Chardonnay

Brilliant straw yellow with a greenish tinge. The bouquet shows typical varietal aromas of yellow pear, ripe apple, citrus blossom and a hint of tropical fruit. Fresh and harmonious on the palate, with fine fruit sweetness, lively, well-integrated acidity and a clear, dry finish. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves freshness and varietal character. An uncomplicated but honest Chardonnay with a Mediterranean flavour - ideal for light meals or aperitifs in the south. SUPERIORE.DE

A name with history: Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, the bold 15th century general, once lived on this estate – piero della Francesca immortalised him in a portrait that now hangs in the Louvre. After the devastation of the wars, the Ricci family began to rebuild the estate in the 1950s; the entire vineyard has been certified organic since 2021. Battista comes from vineyards at an altitude of 150 metres, characterised by brown, calcareous clay soils. The grapes are pressed immediately after the harvest to maximise freshness. Fermentation and ageing take place in stainless steel and three months on the fine lees give the wine a subtle fullness without heaviness.

A Chardonnay that transports us to the Italian summer with the first sip: Fosche is like a morning light over Barolo – fresh, airy and simply lively. The grapes grow on gently sloping hills and the wine is fermented spontaneously in stainless steel to preserve the pure fruit and cool clarity. No wood, no masquerade – just Chardonnay at its most elegant and fresh. In the glass, it has a light straw yellow colour with a silvery sheen. The nose opens with aromas of Golden Delicious and Williams pear, with delicate notes of orange blossom, citrus zest and a hint of apricot – all balanced on a fine mineral base. Fresh and lively on the palate, with elegant clarity. Citrus freshness and juicy fruit blend perfectly with a delicate creaminess from the fine yeast maturation, which lingers pleasantly on the long, sparkling, light finish. Light-footed enough for an aperitif, or just present enough to lift a spinach and salmon quiche to a new level. SUPERIORE.DE

Chardonnay without wood, Zenato favours pure fruit with Santa Cristina. The grapes come from the single vineyard Podere Massoni south of Lake Garda, where 30-year-old vines are rooted in moraine soil. Harvested at the beginning of September, fermented at 16–18°C in stainless steel, then matured on the fine lees for four to five months. Straw yellow in colour with green reflections. Yellow fruit on the nose – apricot, ripe apple – accompanied by a subtle hint of hazelnut and flint. Full-bodied on the palate, but not heavy, with juicy fruit and fresh acidity. The finish has a fine mineral note reminiscent of the glacial soils. Versatile with freshwater fish, poultry or creamy pasta. Serve at 9–10°C. 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.

Over a century of French tradition finds its South Tyrolean continuation in the warm altitudes between 350 and 500 metres around Bolzano. This Chardonnay comes from dry slopes and is not harvested until the end of October, allowing it to develop its characteristic ripeness. The controlled temperature control during fermentation and pure steel tank ageing preserve the natural elegance of the grape variety and emphasise its exotic expressiveness. Light straw yellow in colour with golden hues. Pineapple, mango and honeydew melon on the nose. The well-integrated acidity gives the wine its lively structure, while a pleasant fullness ensures a harmonious drinking flow. A versatile companion that shows its class both as an aperitif and with fish dishes. SUPERIORE.DE

After a break of thirty years, Federico Carletti has ventured a renaissance in recent years: Ambrae marks Poliziano's return to white grape varieties. This elegant cuvée made from ninety per cent Chardonnay and ten per cent Roussanne thrives on the clay-rich slopes around Montepulciano – a name that, like the winery itself, pays homage to the great Renaissance humanist Angelo Ambrogini. This composition matures exclusively in stainless steel without the influence of wood, allowing the mineral depth of the Pliocene soils to express itself unfiltered.

