Bibenda

Nocera - this noble vine is only grown on a few hectares in the province of Messina, on a spectacular vineyard surrounded by the sea. Bright garnet red in colour, with an original aroma of white pepper, cherries, geranium and summer fruits. The typical fresh, fruity flavour of this old Sicilian grape is convincing. A fine salty vein in the spicy final. An unforgettable experience from Planeta's Capo Milazzo branch on the coast north of Mount Etna. SUPERIORE.DE

Dry Zibibbo (Muscat from Alexandria) from the island of Pantelleria, grown at an altitude of around 300 metres in ferrous soils of volcanic origin. Isesi is delicately floral and smells of honeysuckle and perfumed star jasmine, which is appropriately called Sicilian jasmine in Italy. The flavour is dry and balanced, with just the right softness, freshness and lightness to make this high-quality white wine so incredibly charming and delicate. SUPERIORE.DE

Only one wine ever bears the name of the estate – and there is a reason for this. The Montecucco Rosso Riserva is the centrepiece of production: the wine that most directly expresses the philosophy of the estate. Italian passion meets Swiss precision – is how the Tipa Bertarelli family itself describes its approach. In the glass, this is convincing every year anew. 80% Sangiovese, 10% Ciliegiolo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon – grapes from vineyards on sandstone, marl and clay at 300 metres. Spontaneous fermentation on natural yeast in temperature-controlled steel tanks, followed by 16 months of ageing: the Sangiovese in 40-hectolitre oak barrels, Ciliegiolo and Cabernet in 500-litre French oak Liters.

In the hills of Parteòlla, where a salty inland lake shimmers between centuries-old olive trees and the Romanesque church of Santa Maria di Sibiola sends its silent prayers to heaven, lies the enchanting Tenuta Iselis. Here, the Argiolas family is realising a very special project: the rediscovery of Nasco, an almost forgotten indigenous grape variety that was once brought to Sardinia by Phoenician seafarers. The name Nasco is probably derived from the Latin "muscus" – musk – a tribute to the extraordinary fragrance of this rare grape. While Nasco is traditionally vinified into sweet wines, Argiolas has chosen the innovative method of dry vinification: the grapes are harvest a month earlier, resulting in a modern white wine of particular elegance.

A wine that was voluntarily relegated. Munus was the flagship among the Bardolino red wines from Guerrieri Rizzardi – a Bardolino Superiore DOCG, Italy's highest classification level. Since 2021, it has borne the seemingly more modest title of Rosso Veronese IGT. Not out of negligence, but out of conviction: The DOCG required at least twelve months of wood in each vintage, and Giuseppe Rizzardi decided that the wine should dictate the ageing process – not the regulations.

Grignolino is one of the most underrated grape varieties in Piedmont – and Braida firmly believes in it. The name reveals where the structure comes from: "Limo" means silt, and the soil on the hills of Rocchetta Tanaro contains plenty of it. 40% silt, 30% sand and 30% clay give the wine its unmistakable backbone. The vines planted in 2010 are densely planted – 5,500 per hectare – and face south and east. Vinified exclusively in steel, four months of tank ageing and two months of bottle ageing preserve freshness and varietal character.

Behind the Castello di Soave, invisible to the tourists enjoying the view of the plain, lies a vineyard that epitomises the opposite of what Soave has been for decades. No mass product, no compromise. Ferra is single-varietal Garganega from volcanic gravel – of a hilltop that has belonged to the Rizzardi family since 1977 and has been bottled as a single vineyard since 2014. What makes this Soave stand out from the standard, pleasing wines: Garganega gets the full stage here. Fermentation in glazed cement tanks preserves the mineral precision, while six months in large foudres give the wine texture, depth and richness that go far beyond what is expected from the appellation.

Federico II di Svevia, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Sicily, had a special affection for the hills around Monte Vulture. Here, in Basilicata, he had castles built that still stand today. And he loved the wines of the Vulture – those deep, mineral reds that came from the lava soils of the extinct volcano. The Terre degli Svevi estate, founded in 1998, honours his legacy with the name of its flagship wine: Re Manfredi – king Manfred, his son, the fearless warrior. 100% Aglianico, grown at 420 metres in Venosa, on volcanic soil rich in calcium, nitrogen and tuff – the mineral foundation on which the character of this wine is built. A continental climate with harsh winters, hot summers and pronounced temperature fluctuations.

