it into a paradigmatic producer that has put Montepulciano on the map. The modernisation that took place at Avignonesi in the 1970s and early 1980s abated somewhat towards the end of the latter decade, but new energy has once again been injected into the business by the next generation of Falvos, who are now taking over from Ettore and Alberto. Avignonesi has four estates, two in Montepulciano and two in the DOC zone of Cortona, situated to the east of Montepulciano in the foothills of the Apennines. These estates have about 115 hectares of vineyard and have been the area of greatest focus for Avignonesi over the past decade. Ettore Falvo has translated his passion for alberello (bush or gobelet) training into the new vineyards planted on their estates. New Sangiovese vineyards are planted at a density of 7500 vines per hectare and the modified alberello they are using ensures earlier ripening, something which in turn has given fuller, riper wines than Montepulciano was previously capable of producing.
	Beato Bartolomeo - Italy Veneto The original pavilions from 1950 were supplemented in 1970 by a first expansion, consisting of a large area for ageing wines: a large vault for casks, built by excavating to fifteen meters below ground, with a total storage capacity, in wood, of more than twenty thousand hectolitres. This structure, comprising casks in Slavonian oak of 40, 80 and 120 hectolitres, is now used to refine red wines as Merlot, Pinot nero and Cabernet Sauvignon di Breganze. The present-day production capacity, i.e. about 6,000 bottles an hour, will soon be increased to 10,000, with automated control and registration systems, especially during the phase of micro-filtering of the product and bottle filling. Now that half a century has passed since its founding, the Winery vaunts an organisation of collection, transformation and packaging which enables it to valorise the best grapes produced by farmers in the Breganze area to a maximum.
	Bella Modella - Italy Veneto Bella Modella is a thing of great beauty: elegant, sassy and beguiling. It is a form whose beginning and end are seamless. Good value wines.
	Bellosguardo - Italy Tuscany
	Bonacchi - Italy Tuscany Cantine Bonacchi grow the best Tuscan grapes and make them into Montalbano, in the heart of the Chianti production zone. The winery also began bottling thier wine when the new generation of the fanily began working. Modern technology enables Cantine Bonacchi to offer consumers excellent products and special attention to organic production. Cantina Bonacchi, founded in 1965, is a family owned winery that is situated in the heart of the Montalbano Hills, that lie between the towns of Florence and Pistoia in Tuscany. The family owns 40 hectares of vineyards in the Chianti Montalbano area and a winery with 20 hectares of vineyards in the Chianti Classico area near Siena. All Tuscan wines are produced either from their own grapes or from grapes sourced from long term contract growers. Harvesting is done both manually and mechanically. In 1998 a very modern plant, in the heart of the winery, was completed and gained ISO 9002 certification. The winery boasts of 2 fully automated bottling lines, a large vinification plant and an old cellar for the ageing of fine wines in barriques and oak barrels. The family’s main goal is to produce quality wines at reasonable prices. 50% of the production is exported to Europe, U.S.A and Japan whilst the remainder is sold to all sectors of the Italian market.
	Borgo Cipressi - Italy Tuscany
	Bricco - Italy Puglia Puglia, the heel of the Italian boot, is a long, relatively level region. With a prolific production of both wine and table grapes as well as olive oil it is, an important agricultural region. South of Brindisi lies the Salento area, a flat peninsula that extends towards Albania and Greece as Italy’s easternmost point. Though hot it is not torrid, thanks to the cooling influence of breezes coming off the Adriatic and Ioanian seas. Amongst Salento’s traditional wines is the powerful, inky red from the Primitivo grape. Primitivo is an early ripening grape and is related to California’s Zinfandel. Differences in vine-training and winemaking methods between Salento and California have resulted in distinct style variations, yet a family resemblance can be noted in the heavy and somewhat spicy aspects of the wines. “Bricco” Primitivo is a juicy, fruity and spicy wine that sees no wood and has been especially produced for us by the talented winemaker, reflecting the modern style now emerging from this region.
	Broglia - Italy Piemonte Gian Piero Broglia is the owner of this Estate of 101 hectares, 30 of which are planted with the local white variety of Cortese used to make Gavi. The property is located at Rovereto di Gavi Ligure in the province of Alessandria. The soil consists of sandy clay and limestone and the vineyards are situated 270 metres above the sea level.
