Doctor Wine

Ornato, Serralunga d'Alba, that is: stony limestone marl, warm vats with good aeration, the south/south-west exposure ensures deep ripeness, the altitude ensures balance. Hand-picked, separate vinification in stainless steel, extended maceration time. Maturation in large barrels is supplemented by a small proportion of barriques/tonneaux – more for texture than flavour. 2020 offered a stable summer and clear nights for the harvest: ripe harvest, supple phenolics, brilliant fruit.

The single vineyard Il Bricco, situated on both sides of the hilltop, the highest point is about 410 metres above sea level. Family-owned since the 1970s, you can expect great things every year. 2020 brought a stable summer, with a precise cooling in September and cool nights until the harvest. The result is very healthy, aromatically ripe grapes with clear fruit and balanced acidity – charming on the palate, yet precise and persistent. After separate fermentation of the batches in stainless steel, the wine is matured traditionally in large barrels and a moderate proportion of barrique is used for texture.

Silky, open and graceful, it is characterised by outstanding elegance and the finesse typical of the northern sector of Montalcino. Rose petals, sweet red berries and graceful, minty notes adorn the palate in a sensual, silky Brunello that exudes its class and pedigree from the very first sip. The traditional Marroneto style with fine-grained tannins and subtle salty notes contrasts excitingly with the classic structure and extract sweetness. A great wine! SUPERIORE.DE

In just a few years, Alessandro Mori's wines have made Il Marroneto one of Montalcino's most famous wineries. Today, he runs the company together with his son Jacopo. The wines reflect their passionate, simple and outspoken character, which appears reserved and austere at first glance, but slowly opens up to reveal a harmonious synthesis of elegance and power. In 2019, he decided to produce a selection from some of his best grapes - named after his son Jacopo - and in such small quantities that we are the only ones on the German market to be allocated a few boxes. SUPERIORE.DE

Podernovi is San Polo's great single-vineyard Brunello. Ruby red colour with light garnet reflections. On the nose, floral aromas of violets, cyclamen and jasmine, notes of fresh fruit and spicy notes. In the mouth, round, full of harmony and with a good structure and acidity, as well as very soft tannins that show excellent persistence overall. A wine of almost endless length, depth and with a distinct character that lingers in the memory. SUPERIORE.DE

Celestino Gaspari is regarded on the scene as the successor to Giuseppe Quintarelli, having worked there for many years as cellar master. His vintage Amarone has an intense ruby colour with a garnet sheen. The full bouquet has aromas of dark chocolate, prunes, black cherries and cloves. Complex and full-bodied on the palate, very juicy fruit, cherries, plums flanked by a gentle tannin. It offers an impressive multi-dimensionality and great richness, which is evenly distributed across all the senses - regardless of whether it is drunk young after a few hours of decanting or whether it reaches further maturity in the bottle over many years with good storage. SUPERIORE.DE

The fruit for Tenuta Nuova is harvested from a south and south-east facing slope at 250 to 300 metres above sea level. The soils are loose and mixed with gravel, which allows access to air and moisture.

Giovanni Manetti was just twenty when, in 1981, he was due to press the first vintage together with Oenologist Franco Bernabei: a pure Sangiovese, at a time when the rules governing Chianti Classico still stipulated a proportion of white wine. What began as an act of rebellion became a legend. Flaccianello della Pieve, one of the first single-varietal Super Tuscans, proved that Sangiovese can achieve world-class status without any blending. The name derives from the original vineyard, but since 2001 Flaccianello has been a selection of the finest grapes from three plots on the estate, primarily those at the highest altitudes of 480 metres, where Pietraforte soils predominate. This conglomerate of sandstone varieties lends the wine the freshness and structure that set it apart from the rest.

When Ferruccio Ferragamo took over the dilapidated Borgo from the Duke of Savoy-Aosta in 1993, it was more than just a property purchase. It was, as he himself put it, "an act of faith". Thirty years on, the house's flagship wine embodies this spirit in every bottle: a commitment to uncompromising elegance. Its creation was preceded by a meticulous geological study. Each grape variety was planted where the soil best brings out its strengths: Merlot for velvety opulence, Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and depth, Syrah for freshness and aromatic lift. Separate vinification, followed by blending – a blend that bears the hallmark of the Valdarno. The wines mature for eighteen months in French oak – the Merlot partly in larger casks to preserve its fruit, the Cabernet and Syrah in first- and second-use barriques. The result is neither a copy nor a rival to Bolgheri or Chianti, but something entirely unique.

A great Barbaresco, destined for long ageing: Garnet red, concentrated and powerful aromas of red berries, freshly cut flowers, mint and tobacco. The flavour is also bursting with power and richness, but still has a captivating purity, immediacy and elegance, the framework of which is formed by the beautifully integrated tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

The single vineyard Gallina in Neive has been synonymous with powerful, broodingBarbaresco for decades. The vines grow on calcareous marl soils with a southern exposure – a terroir that characterises the Nebbiolo with lush fruit, fine spice and distinctive structure. Organic cultivation promotes vitality and expressiveness, while limiting yields ensures concentration. The 2021 vintage was characterised by an ideal balance: warm, sunny days and cool nights during the ripening phase resulted in healthy, aromatically complex grapes. After careful manual harvesting, a traditional maceration followed, after which the wine matured for around 20 months in new barriques before being bottled unfiltered.

