Bibenda

Some of the Malvasia vines at Raccaro are among the oldest on the estate – up to fifty years old, planted on the gentle hills at the foot of Monte Quarin, rooted in the "Ponca" soil typical of the Collio region, a stony, mineral-rich flysch soil. When these vines were planted, Malvasia was still considered a little-appreciated variety outside the Collio and the Trieste area – an early, forward-thinking decision in favour of a grape variety that has since become one of the region’s hallmarks. The grapes are gently processed in a membrane press, the must is cold-settled, followed by fermentation at a controlled temperature of 18 to 19°C in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then left to rest on its fine lees for six months before being bottled.

Arnaldo Caprais Montefalco Rosso Riserva shows how much depth and complexity can be achieved with this combination of local varieties. The wine is intense and particularly concentrated thanks to ripe fruit and careful oak ageing. You can feel the power of the Sagrantino tannins, but this power is well measured and under control. With its dark and crunchy fruit, this is a wine that initially makes you bite your teeth out, but which becomes increasingly elegant as it matures in the bottle. SUPERIORE.DE

When Roberto Anselmi talks about his sweet wines, his eyes light up in a different way. Here, the rebel suddenly becomes a traditionalist – for I Capitelli embodies the centuries-old Venetian art of crafting golden nectar from dried grapes. Yet whilst others seek at least DOC status for their Recioto di Soave, Roberto once again breaks all the rules: his Passito is simply a "Vino Bianco" – a table wine. The most radical form of protest.

The first 1,850 Pinot Noir vines were brought to Italy from Burgundy by Count Vistarino back in 1865. Since then, the vinification of this demanding grape variety has been continuously refined over the generations. Today, the Pinot Noirs from the winegrowing dynasty can even outshine much more expensive Pinot Noirs from Burgundy at international tastings. Tavernetto is the estate's third cru, named after the 1.71-hectare vineyard where the grapes grow magnificently at an altitude of 250 metres to 325 metres and a south-southeast exposure. It is considered the most balanced of the Tenuta's vineyards, with the most evenly positive results. The calcareous subsoil of the single vineyard is ideal for Pinot Nero, resulting in a top wine of great personality.

High-quality Rosato Spumante made from 100% Pinot Nero. Old pink, almost onion-coloured and with interesting copper reflections. Fine perlage and a fine, creamy foam. The bouquet has a delicate aroma of roses, grapefruit, small red fruits and a hint of yeast. Dry, full, fresh and elegant on the palate. Hints of blackcurrants and wild strawberries, then a consistent tang and a beguiling silkiness. A great alternative to the famous neighbouring region of Franciacorta and a real insider tip for Pinot Noir sparkling lovers. SUPERIORE.DE

Raccaro's philosophy on white wine knows no compromise: stainless steel, and only stainless steel. No barrique ever comes into contact with these wines – a conscious decision that allows the grape variety itself to take centre stage, rather than being overpowered by oak aromas. Nowhere is this approach more evident than in the Vigna del Rolat, the single vineyard plot over fifty years old that gives the wine its name. The vineyard is situated in the Monte Quarin area, in the municipality of Cormòns, in the heart of the Collio Goriziano, at an altitude of 90 metres, facing north-south, on Ponca – the white clay and marl soil characteristic of the region. A light Bora wind, gentle sunshine and the right distance from the sea create a unique microclimate here for this indigenous variety. Guyot training, 5,000 vines per hectare, hand-harvested in the second ten-day period of September. The grapes are gently processed in a membrane press; the must is cold-settled, followed by temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless-steel tanks. After bottling, the wine rests briefly in the bottle – wood is not used at any stage.

"La Procura" - "The Public Prosecutor's Office". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary. The climate in Basilicata is characterised by hot, sunny days and cool nights thanks to altitudes of up to 600 m above sea level. This large day/night temperature difference promotes slow phenolic ripening and preserves the freshness of the fruit. The limestone and clay soils store heat during the day and release it at night, resulting in a balance of concentration and elegance. Notaio's new La Procura Primitivo comes from hand-picked Primitivo grapes in the province of Potenza. Harvested at the end of October, the grapes macerated for 20 days, followed by 12 months of ageing in French barriques and 12 months of bottle ageing.

