Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso. ‘Tenuta Ca’ Vescovo’. 2006

Compared to last week’s truly dreadful bottle, even a can of paint would’ve been favourably reviewed this week, but thankfully this is wine that re-establishes confidence.

(Luckily that amusing little non-drip white gloss comes off the wine list and this takes its place. Good wine – click on the headline title above for the full story – with pictures !)

Est ! Est !! Est !!! Bigi. 2007

This isn’t some vicious blend of industrial alcohol and grape concentrate that’ll keep you up all night with its after-effects. At least it’s drinkable – if there’s nothing else – but it’s a sad, dismal, wine. Oversweet and overrated. A wine made to sell on its reputation alone with scant regard for what’s in the bottle.

(So it was OK then ? Yeah – terrific actually. Read more by clicking on the main headline title above)

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. ‘Tenuta di Testarossa’. Pasetti. 2004

An absolutely superb wine to take us into the Christmas and New Year festivities. Because more special meals are cooked at this time of year than any other, your efforts in the kitchen deserve a really special wine to accompany them – and that’s a good enough reason to go over our usual €10/bottle ‘Everyday Italian Wine’ limit.

A fine finish to the wine-drinking year. Join us for a glass – with pictures – by clicking on the headline title above.