Oh dear, it all got a bit out of hand. The wines for this all-Tuscan offer from Mr Wheeler looked so deliciously appealing that rather than taste and write them up on my own, I thought it would be a brilliant wheeze to sample them with guests over Sunday lunch. ‘You twit,’ said Mrs Ray. ‘They’re a bunch of lushes. They’ll drain the lot and never leave.’
‘But they’ll be such a help,’ I said. ‘They know and love their wines and it’ll be fun.’
Well, we were both right. They did indeed drain the lot and didn’t leave until supper, but they were a huge help, knowledgeable and focused. Well, focused until they moved from sweet wine to single malt and then tore into my magnum of kummel.
It helped, of course, that Mr Wheeler’s selection from the Bindi Sergadi family – winemakers in Siena since 1349 – was so darn tasty. There are three estates in the portfolio – I Colli and Mocenni in Chianti Classico and Marcianella in Montepulciano – all overseen by 23rd generation Alessandra Casini Bindi Sergadi and all represented here.
The 2022 I Colli ‘Bindo’ IGT Toscana Bianco (1), a blend of Chardonnay, Malvasia and Trebbiano, is light, fresh and appealing. The perfect aperitif, it also went perfectly with my signature ‘salmon three ways’ starter (homemade gravadlax, potted salmon and smoked salmon pâté, since you ask). ‘Ooh, is there any more?’ asked Jeni. £13.75 down from £14.95.
The 2022 I Colli ‘Achille’ IGT Toscana Rosso (2) is a juicy, brambly blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, vinified and aged in stainless steel for freshness, with just a touch of old oak at the end for texture.
Magazine articles are subscriber-only. Keep reading for just £1 a month
SUBSCRIBE TODAY- Free delivery of the magazine
- Unlimited website and app access
- Subscriber-only newsletters
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in