cult wines

Villa di Capezzana has been the Tenuta's flagship since 1925 and is a living testimony to Tuscan wine culture. This Carmignano DOCG epitomises the vision of the Contini Bonacossi family, who for five generations have been cultivating the heritage of a wine estate whose first documented mention dates back to 804. In 1975, Carmignano was the first Tuscan DOC zone ever to officially include Cabernet Sauvignon in the assemblage – centuries before the Super Tuscans discovered this idea for themselves. The tradition goes back to the 16th century, when Caterina de' Medici had Cabernet cuttings brought to Carmignano from Bordeaux.

The name Manna evokes biblical associations, yet the true story is even more beautiful: in 1995, Franz Haas dedicated this exceptional wine to his wife, Maria Luisa Manna – a token of love in a bottle that embodies the winery’s philosophy in a single cuvée. What began as a blend of Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc was expanded to include Kerner from 2013 onwards – five grape varieties, five distinct characters, merging into a harmonious symbiosis.

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.

At some point in the history of Nals Margreid, the Gambero Rosso even declared Sirmian to be the best white wine in Italy. We are not surprised. Above Nals, in the Sirmian district, the slopes lie between 500 and 700 metres above sea level. South-east facing, alpine climate: mild summers, cool autumns, a long growing season that ends in mid-October with the harvest. The soil is a geological archive: Permeable glacial moraine of limestone, gneiss, mica, slate and marble, deposited millions of years ago by glaciers in the Western Alps, resting on porphyry, the volcanic bedrock of the bedrock.

1989 marked the debut of the St. Michael-Eppan Winery's most famous wine. Cellar master Hans Terzer created the Sauvignon Sanct Valentin as the flagship wine of the top-tier range of the same name: selected plots on the slopes of the Mendel Mountains, strict quality guidelines, low yields and intensive manual labour. Since then, it has been regarded as one of Italy's most award-winning white wines – a title it earns anew year after year. Today, the responsibility lies with Jakob Gasser, who carries on this legacy with the same care. The vineyards on the foothills of the Mendel Mountains benefit daily from the fallwind – the cooling evening breezes that preserve freshness and aromatics and lend the Sauvignon its characteristic minerality. Hand-harvested, cold maceration of the skins, fermentation in stainless steel, ageing on the fine lees. Precision at every stage, with no intervention that masks the expression of the terroir.

Arneis means "little rascal" in Piedmontese – the little pain in the arse. Difficult to grow, prone to over-ripening, almost forgotten for decades. Bruno Giacosa was one of two producers who saved the grape variety from extinction in the late 1960s by bottling and marketing it as a single variety – at a time when hardly anyone understood why. Today, it is impossible to imagine the Roero without Arneis. And the Giacosa specimen remains the reference. The grapes come from selected vineyards in Vezza d'Alba, Monteu Roero, Santo Stefano Roero, Canale and Montà d'Alba – long-standing suppliers that Bruno Giacosa has personally selected. Foreign vineyards, own signature. 23 to 34-year-old vines on the sandy soils of the Roero, the ancient seabed north of the Tanaro, which gives the Arneis a natural lightness and aromatic strength that clay terroirs never achieve. Vinification purist: spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks, 25 to 30 days, without malolactic fermentation – the freshness and acidity remain intact. Four months sur lie, one month bottle ageing. Bottled in February 2025, no wood, no intervention that is not necessary.

