THE WINES OF ROBERTO CONTERNO, 2023 RELEASES

THE WINES OF ROBERTO CONTERNO CANTINA GIACOMO CONTERNO & AZIENDA VITIVINICOLA NERVI THE 2023 RELEASES EXCLUSIVE TO CORNEY & BARROW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM & HONG KONG

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ROBERTO CONTERNO

INTRODUCTION I have a longer track record of annual visits to Cantina Giacomo Conterno, and since 2018 to Nervi, than any other estates with which we are fortunate to work. I like to feel this brings perspective and understanding. I will try to pass this on through this offer.

With Roberto everything changes, and yet, everything stays the same. I think it is this, that means that should I ever achieve my ambition to write a biography of someone… I would love it to be of Roberto.

I am slightly obsessed with biographies and have been for as long as I can remember. So why would Roberto be a good subject?

Well, my first thoughts are why he would be the opposite – the phone is always going, the brain is always whirring and maybe most problematically, he is always thinking about the future, not the past. The inner drive though is what makes him fascinating to me. How, on the one hand, can he let a wine sit silently for four, five even six years in botti before bottling but at the same time drive on a winery project like he did at Nervi. This is all before the fact that he has done two things I never expected, making a rosé and a sparkling wine…

Moving to this offer, as well as what you would expect - the notes on the wines taken from two tastings and comments on the wineries and vintages - I would like to draw your attention to two particular sections in this offer: When, how and what to drink now – I tweak this each year and it really just draws on my experience with drinking Nebbiolo and Barbera. Any feedback or questions are very welcome.

Monfortino - what’s coming and more interestingly what’s not! In this section I cover the fact there will be no Monfortino in 2017 & 2018 before a possible trio thereafter. The devil is in the detail so please have a read.

Enjoy the offer.

WILL HARGROVE Head of Fine Wine October 2023

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THE ALLOCATION PROCESS We are often asked by customers for guidance on the quantities they should order. Due to the huge increase in demand for these wines over recent years, we will have to allocate / ration all the wines in this offer.

We will do our best to accommodate newer customers, however priority will be given to customers who have supported wines from Cantina Giacomo Conterno over time and Nervi more recently.

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1. Roberto Conterno and Corney & Barrow’s focus is on the private customer and as a consumer rather than a speculator.

2. The wines are bought on the clear understanding that they will be stored and delivered in the UK or Hong Kong only.

3. Should you wish to sell the wine in the future, do please offer Corney & Barrow first refusal, as this will ensure the integrity of secondary market distribution.

May we please have your order by Thursday 26th October.

Confirmation of your order will be through receipt of invoice and the wines will be delivered or put into your reserve on payment. As already outlined, all orders are conditional upon UK storage or Hong Kong delivery only.

May we please request that invoices are settled within the usual terms.

In the interests of being fair, we reserve the right to reallocate your order to other customers on the waiting list if payment is not received by this time. Do please speak to our sales team, who will be delighted to help you further.

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AZIENDA VITIVINICOLA NERVI “Conterno has taken his maniacal attention to detail and the best practices he has developed at his Giacomo Conterno estate in Serralunga and applied them at Nervi. The results speak for themselves.”

ANTONIO GALLONI

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It was so very exciting when we first heard of Roberto Conterno buying Nervi. With Roberto having expanded the great Cantina Giacomo Conterno estate by acquiring a part of the Cerretta vineyard (in 2008) and then Arione (in 2015), he had clearly been on the lookout for opportunities. Those of you who know Roberto will understand that detail is his thing, whether it is in the vineyard, in the winery or adding to the family’s holdings.

Back before 2018 Nervi was very much on my radar, from the two previous occasions I had tasted. Both times I was sufficiently intrigued and impressed to do a write-up on my own blog. I liked the wines very much, but that crucial, human link just wasn’t there just yet.

It is becoming more than something of a cliché these days to say that great wines are “grown and not made” but it is very clearly the case here. The combination of the soils, the aspect, the light and the altitude is something of a perfect storm for the Nebbiolo grape. There are three wines in this offer, all from Nebbiolo. Gattinara 2020 itself is joined by two 2019 single vineyard bottlings – Valferana & Molsino.

Below I have largely repeated our initial text on the history and geography as well as information on the crucial human elements of Nervi as I feel it is crucial to set out the stall clearly on this exciting area and estate.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GATTINARA REGION Azienda Vitivinicola Nervi dates back more than 100 years.

The history of wine in the area goes back even further. The 10th century tower, Torre della Castelle, that still stands prominently above the town (at a similar height to the top of the Molsino vineyard) was built to guard the vineyards. The Valferana vineyard, more about which below, can be traced back to 1242.

