cult wines

With the Pinot Nero Riserva Vigna Das Langefeld, the Pfitscher family has undoubtedly created an elegant top wine that perfectly reflects the identity of the terroir.

In 1974, a decision was made that nobody really understood at the time. Herbert Tiefenbrunner had the grapes from the Fennberg – a high plateau at 1,000 metres above sea level in the municipality of Margreid – a single-vineyard wine. Müller-Thurgau. At a time when single vineyard sites for white grape varieties were virtually unheard of in Italy. At an altitude where hardly anyone expected great wine. Named after Field Marshal Joseph von Fenner zu Fennberg, the Austrian officer who once owned this high plateau. Fifty years later, Feldmarschall is one of Italy's most iconic white wines.

Dreams sometimes have a very precise address. The Pfitscher family's is: Glen, above Montan, 500 metres above sea level, west-facing, clay and limestone underfoot. In 1984, when Klaus was – then 24 years old – planted this west-facing slope with Burgundian Pinot Noir clones, he knew what he was doing. Not as a calculation, but out of conviction: Something great would be created here one day. Three decades later, the time was ripe. In 2013, the family decided to vinify the parcel separately and give it a name – one that sounds like a promise: "Das Langefeld".

A long, snowy winter. An unusually cool spring. When the 2021 growing season finally began, it was two weeks behind the average. A year that demanded patience, sensitivity and foresight – qualities that Hans Terzer has honed to perfection over more than 45 years as cellar master. The result of this challenging vintage is an Appius of rare verticality: a wine of the mountains, of light, of the alpine air. The twelfth edition of the cult wine collection shifts the balance: 73% Chardonnay dominates more strongly than ever before, flanked by Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco and a reduced proportion of Sauvignon. The vines – aged between 25 and 40 years, growing on the limestone gravel and moraine soils of Eppan's finest vineyards – yielded grapes of crystalline precision. Each variety was fermented separately in barriques and tonneaux, followed by twelve months' ageing in wood, and finally a further three years on the fine lees in steel tanks.

Guado al Tasso is not only the name of the winery, but also the historical term for a ford in the torrent on the Marchesi Antinori estate. In the Middle Ages, this was the name given to the place where one encountered the "tasso" (badger) while travelling through the water on horse and cart. This poetic place name came to symbolise a wine that combines depth and movement: A Bolgheri Superiore with provenance, history and attitude. Despite the summer heat, the 2022 vintage produced an astonishingly balanced structure. Selective harvest in the best parcels between the hills and the Tyrrhenian Sea, fermentation in stainless steel, followed by 18 months of ageing in new French barriques, followed by at least 6 months of bottle ageing.

On the full bouquet we find ripe dark fruits complemented by spiced oranges, sage and mint with a hint of green olive. On the palate, velvety textures are contrasted by cooling acids, while polished black fruits wash over the senses, leaving a mix of salty minerals and fine tannins with a hint of violet flowers. The finish is long, packed with masses of ripe blackberries, plums and sweet herbal tones, but also perfectly structured and, for all its youthfulness, very balanced and harmonious. Luigi Moio and his team have interpreted this vintage brilliantly and once again set new standards with this single-vineyard Aglianico. SUPERIORE.DE

Sibi et paucis – for the few who understand that great wines are not in a hurry. Sandrone retains around 10 per cent of the production from each Aleste vintage and allows these bottles to mature for a full decade longer in his own cellar. What could have been released in September 2019 remains dormant until today – and is becoming something that goes beyond regular Barolo.

A long, snowy winter. An unusually cool spring. When the 2021 growing season finally began, it was two weeks behind the average. A year that demanded patience, sensitivity and foresight – qualities that Hans Terzer has honed to perfection over more than 45 years as cellar master. The result of this challenging vintage is an Appius of rare verticality: a wine of the mountains, of light, of the alpine air. The twelfth edition of the cult wine collection shifts the balance: 73% Chardonnay dominates more strongly than ever before, flanked by Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco and a reduced proportion of Sauvignon. The vines – aged between 25 and 40 years, growing on the limestone gravel and moraine soils of Eppan's finest vineyards – yielded grapes of crystalline precision. Each variety was fermented separately in barriques and tonneaux, followed by twelve months' ageing in wood, and finally a further three years on the fine lees in steel tanks.

