Decanter

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.

When Georg Weber set foot on the hills below Capalbio in the early 2000s, he knew that his search was over. The Bordeaux lover had travelled the wine world – from Pauillac to Napa Valley – to finally find the terroir in the southern Maremma that would realise his dream: Tuscany's first Premier Grand Cru. Monteverro – named after the wild boar, the "verro", which has always roamed the maquis of this coastal landscape – was born.

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the winery's 6 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, which is divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all the grapes are harvested at the perfect point of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

Barolo Ravera comes from a single vineyard with vines that are almost 50 years old. In the glass, it impresses with a strong, aromatic opening flavour. Bright, precise and finely chiselled, the Ravera captures everything good that the vintage has to offer. Cherry, sweet mint, candy and expressive floral notes are given an extra kick of inner sweetness by Ravera's natural energy. There is so much to look forward to as the wine develops over the next few years! SUPERIORE.DE

When Paolo Panerai realised his vision of a great Tuscan red wine made exclusively from indigenous grape varieties at the end of the 1970s, hardly anyone suspected that this wine would make history. As early as 1988, the Wine Spectator catapulted it into the international wine elite with sixth place in its first Top 100 – a triumph for a Supertuscan that deliberately eschewed Cabernet and Merlot in favour of the genetic purity of Tuscan vines. The name itself tells of the terroir: "Sodi" is what Tuscan winegrowers call those hard, stony soils that were too heavy for teams of oxen and had to be laboriously worked by hand. Here, on calcareous Galestro soils between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, around the medieval church of San Niccolò, the vines fight for every drop of water – 85 per cent Sangioveto, the original, small-berried form of Sangiovese, and 15 per cent Malvasia Nera, an almost forgotten grape variety – an almost forgotten grape variety that was abandoned in many places due to its low yields – result in a cuvée of unnerving power and unmistakable race. The 2021 vintage perfectly embodies this philosophy: After 18 to 25 days of maceration in steel tanks, the wine matures for up to 30 months in barriques, two thirds of which in new wood, before resting for a further twelve months in the bottle.

Around 60% of the grapes for the Monvigliero are not destemmed, which enhances the aromatic nuances of the wine. Youthful notes of raspberry and blueberry are flanked by black pepper, gentian, porcelain and black olives. On the palate, it has a beguilingly soft texture, fine and creamy, accompanied by wonderful flavours of laurel and flowers. Monvigliero from Verduno impresses with its purity, its sheer serenity and its class. Excellent every year and unfortunately very rare. SUPERIORE.DE

This is more than a wine – it is the essence of a project born in 1999 with the vision of showing the world the finest that Bolgheri is capable of producing. From five selected vineyard sites between 80 and 220 metres above sea level – argentiera, Ginestre, Ventaglio, Porcarecce and Ceccosodo – a cuvée has emerged that has been a contemporary symbol of Italian winemaking since its debut vintage in 2003. The 2021 vintage is the culmination of an extraordinary era: 48% Merlot is combined with 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc to create a Bordeaux-inspired masterpiece that nevertheless breathes an unmistakable Tuscan soul. Sourced from the Tenuta's best plots, where sandy, calcareous and stony soils thrive between Mediterranean scrub and the salty tang of the Tyrrhenian Sea, each grape embodies the unique terroir identity of this privileged location.

For three years, the team at Tenuta San Giorgio got to know their vineyards. Not as an end in itself – but because they needed to know which plots had what it takes to become a Riserva. The Brunello Disciplinare is clear on this point: the Riserva must be the exceptional, not the standard. It was not until 2018, after three years of careful observation and selection, that the answer was clear enough to take the first step: the first vintage of Ugolforte Riserva was put into the barrels. Climatically, 2018 was not an easy year in Montalcino. But in oenology, it is often the case that the most challenging vintages produce the most elegant wines. Selection of the best grapes from the best plots, fermentation in oak vats and concrete tanks with long maceration periods, 30 months in 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels, bottled in November 2021, released in January 2024. A Brunello that was shaped over six years before leaving the estate.