In 1787, Thomas Jefferson (remember that name for a new wine mentioned later) stayed at the Hotel “Tre Re” in Vercelli and drank his first Gattinara. The wine made a lasting impression and was the beginning of his passion for Nebbiolo. From the evidence in his journals, it has been deciphered that this wine was most likely a sparkling rosé: “There is a red wine of Nebiule made in this neighbourhood which is very singular. It is about as sweet as the silky Madeira, as astringent on the palate as Bordeaux, as brisk as Champagne. It is a pleasing wine.” Things have moved on since then!

Until the end of the 19th century, Gattinara was held in far higher regard than either Barolo or Barbaresco. Phylloxera ravaged the vineyards, reducing the area from over 600

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CANTINA NERVI

hectares to just over 100. In 1872, a relative of Luigi Nervi’s, Pietro Giovanni Nervi, helped establish Italy’s second oenological research station in Gattinara. The analysis performed at the centre resulted in the 1875 quality classification of North Piemonte’s terroirs. Gattinara was placed first, followed by Lessona, Grignasco, Ghemme, Cossato, Sizzano, Boca and Briona. The head of the research station, Giovanni Battista Cerletti commented: “The best wines of North Piemonte enter into the category of Grands Vins d’Italie and match the great wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, particularly the latter to which the North Piemontese wines are similar. This conclusion is supported by the prices obtained by a good Gattinara or Ghemme.”

Italo, the only son of Margherita and Luigi Nervi, was largely responsible for obtaining the official DOC classification for Gattinara in 1967, with the higher quality DOCG classification obtained in 1990. The wines must contain at least 90% Nebbiolo, known locally as Spanna, with up to 10% Bonarda di Gattinara and no more than 4% Vespolina. Ageing is in oak for a minimum of one year, two years for Riserva, plus two years in bottle.

NERVI A BRIEF HISTORY Azienda Vitivinicola Nervi. Founded by Luigi Nervi in 1906, Nervi is Gattinara’s oldest operating winery. Luigi’s son, Italo, grew the company by purchasing vineyards and expanding their cellars. Italo passed away in 1975, with no direct heirs and left his shares in Nervi to other relatives.

The company was then sold to Germano Bocciolone in 1991, a steel manufacturing entrepreneur, who embarked on a massive investment programme, including a stainless steel vinification plant, 40 new Slavonian oak barrels and the replanting of the Molsino vineyard. His sons sold the majority share to the Astrup family in 2011. Erling Astrup had asked Roberto Conterno for his opinion before buying, and after tasting older vintages, Conterno said it was wholly impossible not to make great wine here.

In April 2018, Roberto Conterno, acquired 90% of Azienda Vitivinicola Nervi. Between early 2019 and mid 2021 Roberto has embarked on and completed a brilliant re-organisation and rebuilding of all the wine making, maturation and cellaring facilities as well as the addition of a new restaurant.

As you would expect it is not just any restaurant – strongly recommended and one hour from Milan Malpensa.

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THE VINEYARDS A series of seismic events has given the area of Gattinara a unique soil structure. 280 million years ago, volcanic rocks were created when the Valsesia super-volcano erupted. Then, when Africa collided with Europe to form Monte Rosa 60 million years ago, these rocks were forced to the surface as gravel. Most of this was washed away over time, except for that of Gattinara’s higher slopes.

This has created a unique mineral-rich terroir. The gravel is rich in iron, manganese, zinc and copper. In addition, the high clay content - paralleled by Serralunga d’Alba and an absence of chalk give rise to acidic soil conditions, perfectly suited to Nebbiolo. Nestled in the foothills of Monte Rosa, the vineyards are protected from northerly winds.

There are currently 28 hectares (ha) under vine: Molsino, at 12ha, is Alto Piemonte’s finest southfacing amphitheatre. 7-8ha would ordinarily be considered for the Vigna Molsino bottling. The altitude is 350-420m.

Valferana is 8ha in size and is particularly high in iron and manganese, up to six times that of other Nebbiolo producing regions. Around 3-4ha would, at the moment, be considered for the Vigna Valferana bottling. The remainder is for the Gattinara. The altitude is 320m.

Garavoglie is 7ha and was replanted in 2015 with thirteen different Spanna (local name for Nebbiolo) clones, ensuring the original Nebbiolo clones of Alto Piemonte remain an integral part of Nervi vineyards.

Casaccie is the last site, at a minute 1ha.

Pruning and harvesting at all sites is carried out by hand.

