DECANTER PRESENTS... Avignonesi
Join us for vertical tastings of Poggetto di Sopra, Avignonesi’s single-vineyard Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and its iconic SuperTuscan, Desiderio.
Tuscany is coming to London. This June, Avignonesi, established in 1974, will showcase the diversity of this great region with four vintages each of its two flagship wines, one based on Sangiovese, the other on Merlot.
This will be a rare opportunity to taste the wines with detailed explanation from Avignonesi winemaker Alessio Gorini and expert discussion from Andy Howard MW. The first half of the tasting will be dedicated to Poggetto di Sopra, Avigonesi’s single-vineyard Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and part of the producer’s mission to highlight terroir expression in the region.
Following this, guests will taste four vintages of Avignonesi’s 100% Merlot, Desiderio, offering a taste of how international varieties flourish in the region alongside indigenous grapes.
Date:
Wednesday 18 June 2025
Location:
Decanter Tasting Suite, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington, W2 6JR
Timings:
18:30 - Welcome drinks
19:00 - Guided tasting begins
20:30 - Tasting ends
Price:
£49 per person
THE WINES
First Flight
- Poggetto di Sopra, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015
- Poggetto di Sopra, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2017
- Poggetto di Sopra, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2019
- Poggetto di Sopra, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021
Second Flight
- Desiderio, Toscana 2014
- Desiderio, Toscana 2016
- Desiderio, Toscana 2018
- Desiderio, Toscana 2020
THE HOSTS
Alessio Gorini
Winemaker & Chief Operating Officer
Alessio Gorini is the chief operating officer of Avignonesi, Italy’s largest biodynamic winery. Raised in Tuscany, Gorini began his career in the restaurant industry before studying oenology in Florence, Bordeaux and Burgundy. He refined his winemaking skills in Languedoc, where he helped convert an estate to biodynamic farming. Since joining Avignonesi in 2014, Gorini has championed sustainable viticulture, becoming COO in 2019.
Guided by a vision of stewardship, he works to produce authentic wines that reflect their land and vintage.
Andy Howard MW
Co-Host, Decanter Contributor & Master of Wine
Andy Howard is a Master of Wine and runs his own consultancy business, Vinetrades Ltd. He previously worked for Marks & Spencer as a buyer for over 30 years.
Andy is a Contributing Editor at Decanter and is the UK retail specialist for Jancisrobinson.com.
Andy judges at many wine competitions, including the Decanter World Wine Awards, where he has served as Regional Chair for Central Italy since 2019.
Andy also acts as a wine communicator, educator and consultant, and holds several positions at the Institute of Masters of Wine.
