3-Glass-Wines Gambero Rosso

Ramitello is unjustly overshadowed by Contado. Yet it is a potential favourite red wine that perfectly embodies the intensity of southern Molise. Made from 80% Montepulciano and 20% Aglianico, Ramitello matures for around 18 months, partly in barriques and partly in stainless steel tanks, followed by around six months of bottle ageing. In the glass, it has a deep ruby colour with violet reflections. The bouquet is brooding and complex: ripe plum and blackberry combine with spicy notes of leather, liquorice, eucalyptus and a hint of coffee. The palate shows excellent balance: dense fruit, structured, grippy tannins and a long, fruit-accentuated finish that is characterised by tension and naturalness. This wine epitomises the authentic power of Molise – unaffected, terroir-precise and at the same time impressively harmonious. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Rifugio – refuge – tells of underground hiding places where the inhabitants of Salento once protected themselves from danger. Today, an entire area near Veglie bears this name, where particularly high-quality Primitivo grapes thrive on alluvial, clayey soils with limestone deposits. The traditional Conti Zecca winery, owned by the noble family since the 16th century and one of the icons of Apulia with 320 hectares of vineyards, vinifies this single-varietal Primitivo using tried and tested methods: manual harvesting with selection at the sorting table, gentle destemming and pressing, twelve-day maceration at 25 degrees, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Maturation takes place over twelve months in large oak barrels of 30 hectolitres and in resin-sealed concrete tanks, followed by a short period of maturation in the bottle.

The vines are planted where the Piedmont slopes gently at Canelli and the Barbera grape can develop its depth. The name is reminiscent of Cesare Pavese, the great son of these hills – and his most famous work "La Luna e i Falò". Like the novel, this wine also carries a quiet melancholy, paired with expression, maturity and identity. Matured in barriques and large casks for around a year, this is a Barbera full of character and at the same time modern.

A bestseller and classic with a reputation: "Duca Sanfelice" is a flagship for the indigenous Gaglioppo grape variety and demonstrates the expressive wines that can be produced from the sun-kissed hills around Cirò. The Riserva comes from old vines on clayey and calcareous soils, vinified in steel tanks and then matured in stainless steel for 24 months. Deep ruby red in colour. Dark cherry, dried plums, herbs, some liquorice and a hint of tobacco on the nose – spicy and Mediterranean flavours. Dry on the palate, with ripe fruit, pithy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long, powerful and carried by earthy warmth and fine spice.

Bright straw yellow with a greenish tinge, inviting and clear. The grapes for this Gavi come from well-exposed, well-ventilated plots of land that develop an excellent terroir profile through natural cultivation and care. The grapes ripened under the influence of the Mediterranean in the midst of calcareous, sandy soils – a combination that gives Cortese its fine minerality and aromatic finesse. Delicate aromas of exotic fruit, pear, citrus and delicate elderflower honey unfold on the nose, underpinned by a subtle hint of almond kernel and white pepper. On the palate, the wine surprises with lively freshness and harmonious tension – precise, mineral, with a fine texture and a clean, long-lasting, fruity finish. A Gavi that conveys origin and elegance just as clearly as modernity and pleasure. SUPERIORE.DE

Giravolta – a name with a history. This was the name of the racehorse that once galloped across the Pozzopalo stud farm and always turned round abruptly in front of the old tuff quarry. This "U-turn" gave the wine its name, but it is the terra bianca, the white earth, that characterises it. While the basic Primitivo comes from the Terra Rossa, the Giravolta grows on calcareous, white soil, created by the breaking up of limestone. The tuffy, stony composition ensures rapid water drainage, but the porous stones also store moisture for the roots.

