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White
750ml
Bottle: $13.76
12 bottles: $13.48
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White
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $24.00
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White
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $19.20
White
750ml
Bottle: $34.84
12 bottles: $34.14
The 2021 Langhe Freisa Kye is redolent of black cherry, herbs, licorice and spice. The Vajra children are picking...
12 FREE
VM
93
DC
92
White
750ml
Bottle: $43.94
12 bottles: $43.06
Colour: Deep ruby-red. Nose: Varietal, spicy. Taste: Dry, characteristic, good body with a lot of tannins.
12 FREE
White
750ml
Bottle: $24.94
12 bottles: $24.44
A light-bodied, fruity red, with an earthy aroma giving way to strawberry and rose flavors. Features a lining of firm...
12 FREE
WS
88
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White
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $18.23
Intense ruby red colour with garnet reflections in more mature wines. Aromas of rose and geranium. Still wine,...
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White
750ml
Bottle: $22.69 $24.40
12 bottles: $22.42
uby-red color, Freisa has a floral and fruity aroma of concentrated berries and tar with hints of blackberry. It is a...
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White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $45.35
The 2013 Langhe Freisa Kyè is remarkably polished and, dare I say, elegant, in this vintage. The bombastic style of...
VM
95
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White
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $49.95
The 2016 Giuseppe Mascarello & Figlio Freisa Langhe Toetto is still very young and austere, and unless one has...
WA
90
VM
90
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White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $62.45
Colour: Deep ruby-red. Nose: Varietal, spicy. Taste: Dry, characteristic, good body with a lot of tannins.
Case only
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White
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $65.95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $50.95
The 2022 Langhe Freisa is a rich, sturdy wine that deals with the challenges of the year quite well. It marries the...
VM
92

Cabernet Franc Other Italian Reds Lambrusco Italy Piedmont

Cabernet Franc is not simply an important grape varietal for the fact that it is one of the most widely grown strains of vine in the world, but also because it is a vital grape in the production of many of the finest wines the world has ever seen. For centuries in its native France, it has been a varietal synonymous with elegance and high quality, and has become a key fruit in the production of the Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style blended wines which have gone down in history thanks to their magnificent flavors, aromas and levels of aged complexity. However, Cabernet Franc is also a wine grape varietal for use in single variety, unblended wines, and has plenty to offer on its own. Most commonly, it is renowned for its wide bouquet, which often includes fascinating notes of tobacco, violets or bell pepper over a beautifully pale and decadent liquid.

Some grape species are distinct and unique varietals, clearly separate from each of their cousins. Others, like Lambrusco and Muscat, are more like umbrella terms, featuring several subspecies which show slight differences from each other from region to region. Indeed, there are astonishingly more than 60 identified varieties of Lambrusco vines, and they are almost all used in the production of characterful Italian sparkling wines. They are distinguishable by their deep ruby blush, caused by strong pigments present in their skins, and their intensely perfumed character.


Lambrusco vines are grown in several Italian regions, although we most closely associate this varietal with Piedmont and Basilicata. It has also been grown successfully in Argentina and Australia. The varietal suffered from a fairly lowly reputation in the late 20th century, due to bulk, low cost production of Lambrusco sparkling wines, aimed at markets across northern Europe and America. However, things are rapidly changing, and the older, more traditional methods of bottle fermentation are returning, along with a higher level of quality and expression, as consumers become more discerning and demanding. Many of the Lambrusco sub-varieties have their own established DOC, such as Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Modena, where new regulations are keeping standards high and methods traditional.

There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.

Situated in the north-western part of Italy, the region of Piedmont is known worldwide and is highly respected for the quality of the wines produced there. Many of the most successful sub-regions in Piedmont produce many of the world's finest red wines, such as those made from the excellent Nebbiolo grape varietal in areas such as Barolo and Barbaresco. However, the historic wineries which typify this region use a relatively wide variety of grapes, including Dolcetto and Barbera for their red wines, which are typically aged and have a delightful velvety character. Piedmont isn't all about beautifully complex red wines, though, as it is also famed for high quality, elegant sparkling wines, notably the Asti wines made with the white Moscato grape. The region benefits from a range of terroirs which are often well expressed in the sparkling wines, and a wonderfully consistent climate ideal for vineyard cultivation.