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.

Barolo Cerequio comes from vines that are over 35 years old. The vineyards were acquired by Michele Chiarlo in the 2010s through fortunate circumstances. The 2021 vintage confirms once again that the purchase of this vineyard was one of the smartest decisions Vietti has ever made. Cerequio is a wine of nuance and class that reflects the entire pedigree of this great site. Crushed red berry fruit, cherry, blood orange, spice and mint rise from the glass, framed by nervy tannins that convey classicism. An exotic, racy Barolo. SUPERIORE.DE

In the early hours of the morning, when the Maestrale is still gently caressing the hills between Bolgheri and Bibbona and the first light kisses the red earth, the true essence of what Massimo Piccin has been moulding as his life's work for over two decades is revealed. Sapaio – named after the ancient Tuscan grape variety Sapaia – is more than just a wine. It is the manifesto of a visionary who came here in 1999 as a Venetian engineer and created a kingdom of the senses from eight hectares of bare earth. The name bears a crown as a logo, a tribute to the nobility of wine and the daily devotion of those who leave their souls between the vines and barrels. Since 2015, Sapaio has deliberately been labelled Toscana IGT, not out of embarrassment but out of conviction: Because the best grapes grow beyond the administrative borders of Bolgheri, in Bibbona, where ferruginous red clay soils give a minerality that no decree in the world can duplicate.

The Ravera vineyard on the Novello side, where steep hills descend from a castle perched on a beautiful panorama, is one of the best cru sites in the Barolo DOCG. From this vantage point, you can see Novello and the Elvio Cogno winery, which is located halfway up the slope. Valter Fissore's Ravera from the great 2021 vintage benefits from this special location and shows terrific versatility and depth every year.

In the heart of the Valdarno Superiore, where the ancient Via dei Setteponti inspired Leonardo da Vinci to create his immortal landscape studies, lies Tenuta Sette Ponti – named after the seven bridges that have linked Arezzo and Florence since Etruscan times. Here, on 300 hectares where history meets modernity, Dr Antonio Moretti Cuseri realised a visionary idea in 1999: to create a Tuscan Bordeaux-style wine that combines international elegance with the soul of Tuscany. Oreno – named after the small river that flows through the estate in that clay-rich area where the Merlot vines put down their deepest roots – was born out of a passion for Bordeaux finesse. Fascinated by his travels to Bordeaux, Moretti Cuseri had existing vineyards grafted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Whilst the Merlot thrives in the clay-rich soils, the Cabernet vines find their home on gravelly terraces that offer perfect drainage and natural temperature regulation. The Petit Verdot rounds off the cuvée with spicy notes and intense flavour.

Ceretto's Barbaresco Asili (approx. 4,000 bottles) is the clearest and most complete of the winery's impressive Barbaresco collection. It reveals a fine sweetness of cherries and redcurrants on the nose, followed by an extremely silky and fine texture on the palate. Following on from the bright berry fruit, its bouquet reveals subtle notes of gravel and delicate, salty flavours. Overall, an accessible and highly elegant approach with great freshness, fine tannins and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

"The art of waiting" – this is how Tenuta Luce describes the philosophy behind the creation of Lux Vitis. A wine that is in no hurry: three hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon, planted in 2004, left to grow undisturbed for eleven years before the first label bearing its own name was printed. And then, vintage after vintage, the same patience in the cellar: 24 months in exclusively new French barriques before the wine leaves the estate. 2021 put that patience to the test. April brought an unexpected frost – the vines, which had budded early, were affected, and production was reduced. This was followed by a recovery, a rainy spring and a hot, long summer. The significant temperature fluctuations between day and night during the harvest weeks acted as a counterbalance: they preserved the wine's precision and aromatics. 7,000 bottles – fewer than the previous year, but of great concentration. Concrete vats, 12 days' fermentation, 20 days' maceration, malolactic fermentation in barriques, 24 months in new oak.

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."

