Buy Wine directly from the maker in the UK

James has worked in the Wine industry for several years with UK Merchants and Importers and meeting Wine Producers all over the world and is also credited with introducing several very fine wines to the UK. Most notably James introduced the fine wines of Beconcini in San Miniato near Pisa in Italy to the UK. The stories behind the wines James' pallet sources are highly unique: IxE, or X marks the spot, holds a fabulous story of a Spanish Temprilliano vine planted on the Beconcini Estate in northern Italy. As the Pilgrimsof the middle ages passed directly through the Beconcini Estate it is highly likely that this finest of Italian wines was planted by Pilgrims progressing to Rome from Santiago in Spain along the path of St James'. Leonardo, Pietros son set about learning as much about this grape as possible and was so convinced by its variety that he planted up an additional 5 hectares on his 12 hectare estate.
Best enjoyed with a very mature Peccorino cheese or a wild boar stew lasagne. Grown on gentle south, south west and south east slopes, this land was ancient seabed so the soil, white clay with sand beneath for excellent drainage, is also highly rich in minerals from thousands and thousands of years ago.
To get the best out of buying wines directly, import in a group, friends, family neighbours, this helps to keep shipping costs down, the more you purchase the cheaper it gets. Again please note, importing more than 24 bottles into the UK must be declared for taxation.
 

This is the Pilgrims direction post running through the Pietro Beconccini Estate in northern Italy. And Leonardo Beconcini in his cellar with his superb collection of wines.

This is the story of the Spanish grape doing rather well in northern Italy as relayed to me by Leonardo over a luncheon tasting in 2010 with Leonardo and his lovely wife Eva whom we consider friends.......'Leonardo’s father hated this mystery grape as it ripened much quicker than his beloved Sangiovese and as he harvested and vinified everything together – very normal practice until surprisingly recently – he felt it added a raisiny character that marred his wine. Local experts scratched their heads, but were none the wiser. It was not until 2004, when the great Professor Attillio Scienza, of Milan University, took some samples away for DNA testing that the truth became known. Astonishingly this mystery vine turned out to be Tempranillo – Spain’s most famous grape.'

Our favourite Wine recently, IxE can be purchased directly from Leonardo and Eva. You are allowed to import up to 2 cases, 24 bottles. If you order more than 24 bottles YOU MUST declare the wine for tax purposes. By offering wines directly from the producer, (can there be a better way to buy wine?) you get to enjoy these extroadinarily fine wines at ex-cllar prices usually only open to the Importer. By the time several middle men are factored in the price you pay in th Supermarket or Wine Mechants is several light years from the Wine Producers original prices.

Deep rich intense and vibrant colour, deep black cherry – near opaque.
The nose is rich, fragrant, lifted and vibrant with real richness, herbal, earth and chalk mineral notes together with black cherry, kirsch, leather and a touch of chocolate. It is absolutely sumptious. This is a terrific wine that feels as though it has been made purely in the vineyard and not the winery, it is balanced and not forced or overworked at all and is more mineral and the oak is in a more supporting role than is normal in Spain – 90% Tempranillo 10% Sangiovese. 91/100 points.

Leonardo and Eva also produce the finest Olive Oil I have ever tatsed, sold at jolly gorgeous in Brighton, England. Please note jolly gorgeous do not sell wine; we do not sell wine in the UK, we simply connect you with the producers we love producing the finest wines available and not widely available in the UK.