RedHeads R’dotto Royale 2021 is named after Venice’s 18th century gambling house, R’dotto. This is another beguiling blend from Laithwaite’s favourites – RedHeads. Five Italian varieties are featured – Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Sagrantino and Barbera. Ruby, rich and seductive, with black cherry, sumac, redcurrant, greengage, raspberry and cola. Acidity is juicy, and there is a delicious tar to the tannins, which show a bitter dark chocolate edge. This is both velvetty and characterful, quite a difficult trick to pull off. Some mocha and a bit more spice. 91pts

RedHeads Esulé 2015 – is a wine that received 95pts from Hallidays for their 2013 edition. From McLaren Vale, and, unusually for the region, leading with a Cabernet Franc component (52%) over Cabernet Sauvignon. It has the funky, smoky signature of Franc on the nose, with the pomegranete, bramble, damson, rosehip, vanilla and floral notes of violet and lavender. Medium bodied, with a tension and balance between acidity, supple tannin and ripe fruit. Some pretty big oak (50% new) character. The Cab Sav fills the edges with a herbal mint and eucalypt expression, and the wine has a fairly tight structure. Towards the finish it loses direction though and the ending is not as long as you’d expect from the bright start. 91pts

We finished the box with a La Fonte d’Oro 2020, a southern italian wine from Puglia. Leading with Negroamaro and also with some Primitivo in the mix. Made in a style of an Amarone with the grapes dried for two weeks to concentrate the flavours. It is a densely packed wine, inkily dark and rich. Blackberry, fruit cake, chocolate, cranberry, cinnamon and nutmeg on the nose. Inviting and warm on the palate, with plenty of toasty oak notes, an earthy minerality, a balm-like texture, and layers of sweet and savoury flavours to discover. You could definitely decant this for maximum enjoyment. 92pts