In 2001, the brothers Piero and Lodovico Antinori, together with their nephew Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi, recognised the extraordinary potential of the hills of Bibbona in the upper Maremma. Instinct, passion and centuries of family experience led to a parcel-by-parcel study that would eventually become the birth of Tenuta di Biserno. The terroir of these 40 hectares at an altitude of 90 metres is of extraordinary complexity: mainly alluvial and clay-limestone soils that create the ideal environment for Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The different exposures and the distance from the sea characterise the varietal expression so strongly that the decision in favour of two production lines was obvious: Biserno – the most prestigious and representative wine of the estate – and Il Pino di Biserno.

Luigi Moio is one of the most famous professors of viticulture and oenology in Italy and the Cru Vigna Quintodecimo is his red showpiece in the stable. This wine possesses a unique and seductive class, a richness and elegance that outshines the entire volcanic appellation. The initially restrained bouquet only gradually opens up in layers, releasing new impressions every minute. Violets, ripe blackberries, blueberry skins, plums and white smoke unfold like a surprise bag and are reflected in the energetic mouthfeel together with finely woven tannins and a fresh interplay of fruit and acidity. The texture is impressively silky and emphasises the tremendous elegance and harmony of this exceptional Aglianico, which will reach its most exciting phase in 10-15 years at the earliest. SUPERIORE.DE

South Tyrol's Chardonnay legend writes another chapter. Since 1994, the Löwengang has characterised the perception of Alpine white wine excellence like no other. The historic estate above Margreids holds a secret: Chardonnay vines, whose roots reach up to five decades deep into the South Tyrolean soil, thrive on barren limestone soils between 230 and 330 metres. The warm microclimate with its nightly drops in temperature produces grapes of concentrated minerality. The Lageder family gives this terroir free rein. Organic farming without compromise, spontaneous fermentation in hand-picked barriques from the Tronçais and Vosges forests. One third new wood lends structure, while eleven months on the lees give the wine its silky texture. A further twelve months of ageing in the cellar bring the final harmony.

The name is a tribute. Giodo – composed of Giovanna and Donatello, the names of his parents. Carlo Ferrini, one of Italy's most important Oenologist, has dedicated his life to Sangiovese – as a consultant for estates from Montalcino to Etna and as the designer of some of the most influential wines in Tuscany over the last three decades. It was not a question of if he would found his own winery at some point, but when. In 2002, he found it: ten hectares in Sant'Angelo in Colle, south-west Montalcino, seven of them woodland, three for the vine. And the vine here is exclusively Sangiovese – 15 carefully selected clones, planted with the patience of a man who knows that great wines are not made, but accompanied.

Michele Satta is one of the pioneers of Bolgheri – in 1982, he founded his winery as one of the first in this now world-famous Tuscan coastal region. While the big names all around were focussing on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Satta took an unconventional step: with Marianova, first vinified in 2015, the second generation of the family created the first Bolgheri Superiore to be made entirely without Bordeaux grapes. Instead, this wine combines equal parts of the best Syrah and Sangiovese grapes from the Vignanova vineyard – the grape varieties that have most strongly characterised Satta's Bolgheri experience. Vinification takes place in cement vats with 30 per cent whole-cluster fermentation and malolactic fermentation in barriques. Ageing lasts 18 months in Liters amphorae and barriques, followed by further bottle ageing.

There are moments in the life of a winemaker when past and present merge in a magical way. For Matteo Ascheri, Barolo Ascheri is such a moment – a wine that comes from the vineyard that not only bears his name, but is also the cradle of his family. It was here, in the Località Ascheri in La Morra, that the history of a winegrowing dynasty that is now one of the most respected in the whole of Piedmont began in the early 19th century. The MGA Ascheri is located on the gently sloping southern slopes of La Morra, at an altitude of 350 metres, where the fertile soils of clay, limestone marl and sand produce the lush fruitiness for which La Morra is famous. When Matteo vinified a separate Barolo from this two-hectare vineyard for the first time in 2010, it was more than just an oenological decision – it was a return to the roots, a tribute to the ancestors who once laid the foundations for the family heritage here.

NA for Nals, MA for Margreid. A tribute to two outstanding vineyards where something special can be felt, seen and felt and which have inspired cellar master Harald Schraffl to create something equally special from their grapes. A wine and the essence that expresses the essence of the small parcels in its purest form, whose typicity tells the story of the South Tyrol of tomorrow, a timeless wine with recognition value in an international context.

