Bibenda

The Vigna del Sorbo vineyard is located directly in front of the winery. The south-west facing vineyard with Galestro soils covers 8 hectares at an altitude of 450 metres. The Riserva was first produced in 1985 and has been labelled Gran Selezione since the 2010 vintage.

There are wines that make history. Solaia is one of them. When the Antinori family bottled this wine for the first time in 1978 – a pure Cabernet cuvée made from 80 per cent Sauvignon and 20 per cent Franc – nobody could have guessed that one of the most influential chapters in Italian wine history was about to begin. The name itself says it all: Solaia is derived from "sole", the sun, as this vineyard on the Tenuta Tignanello enjoys the sunniest south-west exposure on the entire estate. Twenty hectares between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, where the vines drive their roots deep into Alberese and Galestro – the hard limestone and schistose claystone that date back to the Pliocene and are rich in marine fossils. Solaia is only produced in exceptional years; there was no bottling in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1992. This consistency, this relentlessness in the pursuit of perfection, makes Solaia what it is: not just a wine, but an icon.

Tenuta Tignanello is located in the heart of Chianti Classico on the gentle hills between the valleys of the Greve and Pesa rivers and comprises 319 hectares of land, of which around 130 are planted with vines. The estate's vineyards include two jewels: Tignanello and Solaia, which are located on the same hill, on calcareous and schistose marl soils of marine origin from the Pliocene, and which benefit from warm days and fresh nights during the growing season. Two wines are produced from these vineyards, which many years ago had the potential to become the starting point of the Italian wine renaissance. Nothing has changed to this day.

Cerretalto 2018 is an expressive, exuberant and impressive wine that opens with a dark ruby red colour and a rich texture. The bouquet is endlessly intense, closely followed by finely tuned aromas of black cherries, spices, grilled herbs, cloves, tobacco, damp earth and white truffle. Over time, elegant mineral tones unfold, and later these flavours transition into cola, liquorice and tar. The mouthfeel is silky and supple, and there is enough power to move the wine seamlessly across the palate. Cerretalto continues to develop endlessly over 24 hours in the glass. Clear case: this is a bottle for the back of your cellar. SUPERIORE.DE

Tenuta Tignanello is situated in the heart of Chianti Classico, on the rolling hills between the valleys of the rivers Greve and Pesa, and covers 319 hectares of land, of which around 130 are planted with vines. The estate’s vineyards include two jewels: Tignanello and Solaia, which lie on the same hill, on marl soils of marine origin from the Pliocene period, rich in limestone and slate, and which benefit from warm days and cool nights during the growing season. These vineyards produce two wines which, many years ago, were set to become the starting point for the renaissance of Italian wine. Nothing has changed in that regard to this day.

"For the Barolo DOCG Parussi, we left the confines of Serralunga and opted for a vineyard in Castiglione Falletto. Thanks to the characteristics of Nebbiolo, which is perfectly capable of capturing the differences in microclimate and soil composition and translating them into sensations, the result amazed us. Structured, important, austere. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parussi in Castiglione Falletto." Franco Massolino

Deep dark, almost impenetrable red colour. A whole range of ripe wild berries on the nose, delicately accompanied by nuances of tobacco, leather, cedar and lavender. The palate is also full of fruit, powerful, yet silky and elegant. Traces of dark chocolate in the endlessly long final. SUPERIORE.DE

Andrea Franchetti began in the 1990s to position Palazzi as an equal red alongside his flagship Tenuta di Trinoro, with the aim of producing two exceptional wines reminiscent of the left and right banks of Bordeaux.