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INSIDE AZIENDA VITIVINICOLA NERVI

THE WINERY Enrico Fileppo, now ably assisted

by Matteo Gioioso, is the chief oenologist and has been with the winery since 1983.

In the cellar, native yeasts are used. Roberto is incredibly hands-on here, as one would expect. For the single vineyard wines - Vigna Valferana and Vigna Molsino there is gentle destemming and crushing. Fermentation is in truncated conical oak vats, at controlled temperatures.

Maceration lasts three to four weeks. The ageing that follows is for a minimum of 40 months in old wood.

The sizes of the old wood vary up to 76hl; it is an extraordinary cellar. For the Gattinara, similarly, destemming and crushing is very gentle, followed by fermentation, again at controlled temperatures. The ageing here is for 30 months in large old wood.

Large oak casks, or botti, are used for ageing. More than 100 years of wine production have shown that only through a long and controlled ageing process can the high potential of Nebbiolo tannins be transformed into a well-balanced wine. For this reason, in the Nervi cellars, ageing time is lengthened to more than that required by the Gattinara DOCG. The minimum ageing required by the Gattinara DOCG is three years, one of which must be in cask. The wines of Nervi age, as above, for four years, at least two and a half years of which are in oak. This explains Luigi Nervi’s motto: “Nectar in tempore”, which implies that patient ageing in the cellar transforms the Nebbiolo grapes into the precious elixir which made the Roman gods immortal - just in case you were in doubt.

Two other wines are currently produced, the Rosato, which is now joined by a sparkling Nebbiolo called Jefferson – offered for the first time here. The first bottling was the 2017 – miniscule quantities. Sadly 2018 was not much larger. The production is unlikely to ever exceed 2,000 bottles.

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A TIMELINE OF ROBERTO CONTERNO Whilst the acquisition of Nervi (not to mention the addition of the restaurant Cucine Nervi) means Roberto often needs to be in two places at once, there has not been even a moment’s rest at Conterno.

A brief recent history…

2008 – CERRETTA

A new vineyard purchase. Planted with both Nebbiolo and Barbera.

The first addition to the estate since the acquisition of Cascina Francia in 1974.

2015 – ARIONE 14

Another new site, this time planted solely with Nebbiolo. Both Cerretta and Arione are of course in Serralunga so the addition is both logical and coherent. Arione is a south facing (and therefore earlier ripening) extension of Cascina Francia.

2017-2019 – THE SENSORY GLASS (see pages 31) 2019-2021 – COMPLETE RE-BUILDING of NERVI WINERY 2021 – OPENING OF CUCINE NERVI

www.cucinenervi.com

2020-2022 - THE SYMPHONY GLASS – think “sparkling” If one adds to all this the incredible rigour with which Roberto has overhauled the inspection and treatment of corks (the same for both Nervi and Conterno) and the development of the Cantina itself then it really has been an incredible run of projects. He is not finished there either…

There are few places in the wine world where you feel you could literally eat off the floor of the winery. I can’t work out whether the facilities more resemble a car tuning workshop (think Alfa Romeo or AMG) or a monastery. Either way the tranquillity and calm is a wonderful contrast to Roberto’s energy and dynamism.

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MOLSINO

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THE WINES JEFFERSON VINO SPUMANTE DI QUALITA, ROSATO, METODO CLASSICO

Now I have a confession to make – we’ve known about this for some time. In fact, the first time we tried it (preCovid) I was with Adam Brett-Smith and Joe Muller and Roberto disgorged a bottle of it into a bucket.

There were a few experiments and then two years ago we were offered some 2017, so small a quantity that we kept it. Then again last year some 2018, but again a small amount. Roberto has made a 2019 but he is keeping that for now, so we have decided to release the 2017 and 2018 by the single bottle for delivery – clear as mud?

Roberto Conterno is a big fan of quality sparkling wine and Nervi has given him this opportunity. Made from 100% Nebbiolo it does say “Zéro Dosage” but in fact there is around three grams added (as is permitted).

About 85-90% of the fruit for this wine is sourced from outside the estate’s own holdings.

2017 A little tinge of orange to the pink rim, this is floral with tangerine and raspberry fruit and a dry, moreish finish.

Something to enjoy now and over the next year.

Corney & Barrow Score 17+ Recommended drinking from 2023 - 2026 £50 per bottle, in bond UK £63.20 inc VAT per bottle, delivered UK

2018 A little more primary in colour and tighter on the nose this opens out with some time in the glass, the fruit is definitely red with a little sea salt and grey pepper.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+ Recommended drinking from 2023 - 2028 £50 per bottle, in bond UK £63.20 inc VAT per bottle, delivered UK

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GATTINARA 2020

“A very approachable wine” says Roberto.