In 1090, while Leif Erikson was discovering America and the first universities in Europe were being established, two friends of Abbot Rolando paid "two capons, three loaves of bread and six silver denarii from Lucca" for the annual lease of a vineyard in the divine valley of Dievole. Nine hundred (Novecento) years later, in 1990, this wine was created as a reminiscence of the incredible journey through the centuries. The grapes thrive between 300 and 420 metres above sea level on stony soils of marl, limestone and galestro. The vines, which are on average 15 years old and cultivated organically as in the early days of this domain, undergo a 14-day spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in cement vats before maturing for 18 months in large, unroasted French Allier oak barrels.

Natural distillate matured in barriques and small wooden barrels from selected soft vintage marc from Friuli. Distillation with separation of the first and last run in exclusive copper steam stills.

Subtle but tantalising aromas of yellow pear, smoke, citrus and hazelnut lift from the glass, along with a hint of cedar. The flavours continue on the elegantly structured palate, along with citrus peel and a hint of acacia honey. It shows the ageing potential of Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo and is a serious white wine that is suitable not only as an aperitif but also as an accompaniment to an entire meal. Piquant and impressive. SUPERIORE.DE

The organically certified Sangiovese grapes for this Chianti Classico are grown in the legendary Conca d'Oro south of Panzano, that amphitheatrical Golden Valley with its unique microclimate of warm days and cool nights. Giovanni Manetti, president of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, vinifies exclusively hand-picked grapes in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts on the chalky Galestro soils of his 170-hectare Tenuta. After three weeks of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in French oak barrels of various sizes.

A wine of great personality that embodies the entire philosophy of Poggio Bonelli. Poggiassai is the Supertuscan of the house – a modern interpretation of Tuscan winemaking that masterfully combines tradition and innovation. It demonstrates the expertise of a winery that has been honoured over the centuries by the most important noble families in Siena. The vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills around Castelnuovo Berardenga with a perfect south-west exposure. The carefully hand-picked grapes thrive in ideal conditions on these special soils, where sandy subsoils ensure optimum drainage. Strict selection limits the yield to just 50 centners per hectare - a commitment to uncompromising quality.

Zanna comes from old vineyards in the best locations around Controguerra. Temperature-controlled fermentation is followed by around two years of ageing in large oak barrels and barriques. Deep ruby red colour in the glass. Black cherry, dried plums, liquorice, leather, tobacco and spices on the nose. Dense on the palate, with ripe fruit, grippy tannins and a long, slightly balsamic finish. A Riserva with a classic style and great development potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Punggl is a word from the dialect of the South Tyrolean lowlands that refers to a small hill. But this inconspicuous name stands for one of the region's most renowned vineyards: at the foot of the Fennberg, south of Margreid, rises the eponymous hill with its precious alluvial soils of fine sand, silt and clay deposits. Here, where the Mediterranean climate of the warm valley floor meets the thermals of the Alps, the Merlot finds ideal conditions for a ripeness that combines vigour and finesse. From April to October, constant air currents characterise the microclimate of the site. The warm afternoon wind that rises from Lake Garda through the Adige Valley and the cool morning breeze from the north create an interplay that allows the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. The vines, grafted onto low-growing rootstock and trained using the Guyot system, are tended with the utmost care.

Pale pink with orange reflections. Elegant, fine aroma of flowers and roses, small red berries and herbs and the typical bread and yeast flavour. Very supple on the palate, fresh and forward, the acidity is agile and the mousse is soft and fine. A mouthful of red berries and a very broad range of herb and spice flavours are wonderfully enveloped by a fresh acidity that finishes this very long wine with a fruity, tart and salty note. SUPERIORE.DE

In the warm alluvial soils of Gries, where thirty visionary winegrowers laid the foundations for an extraordinary Lagrein tradition in 1908, one of the greatest wines in South Tyrol is still produced today. The Grieser Prestige embodies more than a century of accumulated experience with this indigenous grape variety, which forms the heart of Bolzano's wine culture like no other. Only the choicest grapes from the best vineyards with drastically reduced yields find their way into this Riserva – a selection that begins in the vineyard and is based on the highest quality standards.

The Donna Lisa vineyard is located in the heart of Salice Salentino. The Negroamaro vines are planted in the Pugliese Alberello – the old bush vine training style, which forces each vine to stand on its own. Around 7,000 vines per hectare, on average fifty years old. Those who have been standing in the Salento soil for so long have learnt to make a lot out of a little. Hand-picked at the end of September, maceration at a controlled temperature for at least 13 days, malolactic fermentation, then transferred to French barriques in spring – maturation for around 18 months, followed by at least six months in the bottle.