Zisola is the Tuscan dream of the Mazzei family in the south of Sicily. The winery's bestseller is made from 100% Nero d'Avola from traditional Alberello vines near Noto, where chalky soils and proximity to the sea balance the natural exuberance of this indigenous grape variety with freshness and elegance. The Marchesi Mazzei, one of Italy's most historic winegrowing families with over 600 years of tradition, have been continuing their Sicilian project since 2003. 24 hectares of vineyards surround the historic bagli of the 50-hectare tenuta with a view of the baroque UNESCO World Heritage Site of Noto. Hand-picked and fermented for 14-16 days at 26-28°C, the wine matures for 10 months in French oak barrels (33% new).

Barbaspinosa comes from the hills around Poggio la Mozza – characterised by ferruginous clay soils that give the Sangiovese backbone and depth. The wine is aged for twelve months, partly in barriques and partly in large wooden barrels. Ruby red in colour with a slightly lighter rim. The bouquet smells of black cherry, plum, Maremma herbs, some tobacco and a hint of leather. Powerful but well-balanced on the palate, with ripe fruit, grippy tannins and fine spice. The vintage gives fullness, but remains surprisingly fresh thanks to the cool nights. A Sangiovese full of character with a Tuscan soul – down-to-earth, honest and with a distinctive expression of the Maremma. SUPERIORE.DE

A red wine with character – irresistible in its depth and yet with supple elegance. Noras comes from 90% Cannonau (Grenache) and 10% Carignano and is harvested from old vines rooted in sandy-granitic soils deep in the Sulcis terroir. After late manual harvesting, the must ferments at a controlled 22-24 °C for 12 days in stainless steel tanks, accompanied by regular pumping over to optimise extraction. Malolactic fermentation takes place early and spontaneously, followed by around six months of maturation in used French barriques. Before it is released for sale, Noras matures for a further six months in the bottle – a maturation and ageing process that gives it depth and elegance.

Intense ruby red, complex bouquet with notes of black cherry, blueberry and plum, followed by coffee, liquorice and leather. Powerful and full-bodied on the palate, sweet in its tannic texture, infused with a lively freshness and with a beautiful fruit centre. Persistent on the palate with notes of liquorice and cocoa, giving the Rosso an elegant and full-bodied finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all: Due lame – two terraces – refers to the extreme altitude range of the vineyards between 420 and 655 metres. These are the highest Sangiovese vineyards in the whole of Tuscany, arroccati on the mineral-rich steps that gave the village of Lamole its name. The ochre-coloured "Macigno Toscano" soils, interspersed with Galestro and Alberese, give the wine its characteristic sharpness and elegance. The winery in the heart of Chianti Classico has been part of the Santa Margherita Group (Herita Wines) since 1993 and vinifies in the historic cellars of a Castello dating back to 1350. The grapes undergo optical selection, ferment in stainless steel with 7-10 days of maceration and mature on the lees until late winter. A short maturation in large oak barrels rounds off the process.

The single vineyard Monteprandone is the centrepiece of the winery – a south-west facing, organically cultivated plot on calcareous clay soil, which produces the most structured grapes on the estate year after year. Montepulciano and Sangiovese are selected here with great care and matured classically in large wooden barrels and barriques. The result is a Rosso Piceno Superiore with depth, nobility and a clear signature of origin.

Castelnuovo Berardenga marks the southernmost tip of the Chianti Classico, where the gentle hills of the historic centre merge into the austere beauty of the Crete Senesi. Here, on south-facing slopes at an altitude of 280 metres, the Sangiovese finds the warmth that gives it fullness without losing its lively acidity. Poggio Bonelli presses its Chianti Classico as a genuine expression of this grape variety: 90 per cent Sangiovese, supplemented by a small proportion of other red varieties. After temperature-controlled fermentation and ten days of maceration, the wine matures for ten months in French oak barrels.