Sandro Chia had the right instinct when he acquired the very high vineyard, which his neighbours had actually advised him not to buy. Named after this single vineyard, the famous artist and his son Filippo vinified a wine here that is somewhat denser than the normal Annata. The full bouquet has lively notes of dark red cherries, spices, plums and leather. Filo di Seta is racy and lush, but still has a clearly recognisable structure and impresses with its impressive balance. Sweet floral and spicy notes lend it exciting nuances on the expressive finish. A bold and incredibly viral Brunello and a masterpiece every year! SUPERIORE.DE

Vigna Loreto from the sun-drenched single vineyard of the same name right next to the winery is only vinified in the best vintages and delivers an even more intense interpretation of the Sangiovese grape every year. If you are looking for a soft and contemporary expression of Sangiovese, this is the wine for you. It offers a deep richness and texture infused with black fruits, spice and tobacco. This wine goes a step beyond the normal boundaries of Brunello in terms of richness and extraction. For all its undoubtedly beguiling opulence, it is nevertheless a straightforward and altogether superb wine that will gain in finesse and elegance with age. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2001, when the Mascheroni Stianti family planted the Casanova vineyard, one of the most visionary projects in the history of Tuscan viticulture began. Between the legendary Coltassala and Balifico vineyards, on the sun-drenched south-south-east flank of Volpaia, a living museum of Sangiovese biodiversity was created – a vineyard that was to become the flagship of an entire philosophy. Il Puro is the pure essence of Chianti Classico: 100 per cent Sangiovese, 100 per cent indigenous clones, 100 per cent organic, 100 per cent Radda.

"This is our flagship wine, a Barolo recognised the world over, which we have always nourished and cared for with greatest respect. Nothing will change. This is why I will dedicate this special wine to my grandchildren Alessia and Stefano. From now on, it will carry their names." Luciano Sandrone on his intention to rename his world-famous Barolo Cannubi Boschis "Aleste" with the 2013 vintage. This Barolo is a masterpiece from Luciano Sandrone in every respect. Not only a historic product but also the only cru of the house from the renowned Cannubi area in Barolo. Rich ruby colour, balsamic bouquet, ripe and sweet. Great suppleness on the palate, lots of fruit, dense tannins, very persistent final with Burgundian elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Cherry accentuated bouquet with hints of violet blossoms, clove, cigar box and a pleasant spicy sweetness. Dense and expressive on the palate, it opens vibrantly and multilayered and then reveals a beautiful load of black cherry, exotic spices and a fine salty vein. The perfectly balanced tannin always provides the necessary balance and gives it a racy, very long finish with its exceedingly refined flavour components. SUPERIORE.DE

This coveted Riserva is only vinified in top vintages and comes from the highest vineyards of the winery. On the nose, the essence of dark cherries, blackberries, flowers, violets, liquorice and spices, which are then carried away on the palate by firm, structured tannins. The Brunello Riserva 2016 impresses with its remarkable fruit and a big, explosive finish. It presents itself fresh and surprisingly lively, yet very focused and balanced. A great wine that is already a real joy to drink. SUPERIORE.DE

If there is one thing Giacomo Neri has mastered 100 per cent, it is harvesting at the optimum stage of ripeness. He knows his estate and his vines better than most, and it shows. The grapes for the Tenuta Nuova are harvested from a south- and south-east-facing slope at an altitude of 250 to 300 metres above sea level. The soils are loose and mixed with gravel, which allows for good access to air and moisture.

The Piero selection was created as a tribute to the work of Pierluigi Talenti, who has selected and worked the Sangiovese with passion over the years. A 1.95 hectare vineyard near the centre of the winery, with unique pedoclimatic characteristics, is distinguished from all other vineyards by its consistent quality. The gently sloping terrain is surrounded by woods rich in marl, with a south-eastern exposure at an altitude of 410 metres above sea level, where Pierluigi followed and cultivated his personal clonal selection in the 1970s. It is a wine with intense and persistent character, ruby colour, fine and elegant tannins. After ageing in tonneaux for at least 24 months, it is bottled until it is released to the market. SUPERIORE.DE

A fruity and graceful Barbaresco. The loamy soils give it a firm backbone and strong tannins.

La Gioia is the pure expression of Sangiovese with fruit from the estate's best vineyards. It is a big, expressive wine every year, retaining its crisp, medium-bodied mouthfeel. Tones of cherries, wild berries, violets and spices make for an elegant and very pure bouquet. The finish is characterised by fresh acidity in the typical and very refined Riecine style. SUPERIORE.DE