"The Barolo DOCG Margheria comes from the calcareous soil with a slightly higher proportion of sand than in our other sub-areas, which has a strong influence on its character. It was produced for the first time in 1985 and has great ageing potential. The grapes come from our vineyard in the MGA Margheria in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

"The Barolo DOCG Parafada is perfect for long ageing and surprising development. Elegant, refined, austere. Vinified in vats, matured in large barrels. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parafada in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

This dazzling wine is something for Sangiovese purists and lovers of extreme finesse. It literally vibrates with electric energy and charm. Opening with enticing aromas of roses, violets, berries, ploughed earth and new leather, it is youthfully intense but already a classic at this stage. With its velvety texture, it envelops everything it touches with masses of dark red fruit, liquid violet blossom, notes of lavender and sage, plus a subtle savoury note. Taut, refined tannins and bright acidity ensure a perfect balance and a promising, long ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Deep, dark ruby red colour. Floral nose with lots of red, warm fruit and delicate herbal notes. Smooth and elegant on the palate with wonderful depth and complexity with notes of black cherry, herbs, violets, plums and a hint of tar and leather. Saffredi literally sneaks up on you until it fades into a very long and harmonious finish with an impressive presence and finesse. One of Italy's great wines, full of elegance! SUPERIORE.DE

Deep dark, almost impenetrable red colour. A whole range of ripe wild berries on the nose, delicately accompanied by nuances of tobacco, leather, cedar and lavender. The palate is also full of fruit, powerful, yet silky and elegant. Traces of dark chocolate in the endlessly long final. SUPERIORE.DE

Luca Currado cultivates the Brunate Cru on the La Morra side of the vineyard (opposite the Barolo side) and this wine contains fruit from new plots. It convinces with an impressive aroma of red berries, cherries, wild herbs, mint, minerals and rose petals, rounded off by a hint of blood orange. On the palate we find a terrific softness and textural silkiness, this continues with hints of mint, liquorice and camphor ash for many minutes. Polished tannins round off this masterpiece into an extremely elegant Brunate. SUPERIORE.DE

Vietti's Ravera is one of the great stars of Piedmont in its precision and structure. It uses fruit from Novello, from a site that looks out over the castle of the same name on the hill in the distance. This wine offers an impeccable balance between nose and mouth, showing immense purity and power in one package. Rose petals, chalk, pepper and a hint of pomegranate make this Barolo one of the most sought-after in the appellation every year. With some ageing, the powerful tannins give way to an elegant impression that does not deviate one millimetre from the coveted style of this great vineyard. A monument of Barolo, which only a few other winemakers in Piedmont besides Vietti and also Giacosa bottle with such consistency! SUPERIORE.DE

"An expression of elegance in Serralunga", Luca Currado underlines at the tasting of Lazzarito, and we already agree with him on the nose. Gravel, pebbles, red fruits, rose petals, lavender and sage permeate this plastic and very lively Serralunga Barolo. Baroli from Serralunga d'Alba are often in a category of their own thanks to their richness and sheer abundance of fruit. The balsamic symphony opens the doors to a sip that is undoubtedly powerful, but at the same time refreshing and rich in vitamins. With added aeration, Lazzarito delivers mint and balsamic herbs. Lazzarito sets the pace and never loses its rhythm, the great texture of the tannins flanks this palate spectacle in an ideal way and we will discover much more about this great Barolo in the years to come. SUPERIORE.DE

The supremely potent Rocche di Castiglione is often referred to as the first "official" cru in the history of Langa (along with Bussia di Prunotto, both of which were released with the 1961 vintage). It confirms itself once again as the great classic of the house with the 2018 edition. Dark fruits, pressed lilac, blood orange, powdered liquorice, balsamic herbs, spices, iron ore and aniseed fit together perfectly like pieces of a puzzle. Then lush and racy on the palate, with silky tannins and a great depth and resonance that will continue to develop with time. SUPERIORE.DE

Vintage 2018 marks Vietti's exciting Barolo debut from one of Piedmont's most famous vineyards, characterised by exuberant aromas and bright, red-tinged fruit. The bouquet is enormously opulent with ripe fruit aromas ranging from wild cherry to red currant. This is joined by original tones of jam, plum and a hint of ragout. The palate is nuanced and very deep, with enormous complexity, volume and character. Vietti's Cerequio is stunning right off the bat! SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all. This wine is a reminiscence of a bygone era. It is a Gewürztraminer vinified in the traditional style with clearly perceptible residual sugar. The grapes come from two of the oldest Gewürztraminer vineyards near the Nußbaumerhof in Tramin from soils with calcareous gravel and porphyry rock.