In the 1930s, Carlotta della Gherardesca Antinori inherited – piero Antinori's mother – inherited an estate on the Maremma coast, a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. At the time, the land was used for agriculture and the winegrowing tradition in Bolgheri was only just beginning. Carlotta and her husband Niccolò recognised the potential of the amphitheatre: a curved plain framed by hills like a natural cauldron that captures the sea breezes and concentrates the energy of ripening. Today, Tenuta Guado al Tasso extends over 320 hectares in this very amphitheatre – one of the largest estates in the entire appellation in terms of surface area.

Mazzei's top wine Siepi is not only an outstanding Tuscan wine every year, but also a 6-hectare vineyard in the middle of dense oak forests with an ideal altitude and a unique climate. The sunshine is optimal throughout the day and a constant breeze from the west prevents excessive heat and creates a mild, Mediterranean climate. The oak forests also provide an ideal protective barrier against extreme weather conditions. Rocky soils of marl, limestone and clay from the Pliocene period ensure a special balance of elements in this geological complex.

A modernist by the book. Balanced and impressive at the same time. 2018 Rennina with powerful aromas and flavours of violets, black cherries, tobacco and menthol. The tannins are firm yet beautifully integrated. Rennina is a complex, medium-bodied wine, which has a great positive influence on its ageing potential and makes it a success story. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that define a family across generations, and there are those moments when a winemaker gives his life’s work a name that bridges the past and the future. When Luciano Sandrone decided in 2013 to rename his legendary Barolo Cannubi Boschis, he did not choose just any name, but created an acronym from the first names of his grandchildren: ALEssia and STEfano. ALESTE – a word that embodies experience, continuity and the hope that what he began in 1985 with the first bottle from Cannubi Boschis will live on in the hands of the next generation. Cannubi Boschis, the sub-parcel at the heart of Barolo’s legendary Cannubi vineyard, is the vineyard in which Luciano invested his entire savings in 1977 – directly opposite the winery, on a hill whose potential he recognised from the very first moment. Here, on optimal soils in a sheltered, sun-drenched location, Nebbiolo flourishes into that combination of power and finesse that has made Cannubi famous worldwide.

Angelo Gaja makes his wines with broad brushstrokes that form shapes of perfect harmony and grandeur, he makes them modern but never too fashionable. Rennina 2019 is a dark, lush and juicy red wine with a seamless overall integration. On the palate, bold fruit, oak spice, acidity and a well-knit tannin hold the overall composition together in an overwhelming and warm embrace. SUPERIORE.DE

After many years of identifying the best Merlot, Cabernet and Petit Verdot parcels within the boundaries of their Bolgheri vineyard, the Antinori family and then Lodovico Antinori, with the help of the famous OenologistMichel Rolland, discovered in the early 2000s that there was an even more special microclimate and terroir in the middle of this microclimate and terroir, the results of which surpassed those of the larger area. Everyone involved immediately realised that this unique character had to be vinified and highlighted separately - this was the birth of today's cult wine Lodovico and later the Tenuta del Nicchio, which is now run by Lodovico and his daughter Sophia. SUPERIORE.DE

2016 was not an easy year in Valpolicella – and Romano Dal Forno still delivered. That sounds obvious, but it's not: in years like 1992, 2005, 2007 or 2014, there was simply no Amarone. That is the currency in which trust is bought here. Dal Forno Romano has its own clock ticking for the release of the large bottles: they come onto the market three years after the 0.75 litre bottle. What this means for 2016 is obvious. After six weeks of appassimento, 36 months in new barriques and long maturation in the large format, this Valpolicella has reached a level of maturity that only the large glass can appreciate.

Three years after the Annata, Romano and his sons launch a small edition of the same vintage in large formats. Dark and dense, it reveals an intense bouquet with marmalade-like aromas of red and dark fruits, alongside which spices and wood, tobacco and chocolate echo. At the same time, the youthful, stormy taste is an overwhelming demonstration of power. SUPERIORE.DE