Bibenda

Pecorino from Abruzzo – fresh, juicy, with a clear profile. Citrus, yellow apple, white flowers, a hint of Mediterranean herbs and stone fruit on the nose. Lively on the palate, with taut acidity, fine salinity, good tension and a dry, slightly tart finish. The ageing in stainless steel emphasises freshness and varietal typicity. A versatile, straightforward white wine for many occasions – goes well with fish, vegetables, pasta or on its own. Honest, typical, uncomplicated and with its own character. SUPERIORE.DE

Named after an iron-rich cave in the region, this wine symbolises what characterises the Sulcis in southern Sardinia: rough, warm, mineral and yet full of charm – and yet full of charm. The Carignano grapes come from old vines rooted in the calcareous, clayey-sandy soils around Santadi. The Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool nights promotes ripeness and freshness in equal measure. After temperature-controlled fermentation and completed malolactic fermentation, the wine matures traditionally in cement tanks.

Excellent, single-varietal red wine from the ancient southern Italian Nero di Troia grape. Violante impresses with its delicately aromatic, red berry and delicately smoky bouquet. Fresh in flavour, well-structured and beautifully balanced between fruit and acidity, it is a wonderful accompaniment to food and a very good value everyday wine. SUPERIORE.DE

According to Aristotle, the ancient clones of the Greco vine originate from Tessaglia. The most famous of these is the "Aminea Gemina Maior", from which this wine is made. Straw yellow in colour with a greenish tinge, it promises freshness and lightness. A fruity bouquet unfolds on the nose: peach, apricot, citrus fruit and a delicate hint of white flowers – all elegant and inviting. Dry, smooth and balanced on the palate: harmonious fruit, fine acidity and a mineral finish that makes you want to savour the next sip. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the varietal style and aromatic clarity. 100% Greco, organically grown in Molise – a rare and charming grape variety with an expressive character. Note: There is also serious Greco outside Campania. SUPERIORE.DE

The dense, well-articulated Rigoleto made predominantly from organically grown Sangiovese grapes is extremely drinkable. The bouquet beguiles with beautiful aromas of dried plums and dark cherries. Opens with a lively bouquet of wild strawberries, rhubarb, violets and crushed stones. Silky to the touch, Rigoleto has impressive weight yet wonderful energy as a wave of ripe red and blue fruit swirls under the scent of lavender and spice. SUPERIORE.DE

This Montepulciano from the hills of Abruzzo has a classic style and is aged in large oak barrels. Deep ruby red colour with a purple rim. Dark cherries, stewed plums, dried herbs, a hint of leather and fine spice on the nose. Round on the palate, with ripe fruit, polished tannins, well-integrated acidity and a harmonious, spicy finish. A wine full of character and at the same time accessible with a beautiful regional expression – down-to-earth, honest and wonderfully compatible. SUPERIORE.DE

The lily in the name is no coincidence: Flordelis – fleur-de-lis – refers to the coat of arms of the Hohenstaufen family, to whom the winery owes its name. The Rosato comes from a six-hectare vineyard in Maschito at an altitude of 550 metres and shows the modern side of Aglianico. After brief contact with the skins, the noblest must is drawn off by saignée as soon as the typical coral colour is reached. This is followed by cold decanting like a white wine and fermentation at low temperatures with selected yeasts.

A wine of contrasts: Müller-Thurgau (70%) and Gewürztraminer (30%) – typically Nordic grape varieties – find a surprisingly ideal terroir on the slopes of the extinct volcano Monte Vulture. Founded in 1998, the Terre degli Svevi winery near Venosa, named after the Hohenstaufen dynasty and their king Manfred, utilises the volcanic soils and the strong day-night fluctuations to fully exploit the aromatic properties of these varieties. The grapes are harvested by hand at the beginning of September, left briefly on the skins and fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel. Two months of ageing on the lees round off the wine.

Here comes plenty of backbone and maturity: Montetinello comes from older vines on slopes near Monteprandone. Montepulciano and Sangiovese are vinified separately and matured for several months in large wooden barrels – a step that adds structure and complexity. Deep ruby red in the glass with a slight garnet hue. Dark cherry, wild berries, tobacco, laurel and a hint of cedar on the nose. Juicy on the palate, with ripe fruit, a noticeable, well-integrated tannin structure and a fine spicy finish. Balanced, warm and well-structured – a classic Rosso Piceno Superiore with sophistication and depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Full-bodied and yet refreshing – this is Peter Zemmer's Chardonnay from the best vineyards around Kurtinig in the South Tyrolean lowlands. The vines, grafted onto low-growing rootstock and trained using the Guyot system, benefit from the favourable location at the bottom of the valley, ideal sunshine and good ventilation of the grapes. The hand-picked berries macerate on their skins for a few hours in a cool place before pressing – a step that transfers the fruity flavours from the grape skin into the must and intensifies the bouquet. After gentle pressing and natural sedimentation, fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of 19 °C in stainless steel to preserve the fresh fruit character.

