Imperatori Flo, Frascati DOC 2023 75cl

So Lazio isn’t the classical winemaking mecca that springs to mind when thinking of Italy. There’s no stories of chainsaw-ing your dad’s barrels, or old tales of chickens demarking county lines, like the more famous regions up North. But who needs those when you’ve got a killer winemaker, gorgeous, sympathetically grown native varieties and smoky volcanic soils just half an hour’s drive from Rome? They’ve been making wine here for 2000yrs after all.

Although closely related to the more commonly found Malvasia di Candia, Malvasia Puntinata is more highly acclaimed. It may be more high maintenance, being extremely susceptible to all manner of pests and diseases, but the Puntinata is prized for its inherent racy acidity and with this small plot dating back to 1960.

A very classy palate consists of delicate peach and apricot fruit meandering gently between herbal and almond notes. Exceptional value for money.