Doctor Wine

There are no fixed rules at Zýmē, only the pursuit of experimentation to offer a unique and honest experience that also conveys the character of each individual vintage. Il Bianco From Black to White (sealed with a glass cork) opens with a golden colour and a whitish sheen typical of grapes that have no skin contact. The predominant grape variety is Rondinella Bianca, a mutation that was only discovered by chance in the vineyards of Zýmē and is unique in Italy.

Bright, sparkling silver-grey with a persistent perlage. The nose is fragrant with white roses, juicy pears and white peach. Juicy on the palate, radiant and with a great fruity sweetness, it opens up with presence and balance, pleasantly dosed in all its facets. SUPERIORE.DE

Lugana as a sparkling wine? The idea sounds unusual, but Sergio Zenato has been pursuing it since the winery was founded in the 1960s. He recognised early on that Trebbiano di Lugana, with its fine acidity and aromatic purity, was ideal for traditional bottle fermentation. Hand-picked in mid-September, gentle whole-cluster pressing, fermentation with natural yeasts at 16°C in stainless steel. This is followed by the decisive step: the second fermentation in the bottle according to the Metodo Classico – the same method used in Champagne. The Spumante sur lie matures for a full 24 months before remuage and dégorgement release the fine flavours.

It took seven years and 35 purchase agreements to bring together the scattered parcels of Montebruna. When they succeeded, the joy was so great that the Bolognas invited artists, poets and musicians to give voice and verse to this vineyard. "Una terra che parla" – a land that speaks – they called the project. And indeed, anyone who drinks Montebruna hears Rocchetta Tanaro speak. The vines are rooted in Braida's heartland, 100% Barbera from their own vineyards. Two weeks of maceration in temperature-controlled steel, then a year of ageing in large oak barrels – classic, without barrique dominance.

Where the Lombards once built their fortress and Frederick II held court, Marco Ricasoli Firidolfi now cultivates his vines – a descendant of Bettino Ricasoli, who invented the Chianti formula in the 19th century. Monti in Chianti, situated at an altitude of 340 to 510 metres, is considered one of the best vineyards in the entire region. Limestone soils, organic farming and three-phase manual harvesting form the basis for this classic Chianti: 90% Sangiovese, supplemented by Canaiolo from our own selection. Matured for twelve months in Allier oak, bottled unfiltered.

Every year, Istine's Chianti Classico is one of the most racy and authentic representatives of its genre. Its weightlessness and at the same time precision make up a large part of its appeal. A finely knit bouquet of red berries, flowers, chalk and white pepper. Medium-bodied on the palate, its fine fruit, creamy tannins and plenty of personality come to light with further aeration. A red wine that takes hearts by storm with its lively, dancing and extremely fine nerve! SUPERIORE.DE

La Contessa is a South Tyrolean white wine with soul and origin, produced from biodynamically farmed vineyards near Kaltern. Grown on loamy-sandy soils at an altitude of 300-400 metres, the cuvée of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc combines alpine freshness with southern charm. The 2024 vintage was characterised by a cool spring and a balanced ripening phase, which allowed for aromatic clarity and fine structure.

Sansonina (Lugana and Merlot) is a strictly limited and very ambitious project by the Zenato family, in which only the best grapes from their own vineyards are used. Only a small number of these are sold in numbered bottles each year.

The vineyards in Gaiole and Greve form the core of the blend, with a hint of fruit from Radda. On the nose, floral aromas and red fruits in the super-classic, medium-bodied style that is so typical of the Querciabella style today. Rose petals, lavender, mint and sweet raspberry fruit take centre stage. Brilliant medium ruby red colour. Enormous density on the palate, firm fruit body, with great youthful, fresh temperament, paired with a certain finesse and elegance. Finishes long with notes of juicy red berries, great! SUPERIORE.DE

Owner Leonardo Pinzolo cultivates 52 hectares of biodynamically certified vineyards on his family farms in Popoli and Capestrano. The soils here differ from those in the rest of Abruzzo. Combined with the higher altitude of the vineyards and the proximity to the Gran Sasso mountains, these wines have a decidedly cooler expression than is usually found in Abruzzo. In the winery, fermentations are spontaneous and without temperature control. With the exception of a few single-vineyard wines, most of the wines are matured in stainless steel.