Super expressive nose of darker red fruit and saline with a little spice behind. The palate is generous and succulent with breadth and balance. The fruit is a little darker in the mouth than the nose suggests – this adds complexity.

The finish is very long with a gorgeous sweetness to the very end. I see no reason for this wine to close down a joy!

Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2028 - 2034+ £315/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £695/Case of 6 magnums, in bond UK £295/Case of 1 double magnum, in bond UK

GATTINARA ‘VIGNA VALFERANA’ 2019

The two Crus – Molsino and Valferana - always enjoy an extra year in bottle before release. This is a little more open than Molsino but that’s more a comparative term. This does not lack for anything, a freshness to the taut dark fruit but a coolness to that fruit’s character.

Contemplative in a very positive sense.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18 Recommended drinking from 2028 - 2035 £595/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £1,295/Case of 6 magnums, in bond UK £490/Case of 1 double magnum, in bond UK

GATTINARA ‘VIGNA MOLSINO’ 2019

This might just re-define Gattinara. Serious and full of richness. There is a depth of darker fruit but with a lift of aromatics and acidity. This is tense and compacted, something that only adds seriousness. The length is excellent and persistent with a salty tang to the ending. Profound.

Corney & Barrow Score 18+ Recommended drinking from 2025 - 2034 £595/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £1,295/Case of 6 magnums, in bond UK £490/Case of 1 double magnum, in bond UK

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MONFORTINO What’s coming and more interestingly what’s not!

So, before moving on to cover the wines offered this year from CANTINA GIACOMO CONTERNO the Monfortino issue needs to be addressed. Last year I said that 2016 is in Piedmont, and much of Europe, lauded as a great vintage.

It is exactly that. Why then was there no Monfortino 2016? I put this to Roberto and the answer is clear.

There is always one botti (large barrel) that is earmarked to be designated as Monfortino and the intention is always to release it as such, unless you get vintages like 2013 and 2014 where the entire crop fits the bill. In the case of 2016 Roberto simply felt that the Monfortino barrel did not stand out as being Monfortino, so it was combined with the Barolo Francia that was released three years ago.

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Well, the bad news for lovers of Monfortino is that this year there is no 2017 and next year there will be no 2018 either, the logic being the same.

So we are in the middle of a trio of “Nonfortinos”. The good news though is the quality of 2019, 2020 and 2021 Nebbiolo is incredibly high.

Tasting Guide Our tasting notes provide full details but, at your request, we have also introduced a clear and simple marking system. We hope these guidelines assist you in your selection. For the benefit of simplicity, wines are scored out of 20. We will often use a range of scores (e.g. 16.5 to 17) to indicate the potential to achieve a higher mark. When a ‘+’ is shown it adds further to that potential. Wines from lesser vintages will, inevitably, show a lower overall score. Wines are judged, in a very broad sense, against their peers. Why? Well, you cannot easily compare a Fiat with a Ferrari, other than they are both cars and have wheels. It is not that different with wine. A score is a summary only. The devil is in the detail, so please focus on the tasting notes and, as always, speak to our sales team.

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BARBERA - 2021 VINTAGE 2021 forms a trilogy, along with the 2019 and 2020 vintages. Lovely growing seasons and good weather in September meaning the grapes could be harvested as desired. These Barberas are not to be missed. I always find it so impressive that the differences between the vineyard show every bit as much in the Barbera wines as in Nebbiolo.

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BARBERA ‘VIGNA CERRETTA’

BARBERA ‘VIGNA FRANCIA’

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2021

A decadence and a crunch at the same time, a little cranberry and rhubarb that then spreads across the palate with a puckering lushness. So stylish but at the same time a little wild and animal yet floral. Quite something.

The world’s leading Barbera…again? I think so. As almost always there is more savoury elements and more depth, some herbs also but a slate-like richness too. If the Cerretta is the extrovert this is more the introvert. A wine of bottomless texture. I love this.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+ Recommended drinking from 2025 - 2030+

Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2026 - 2032+

£345/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£345/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £370/Case of 3 magnums, in bond UK

NEBBIOLO 2020 VINTAGE As alluded to above there isn’t much to split 2019, 2020 and 2021. The 2020 may just be a smidge more opulent and generous in youth.

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NEBBIOLO D’ALBA ‘VIGNA ARIONE’ 2020

From the part of the Arione vineyard that lies outside the commune of Barolo (were it a de-selected part of Arione from within Barolo then it would be a Langhe Nebbiolo).

Bright and lifted with an outrageously attractive aroma.

