Bergaglio Sassaia Monferrato Rosso 2007, Piedmont (₤18.60 Symposium Wines)
Oh so nearly… This combines the ripe plummy blackcurrant of Cabernet Sauvignon with the awkward herbiness, rose petal and tar of Nebbiolo and friendly blackberry edge of Barbera, but then the flashy vanilla sheen of oak intrudes and takes away much of the pleasure, and it doesn’t seem to dissipate with time. Good, but could have been so much better. B+

San Felice Brunello di Montalcino Campogiovanni 2006, Tuscany (£25-£30 Rannoch Scott Wines, Noel Young, Halifax Wine Company, All About Wine, Bakers & Larners of Holt, Blanco & Gomez)
Laid-back and immensely classy wine, confident enough to be gentle, but still with a beast-like core. Lovely earthy style, with notes of tar, cola, undergrowth, bramble, berry, balsamic vinegar and more, slightly gruff tannins, but they make it all the more appealing. G

Miopasso Primitivo 2009, Puglia (£8.99 Field & Fawcett, Last Drop Wines, Mill Hill Wines, SH Jones, Whitebridge Wines, Trina’s Wines, Wines of the World)
Boisterous brambly style, like you wish Zin was, but seldom is, lovely honest wine with spicy, earthy, herby notes to the joyous blackberry and loganberry flavours and a juicy savoury finish. S-

Piccini Memoro Vino Rosso d’Italia NV (£9.49 Tesco)
Reasonable ripe blackberry, cherry and plum flavours, but there’s that shrivelled character of overripeness, plus an overcoat of rather crude, rubbery vanilla oak that dominates the wine. C(+)