Master of Wine and wine director of Hatch Mansfield

I would like to see the vintage on the front label but otherwise this is a suitably clear and stylish package, although people might not pick up Italia as the brand.

Apart from the slightly high sulphur level, this wine is absolutely as one would expect. It neither excites nor disappoints, being clean, fresh, unoaked, light bodied and dry with a gently spicy flavour. The marked acidity will make it food friendly.

The whole package is very safe and aimed at the conservative female drinker. I don’t think this is really worth £4.99, but it is much better than a similar wine would have been 10 years ago.

Rating out of 25 ­ 17

 

Gary McCall Managing director of Poulter Partners

With the World Cup fast approaching, no points for guessing which of the national teams will look the most elegant ­ the Italians. Unusually, however, for the wine fixture, Italian wines have looked bland and often cheap, which is incongruous with the psyche of this creative nation.

Italia Pinot Grigio will change those perceptions instantly with this understated, elegant and above all confident bottle. Everything about this bottle has been carefully crafted, from the clever labelling to the copy. I particularly like the line full of Italian passion to enjoy with whoever, whenever’ ­ none of the normal best eaten with’ nonsense.

Rating out of 25 ­ 21

 

Carol Du Cann Senior buyer (beers, wines and spirits) at Alldays

An elegant and ‘cool’ looking wine. The bottle shape, the green colour and the minimalist labelling all sit well together. Could this be the brand that Italy has been crying out for? The wine is a pale straw colour, with an attractive nose ­ spicy and perfumed. But then this wine lets itself down on the palate. It seems particularly harsh and acidic. Grigio is not my favourite grape. It does taste better with food, but having had my expectations raised by the bottle, I felt disappointed by the juice itself. So, good presentation, but indifferent wine. The antithesis of what a successful brand is all about.

Rating out of 25 ­ 12

Total score out of 100 ­ 69

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