Fully resplendent and strutting its stuff. Red fruits are combined with some darker ones, a touch of spice and a decadently long finish. If you have a bottle young just you try and keep some – good luck!

Corney & Barrow Score 18+ Recommended drinking from 2026 - 2034+ £895/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

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ARIONE

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NEBBIOLO 2019 VINTAGE It seems a little foolhardy to use the same quote here as last year but it fits. As Aubert de Villaine has said before – “there is no such thing as good vintages or bad vintages, there are just easy vintages and difficult vintages”. It is this concept that brings the great estates to the top of the tree so very regularly.

The difference this year is that 2019 was, relatively speaking, an easy vintage.

Alas, there is only one single vineyard Barolo from the Conterno stable in 2019 as the entirety of the Nebbiolo from Francia in 2019 and what would have been Barolo Arione 2019 are both in Monfortino. This will mean that Monfortino will for the first time in 2019 be the whole of both Francia and Arione. Some Arione made it into Monfortino in 2015 but not all. A new first, then, for this mighty estate.

Back to the matter at hand:

BAROLO ‘CERRETTA’ 2019

The different soil, more clay here, than in Francia/Arione “always makes Cerretta more tannic” says Roberto. This is a decadent, gorgeous, pure yet forceful Barolo. On the nose there is a bit of that show-off character with fruit compressed, then the power packed, but perfectly balanced edge comes in on the palate. This is so Barolo.

Stunning.

Corney & Barrow Score 18 - 18.5 Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2036+ £1,250/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £465/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK £995/Case of 1 double magnum, in bond UK

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WHEN, HOW & WHAT TO DRINK NOW BARBERA In most vintages the Barbera wines drink best at four to nine years of age. They become more savoury over time and continue to age (a 2001 Francia with Roberto was superb and 2008 and 2012 Cerretta recently were both great) but, as you would expect, have a less defined varietal character and energy. The 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages are very good now. As these are unfiltered and Barbera is a thick-skinned grape variety, I would recommend standing the wines up for a few hours and decanting 15-30 minutes before serving. The perfect wine to have at home for when you just want something delicious without breaking the bank and knowing you’ll get a great experience.

BAROLO & NEBBIOLO IN GENERAL

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The warmer vintages drink very well when younger and served a shade cooler (13-14°C). The recent vintages in this bracket are 2007, 2009 and 2011. These are all ready to drink. I recommend continuing to cellar the 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

This is not me telling you what to do. It is my view on how you might approach drinking these wonderful wines. The wines from 2001 and before are ready to drink (according to your taste), though 2001 and 1999 continue to be youthful and are evolving gracefully.

Sediment is less of an issue than with Barbera so I would either allow the wine to breathe standing up with half a glass removed (drunk!) or decant gently before serving.

I far prefer the wine to warm gently and develop aromas in the glass so I, personally, do not advocate extended decanting, although some people do.

BAROLO RISERVA MONFORTINO This is a wine with a vast drinking window, one of the most long-lived of all wines. The youngest vintages that I feel are drinking well now are 1997, 1998 and 2000.

I would never put someone off drinking a younger vintage (especially 2002 because of the link to the 2014) as the enjoyment of watching a wine develop bottle by bottle from youth to full maturity is one of the real joys of wine.

Younger vintages will require more time in the decanter.

I had a very interesting chat with Roberto about the fact that some of the hotter vintages of Nebbiolo oddly (to my mind) seem to have less colour than the longer cooler vintages and he said it is all related to the pigment Malvidin. Malvidin is an O-methylated anthocyanidin so if you fancy exploring this then Google away!

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GLASSWARE The Sensory glass project was first conceived in July 2017 as a result of a discussion between Roberto and Zwiesel Kristallglas. Roberto had been asked by them to design a glass.

This is a project born of Roberto’s fanatical obsession with detail and the desire for his wines (and happily others) to be enjoyed to maximum effect. The glasses are NOT designed as purely a glass for Nebbiolo and/or Barbera but for all wines (with the exception of sparkling (see below!). They are designed to be very light but at the same time sturdier than they may feel or look. They are available in both the UK and Hong Kong. I have been extensively trialling the glass (it’s all part of the service!) over the past years and think it is exceptional. Do not take my word alone for it though – you can see the glass being used more and more around the world.

Symphony - Last year I was delighted to try Roberto’s other new glass – the Symphony – which is designed for sparkling wines. It is a joy and is also available in the UK and Hong Kong. Feel free to order and we will deliver asap.

SENSORY GLASS

SYMPHONY GLASS

£340.50 inc VAT per 6 glasses

£363 inc VAT per 6 glasses

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