A wine with style and substance: Pregio del Conte combines Montepulciano and other local grape varieties from organic cultivation in the estate's best locations. The wine is matured partly in large wooden barrels and partly in barriques – a step that gives the wine depth and structure. Dense ruby red colour with a violet core in the glass. Blackcurrant, cherry, pipe tobacco, herbal spice and a hint of dark chocolate on the nose. Powerful but well-balanced on the palate: ripe tannins, dark fruit, finely dosed wood spice and an elegant length. Pregio del Conte is concentrated and harmonious, with a classic ageing profile and modern appeal – a wine with inner tension and beautiful versatility. SUPERIORE.DE

A Pinot Gris as it finds its most beautiful expression in the South Tyrolean lowlands. Peter Zemmer selects the best grapes for this wine from vineyards on the valley floor and steep slopes around Kurtinig. The special microclimate, the calcareous gravel soils from moraine sediments and the sandy alluvial soils create optimal conditions for this noble Burgundy variety. The "Ora", the warm southerly wind from Lake Garda, ensures perfect aeration of the berries and guarantees healthy, fully ripe harvest. Maturation on the fine lees for several months gives the wine complexity and a creamy mouthfeel.

No winery has characterised Lugana like Zenato. When Sergio Zenato started out in San Benedetto di Lugana in 1960, the appellation was a sleepy corner on the southern shore of Lake Garda. Today, the family winery owns 70 hectares of the best vineyards – a tenth of the entire DOC. The Trebbiano di Lugana grape variety, also known as Turbiana, is rooted here on clayey moraine soils between Peschiera and Desenzano. DNA analyses suggest a relationship with Verdicchio – a debate that is causing a stir among ampelographers. One thing is certain: The 30-year-old vines produce grapes of remarkable complexity. Hand-picked at the end of September, gently pressed, fermented at 16–18°C in stainless steel.

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 country dance (controdanza) is a typical dance in which man and woman face each other and unite in graceful movements - depending on their gender, the dancers interpret the music in their own way. This wine is exactly the same: Nero d'Aola and Merlot - opposites attract and, with the right sensitivity, can harmonise and contrast wonderfully.

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

Here comes one of Italy's favourite rosati: bright salmon pink, with a nose of peach, berries and hints of cherry. The flavourful finish is crisp and fruity. The "Anniversario" comes from vines that are around 50 years old and is the house's top Rosato. It was vinified for the first time in 1993 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Five Roses. SUPERIORE.DE

A Vermentino that could hardly be more Gallurese: On the granite-rich soils of the northern hills of Sardinia, moulded by wind, light and salty sea air, Elibaria matures into a white wine that makes its origins tangible in the glass. The wine is matured puristically in stainless steel tanks and for several months on the fine lees – without wood, without fining, but with maximum precision. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass. The bouquet is characterised by the minerality of the granite: In addition to yellow citrus fruit, ripe peach and apple, notes of sage, sea herbs and a cool stoniness unfold, as only Gallura with its high altitudes and winds can produce. The palate is dense yet light as a feather: taut acidity, a finely salted texture, a hint of almond skin, all carried by vibrant freshness and a tactile minerality that is almost reminiscent of wet rock. The finish is long, crystal clear and dry, with a fine echo of the coastal air. A true Sardinian speciality. SUPERIORE.DE

Steep slopes, barren limestone, untamed nature – the Monti Garbi above Mezzane di Sotto are not pleasing wine country. When the Castagnedi brothers opened up these rugged heights in 1989, people in eastern Valpolicella were still focussing on quantity. They focussed on character. The grapes are harvested by hand and gently pressed. In October, the young wine undergoes its second birth: re-fermentation on the pomace of the estate's own Amarone – ripasso in the original sense. Malolactic fermentation and ageing in Liters tonneaux lend depth without heaviness. Ruby red in colour, juicy and enveloping, infused with a spicy freshness that owes its signature to the chalky white skeletal soils. Great value! SUPERIORE.DE

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.