The April issue of Decanter magazine has a great feature on Italy's 50 greatest wines

- and I was thrilled to see Cepparello, Isole e Olena at No. 6.

Isole e Olena, run by Paolo de Marchi, has seen a dramatic rise in quality over the last few decades. Paolo's family, originally from Piedmont, purchased the estate in the 1960s. His attention to detail in both the vineyard and the winery was the driving force that turned quality around. Experience working a vintage or two in California helped, but no doubt the input received from oenological consultant Donato Lanati has also been of significance.

The wines have Cepparello at their head - "what Isole e Olena is all about" - a barrique-aged Sangiovese classified as an IGT - because at the time of it's creation in the 1980s a wine comprising 100% Sangiovese could not legally be labelled as Chianti.

Isole e Olena is justly recognised as one of the top Chianti estates. Paolo and his team work incredibly hard to make fabulous wines (well, in my humble opinion!), so it is great to see them rewarded with an award like this.

Isole e Olena weren't the only wines from our wine list to score big. Felsina Rancia Riserva, Chianti Classico and Pieropan la Rocca, Soave Classico Superiore were also both in the top half of the list with multiple nominations from the judges. Flaccianello della Pieve IGT, Fontodi and ‘Bucerchiale' Chianti Rufina Riserva, Selvapiana were alos in the list with single nominations from individual judges.

All in all, not a bad tally. Looks like our Italian section is starting to rock!