In 2010, Marco Cirese, grandson of Noelia Ricci, started a project within Tenuta Pandolfa: nine hectares of the best plots, a radical focus on Sangiovese, back to the origins. The label is adorned with a wasp – the insect that lives in the vineyard like no other. The vines are planted at an altitude of 250 to 300 metres, on ochre-coloured clay soils with limestone marl, in 2002. Spontaneous fermentation, 18 days of maceration, then six months in stainless steel – without clarification, without filtration. Purism as a principle.

Nebbiolo is the king of Piedmont and Neive is one of its finest addresses. Those who produce Barbaresco here know what this grape variety is capable of. The Langhe Nebbiolo from Fontanabianca is the entry into this world: the same calcareous clay soils at 300 metres, the same climate, the same family – but younger vines, shorter maturation, greater accessibility. Vines 12 to 15 years old, Guyot training, fermentation in steel at a controlled temperature, traditional ageing with brief contact with wood. Not a wine that requires patience – one that shows what Nebbiolo from Neive has to say even in its young form. Matteo Pola, Aldo's son, now bears the oenological signature of the house and has given the Langhe Nebbiolo a contemporary, elegant character.

A wine that shows at first sip: Sardinia not only has sunshine, but also depth. Iselis is a tribute to the indigenous Monica grape variety from a carefully selected vineyard near Serdiana. The vines are rooted in calcareous clay soils, warm winds and Mediterranean sunshine. After controlled mash fermentation, the wine matures for around a year in barriques before being bottled, powerful and elegant at the same time.

Wonderfully "different" and complex Soave from vines over 20 years old. Sparkling light yellow colour with green reflections. A restrained, reductive bouquet of bitter almond, flint, white and yellow fruit jam, dried fruit and biscuits. The palate is dry, warm and soft, yet fresh, spicy and slightly astringent, with a full, balanced body. With increasing aeration, it reveals its great complexity. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for this Ripasso come from the Marne Bianche vineyard at Tenuta Maternigo – a vineyard that the Tedeschi family has been cultivating for generations. Corvina and Corvinone (35% each), Rondinella (20 per cent) and 10 per cent indigenous varieties such as Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara and Dindarella grow here on moraine loam and limestone at a density of 5,500 vines per hectare. Vinification follows the classic Ripasso method: after 15 days’ maceration at 28°C, the young Valpolicella undergoes secondary fermentation on the pomace of Amarone and Recioto – for eight to ten days at a cool 18°C. This second fermentation lends the wine body and depth without stifling its freshness. It is then aged for 15 months in Slavonian oak and a further six months in the bottle.

An askos was a small Greek clay vessel dating from the 1st century BC – an ancient Decanter, designed for pouring wine. Masseria Li Veli has made this name the symbol of an entire project: the rescue, research and promotion of Apulian grape varieties that had almost vanished from the region’s collective memory. Susumaniello is one of them. For the Askos, Li Veli uses exclusively grapes from plots with particular suitability, cultivated according to the rules of an ancient tradition. Vines over 20 years old – partly trained in the traditional Alberello style, partly as Cordone speronato. Clay-sand soils with limestone deposits, hand-harvested at the end of September. Fermentation in French oak vats at controlled temperatures. Maturation in barriques and large French oak barrels.

The highest parcels of the estate, between 200 and 275 metres, ochre-coloured limestone soils, reduced yields of just 5,000 kilos per hectare – this is where the Riserva is created. While the normal Pandolfo remains on the skins for 14 days, here it is 22 days. Then 18 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by at least eight months of ageing in the bottle. Deep ruby red in colour with violet reflections, which will mature to garnet over the years. The nose is layered: dark berry fruits, stewed plums, tobacco and leather, with fine herbs and sweet spices on top. The palate is dense and full-bodied, with tannins that are present but never intrusive. The complexity unfolds over several levels, the final is long and reminiscent of everything the nose has promised. A Sangiovese that shows what Romagna can be if you give it time – and proves that Riserva level does not necessarily mean Riserva prices. SUPERIORE.DE