“In my wildest imaginations I would never have guessed that this wine would be so unbelievably impressive. It didn’t take me to long to discover incontrovertible proof as to why Ombrone could work such unexpected wonders on my palate. Its owner/winemaker, Lionel Cousin, is one of the most dedicated men in the business and he learnt his trade from none other than the late, great Henri Jayer (of Vosne-Romanée fame). Arguably the most famous man in the history of modern winemaking, and someone with whom I enjoyed a life-changing dinner with many years ago (the single greatest moment of my career to date), Jayer’s impact on Cousin is embedded into every sip of his wine. Lionel works his entire estate by hand. He has carried tonnes of rock up from the Ombrone river to give better support and drainage to his vines. He planted every single vine by hand and he works between the rows using a horse and plough. He spends hours every day walking through the vines, meticulously pruning his bunches with a pair of nail scissors! He is wholly dedicated to Cupano – this is why his wines are worth their weight in gold.”

Matthew Jukes MatthewJukes.com Money Week