cult wines

A wine of remarkable aromatic complexity. Amarone aficionados know how many allusions these wines are capable of evoking, and it is not difficult to discern mushrooms, forest undergrowth, truffles, Havana leaves and even wild violets in this wine's aromatic profile, as well as the usual confit cherries and plums. In the mouth, the wine is remarkably concentrated yet elegant, carrying this bundle of allusions effortlessly and seamlessly through the palate. The fine pearly tannins give it support and the concentration of fruit is so great that the acidity almost fades into the background. A dense, polished and stately wine of the highest calibre. SUPERIORE.DE

Now a modern classic among the white Langhe wines, which carries history and at the same time whets the appetite for the future: Rossj-Bass was created in 1988, named after Rossana (Rossj), Angelo Gaja's youngest daughter, and also refers to one of the two original parcels of land – bass, in Piedmontese for the lower vineyard. Over the years, the socialisation of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in historically important cru sites in Barbaresco, Treiso and Serralunga created a stylistic signature with a clear identity.

Sergio Zenato died in 2004. In the 1960s, he founded a winery on Lake Garda that gave the Turbiana grapes of Lugana a platform they had never known before – and then, step by step, expanded into the hills of Valpolicella Classico. This Riserva bears his name because it embodies the very best that Sergio Zenato strove for. It is produced only in the finest vintages, from a rigorous selection of the oldest vines in the municipality of Sant'Ambrogio, in the heart of Valpolicella Classico. Sant'Ambrogio lies at the south-western tip of the Classico zone, near Lake Garda. The lake's waters temper the climate, slow down ripening and give the vines a balance not found on the more distant hills. Corvina and Rondinella, complemented by Oseleta, that almost forgotten indigenous Valpolicella variety which was only saved from extinction in the 1990s.

Josko Gravner's Ribolla Gialla is not only a captivating, class-defining and intimate white wine, but also the one that has made him a cult winemaker and which can be found on every cutting-edge wine list around the globe. Every sip offers unfathomable depth, intrigue and heady opulence, revealing new dimensions of flavour with every passing hour. With more than 50 vintages to his name, nobody but Josko knows how much longer he will continue to make wine. That's why we always recommend buying these rare wines whilst you still can!

Barely 4,000 bottles are produced each year from the magical Anfiteatro, named after the historic vineyard of the same name, which was planted back in 1975. 100% Sangiovese, from high Galestro soils, make up this masterpiece, which impresses every year and which, along with Flaccianello and Cepparello, can place itself in the first rank of the super-Sangiovese of central Tuscany.

When you hear the story of the effort that went into the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine people of Fèlsina are absolutely crazy. It took them two years to remove the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to virtually abandon this noble site. But it is thanks to the ambitious Giovanni Poggiali that this spectacular vineyard (Vigneto Colonia) became what it is today. It has reddish-brown soils, is rich in magnesium and iron, and is thus quite different from all other Fèlsina sites.

Testamatta means something like "crazy in the head" and this name sums it up perfectly. When you know the mad obsession with which Bibi Graetz pursues viticulture on the island of Giglio, you no longer have to wonder about the terrificand highly personalised results that Bibi has been bottling for years. This was preceded by several years of experimentation, research and a lot of hard work until the best of the over 100-year-old Ansonica vines from the rocky Serrone vineyard were finally identified.

Testamatta means something like "crazy in the head" and this name sums it up perfectly. When you know the crazy obsession with which Bibi Graetz pursues viticulture on the island of Giglio, you no longer have to wonder about the terrificand highly personalised results that Bibi has been bottling for years. This was preceded by several years of experimentation, research and a lot of hard work until the best of the over 100-year-old Ansonica vines in the rocky Serrone vineyard were finally identified. harvest is carried out exclusively by hand and each grape is meticulously selected according to quality and ripeness, which then finds its way to the wine cellar on the island. After destemming and gentle pressing under dry ice, the grapes are left to macerate for 48 hours at a low temperature before being transferred unfiltered to 225-litre barriques for fermentation, where the wine then matures for a further 12 months.

Franchetti Rosso is Passopisciaro's flagship wine and a stunningly perfect wine. The grapes come from 1000-metre-high northern Etna vineyard sites, where the soils are ash and pumice. Franchetti is a ripe, exotic wine that envelops the palate with dark fruit. Refined tannins support the fruit, while an intense inner sweetness adds elegance and finesse. A thoroughly outstanding drop. SUPERIORE.DE

San Leonardo is the flagship of the winery of the same name and one of the best red wines in Trentino every year. Opulent bouquet with nuances of dark fruit such as blackberry and sour cherry. Delicate notes of spices, leather and tobacco give it a terrific complexity, which is then enhanced on the palate by a harmonious interplay of dark berries and plums, all flanked by clearly contoured tannins. A masterful red with a strong personality that will reach its true greatness after a few more years of bottle ageing and live up to its reputation. SUPERIORE.DE

Il Nocio, a Nobile di Montepulciano from a single vineyard, impressively demonstrates the true essence of the Sangiovese grape and has also been one of the region's quality leaders for years. Deep red, intense aromas of sour cherry, redcurrant, rose petals, violets and sweet spices. Dense, juicy and elegant on the palate, with fresh, pure fruit and smoothly polished tannins. Lively mineral and floral nuances in the very long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