A volcanic masterpiece from Sicily's latest wine revolution: since 2023, Etna winegrowers have been allowed to state their specific contrada on the label for the first time – a historic innovation that honours the region's centuries-old understanding of terroir. Planeta's flagship wine from the Contrada Feudo di Mezzo epitomises this new era with impressive clarity. The Planeta family, Sicilian wine pioneers since 1694, reached the northern slopes of Etna in 2008 and immediately recognised the extraordinary potential of the volcanic soils. In Feudo di Mezzo, at an altitude of 610 metres, wines of unique expressiveness are produced on black lava sands and mineral-rich sediments. The winery was built in 2012 on a lava flow dating back to 1566. A symbol of the connection between modern vinification and geological history.

A wine that made history. When the first vintage of La Selvanella Riserva was presented in 1969, it was a revolution in Chianti Classico – the very first cru from a single vineyard in the entire region. Today, over 50 years later, this Sangiovese classic is still regarded as a benchmark for the elegance and purity of the Radda terroirs. The 50 hectares of the La Selvanella vineyard sit at an altitude of 350 to 550 metres above Radda in Chianti in one of the most privileged positions in the entire region. Wines of exceptional structure and lively acidity are produced here. The perfect south-west exposure and the temperate continental climate create ideal conditions for the capricious Sangiovese to develop its full aromatic complexity.

Light, bright straw yellow with a subtle greenish shimmer – is how this exceptional white wine appears in the glass. The grapes come 100% from Nascetta, probably the only autochthonous white wine variety in the Langhe, which has been revitalised in Novello far beyond eye level – as a true expression of the diversity of regional grape varieties. The wine is matured in equal parts in stainless steel tanks and Slavonian 15-litre oak barrels – precisely balanced to combine freshness with an enveloping structure.

"A quei tempi era sempre festa" – back then there was always a party. Thus begins Cesare Pavese's novel "La bella estate", written in 1940 and awarded the Premio Strega in 1950, a tale about those fleeting summers of youth when anything seems possible. It is no coincidence that Vite Colte named its Moscato Passito after this work: the Barolo cooperative has dedicated several of its wines to Piedmontese Liters– "La Luna e i Falò", also a Pavese title, adorns their award-winning Barbera d'Asti. It is a nod to their homeland, to the landscape of hills and mist that Pavese described so unmistakably.

Steep cliffs, gentle slopes of calcareous clay soil, the rough blue of the Adriatic Sea just above the vines ... welcome to the Conero, one of the most renowned terroirs in the Marche region! From the heart of this landscape comes Cùmaro, a passionately cultivated, richly structured Montepulciano that Umani Ronchi has been vinifying as a Riserva since the mid-1980s. In the glass, it presents a dark ruby colour with a purple hue. The bouquet is intense and multi-layered: ripe plum, blackcurrant and cassis intertwine with notes of black pepper, vanilla and fine tobacco – all in a powerful, spicy frame. The palate is characterised by dense concentration while remaining warm and enveloping. Smooth, integrated tannins carry the broodingfruit flavour, which glides into a long, elegant finish – with hints of chocolate and spicy dryness.

Dievole's new Chianti Classico Casanova, just released with the debut 2020 vintage, is the result of a quest to highlight the identity characteristics of particularly suitable vineyards, leading to ever more precise expressions of Sangiovese. The Casanova grapes come from a vineyard at an altitude of about 400 metres, with an ideal south-west to south-east exposure and composed mainly of sandstone rocks Macigno del Chianti. The result is a Chianti Classico that is very immediate and direct, with a beautiful acidity to boot. It has the elegance and freshness and the bright, radiant fruit of Chianti Classico "as it used to be".

Dievoles Chianti Classico Petrignano is the result of the endeavour to highlight the identity characteristics of particularly suitable vineyards, leading to ever more precise expressions of Sangiovese. Petrignano is the name of a characteristic area with a soil rich in minerals and stones. At an altitude of around 330 metres, rocks protrude from the ground that are typical of the geological formation of Monte Morello. The abundance of stones, the depth of the roots and the low growth of the vines result in an expressive and lush wine from this characteristic and authentic cru site.

Dievoles Chianti Classico Catignano is the result of the endeavour to highlight the identity characteristics of particularly suitable vineyards, leading to ever more precise expressions of Sangiovese. Catignano is a plateau at 370 metres above sea level, with vineyards of different ages and a large proportion of Alberese. The exposure is westerly and south-easterly, which means plenty of sun during the day, but also cold temperatures at night, with a good temperature range that favours the aromatic development of the grapes.