Red Italian Varietal over £10

And the winner is...

Piccini, Villa al Cortile, Brunello di Montalcino,

Tuscany, Italy 2006 (13.5%)

Elegant, ripe, complex leather, balsamic and wild

berry flavours. Good ripeness and perfume with

sleek acidity giving a tangy quality. Really attractive

and moreish. Shows true class.

Not available in the UK

A repeat of last year’s final taste-off, with Piedmont, Veneto and Tuscany all contending for the grand prize. Similarly echoing 2010, the destination of the Trophy is Brunello, with Tuscan giant Piccini confirming that it is indeed possible to marry quantity with quality. Piccini began to produce and trade wine in Chianti in the late 19th century. Now into the fourth generation of family management, the company is one of Tuscany’s major players. The core business still revolves around Chianti (Piccini bottles about 10% of the total production of the DOCG). In the UK it is best known for its orange-label Chianti, which has received numerous plaudits for its authentic Tuscan character and outstanding value for money.

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