Let us set the stage today by thinking, like many folks, that we must give some consideration to our wine budget. Even though I am retired, our household still has the ingrained habit of enjoying wines in three categories that are Monday to Thursday evenings, weekends, and those for special occasions.

To keep it simple we will stay in Tuscany and only consider reds, as they account for 90 per cent of all wine from this ancient area.

Chianti has gone through significant changes, in fact if we had invited you for dinner a thousand years ago and served wine from this area it would have been white.

If we had done so in 1975, when I first became involved with wine, the law would have stipulated that 70 per cent of the grapes in the bottle had to be red Sangiovese, with the rest being white, and of course the bottles would have been squat and covered in straw (called a fiasco).

It was not until 1996 that the white requirement was dropped and almost more shockingly, up to 15 per cent “foreign grapes” could be used, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

2021 Piccini Chianti does not have the Classico designation and the more stringent rules of production, ageing, and so on. It is not a Classico Reserva, and certainly not the very new Classico Gran Selezione.

Just an honest and very quaffable Chianti that is yours for $17.30. It is a deep, ruby red with an intense fragrance of mature red fruit and is well-structured and smooth with soft tannins and distinct notes of red fruit.

It pairs   with a wide variety of foods, from first course dishes and hearty soups to roasts and pizza. Although this family certainly offers a wide range, thank heavens they still offer us a quite lovely bottle at this price. Stock #7961.

Now if you are like my friends the Empsons, mentioned last week, and you may not want to be tied to the Chianti regulations, you can just offer us a “Super Tuscan'' where you are free to choose grape types and the percentages used in the mix. You think up a name, and in their case, it is 2018 Monte Antico, and at $19.00 it makes a member of this relatively new class of Tuscan wine a good midweek treat.

This is a food-friendly red with all the classic Tuscan seductiveness including delicious fruit, velvety, extract-fraught texture, and full body.

Dark ruby in colour, its bouquet of leather, earth, herbs, black cherries, liquorice, and plums is confirmed on the medium to full-bodied palate.

The blend is 85 per cent Sangiovese, 10 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 per cent Merlot. James Suckling rates it 91 points and writes, “blackberry, blueberry and crushed-stone aromas follow through to a medium-bodied palate with slightly chewy tannins and dried lemon rind on the finish. Tangy and delicious”. Stock #9055.

It is now Friday, and I am thinking of the 2021 Campogiovanni Rosso di Montalcino which is a wine made by the same winery that gives us Brunello. It is not really correct to think of this as a baby Brunello, although it is from vineyards in the same appellation and uses only Sangiovese grapes, like its big brother.

Production laws differ as well, such as Brunello requiring at least five years in wood before release and Rosso one year.

The site Vinous Media tells us this. “Black raspberries, exotic spices, sage, and cloves make the 2021 Rosso di Montalcino a total pleasure on the nose. It's silky and refined with cooling mineral tones and ripe red and blue fruits that easily wash across the palate. This takes on a savoury edge through the finish, with tart raspberry and brown spice that linger through the lightly structured finale. I love the contrasts and early appeal of this darkly alluring Rosso”. The very talented winemaker has been our house guest in Bermuda. $29.50. Stock #8973.

Now we will go down to the Tuscan coast called Maremma where I am sure you remember that large cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, sinking right on the shoreline in September of 2013. Here we can find Jacopo Biondi Santi 2020 Castello di Montepo “Sassoalloro” from the family that are credited with the “invention” of Brunello. This 100% Sangiovese opens their door to us with a “weekend price” of $29.20 (their Brunello ranges from $235.00 to $650.00). It presents with a brilliant ruby colour, a nose of red fruits and hints of violet, and a palate of remarkable elegance, roundness, and equilibrium that provides a robust flavour that elevates any meal and adds a touch of classic Tuscan charm. Stock #8787.

Two special wines will show you exactly what heights Chianti has risen to. Here is the opinion of James Suckling regarding 2020 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Reserva. “Attractive aromas of ripe cherries, dried strawberries, dried orange peel, spices, and crushed stones, following through to a medium to full body with compact tannins that are firm and finely grained. Smooth and textured with vivid fruit underneath and a lingering finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. 94/100”.

Recently I came quite close to uncorking a bottle of our own 2015 that placed third overall on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines in 2018 with a score of 96/100. $44.90. Stock #8966.

In a further move to reach for the stars with Chianti a brand-new level and category was established just ten years ago.

You should try our 2019 San Felice Chianti Classico Gran Selezione “Il Grigio”.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate tells us that, “the San Felice 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Grigio (made with 80 per cent Sangiovese and 20 per cent complementary indigenous grapes) stands out due to its velvety richness and expressive flavour profile. The wine delivers measured intensity with bright purple and black fruits, a good sense of energy and drive, and some lingering spiciness on the close. It is rich but not heavy. 95/100”.

Those indigenous grapes are Pugnitello, Malvasia Nera, Ciliegiolo, Mazzese and Abrusco. I do not think that anyone works harder to find and preserve endangered ancient vines than San Felice. $44.00. Stock #8972.

• This column is a paid-for advertorial for Burrows, Lightbourn Ltd. and Discovery Wines & Spirits written by Michael Robinson. He can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm. The Burrows Lightbourn retail store is located Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). Discovery Wines & Spirits stores are in Hamilton (Corner of Queen & Reid Street, 232-0090) and Pembroke (Bakery Lane, 296-9463). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits are available online at discoverywines.bm