Intense ruby red, persistent, fruity bouquet with notes of wild berries, violets, cloves and cinnamon as well as sweet tobacco flavours. Rich and velvety on the palate, with an abundance of ripe red fruit and tactile mineral tones, complemented by a hint of sage. The lively acidity provides balance. On the finish, the spicy tones merge with a pleasant fruity flavour. An unbeatable wine every year at a very attractive price! SUPERIORE.DE

For over three decades, this Salice Salentino Riserva has been the undisputed flagship of Cantine Due Palme – and a wine that proves year after year that greatness and a co-operative structure need not be a contradiction in terms. The Tre Bicchieri of the Gambero Rosso? For Selvarossa, this has long been a subscription. No other Apulian red wine has won this top award so consistently, and at a price-pleasure ratio that even cuvées four times more expensive regularly fail to achieve. The story of Selvarossa begins shortly after the turn of the millennium, when Angelo Maci – fourth generation of an old winemaking family and founder of Due Palme – realised his vision of uncompromising quality production. What began in 1989 with fifteen members now unites over a thousand winegrowers who together cultivate 2,500 hectares of vineyards in the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto. The name Selvarossa – "red forest" – refers to the characteristic red-coloured, clayey soils around Cellino San Marco, rich in minerals, graphite and iron oxides, which give the terroir its unmistakable character.

Only 1.5 kilometres separate the vineyards of Capitel Croce and Foscarino – but geologically they are worlds apart. While Foscarino is rooted in volcanic rock, Croce is enthroned on the pure limestone of the Zoppega hill. "Croce like Calcareo", Roberto likes to say as a mnemonic. Here, in the highest areas of his estate, perhaps his most uncompromising wine has been growing since 1982: 100 per cent Garganega, matured for eight months in old Allier barriques. What makes this wine so exceptional is not just its origin, but Roberto's radical approach: only 45 hectolitres per hectare, late selective harvest with up to twelve passes until only the most perfect berries remain. Fermentation takes place directly in barriques, allowing fruit and wood to merge right from the start.

A Sangiovese cru that demonstrates the philosophy of single-vineyard viticulture to perfection. Sergio Zingarelli and his team recognised early on the extraordinary potential of the clay-dominated soils of Sant'Alfonso – plots with minimal skeleton content, which create the ideal conditions for concentrated, aromatically complex wines. Sangiovese clones were specifically cultivated here, which harmonise with the clay-rich structures and develop the highest phenol concentrations.

Here is one of the most beautiful interpretations of the white Carricante grape variety, matured for six months on the fine lees. Alta Mora Bianco comes from vineyards on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, where Carricante vines thrive at an altitude of 600 to 900 metres – directly on volcanic rock that is rich in minerals and ash. The cool altitude, combined with intense sunlight and strong day-night fluctuations, characterises this wine with an unmistakable freshness, structure and salty tension. The wine is matured purely in stainless steel in order to bring the purity of the grape variety and the terroir unadulterated into the glass.

Alta Mora Rosso is a blend of fruit from the Verzella, Solicchiata, Feudo di Mezzo and Guardiola vineyards, which lie between 650 and 900 metres above sea level. Light, brightening garnet colour, very clear bouquet with pronounced fresh fruit notes of berries, rhubarb and mocha. Elegant on the palate with well-balanced power, supple tannins, juicy, persistent and long. Finishes with a beautiful tension and ends with lingering notes of dried strawberries and citrus fruits. SUPERIORE.DE

Greenish straw yellow in the glass. Peach and apricot dominate the nose when young, with an interesting minerality and depth added as the wine matures. On the palate, the wine correlates beautifully with the aroma, with an invigorating acidity and freshness that makes it dance with vigour. Ideal with starters, savoury first courses, spicy fish and delicate white meat. SUPERIORE.DE

"Il Repertorio" - "The Register". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary.

Saia is the pride and joy of Feudo Maccari – a Nero d'Avola from old bush vines rooted in the barren, chalky soils around Noto. The name refers to the ancient Arab irrigation channels of Sicily – a symbol of lifelines in a sun-scorched landscape. This wine is also an expression of origin, patience and resilience: a Nero d'Avola that could hardly be more purist and powerful. The vines are on average 35 to 45 years old and are trained in Alberello, which reduces yields but maximises concentration and depth. After selective manual harvesting, fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in steel, after which the wine matures for twelve months in French barriques. This careful vinification preserves the balance between structure, maturity and freshness.

