Before we get onto some very special arrivals from Italy, I would like to comment on the tag ending for this column.

It has changed from only wines from Burrows Lightbourn on Front Street East and Harbour Road Paget, to including Discovery Wines & Spirits that teamed up with Burrows Lightbourn a few years ago.

Probably most of you know that Discovery has a fairly new outlet conveniently located on the corner of Reid and Queen Streets in Hamilton.

At their original location on Bakery Lane in Pembroke, you get more of a feeling of being in a wine warehouse (which it is).

Their temperature-controlled wine area, at about 55F, does not maintain its temperature by running air conditioners set at maximum cool, but by running refrigeration units at minimum power.

Although basic inventories are the same, the four locations do not carry all the wines in the combined portfolio as there is just not enough room.

A phone call to any of them would certainly see to it that you are advised on where to find what you are looking for.

Now to Tuscany and a winery that was the very first in all of Italy to receive a perfect 100-point score from the person who was responsible for developing this 100-point system to evaluate wine, Robert Parker and his Wine Advocate.

In 1984 Rita Tua and her husband Virgilio Bisti bought 33 acres to farm in the hills of Tuscany.

They planted just over four acres of it to merlot and cabernet sauvignon and began to make tiny production “garage wines” or, I believe more correctly, “onologo del garage”. As they farmed organically, passionately and meticulously, their reputation grew, along with their vineyard acres.

The 2021 Tua Rita Palazzetto is the entry level for this estate where some of the early Italian plantings of French varietals took place. It is a blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah. Together they give us scents of dark fruits and herbs that are followed by gentle tannins and quite a long finish. $24.90 (Stock #8807).

Our 2022 Tua Rita Rosso dei Notri blends cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah to give us a deep ruby red colour, with aromas of blackberries, plums and ripe, black cherries along with notes of cocoa, silky tannins and sweet spice. On the palate it is smooth with refreshing acidity followed by a long finish. This would go well with lasagne Bolognese. I cannot see any reviews on this new vintage, but the previous one scored 93/100 with James Suckling. $31.50 (Stock #8806).

The 2018 Tua Rita Lodano, that is a petit verdot and merlot blend, steps things up with 95 points from James Suckling and this description: “A blend of petit verdot and merlot, the Tua Rita 2018 Lodano Rosso is another wine that I had tasted in a preview capacity at the beginning of this year. The wine is seamlessly integrated with dark fruit, blackberry and plum that is rounded off nicely by the smoke and tobacco from French oak and a smaller part of American oak.

“The merlot is sourced from the estate’s celebrated old vines, and a theme of flashy or contemporary concentration and richness is found in this wine and throughout the estate portfolio. This vintage was cool and wet during the spring months but turned much warmer and drier towards the end of the growing season.”

The Wine Advocate comments, “This is one of the best expressions of petit verdot I have tasted in a long time. Drinking window 2022 to 2028.” $54 (Stock #8798).

Our 2019 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri is a bordeaux-style blend that garners 97 points from Parker and Suckling. Parker has this to say: “Lots of dark primary fruit with important structure and texture in this classic vintage. Blackberry and black plum cede to spice, tar and campfire ash. There is nothing not to like in this vintage that far exceeded initial expectations.” $79 (Stock #8805).

By the time we get to the 2020 Tua Rita Per Sempre Syrah I would suspect that you would expect nothing but the best, as this limited, treat sells for $175. Here is James Suckling at 99/100: “Seductive aromas of violets, blackberries, blueberries, flowers and sandalwood. Sophisticated. Full-bodied with superfine tannins and good length. Classy and superb. Such balance. Hints of sweet tobacco and berries at the end. You can drink it now, but it will age for decades.”

Parker’s Wine Advocate tells us, “This new vintage is just terrific because it marries a sunny growing season with a grape like syrah, which thrives in these conditions. The Tua Rita 2020 Syrah Per Sempre embraces juicy, full-bodied fruit with lots of blackberry, plum, sweet spice and campfire ash. Stefano Frascolla deliberately seeks to avoid any eucalyptus or camphor-like overtones. He looks for bold primary fruit instead. This is achieved through fruit ripeness, vineyard care and oak management. Syrah has a short harvest window, so timing is important. The vineyards are planted in marl soils with schistic material that is typical of the mineral-rich hills surrounding Suvereto. The wine goes from barrique to botte for an additional two or three months to stretch its legs. The 2019 vintage is gorgeous, but this expression from 2020 has more power and heft.” (Stock #8804).

Tua Rita has carved out a reputation for being one of the best producers of cabernet and merlot in Tuscany and 2020 Tua Rita Redigaffi is a merlot that has set a standard that is hard to beat.

The Wine Advocate writes, “I tasted this wine a few times over the course of about four months, and it is lovely to see how well it has taken to bottle. The Tua Rita 2020 Redigaffi is the estate's headline wine made with merlot. The bouquet sings with dark fruit, dried apricot, spice, leather and campfire ash. You taste that extra richness and concentration in this full-bodied red. On the palate, Redigaffi is soft and accessible with rich layering and texture.” $260 (Stock #8803).

• This column is a paid-for advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn has stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). Discovery Wines & Spirits stores are located in Hamilton (corner of Queen Street and Reid Street, 232-0090) and Pembroke (Bakery Lane, 296-9463). A selection of wines, beers and spirits is available online at www.wineonline.bm