	Campagnola - Italy Veneto A key player in the Valpolicella area, the winery is now under the care of its 4th generation of the Campagnola family. It was founded in 1907 by Giuseppe Campagnola who initiated a tradition of quality which is flourishing to this day. Today, Giuseppe Campagnola, the founders' grandson and namesake who now owns the company, handles more than 3 million bottles every year concentrating primarily on wines from the Veneto, listing an exhaustive collection of typical Veronese wines at all levels. His state of the art winery and 15,000 sq metre cellar (with a 65,000 HL storage capacity) allows Giuseppe to vinify, bottle and market several wines from as far a field as Puglia. But the Veneto is where Giuseppes' true passion lies and from where all of his award-winning wines originate. So steeped in the Veneto's history and tradition is this 100 year old winery that even the cellar, with its typical vaulted ceiling, is produced from local stone originating from the national park of Lessina, nr. Verona. The Campagnola family own the Santoccio vineyard situated in a prime hillside location in Marano di Valpolicella. Luigi Campagnola, Giuseppe's father, works extremely closely with 60 local growers in an enduring collaboration, enabling Campagnola to consistently obtain healthy, ripe grapes from a further 80 hectares. So great is Luigi's involvement with the grapes that he personally selects 401,000 kg of the best bunches for the production of Amarone, overseeing the entire vinification process of this noble wine.
	Cantina Tramin - Italy Trentino-Alto Adige Cantina Tramin is a cooperative of currently approximately 280 farmers all adhering to strict and sustainably guidelines. The winery has been making wines sine 1898.Grapes are gently pressed, clarification by natural sedimentation a fermented in Stainless steel tanks at 66 deg F. In 2001 the winery invested in gravity method processes; their goal is to create very clean, cool climate wines that fully express the soils and the conditions of Alto Adige.
	Capezzana - Italy Tuscany The Capezzana estate, 24 km north west of Florence, is owned by the Conti Contini Bonacossi family, and all seven children work in the business. The younger generation is now firmly in charge of the estate, with daughter Benedetta Contini Bonacossi as winemaker. The highly talented Stefano Chioccioli, a protégé of the well-known peripatetic winemaker Vittorio Fiore, is the estate’s wine consultant.
	Carlo Pellegrino - Italy Sicily The jewel in the Carlo Pellegrino crown are the dessert wines from the island of Pantelleria, a volcanic outcrop of black lava rock situated off the arid Tunisian coast and Italy’s southernmost DOC region. Pellegrino has invested over Ł2 million in the construction of a winery. Over 300 small growers are contracted to supply Pellegrino with premium quality Zibibbo (Moscato) grapes. Quality is guaranteed through strict pruning and the growers keep to below 30 hectolitres per hectare as part of the contract. The fruit is soft pressed and cool fermented to capture the wonderful freshness of the Zibibbo. Pellegrino produce two styles of wines. The Moscato has all the intensity and fruit aroma of the grape and the natural sweetness is beautifully balanced with good acidity. The Passito is made with about 20% sun dried grapes added to the must, the result is an elegant and complex tasting wine; delicious poured over ice cream.
	Casa Defra - Italy Veneto Casa Defrŕ wines are the result of a balanced relation between the vine growers and the Berici hills, with the application of modern techniques and the respect of ancient traditions and natural agriculture rules.
	Ca’ dei Frati - Italy Veneto Since 1939, this family-run winery has been producing wines in Sermione, on the long promontory on the southern shore of Lake Garda. All the wines are produced meticulously, in very small quantities, with Lugana being the specialty of the Estate. At Ca’ dei Frati, Lugana is interpreted in a variety of styles, some innovative and some traditional, all however, true to the spirit of the region and its proud wine heritage. The wines are elegant in structure with a hint of wildness and are unique for their concentration, complexity, and expressiveness.