2019 was a gift to Nebbiolo in the Barbaresco DOCG - and Vanotu has accepted it. This Barbaresco from the historic Basarin cru vineyard in Neive bears the signature of a great vintage with quiet naturalness: nothing is overdrawn, nothing loud - everything is in its place with quiet precision. The vines stand on sparse limestone marl, interspersed with sandy veins, with optimal south-west exposure. This site produces wines with depth and tension, but also airiness - a play of power and transparency that is exemplified in Vanotu 2019. The wine was matured for 20 months in French barriques, sensitively dosed, only to frame the wine, not to mould it.

Enrico Serafino's classic opens in a medium-dark colour with fragrant aromas of dark fruits, plums, spices, iron ore and freshly ploughed earth. Medium-bodied on the palate, rather slender, which is not a flaw, but emphasises the elegance and class of the Nebbiolo grape very nicely. The tannins are present but pleasantly tame, with peppery nuances on the finish, a salty mineral aftertaste and delicate nougat on the final. SUPERIORE.DE

Mazon is not silent. If you listen carefully, you can hear something different in every vintage – sometimes warmth, sometimes coolness, sometimes the Alpine downdraughts that sweep across the plateau in the evening and sharpen the flavours of the grapes. The 2020 is a vintage that listens and responds: fresh, transparent, with a precision in the fruit that only emerges in calm conditions. The Barthenau estate, built 150 years ago by Ludwig Barth von Barthenau, has belonged to the Foradori-Hofstätter family for decades. The single vineyard Vigna San Urbano – south Tyrol's first officially classified single-vineyard wine, declared a "Vigna" by Paolo Foradori in 1987 – lies at the heart of this estate. Clay-limestone over the Werfen formation, vines over 65 years old, a site that gives the Pinot Nero what it needs: mineral subsoil, cool nights and the time it deserves. Harvested entirely by hand, completely destemmed. Fermentation in concrete vats, ten days of skin contact with remontage. Then twelve months in barrique, eight months in large cask, eight months in bottle – always in the cellars of Barthenau, where the temperature remains constant and the wine finds its own peace.

Castello di Volpaia made wine history in 1983: In the midst of the Supertuscan revolution, when visionary winegrowers rebelled against the restrictive DOC regulations, Balifico was born – named after the villa of the same name in the heart of the fortified village. What began as Vino da Tavola became the manifesto of a new era that combined international grape varieties with Tuscan soils to create an extraordinary synthesis. The grapes for this exceptional wine thrive at the highest altitudes in Tuscany, at over 600 metres above sea level, where the air is already cool like the Alps and the vines are bathed in sunlight all day long. Sangiovese vines, old Tuscan clones of exceptional purity, are rooted in the same sandstone soils that have been producing great wines since 1172 – while Cabernet Sauvignon, with its international nobility, interprets the mountainous personality of this unique terroir in a new way.

The estate's top wine, named after the owner, is the result of many years of work in the vineyard and dates back to the year 2000, when the winery began to replant many of its own plots with Sangiovese. To this day, Sergio Zingarelli pursues the goal of interpreting his existing terroir as authentically as possible. The result is the highest classification Gran Selezione, which is confirmed every year by the consortium and is only awarded to the best wines in the appellation.Rich ruby colour. Concentrated nose of herbs, black cherry, chocolate, earthy notes and oak spice. Juicy and soft fruit on the palate, refined tannins, glides dynamically and spicy into a respectable finish. SUPERIORE.DE