Volpe Pasini's Chardonnay has a clear focus: straightforward, juicy, completely focussed on freshness and varietal typicity. The nose is characterised by notes of green banana, white peach, citrus zest and a hint of white flowers – not a loud appearance, but a subtle interplay of nuances. On the palate, the wine is taut and animating, with a subtle creaminess, lively acidity and a pleasantly dry finish. The 2024 vintage was characterised by sunny, not overheated weeks – perfect for the balanced style of this wine. No wood, no exaggeration, but a Chardonnay that focuses on lightness and elegance and is therefore pleasantly out of the ordinary. International format meets regional signature. SUPERIORE.DE

On the well-aerated limestone-porphyry soils between 260 and 380 metres, the world's most widespread white grape variety thrives to southern Alpine perfection. These medium altitudes around Andriano provide the ideal microclimate for Chardonnay: Mediterranean warmth with night-time cooling for optimum flavour development. The grapes are hand-selected, fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel and matured on the fine lees for six months, giving Somereto its characteristic creaminess and texture.

Typical Chardonnay with complex aromas of exotic fruits, pie crust and apple compote. Harmonious and fresh elegance on the palate, powerful and long. SUPERIORE.DE

Pale straw yellow with golden reflections - a Chardonnay that lives not from the wood, but from its origin and freshness. In the Colli Orientali, the variety shows a particularly fine face: the high altitudes around Prepotto bring coolness and precision, while the chalky soils provide structure. The nose has hints of yellow apple, citrus fruit, lime blossom and a hint of white almond. Juicy, balanced and clear as a bell on the palate, with lively acidity and mineral depth. A north-east Italian Chardonnay that emphasises terroir rather than effects - authentic, taut and wonderfully unagitated (and not at all as international as the grape variety). SUPERIORE.DE

This is Stefano Inama's vision of a terroir-driven Chardonnay off the beaten track. While the winery enjoys worldwide recognition for its Soave Classico wines, this Chardonnay del Veneto epitomises the experimental side of the winery – and impressively proves that the volcanic soils of the region can also lend exceptional expressiveness to international varieties. The grapes come from vineyards in Soave and Monteforte d'Alpone, where a fascinating geological peculiarity comes into play: this wine is the only Chardonnay cuvée from the winery that combines grapes from both volcanic basalt soils and limestone formations. This rare combination – volcanic lava meets sedimentary limestone layers – creates a complex terroir that gives the Chardonnay both mineral depth and structural elegance. Stefano and his now highly active sons Matteo and Alessio consistently refrain from using wood – the focus is entirely on the purity of the fruit and the expression of the volcanic terroir.

A Friulian wine with a subtle French accent: Tunella's Chardonnay combines the purity of the Colli Orientali terroir with hints of Burgundian elegance. The vines grow on Ponca soil on a gentle slope, which gives the wine precision and structure. A light golden yellow colour with greenish reflections in the glass. White flowers, yellow apple, a little roasted hazelnut and a hint of vanilla on the nose. Harmonious on the palate, with a creamy texture, fine acidity and subtle minerality. A well-balanced, charming Chardonnay with a clear expression of origin and stylish depth. SUPERIORE.DE

This great Chardonnay comes from the Kleinstein estate in Signat near Bolzano. Bright yellow in colour with green reflections, a wonderfully fruity bouquet with aromas of apple, pineapple and banana. The typical flavour of a fresh Chardonnay on the palate: clear, elegant, full and pleasantly dry, with a long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

If Pecchenino is traditionally known for its great Dolcetto and Barolo, the Maestro reveals another facet of this family winery: the ability to give Chardonnay at 700 metres above sea level in the Alta Langa a form of expression that combines freshness with elegance. Since 1994, this wine has been produced from the vineyards around Bossolasco, where the Piedmontese hills rise up towards the Ligurian Apennines. Here, on medium-heavy soils with a high proportion of limestone and clay, the Chardonnay benefits from a south-easterly exposure and the cool climate that ensures pronounced acidity and aromatic intensity. After the harvest at the beginning of September, the chilled grapes are gently pressed, the must is naturally decanted and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Maturation takes place partly on the fine lees in steel and partly in barriques.

Pale straw yellow with a delicate greenish tinge. Clear and inviting on the nose: green apple, pineapple and citrus, underpinned by white flowers and a fine hint of fresh bread crust. Dry, straightforward and juicy on the palate, with lively, well-integrated acidity, a delicate mellowness and cool, mineral tension. The finish is fresh and lingering, with an elegant, slightly salty flavour. A modern, no-frills Langhe Chardonnay that impresses with its clarity, drinking flow and fine depth. SUPERIORE.DE