	Ca’ del Matt - Italy Piemonte, Asti Collaboration between New Zealand wine maker, Matt Thomson, and the cantina sociale in Nizza. Some of their best Barbera vineyards are selected to make the two Ca’ del Matt wines. In each case, their main criterion was to select ripe, healthy grapes. The former is particularly important for Barbera, where the acidity at harvest can, if the grapes aren’t fully ripe, be very high. We believe that the Nizza area is one of the very best regions for producing fine Barbera, as the acidity is generally lower than in other parts of the Asti district. The name Ca’ del Matt means ‘house of the mad’ in the Piemontese dialect, a reflection of the difficulty of making good Barbera. The winemaker’s name is also Matt!!
	Cielo e Terra - Italy Veneto “Cielo e Terra” was established in 1908, thanks to the wine passion of vinegrowers family from the Veneto Region. Today, “Cielo e Terra” has taken root in over 3000 hectares of vineyards cultivated by the vinegrowers of the Cantine dei Colli Berici, who apply their modern know-how and ancient wisdom to pursue the following important objectives: - enhance the wine and culture of the Berici Hills - innovate the quality and image of the product - promote increased control over the entire vine-growing and wine-producing chain.
	Collavini - Italy Friuli-Venezia Giulia Founded by Eugenio Collavini in 1896, this family owned house is now run by Manlio Collavini together with his three sons. Located near Udine they were among the first to vinify Ribolla Gialla (an ancient local variety) and to implement new winemaking technologies. Collavini prides itself on its clean, modern style wines while still retaining the traditions and grape varieties native to the area. The Collio region, a strip of hills against the Slovenian border, was only reunited with Italy after the First World War. This region is reputed to have one of Europe's most priviledged micro-climates for white wines which dominate the region, while the red wines are also noted for their appeal. Collio wines are rather more intense than the wines from Friuli and have an impressive richness and length.
	Corte Giara - Italy Veneto Corte Giara is the négociant label of Allegrini. The wines have a similar stamp of quality and a style and taste that, like their estate range, sets them aside from most of the Veronesi wines produced at this level.
	Costa di Bussia - Italy Piemonte Luigi Arnulfo has been one of the first manager of Alba in the oenological field. In 1874 he bought the Bertoroni farmhouse, in the Costa di Bussia region, in Monforte d’Alba district. This estate included already the famous fields of “Campo dei Buoi” and “Campo del gatto”. Today they are precious cru, the heart of the Costa di Bussia concern: 15 hectares vineyards that offer particular and complex wines.
	Cusumano - Italy Sicily The Cusumano winery was established in 2001, when brothers Alberto and Diego, took over the management of the company from their father, Francesco. Cusumano are developing a reputation for quality, due in part to Diego and Alberto's setting the highest quality standards to every area of production, from vineyard to bottle to company identity. Testimony to this is the praise the winery has received from day one. Their flagship wine, Noa, was the first wine ever to receive a Tre Bicchieri at the Gambero Rosso on its very first vintage and the Italian and International awards have been flooding in ever since.
	Dezzani - Italy Piemonte The Dezzani family name is held in the highest esteem in the region of Piedmont, particularly among the many growers dotted around the beautiful hills of Asti, Acqui, Alba and Monferrato with whom the family share an intimate knowledge and love of the region. The family coat of arms bears the motto “Virtute stat et labore” (Steadfast in virtue & labour) and each generation of the Dezzani family has guaranteed that this standard is lived up to. Located in Cocconato d'Asti, Dezzani was founded in 1934 by Luigi Dezzani, grandfather of the current owners, Franca, Luigi and Giovanni. Luigi's hard work and dedication to the promotion of Piemontese wines was recognised when he was awarded the 'Cavaliere del Lavoro', Italy's highest honour for entrepreneurial excellence. Today, his grandson and namesake carries on Luigi's legacy producing a significant range of classic Piemontese wines whilst maintaining strong relationships with growers, allowing Dezzani to pick and choose grapes from some of the best vineyards, acting as negociant for some of the best estates in the various DOC's and also finding time to chair the Barbera (of Asti and Monferrato) Consortium, the youngest person ever to have served in this capacity. Dezzani own a total of 40 hectares of vineyards in Monferrato and Langhe that yield grapes for their Casa Martelletti range, named after the 18th century palazzo in Cocconato which was lovingly and painstakingly restored over a 13 year period by the family. Overseen under the watchful eye of 'Mamma Ida', Casa Martelletti now houses the winery, guesthouse, restaurant, tasting room and shop.