Marianova is the first Bolgheri Superiore to be produced without Bordeaux grape varieties. Instead, it is a 50/50 blend of Syrah and Sangiovese, an idea of Michele Satta's son Giacomo, which was first produced in 2015.

Guado al Tasso presents itself with a warm-toned bouquet and an abundance of fruit that is just as convincing as its harmonious structure. Deep, dark, rich ruby-purple colour. Very clear and intense nose, with aromas of blackberries, cassis and dark cherries, underpinned by fine, spicy notes with hints of white pepper and leather. Very juicy on the attack and on the palate, with plenty of sweet flavour, elegant tannins and a very long finish. A finesse-rich red that offers maximum drinking pleasure and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

"Our winery is situated right in the heart of the vineyard," says Luigi Moio, "and the time between harvest and crushing is practically zero; the grapes reach the vat at their peak of freshness, without any chance of them changing." A statement that sums up the philosophy of this estate, founded in 2001 together with Laura Di Marzio. Moio, a professor of oenology at the University of Federico II in Naples and, since 2015, president of the Oenology Commission of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) in Paris, is carrying on a legacy established by his father, Michele Moio – a legendary winemaker from Mondragone who, in the 1950s, revived Falerno, one of the world’s oldest wines.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the label creation by artist Tono Zancanaro for the famous Capo di Stato, a special, strictly limited wooden box has been created. It contains one bottle each of Capo di Stato 2018 with the labels "Des Roses Pour Madame" and "... Et Pour Monsieur La Bombe". Each box also contains a numbered and signed guarantee certificate and a small booklet revealing the history of the two famous "Lui e Lei" labels.

Rich straw yellow colour, rich, complex aroma with a delicate, pleasantly creamy nose and the scent of citrus and pineapple, on the other hand lots of structured spice and a hint of vanilla. The winery's white flagship brings its primary fruit to the fore with impressive intensity, but it also offers plenty of exciting complexity in a second wave of subtle flavours that testify to extreme care and precision in winemaking. The lingering finish is refined with a subtle hint of bitter almond. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Vigneti del Versante 2019 come from the Scopeta, Cancello Rosso and Bassolino di Sopra vineyards. Bright red colour. Very deep, complex, expressive aromas of red cherries, raspberries, balsamic oils, violets and sweet spices on the highly perfumed nose, clearly recognising the terroir of Sesta. Great fibre and density on the palate, with much of this power coming from the heavier soils of the vineyards. The overall expression is profound and precise, with pungent aromas of wild berries, liquorice, lavender and lightly toasted almonds. Violets on the finish, supported by a silky, fine texture. One of the most stunning Brunello from the dream 2019 vintage, which, as always, comes onto the market a year later than its neighbours. SUPERIORE.DE

Almost every year, Barolo Campè takes top places among its high-calibre competitors. Fittingly, the majestic red wine bears the king of beasts, a lion, on its ornate yellow label. We think: There could hardly be a better graphic interpretation of this deep and stately wine. An all-round successful experience. Aromas of flowers and berries on the nose, with notes of vanilla and a hint of rosebud, full-bodied and very concentrated, with great, initially still chewy tannins and a long, powerful final. SUPERIORE.DE

Monteverro - a classic French blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot - is a great cru from the Maremma and brims with opulence and diversity. Rich, dark ruby with a black core. Incredibly rich in aromas of dark fruits, chocolate and spices, soft, full body, polished tannins. It is impossible to exaggerate the joy of the magnificence of this wine. SUPERIORE.DE

What comes after perfection? Gianfranco Fino has found an answer. Today, the winemaker cultivates fourteen plots of land around Manduria, each with its own character, each vinified separately. At the end of each vintage, he stands in the cellar between his barriques and tastes. He is not looking for the best – he looks for what touches him most deeply. "Che più ha emozionato", as he calls it. In 2019, there were five barrels that he couldn't let go of. These five barriques come from the estate's oldest vineyard: ninety-year-old Alberello vines, whose gnarled trunks rise barely knee-high from the red clay soil. Four hundred grams of grapes per vine – a blink of an eye yield for an explosion of concentration. After slight over-ripening on the vine, the grapes are harvested by hand, selected again in the cantina and then fermented on the skins for three to four weeks. The wine rests for twelve months in French oak before being bottled. A further forty-eight months of bottle ageing follow before a single bottle leaves the winery.