Liberty Wines has signed two southern Italian estates, Quintodecimo and Bella-Colonna, expanding a portfolio that already includes Mandrarossa, Donnafugata and Mecori.

The move tracks a shift in UK trade demand. Buyers increasingly look past the big-name regions of Barolo, Brunello and Chianti Classico toward southern Italy, and Liberty is positioning its list to capture that spend.

Who is behind the new producers?

Quintodecimo belongs to Professor Luigi Moio, a leading academic in oenology and aromatics, and his wife Laura. The couple bought the Mirabella Eclano estate in 2001, in the heart of Taurasi. The property now covers 40 hectares of clay and volcanic soils.

The estate farms organically and works with classic southern varieties: Aglianico, Greco, Falanghina and Fiano. The stated aim is elegance and texture, pushing these grapes beyond their usual commercial register.

Bella-Colonna is the work of Marco de Grazia, best known for Tenuta delle Terre Nere on Etna, most of which he sold in 2025. He retained prime parcels around Contrada Calderara Sottana on the volcano's northern slopes, including the eponymous Bella Colonna plot.

The wines come from white Carricante and red Nerello Mascalese, grown between 600 and 900 metres. Altitude and volcanic soils define the range.

What does the deal mean for Liberty's list?

For on-trade buyers, the additions deepen Liberty's coverage of premium southern Italian categories where allocations are tight and pricing power sits with the producer. Campania's Taurasi and Etna's contrada wines both carry strong restaurant demand in the UK.

Nicholas Moschi, director of buying at Liberty, said: "For nearly 30 years, we have championed the quality, diversity and regionality of Italian wine and were honoured to be named Italy Specialist of the Year for a record 23rd time at the 2026 IWC Industry Awards last month.

"We are thrilled to be working with Professor Luigi Moio and Marco de Grazia, both of whom share our passion for highly distinctive wines from native varieties with an authentic sense of place. Quintodecimo and Bella-Colonna… will bring real excitement to our customers' wine lists."

What happens next?

The wines move into Liberty's UK distribution pipeline, giving operators access to two small-production estates with established reputations. Further listings from southern Italy are a reasonable expectation as the importer continues to build around native varieties and regional identity.