From the white earth of Noto, between stone walls, olive trees and orange blossom, rises Doppiozeta, a wine that doesn't illustrate south-eastern Sicily, but condenses it. It is one of the two flagships of the Mazzei family's Zisola project - a deep, finely constructed red that gives Nero d'Avola a voice that is rarely heard: concentrated, serious, supple. The vines grow on calcareous soil on a gentle slope just a few kilometres from the sea. Nero d'Avola is clearly in the foreground here, complemented by Syrah and Cabernet Franc - a precisely placed tension between fruit, flavour and structure. The grapes are harvested by hand with the utmost care, fermented in conical stainless steel tanks, after which the wine matures for around 16 months in French oak, with a small proportion in new wood.

A wine that breaks all conventions. Tramonto d'Oca (Goose Dawn) is Poggio Bonelli's most extraordinary creation and at the same time an oenological venture of rare audacity. As one of the few single-varietal Petit Verdot wines in Italy, it embodies the courage to innovate that characterised the historic noble families of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Petit Verdot, the mysterious "little green grape variety" from the French south-west, has found a new home in the warm, sun-kissed hills of southern Tuscany. Here, at an altitude of 280 metres with perfect southern exposure, this late-ripening, capricious variety thrives under ideal conditions. The strictly limited yield of just 50 centners per hectare and meticulous hand-picking guarantee grapes of exceptional concentration and ripeness.

Essenza is a classic Valtellina Superiore that draws its fruit from the terraced high mountain vineyards in one of the northernmost corners of Italy. Ruby red with garnet-coloured inclusions. Wonderful aromas of dried strawberries, mushrooms and flowers that open up into pure fruit. It is medium-bodied on the palate with appealing depth and intensity. The fine and complex tannins are polished and flattering. Essenza magically balances power and elegance, gaining much of its straightforwardness and focus from the lingering mineral notes of crushed slate or granite that add salty notes to the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

There are grape varieties that wait in the shade for centuries until their time has come. The Bovale Sardo – called "Muristellu" in the Sardinian dialect – was one such forgotten variety, which was once brought to Sardinia by the Iberians around 1300 and for centuries only served as a blending partner to lend colour and strength to other wines. But sometimes it only takes the courage of a visionary to realise that a treasure lies dormant in a neglected grape. Today, Korem is one of Cantina Argiolas' most important wines and a true pride of Sardinian oenology – a liquid testament to the fact that greatness is often hidden where you least expect it. In the vineyards of Tenuta Sa Tanca, where the Sardinian sun beats down on chalky-clay soils between 250 and 300 metres above sea level, the ancient Bovale vines have found their true destiny. Here, where some vines are still trained using the traditional Alberello system – the Sardinian training system that allows the vines to grow like small trees –produces grapes of exceptional concentration. The Argiolas family even allows them to overripen slightly in order to maximise the aroma density and sugar content before hand-picking begins in the early hours of the morning, when the coolness of the night still preserves the precious aromas.

Poliziano stands for Nobile di Montepulciano – almost everyone knows that. But at the end of the 1990s, Federico Carletti bought a second estate, far to the south, in the centre of Maremma: Lohsa. Sandstone soils, a hundred metres above sea level, the Mediterranean climate clearly noticeable. A different terroir, a different language – and consequently a different wine. The Mandrone di Lohsa "speaks" Cabernet Sauvignon, but with an unmistakable Tuscan-Mediterranean accent. Complemented by Petit Verdot and Carignano – not decoration, but character. Small, decisive proportions that give the wine its spice, its solar power and its recognisability. Fermentation in conical steel tanks with a long maceration period, 18 months ageing in French barriques and tonneaux.

Maximum was one of the first labels created by Giulio Ferrari at the beginning of the 20th century. A Blanc de Blancs with an unmistakable style that still stands for freshness and elegance today. This Trento DOC epitomises the perfect symbiosis between Chardonnay and the mountains of Trentino like no other Casa Ferrari sparkling wine. The grapes come exclusively from carefully selected Chardonnay vineyards on the slopes of the Trentino mountains between 300 and 700 metres above sea level. Facing south-east and south-west, the vines benefit from optimal sunshine and cool nights - ideal conditions for a Chardonnay with structure and finesse. The grapes are harvested by hand in the first half of September, when they have reached perfect aromatic ripeness. Gentle pressing is followed by Metodo Classico vinification with traditional bottle fermentation. The maximum matures on the fine lees for 24 months.