Il Papavero Prince & King

Save $159 as Il Papavero & the ‘Black Poppy’ join forces in a special Poppy Prince & King pack A right regal delicious duo from Italy for a remarkable $15.99 a bottle.

‘Il Papavero’ (The Poppy) family of wines are regularly among our customers’ favourites. Why? The secret is Italian ‘maestro’ 5th-generation winemaker, Scipione Giuliani, who always captures the essence of the grape – the spirit of Italy – and simply, a delicious drinkability. Today, enjoy 9 bottles of his original poppy red, and 3 of his dark Primitivo.

Launched 20 years ago, and humbly labelled, Il Papavero Rosso has been our most reordered Italian red. It’s a chart-topping favourite, a silken Italian charmer with incomparable versatility. As acclaimed UK wine critic Richard Neill once wrote, "If all table wines tasted this good, no one would leave the table!" Value is second to none.

Every vintage Scipione selects the ripest, most flavoursome grapes from top-performing regions and delivers silky, ripe cherry and red berry fruit. It’s a perfect combination. A great party red with or without food that partners the universe of pasta and pizza dishes effortlessly. It’s ‘Italy in a bottle’ – and is today’s Prince.

King for today is the granddaddy of the ‘Poppy’ group. A pure 90pt Primitivo from a plot of 50-year-old vines. Scipione discovered the vines in Puglia, and after noting the remarkable concentration they yielded, insisted that the grapes be bottled solo.

To match and balance the fruit intensity, he aged the wine in barrel for a few months, lending it mellow roundness and complexity. Il Papavero Primitivo is a weighty red, best served with similarly hearty food – richer pasta dishes, roast meats or pork casserole. It’s also delicious with meats cooked on the barbecue.