Italian Explorer Mixed - Half Dozen

You can depend on Italy to give you a surprise at every turn wine-wise and this case gives you an inkling of what else is out there to discover. We’ve gathered a bunch of varieties here, leading with a Pinot Grigio, but from an ‘out-of-the-way’ place – Alto Adige – right up on the Austrian border. It’s one of the best we’ve encountered and is matched for quality by the Roero Arneis variety from Piemonte, a deliciously fresh but supple white. Your third white is from a lovely winery in the Marché, on the Adriatic coast. The Pecorino grape, named after the sheep that graze (and have a predilection for these grapes), is soft and mellow, a good pairing for a diversity of platters. Segueing into the reds, you’ll enjoy the smooth, easy side of Dolcetto from the north, the rather stronger, rich flavours of a mini-Amarone in the form of the Valpolicella Ripasso, and by no means least, Cabanico, a ripe blend of French Cabernet Sauvignon with Italian Aglianico that has concentration and intensity from the warm southern climate of Basilicata.