The name Mare Antico (ancient sea) is a tribute to the marine fossils and shells found in the soils of Orvieto. It is a beautiful blend of 55% Grechetto, 20% Vermentino, 20% Chardonnay and 5% Procanico and is the house's flagship wine every year.

"Fruit that bears richly" ... the meaning of the name. Sciala evokes images of golden grapes in the warm light of the Gallura autumn. Here, millennia-old memories and modern precision come together to create a Vermentino that is considered the style-defining work (not only) of Surrau. The 2024 vintage in Gallura was strong in character and balanced at the same time – characterised by plenty of warmth from the sun, yet plenty of cooling sea air and the exposed altitude ensured concentrated fruit and aromatic elegance. In combination with a late, selective harvest, this beautiful vintage marks a highly lively expression between strength and finesse.

Monte Carbonare comes from red volcanic iron soils with plenty of black basalt in the centre. Six hectares of 60-70 year old vines in cooler sites, which continue to rise to the crème de la crème of the top sites as the climate warms. A richer wine than the younger Classico, but without the same cheeky vitality. While the Classico is an unbeatable everyday wine, the Monte Carbonare is a complex wine that demands food and a little more contemplation. Mirabelle plum, apricot pit, a hint of dried mango and plenty of smoky, sharp mineral grip, with dutiful freshness that brings wonderful length. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine that made history. When the first vintage of La Selvanella Riserva was presented in 1969, it was a revolution in Chianti Classico – the very first cru from a single vineyard in the entire region. Today, over 50 years later, this Sangiovese classic is still regarded as a benchmark for the elegance and purity of the Radda terroirs. The 50 hectares of the La Selvanella vineyard sit at an altitude of 350 to 550 metres above Radda in Chianti in one of the most privileged positions in the entire region. Wines of exceptional structure and lively acidity are produced here. The perfect south-west exposure and the temperate continental climate create ideal conditions for the capricious Sangiovese to develop its full aromatic complexity.

Castello della Sala, located not far from Orvieto at an altitude of 500 metres, produces excellent wines without exception, as the inexpensive "entry-level wine" San Giovanni della Sala proves. The wine is produced in the vineyards of the ancient castle of Castello della Sala from the combination of the indigenous grape varieties Grechetto and Procanico with Pinot Bianco and Viognier and interprets the Orvieto Classico in a new style. Its freshness, richness and balance are remarkable, with notes of yellow flowers, green apple, sage and ginger. On the palate, an incredibly silky texture and juicy acidity guide this juicy white wine into a beautiful, mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Prosecco del Fondatore Graziano Merotto is the winery's flagship wine – certainly one of the best of its denomination – and a very dry and complex brut from the special slopes of the Rive di Col San Martino. Bright silver-grey with a persistent perlage. Light fruit and flowers on the nose, a fine citrus note on the palate introduces the finesse-rich, exciting mineral flavour with an impressive finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The Serpara is elegant, intense and long-lasting every year. Its grapes come from a single vineyard and the wine matures in a combination of new and used French Allier oak barrels. In the glass, it exudes aromas of blackberries, tobacco, sage, thyme and a hint of smoked meat. It has a soft, almost creamy texture and juicy acids that keep the balance, while ripe black fruits and minerals move effortlessly across the palate. The bold tannins make their presence felt on the final, but are more of an accent that frames the experience well, while hints of dark chocolate and balsamic spices slowly fade away. SUPERIORE.DE

"This wine comes from my family's historic vineyard. It is a wine that is the result of long reflection, study and experimentation, where nothing has been left to chance: Monte Grande is to be my great Soave wine." Graziano Prà