The world-famous Nussbaumer Gewürztraminer has been a true benchmark for years and is also a wine that impresses with its ageing potential. A bright yellow colour with greenish highlights. Perfectly typical of the variety – complex and deep, yet also lively and fresh with lovely nuances. The bouquet offers a wide range of aromas, from rose blossom to smoke and oriental spices. On the palate, it flows with silky smoothness, velvety and spicy, with a long finish – magnificent! SUPERIORE.DE

Ben Ryé – Donnafugata's great, naturally sweet and world-famous white wine. The grape harvest begins in mid-August, and the grapes are left to dry naturally for 20 to 30 days. In September, the later-ripening grapes are harvested and processed whilst still fresh. The hand-picked, raisin-like berries are added to the must in several stages during fermentation. Pale orange-yellow in colour. Overwhelming aromas of apricot, peach and orange peel. On the palate, creamy notes of passion fruit and peach with impressive elegance and length. For us, one of Italy's finest sweet wines every year! SUPERIORE.DE

Franz and Bernadette Pratzner planted their first Riesling grapes more than 30 years ago. The small parcel yields just 1,500 bottles per year. The primary rock soil, the dry warmth during the day and the cool nights provide excellent conditions for the Vinschgau Riesling to thrive on the steep south-facing slopes between 550 and 900 metres.

Gewürztraminer is named after Tramin. This is not a marketing story – this is etymology. The name of the world's most famous aromatic grape variety bears the village itself, where Hofstätter has been based since 1907. And the Kolbenhof plot is located above Tramin, in the hamlet of Söll, on an eastern slope between 360 and 420 metres above sea level – one of the most historic estates in the entire village. This is where the Bolzano quartz porphyry slab meets the limestone of the Mendelzug. A geological interface that does not exist in this form anywhere else in the South Tyrolean wine-growing region. The soils with a high clay content absorb the warmth of the morning sun – the Kolbenhof is exposed to the east, protected from the midday heat – and slowly release it again. Cool, structured, elegant. This is the opposite of a sweetish mass-produced spiced Traminer: dryness with character.

The 48th edition of a work that began in 1976 as Franciacorta Pinot and has been continuously refined ever since. Since 2017, each bottling has borne its edition number – a commitment to transparency and the uniqueness of each blend. The current blend combines 88% vintage 2023 with 10% reserve wines from 2022 and 2% from 2021, which gives the wine both freshness and depth. The cuvée is sourced from 240 certified organic vineyards in Franciacorta: 80.5% Chardonnay for elegance and structure, 18% Pinot Nero for body and red fruit flavours, 1.5% Pinot Bianco for aromatic finesse. Each grape passes through the in-house washing and drying system before being gently processed. The base wines mature for seven months in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, the second fermentation takes place in the bottle with subsequent yeast ageing for 25 months.

When Antonio Argiolas celebrated his centenary in 2006, the family created a wine in his honour that is more than just a tribute – it is the legacy of a man who had dedicated his entire life to the Sardinian soil. Antonio 100 is only produced in exceptional vintages, when nature itself gives its consent to this monumental project. The 2017 vintage marks such a moment of perfection. The best Cannonau grapes from the Tenuta's oldest vineyards are selected for this exceptional passito – vines, some of which still come from Antonio Argiolas' own plantation. The harvest is followed by a centuries-old ritual: the grapes are spread out on bamboo mats and left to dry for three months under the warm Sardinian autumn sun. This appassimento process not only concentrates the sugars, but also develops the complex flavour precursors that later give the wine its incomparable depth. The subsequent vinification takes place in small batches with the utmost precision. The dried berries are gently pressed and the precious must ferments slowly in temperature-controlled tanks before the wine matures for two years in French barriques. During this time, the unique harmony between the powerful structure of the Cannonau and the elegant sweetness of the Passito method develops.

Moscato Rosa is one of the aromatic treasures of South Tyrol – an autochthonous grape variety of beguiling elegance and extreme sensitivity. The vines grow at an altitude of 250 to 300 metres in locations exposed to the wind, where constant air movement disperses the moisture. This wind is essential for survival: even the slightest botrytis infestation would destroy the diverse aromatic components and weaken the colour intensity. The soils of porphyry, sand, clay and limestone facing south-south-west provide the perfect foundation for this rarity. Vinification follows the principles of red wine production, but with a shorter maceration period to avoid aggressive tannins. As soon as the desired characteristics are achieved, fermentation is interrupted by cooling – a precise moment that requires a sure instinct. The young wine remains in stainless steel until bottling, where it retains its aromatic freshness.