	Donnafugata - Italy Sicily Donnafugata means 'fleeing woman' - a reference to Queen Maria Carolina who escaped the court of Naples in the early 19th century with her husband Ferdinand IV of Bourbon when Napoleon’s troops arrived. The couple took refuge in Sicily at Santa Margherita Belice palace, also the favourite residence of celebrated writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and depicted on the ‘Mille e Una Notte’ label. Tomasi di Lampedusa used the name Donnafugata to describe the country estates (where the Donnafugata vineyards are located) of the protagonist in his famous novel ‘Il Gattopardo’ (The Leopard). This was the inspiration for the estate’s trademark image - a woman’s head with a curling mane of windswept hair.
	Femar Vini - Italy Lazio
	Fontodi - Italy Tuscany Few properties in Tuscany are as immaculately tended, or produce such meticulously made wines, as Fontodi. The estate has been owned by the Manetti family since 1968, and they have worked with winemaker Franco Bernabei since 1979. A new cellar was installed for the 1998 vintage. All the fermentation tanks are equipped for pneumatic punching down of the cap and the increase in colour, extraction and flavour of the resulting wines is remarkable. 1981 was the first Flaccianello vintage commercially released.
	Fornaser - Italy Veneto Vineyards' Farm MONTE FAUSTINO are situated in the middle of the historical area of VALPOLICELLA CLASSICA and precisely on the hills around villages of San Pietro in Cariano and Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella. The winery is located on the hilltop of the little hamlet Monte Faustini next to Bure of S.Pietro in Cariano. The wine-cellar is in a very old building of the 16th century renovated by Fornaser Family. PAOLO FORNASER wine makes only his best grapes which are carefully chosen among historical vines of Valpolicella Classica like Corvina Veronese (65%), Rondinella (30%), Molinara, Dindarella, Negrara, Croatina, Oseleta, Rossignola (together 5%) and Pelara.
	Franz Haas - Italy Trentino Franz Haas has been producing estate wines since 1880, the year in wich the present day winery was established. A family run estate, it was handed down through generations to the first-born son Franz Haas. Through the years and constant commitment of its owners and employees, this wine making estate has evolved into todays innovative winery. Our goal is to prodice quality wines that are the distinct expression of out terrior, with good aging potential and marked personality.
	Gioacchino Garofoli - Italy Marches The Marche region is bordered to the north by Romagna, to the west, along the spine of the Apennines, by Tuscany and Umbria, to the south by the Abruzzi and to the east by the Adriatic sea. Some 70% of the Marche region is covered in hills and 32,000 hectares have been planted with vineyards that are well sheltered from sea winds. This region is home to the famous fish dish wine “Verdicchio” produced in the traditional amphora bottle. Antonio Garofoli started producing and selling local wines in 1871. His son Gioacchino followed in his footsteps and today the winery is run by his two grandsons Carlo and Gianfranco. Carlo, the oenologist, follows modern winemaking technology and has led the company to become one of the most prestigious wineries not only in the Marche but also in Italy. Gianfranco has strengthened and rationalised the commercial structure of the company in order to obtain an efficient organisation that distributes its wines not only in Italy but all over the world.
	Giovanni Puiatti ’Le Zuccole’ - Italy Friuli-Venezia Giulia The late Vittorio Puiatti had strong, uncompromising views on vinification and his son, Giovanni, now head of the business, continues to work in the tradition established by his father. The end results are intense, steely wines characterised by their ability to develop in bottle without the interference of oak. The wines are from the flatter area of Isonzo, and with exacting viticultural techniques and expertise in the cellar, fantastic wines are produced with great intensity and varietal flavour. The Le Zuccole wines are all sourced exclusively from the Isonzo DOC, here in the far Eastern corner of Italy the river Isonzo, with its floods and its bed movements makes this mainly gravelly soil ideal for growing grapes.
