Bibenda

Fattoria del Cerro in Acquaviva di Montepulciano is the largest private vineyard in the region with a total area of 600 hectares and 181 hectares of vines – mainly known for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Its Chianti Colli Senesi comes from 20 hectares of vineyards in the Sienese hills and is mainly made from Sangiovese (90 per cent) with Merlot (10 per cent). After manual harvesting, fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with eight to ten days of maceration, followed by three months of ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels.

A Nero d'Avola with style and everyday appeal, made from grapes grown in the province of Caltanissetta (near Lago di Disueri), where clay and limestone soils, combined with significant temperature variations between day and night, lend the wine aromatic depth. In the glass, a rich ruby red with a purplish rim. Aromas of ripe cherries, blueberries, dried herbs and a hint of liquorice. On the palate, it is soft and fruit-forward, with gentle tannins, lively freshness and a smooth, easy-drinking quality. Ageing in stainless steel ensures clarity and varietal character. A very typical and cleanly vinified Nero d'Avola with a Mediterranean character – ideal with pasta, braised vegetables or grilled meat. 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

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 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

Monte Conero drops steeply down to the Adriatic Sea. This striking limestone cliff marks the northernmost boundary where Montepulciano still thrives, as it shields the hills behind it from the cold north-easterly winds that sweep along the coast. The result is a microclimate in which Montepulciano develops an elegance rarely found in the warmer south. Since 1982, the first vintage of San Lorenzo, Umani Ronchi has made this wine the hallmark of this area. Vineyards in Osimo and Ancona, clay-limestone soils, hand-harvested from late September to early October. Ten to twelve days maceration in stainless steel, followed by 18 months in a combination of large wooden casks and used barriques.

Susumaniello nearly disappeared. This ancient grape variety, which grows exclusively in Apulia, had been forgotten by the region's winegrowers for decades – until it was officially authorised for cultivation again in 2003. What followed was not a quiet return, but a minor renaissance: Il Lemos demonstrates why this grape variety deserves to be saved. Vinified as a single variety, macerated and fermented at 20 to 22°C for 10 to 15 days – enough time to fully extract colour and character without sacrificing freshness. Intense violet-red. The bouquet offers ripe fruit, blended with spicy notes of clove and liquorice. On the palate, it is dense and full-bodied, supported by lively acidity and firm, yet never overpowering, tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

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

Salice Salentino is one of the oldest denominazioni in Apulia, recognised in 1976, and is still synonymous with the power of Negroamaro today. The Conti Zecca family, based in Leverano since 1580, cultivate the Tenuta Cantalupi here with its calcareous, iron oxide-rich soils. For the Riserva, 80% Negroamaro and 20% Malvasia Nera are matured in wooden barrels. Deep ruby red in the glass with the first garnet reflections. The bouquet opens with red berries, cloves and a hint of forest floor. Soft and harmonious on the palate, with a dense body, well-integrated tannins and a warm, lingering final. Classic Salice Salentino in its most mature form – structured, but never heavy. SUPERIORE.DE

Zenato has stood for reliable quality from the Veneto region since 1960 – no experiments, but solid craftsmanship over generations. The home of this Valpolicella Superiore is the gentle vineyards in the soft hills of Valpolicella Classica, in the heart of Sant'Ambrogio. Corvina Veronese forms the backbone with 85 per cent, supplemented by Rondinella and Corvinone from the 35 hectares of own vineyards. The grapes are harvested by hand in October, de-stemmed and macerated in stainless steel for ten days before the wine matures for twelve months in large oak barrels.

With 100% Carignano in the glass, Cardanera is a true wine of character – pure, honest and with Sardinian soul. The grapes ripen in the stony, sandy soils of south-west Sardinia under the warm sun and salty sea breeze. After careful hand-picking, the wine is fermented spontaneously and matures for a few months in cement tanks – a combination that preserves depth of flavour and freshness at the same time.

The name sounds familiar, but Araja opens a new chapter in Sardinian red wine culture: a fruity, focussed expression of Sulcis. The cuvée consists of 85% Carignano and 15% Sangiovese (!) and is produced on the red, sandy soils around the coastal area of Porto Pino. Here, the salty sea air characterises the grapes, while the chalky terraces provide structure. After careful fermentation, the wine matures in temperature-controlled stainless steel to preserve its expressiveness.

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

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.

What began in 2004 as a commemorative wine to mark the 50th harvest of Salice Salentino – Leone de Castris has been producing this Apulian classic since 1954 – became an established tradition thanks to its resounding success. Since then, a new vintage of the "50° Vendemmia" has been released every year. A Riserva that demonstrates how Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera find their powerful yet elegant expression on the red soils of Salento. The blend of 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera di Lecce undergoes an 8- to 12-day maceration at a controlled temperature of 20 to 22 degrees following selective harvest, before the wine is aged for twelve months in 30-hectolitre oak barrels. A further six months of bottle ageing round off the wine's development.

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

This powerful blend of Nero d'Avola and Syrah comes from Tenuta Presti e Pegni in Monreale and impressively demonstrates the versatility of Sicilian winemaking. The vineyards thrive at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills behind Palermo, where loamy soils and the Mediterranean microclimate create ideal conditions for international grape varieties. Just ten kilometres from the coast, the vines benefit from the cooling sea breeze, which tempers the heat of the day and ensures balanced ripening. The name Benuara is derived from a small flower that grows near Syracuse – a poetic reference to the southernmost regions of Sicily.

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.

Just the thing for fans of mineral, refreshing white wines: a bright straw-yellow colour with a golden sheen. On the nose, the Frammento (formerly Villa Barbi) opens with notes of green melon, candied lime, fresh mint and wet stone. On the palate, it is streamlined and vertical, with salty notes flanked by yellow stone fruit. It finishes fresh, with good acidity, medium length and a cheeky salty-spicy note. SUPERIORE.DE

Frappato is Sicily's best-kept secret. It is grown on just a few dozen hectares across the whole island – and hardly anywhere is it as impressive as in the red sands of Vittoria. Light, well-aerated soils, with a layer of tuff underneath that regulates the water. A sea breeze, southern sun. Planeta cultivates it in the Mogli vineyard at an altitude of 70 metres, organically, with 4,500 vines per hectare. Seven days' maceration, gentle pressing, ageing in stainless steel.