There are wines that you don't find every year. Raccaro's Merlot belongs to this rare species – produced only when the vintage allows it, and even then in homeopathic quantities. "Da sempre presente nel vigneto aziendale", as the family says: always in the vineyard, but never in the bottle as a matter of course. This Merlot is not a concession to international trends, but part of the history of these slopes on Monte Quarin, where the grape variety develops a depth on the fossilised marl layers of the Ponca that is reminiscent of the great Merlot interpretations of Friuli. The vineyard lies at an altitude of 90 metres, north-south orientation, 5,000 vines per hectare in the Guyot system. Old vines, low yields, late harvest – the prerequisites for concentration. The vinification follows a clear line: twelve days of maceration at a controlled 25 to 28 degrees to extract structure and depth without overtaxing the fruit. This is followed by 15 months in small French wooden barrels, where the wine gains complexity and learns to tame its youthful vigour.

Sparkling, medium-dense ruby-garnet colour. The Rancia Riserva from the single vineyard of the same name is powerful and energetic, expressive and dense and has been elevated to "Gran Selezione" status for the first time. The aroma is characterised by ripe, full-bodied fruit and mineral notes. The flavour is earthy, tannic and terroir-influenced, beautifully articulated, fine and with an enjoyable length. A wine that requires sensitivity and/or a few years of rest. SUPERIORE.DE

Avvoltore is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Powerful and explosive in the glass, it possesses remarkable intensity in all its dimensions, with great fruit and equally impressive tannins. Dark cherry, leather, smoke, tobacco, liquorice and grilled herbs form a virile, imposing Maremma red wine that will need at least a few years to develop its full expressive power. Once again, Morisfarms has done a great job with its flagship wine. SUPERIORE.DE,

"For me, Pinot Noir is the finest and, at the same time, the most challenging grape variety," Franz Haas once said. His father had always grown it, so his path was already mapped out – until one day he was lucky enough to taste an exceptional Grands Échezeaux from Burgundy. From that moment on, his real challenge began: to create a wine that would follow in its footsteps. Countless experimental batches over decades, using a wide variety of clones, fermentation and ageing methods, all pursued a goal that had already been his father's: the perfect Pinot Noir. Franz Haas dedicated a specially designed artist's label to this wine, which embodies his entire passion for the most challenging of all grape varieties: Riccardo Schweizer designed it for the first vintage of 1987, released in 1990, thereby giving the wine its name. To this day, this wine is not produced every year: it is only released if it meets its own exacting standards.

"Pio di lei", for the ladies. A name that pays homage to the strong women of the Pio Cesare family. When Pio Boffa planted the first Chardonnay vines in 1981, it was a revolutionary act in the Langhe. Here, in the realm of Nebbiolo, where Barolo and Barbaresco have reigned supreme for centuries, growing a French white wine bordered on heresy. But Pio had a vision: to create a white wine that possessed the body, complexity and ageing potential of the great reds. The first vintage was released in 1985. Today, almost four decades later, his daughter Federica is carrying on the legacy and proving that the women of this family are not merely the namesakes, but the architects.

Terre Brune: A monument to Sardinian winemaking, shaped by the year 2020, which, with its balance between heat and cool nights, has wonderfully captured the essence of the island. For Terre Brune, this meant a late harvest accompanied by cool nights. The result: ripeness in harmony with freshness, expressive and enriching. The foundation for the winery's flagship wine is provided by old Carignano vines (95 per cent), complemented by a touch of Bovaleddu (5 per cent), growing on loamy-sandy, limestone-interlaced soil amidst the salty breeze of the Sulcis terraces. The vines withstand wind, heat and drought with stoic elegance; their strength lies in the terroir. Following traditional, temperature-controlled fermentation, Terre Brune is aged for 16–18 months in barriques, followed by a year in the bottle – a meticulous ageing process that intertwines structure and harmony.