	Giustiniana - Italy Piemonte Donato Lanati, one of Italy’s best young consultants, began working with the owner of La Giustiniana, Enrico Tomalino, at the beginning of 1998. His indelible stamp of quality has become increasingly evident in recent years. The changes wrought in the winery seven years ago are now being matched with the improvements being made in the vineyard, where better grapes are giving purer, richer and better alanced wines. The estate covers 30 hectares in the heart of the commune of Rovereto in Gavi. Two single-vineyard wines are produced, both of which are unoaked so the character of the vineyards shines through.
	Gran Sasso - Italy Abruzzi Valentino Sciotti is involved with a number of wineries in Puglia, Campania (he is the man behind Vesevo) and his native Abruzzi. The Gran Sasso wines are made by young winemaker Marco Flacco and display a freshness and directness of fruit that is seldom found in this region.
	I Feudi di Romans - Italy Friuli-Venezia Giulia Part of the Azienda Agricola Lorenzon family estates. The Lorenzon family’s 170 hectares of vineyard in the Isonzo DOC zone in South Eastern Friuli are primarily split between two blocks. The first, I Feudi di Romans, is situated in the heart of the zone, abutting those of Vie di Romans, and is an old apple grove with stony, well-drained soil of glacial origin. The second, the Borgo dei Vassalli vineyard, is situated further south in the zone, where the vineyards are on richer soil.
	Karneid - Italy Trentino-Alto Adige Following in his father's footsteps, Gunther Giovanett's son qualified as the youngest oenologist in Italy - he also passed as top of his class in Germany. After gaining experience in vineyards in other parts of the world he has now taken full controll of all the Villa Karneid wines.
	Le Pupille - Italy Tuscany, Tyrrhenian Coast This estate has now joined the ranks of Tuscan superstars. With the release of each vintage, the sense of excitement surrounding the wines is almost as tangible as the opulent fruit that characterises each of Le Pupille’s impressive reds. Stefano Rizzi and his wife Elisabetta have injected a great deal of dynamism into Le Pupille’s wines in the past few vintages, yet have been careful to look after the detail as well.
	Leonardo - Italy Tuscany The ethos of quality that has spread through Leonardo since the arrival of Alberto Antonini as consultant winemaker at the end of 1996 remains a key element in the success of Cantine Leonardo. This ethos encompasses every aspect of their operation: better work in the vineyard; a more careful selection of fruit; vinification of separate parcels of fruit; ‘bleeding’ the must in order to increase the proportion of solids to liquids in the fermentation tank, thus ensuring greater extraction of flavour and colour.
	Leonildo Pieropan - Italy Veneto “If Nino Pieropan weren’t a winemaker, he’d be a watchmaker,” says Franco Allegrini, “It is because of his attention to the small details of white wine making that his wines are so outstanding.” Pieropan himself says that his quality derives from doing a series of small things right, “from the moment you pick up the secateurs to the time the cork goes into the bottle.” Pieropan’s quality, rather unusually for a producer of white wines, is attributable largely to the work undertaken on the estate’s 30 hectares of vineyard. He then ensures that his work in the cellar retains and amplifies the quality and style provided by the vineyard. The vineyards are planted primarily with Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave (which bears no relation to its more prolific Tuscan namesake, and is similar to Lugana). The Garganega gives structure and acidity to the wines, the Trebbiano di Soave perfume and richness of flavour.
	Livio Felluga - Italy Friuli-Venezia Giulia Livio Felluga was one of the great names of Italian wine. Recently revitalised by his two sons Andrea and Maurizio, this 139 hectare estate is now well on the way to reclaiming its rightful place among the great producers in Italy. The energy injected into the estate by the younger generation has been harnessed by consultant viticulturalist/ winemaker Stefano Chioccioli. As a result of their work, the whites have acquired more intense and focussed flavours, while the reds have a ripeness and suppleness that is seldom achieved in Friuli. The estate’s vineyards straddle provincial borders, being located in both Colli Orientali and Collio. Their most prized possession is the 129 ha holding at Rossazo, where their Merlot is planted, as well as the grapes used in the fabled Terre Alte blend.