San Leonardo is the flagship wine of the winery of the same name and, year on year, one of the finest red wines in northern Italy. It boasts an opulent bouquet with hints of dark fruits such as blackberry and sour cherry. Delicate hints of spice, leather and tobacco lend it a terrific complexity, which is then enhanced on the palate by a harmonious interplay of dark berries and plums, the whole flanked by clearly defined tannins. A masterful, characterful red that, after a few more years of bottle ageing, reaches its true greatness and lives up to its reputation. SUPERIORE.DE

At the end of the 1980s, Luca Sanjust planted the first Merlot clones in the clay-rich soils of Feriale, unaware that he would create a legend. The name Galatrona – once the dominion of the Tuscan dynasty, whose medieval watchtower towers over the ten-hectare vineyard – was to become synonymous with Italian Merlot perfection. "Le Pin of Tuscany", as Wine Spectator calls it, but at a fraction of the price of this mythical Pomerol. The 50,000 vines on southeast-facing terraces combine Bordeaux genetics with Tuscan soul. Clay stores the moisture that Merlot needs in the hot summers, while slate, marl and sandstone provide the mineral complexity.

1983 was the first year. Luca Martini di Cigala, who was at that time in the process of taking over an estate that was still selling its wine in bulk to Antinori and Ruffino, decided to do the opposite of what many of his contemporaries were doing: no international grape varieties, no modernisation of the label, no barriques full of vanilla. A single wine, from a single vineyard, made from a single grape variety. Sangiovese. San Giusto a Rentennano. – Percarlo made its debut with the 1983 vintage – and immediately began to rewrite the history of Chianti Classico. The wine's philosophy is that of its maker: the vineyard comes before the cellar. The grapes for Percarlo are not selected by plot; instead, every bunch of grapes is examined, every vine, every site. The yield is one kilogram per vine. This has been the approach since 2001, because Martini di Cigala recognised how inconsistent Sangiovese can be from vine to vine, even within the same plot. The soils that give Percarlo its character date predominantly from the Pliocene – layers of sand and stones, two to five metres deep, resting on a bed of clay and earth. Mineral-rich, well-drained, with the ability to influence the Sangiovese over the years.

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,

A monumental and highly concentrated single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon with hints of sour cherries and subtle notes of cedarwood and liquorice. What makes it so fascinating is that Pietradonice is unmistakably recognisable as a Montalcino wine, yet with its herbaceous, spicy character it is as typical of Neri's style as it is of the grape variety itself – and thus, once again, seems to come from another, wider world. SUPERIORE.DE

The strong ruby-red Pinot Nero Schweizer, which is only produced in the best vintages, is a masterpiece. Its bouquet is large, complex and reminiscent of very ripe small wild berries. These special flavours are also found in the mouth, in combination with ripe, candied dark cherry and delicate floral and red berry notes. Juicy, wide-ranging palate, mouth-filling and with delicate, sveltenuances and an inviting and slightly tannic body which, together with the well-proportioned acidity, gives the wine a long life. SUPERIORE.DE

The name is a tribute – a deliberate homage to Bâtard-Montrachet, the legendary white wine Grand Cru of the Côte de Beaune. Querciabella did not choose it out of arrogance, but out of conviction: because the steep Galestro slopes of Ruffoli, 350 to 600 metres above Greve in Chianti, possess the terroir to produce white wines with Burgundian depth and longevity.

The grapes for the profound Le Vigne come from Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba (for the power), Villero in Castiglione Falletto (for the precision), Vignane in Barolo (for the purity of the flavours) and Merli in Novello (for the fullness of the fruit). It opens wide with aromas of fresh red fruit and a delicate spicy note. Very intense on the palate, remarkably elegant, fine-grained tannins, extremely clear, structured and long. SUPERIORE.DE

Boscarelli's Il Nocio, a Nobile di Montepulciano from a single vineyard, impressively demonstrates the true essence of the Sangiovese grape and has also been one of the region's quality leaders for years.

Siepi has always been more than just a vineyard – it was a vision waiting to become reality. Owned by the Mazzei family since 1435, this mystical place lies amidst dense oak forests near Castellina in Chianti: ten hectares of pure magic on Alberese soils, which even the ancient Romans knew how to appreciate. Paradoxically, the story of Siepi 2023 begins with one of the most challenging vintages of recent times. A mild winter with scant rainfall, followed by a rainy spring that pushed the Mazzei winemakers to their limits. And yet, or perhaps precisely because of this, a wine emerged that impressively embodies the estate's philosophy: "Great vineyards shine in difficult vintages."

"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.

In 2007, Franz Haas planted a single vineyard at an altitude of 750 metres, which was intended to encapsulate his understanding of Pinot Nero in the Dolomites. The name "Pònkler" refers to this exceptional parcel, where French clones thrive in extreme planting density on weathered porphyry soil. South-south-west facing, very low yields of between 25 and 30 hectolitres per hectare, only 2,500 to 3,500 bottles per year – these are the sobering facts behind a wine that culminates Franz Haas' three-decade-long obsession with Pinot Nero. Franz has vinified and meticulously documented 592 (!) different Pinot Nero versions in his lifetime. Every clone, every vinification method, every ageing process has been meticulously recorded – the search for the perfect Pinot Nero, which he demanded of himself but never thought he had achieved. Pònkler represents this tirelessness: the altitude gives the wine those ripe notes that only develop in the cool alpine climate, where the grapes have time to develop phenolic ripeness and freshness at the same time.

Luce is the iconic wine of the estate of the same name and symbolises the harmonious balance between the elegant structure of Sangiovese and the richness of Merlot. The wine marries the tradition and terroir of the Montalcino region with a personal interpretation of this extraordinary land.