	Mandrarossa - Italy Sicily For those who find it hard to believe that a leopard can change it spots, they simply need to look at Cantine Settesoli, today one of Europe's most important wine co-operatives. Once famed for the quantity of wine it produced this forward thinking Cantine is now one of the most impressive, quality driven wineries in this region. The Mandrarossa range is designed for early drinking but retaining complexity and interest at the same time. The wines are sourced from dedicated vineyards using a computer-mapped traceability system. This analyses sugar development, tannin ripeness and acidity levels throughout the growing season in order to ensure optimum quality at picking.
	Marchesi Antinori - Italy Tuscany The Antinori family has been making wine for over six hundred years, since Giovanni di Piero Antinori became part of the Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri in 1385. Throughout its long history, spanning 26 generations, the family has always personally managed the business making innovative, sometimes courageous choices, always with unwavering respect for tradition and the land. Today Marchese Piero Antinori is director of the company, assisted by his three daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, who are personally involved in the business. The qualities of tradition, passion and instinct have made Antinori one of the leading Italian producers of fine quality wines.
	Marziano Abbona - Italy Piemonte Abbona owns a total of 40 hectares in Dogliani, Barolo, and Barbaresco, in Piemonte. Each vineyard is planted with the varietal that benefits most from that particular site.
	Massolino - Italy Piemonte, Barolo This fifteen-hectare estate has been in the Massolino family since 1896. Since 1994 the style of the wines has undergone a subtle transformation. The young wines, like the outstandingly fleshy Barbera ‘Gisep’, are modern, with a lovely intensity of fruit, though not ‘turbo-charged’, as is the current trend. The Barolos, on the other hand, have a classic style and structure but a modern purity of flavour. Winemaker Franco Massolino has done a wonderful job of marrying change to a respect for tradition, something which sets him apart from most of the younger producers in Barolo today. This is in part dictated by the nature of the great vineyards that the Massolino family owns in Serralunga d’Alba. This commune is the source of some of the greatest and most structured of Barolo - wines that require years of ageing before showing of their best. This is especially true of their great ‘cru’, Vigna Rionda. “It represents a classic style of Barolo,” says Franco.
	Mezzacorona - Italy Trentino Mezzacorona offers a comprehensive choice of DOC Trentino wines produced by the best oenologists within Gruppo Mezzacorona. Vinified at controlled temperature with refinement in barriques and barrels, the Mezzacorona wines exemplify one of the most well-known wine making tradition in the world.
	Miali - Italy Puglia
	Novacorte - Italy Abruzzo The Italian wine produced by the Domus Vini winery, is the direct result of a carefully planned vineyard and a meticulously selected choice of high quality grapes. The fermentation and the decantation of the wine are obtained at the winery by following ancient traditions in Italian wine making and utilizing the latest techniques to produce a perfect result. The Domus Vini winery has been in the Italian wine business for four generations. The experience gained in over a century of Italian wine making, the traditions and the innovations brought about by the correct use of the latest technologies available have resulted in a wine appreciated for its high quality, which remains a constant in every bottle. Domus Vini, a renowned Italian wine winery, produces and deals with a wide production of Italian wine in Europe, the United States and Brazil.
	Petrognano - Italy Tuscany Francesco Giuntini of Selvapiana rented this small estate in 1993 and the 1998 is only the fourth vintage they have released. A blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet and Merlot, this Pomino has a character that is distinct from all other red wines in Tuscany. The cool, northern Tuscan zone, with vineyards planted at an altitude of about 350 metres, gives the wine a lovely elegance, while the blend of grape varieties, the judicious use of oak and the skill of Franco Bernabei all combine to produce an excellent wine.
	Picco del Sole - Italy Sardinia
	Pio Cesare - Italy Piedmont One of the region’s most stylish and well respected winemakers, Pio Cesare produce wines exclusively from their own vineyards at Ornato and Cascini Bricco. They use only the best crops, confident that this gives their wines that little extra edge, making them fuller and rounder with a rich depth. The expertise of family generations comes into play to produce wines of extraordinary style, delighting all those who truly love and know how to appreciate exceptional wines.
	Planeta - Italy Sicily Since its inception in 1985 the Planeta winery has in a relatively short space of time established itself as one of the most dynamic and quality orientated wineries in the whole of Italy. The fact that the estate is based in the south west corner of Sicily – an island which for so long has been a quality winemaking backwater – makes the achievement all the more remarkable. Run by cousins Francesca, Alessio and Santi Planeta the estate won the coveted Cantina dell’Anno (Italian winery of the year award) in 1999 and has gone from strength to strength in the intervening years.
	Podere Castorani - Italy Abruzzi
	Poggiotondo - Italy Tuscany Alberto Antonini bought this estate, a neighbour of Cerro del Masso, in 2001, and planted about 50 hectares of vineyard. He set about ensuring that they were state of the art. The newest and best quality clones were used, and the vineyards were planted with a high density of 6,250 vines per hectare, to give a low yield per vine.
	Primo - Italy Puglia Valentino Sciotti is involved with a number of wineries in Puglia, Campania (he is the man behind Vesevo) and his native Abruzzi. The Primo estate is situated in Ortona, Abruzzi, on Italy’s east coast. Together with the Gran Sasso range, the wines are made by young winemaker Marco Flacco and display a freshness and directness of fruit that is seldom found in this region.
	Prunotto - Italy Piemonte Alfredo Prunotto a renowned wine-maker who worked for the most prestigious wineries of the time, took over in 1923, the Cantina Sociale "Vini delle Langhe" (Wine of the Langhe area Cooperative) founded in Alba in 1904 which, right after the First World War, had fallen on difficult times. Thanks to Alfredo and his wife’s great passion, the Prunotto winery soon became famous, exporting its wines throughout the world. In 1956 Prunotto retired from business and sold the company to wine-maker and friend Beppe Colla who, together with Carlo Filiberti and later with brother Tino Colla, carried on managing the winery with Alfredo’s same love.
	Rapitala - Italy Sicily Owned by Gigi and Hugues de la Gatanais, with significant investment from the Gruppo Italiano Vini too, Rapitala is an impressive, modern outfit that utilizes both local grapes and more familiar international ones. The result is ripe, fresh wines with true Mediterranean character and plenty of fruit but also a distinctly Sicilian style.
	Sampietrana - Italy Puglia
	San Marco - Italy Lazio The San Marco estate is in the Frascati hills overlooking Rome. Although it is now the second largest producer of Frascati wine, the company is still owned and run by Notarnicola family with 100 hectares of vines owned in and around Frascati, 200 hectares of contract producers and 45 hectares of rented vineyard. In addition, the family select and bottle wine from the Orvieto region. The wines are attractive, fruity and forward in the modern style.
	San Mario - Italy Puglia, Sicily
	San Michele Appiano - Italy Alto Adige It is fair to say that San Michele Appiano produces some of the best wines in Italy, led by Hans Terzers’ stunning Sanct Valentin range. San Michele Appiano was described by the Gambero Rosso 2006 as ‘one of Italy’s most important wine growing and winemaking operations’.
	San Silvestro - Italy Piemonte The Sartirano family’s wine business was founded in 1871, but it was only in the 1950’s that they started to develop the domestic market outside Piemonte, selling their wines in54L barrels. In 1970 the family decided to bottle its wines and installed its first bottling line. Business prospered and in 1976 a new winery was built and the company was renamed Cantina San Silvestro. Continuing this expansion, in 2001 the family purchased 8 hectares of land in the middle of the Barolo region where they have built a new 5,000 square metre winery with modern Vinification and increaded storage facilities. In the 1990’s the export market soared and today export sales now account for 60% of San Silvestro’s total production. San Silvestro produce good quality, typical and commercially priced Piemontese wines from their own grapes as well as working with long term contract growers from the Langhe area and other prime areas of Piemonte.
	Selvapiana - Italy Tuscany Five generations of the Giuntini family have run Selvapiana since 1827. The present owner, Francesco Giuntini, was born in 1932 and has graduated in agricultural studies from the University of Florence. He has strived to make sure the "Chianti Růfina" produced in Selvapiana gain the prestige the wine has alwais enjoied at least since the 1716 decree issued by Cosimo the third of Medici which, among others, delimited the celebrated "Pomino" wine-region in which Selvapiana was at the time included.
	Terre Allegre - Italy Veneto Terre Allegre is a selection of wines with an optimum price/qualiy ratio, from one of the areas with the greatest vocation for winegrowing and guaranteed at the origin by the "typical geographical indication" (igt) and the exclusive production of coop wine cellars.
	Terre del Noce - Italy Trentino
	Terre di Monteforte - Italy Veneto The Cantina di Monteforte is situated in the eastern part of Soave Classico and Soave. They have 1200 hectares in total, part in Soave Classico and part outside the Classico zone, with some of the best vineyards in Soave Classico. 60% of their vineyards are on the hills, facing south and southeast. This gives wines that are riper and fuller than most others produced in Soave. The co-op has 600 members and harvests about 20,000 tonnes of grapes a year. About 80% of its production is white, 20% red. The climate here is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. The heat of the summer is mitigated by cool breezes blowing down the Alpone valley from the foothills of the Dolomites to the north. This gives warm days and cool nights, which helps with the accumulation of aromatic characters in the grapes.
	Trexenta - Italy Sardinia This co-operative, in the Cagliari province, produces good wines from the indigenous Vermentino and Cannonau and Carignano grapes. Continuing experiments with different blends have resulted in some vintage variation over the years, but the wines are always clean, ripe and fruit-driven.
	Umani Ronchi - Italy Marches Today Umani Ronchi own 110 hectares in the Verdicchio Classico area, 60 hectares in the Rosso Conero, and 30 in Abruzzi. This part of Italy is framed by glorious hills that meet the waters of the Adriatic Sea, with such a favourable climate and soil Umani Ronchi can only profit from their treasures. “Since the beginning we have pursued our principal aim of the highest quality production, and in more than 40 years we have refined this art. Careful selection of the grapes on the plant, very low yields per hectare, continuous experimentations on the vineyard and in the cellar, strict laboratory controls”. Umani Ronchi prides itself as the leading exponent of the two major wines of the Marche, Verdicchio and Rosso Conero, as well as being one of the principle producers of wines from the neighbouring Abruzzi region.
	Vesevo - Italy Campania The Irpinian hills are, potentially, one of Italy's most exciting wine producing areas. The wines are made by Mario Ercolino, formerly winemaker at, and co-founder of Feudi di San Gregorio. He left I Feudi autumn 2003, having made wines for Vesevo since 1998.
	Vignabaldo - Italy Umbria
	Vignaioli Canelli - Italy Piemonte
	Villa Ruffinella - Italy Lazio
	Villa Tonino - Italy Sicily Produced by the Curatolo family with guidance from leading wine consultant Alberto Antonini. Both reds & whites are excellent value for money: The whites combining the richness that Sicily can easily provide with the freshness only someone with Alberto’s experience can retain. The reds (Nero d'Avola) are great examples of what Sicily can produce.
	Volpi - Italy Piemonte The Volpi winery was founded by Christiana Cairo Volpi at the turn of the century in Tortona. In 1914 her two sons continued her initiative which is today continued by grandson Carlo. The family has a passion for wine. Whilst Carlo specialises in wines from the Colli Tortonesi DOC region of Piemonte, his Barolo and Gavi are not to be overlooked. Carlo Volpi is a winemaker who controls a) the best vineyards in his appellation area, b) state of the art vinification equipment, c) extensive aging cellars, and d) efficient bottling plant and therfore produces excellent wines at a very economic price point. On top of all that, Carlo Volpi is a true gentleman.
	Zenato - Italy Veneto One of the most highly respected, family owned wineries the Veneto, Italy and beyond. Zenato was founded in 1960 by Master Winemaker, Sergio Zenato and his wife Carla Prospero. On the market, the Zenato name is synonymous with Amarone. Sergio’s ‘quality over quantity’ approach results in benchmark Amarone and Amarone Riserva. But his other red wines, Ripassa (a “mini- Amarone”using the Ripasso process) and Valpolicella in particular, are possibly the most typical examples you are likely to find of these classic Venetian wines. Indeed, Zenato was voted among the Top 5 Red Wines Producers in Italy at the 2004 London International Wine and Spirits Fair.