Doctor Wine

A wonderfully mature Salice Salentino with character and depth: "Per Lui" Salice Salentino Riserva comes from selected Negroamaro plots that are deeply rooted in the iron-rich soils around Salice. The long maturation in wood - partly barrique, partly tonneau - gives the wine density and expression without jeopardising its balance. Dark ruby red in the glass with a light garnet-red rim. The aroma is warm and complex: black cherry, plum, dried herbs, some tobacco and a hint of cedar. Structured and powerful on the palate, with well-integrated tannins, juicy fruit and a spicy finish. An elegant, mature Salice Salentino that shows its finer, more serious side - very much in the style of the great wines of southern Puglia. SUPERIORE.DE

Neromàccarj is the broodingwine from Gulfi's high-quality Nero d'Avola range. The vines are rooted in the single vineyard Màccari, a barren hilly landscape near Pachino, where calcareous clay, volcanic rock and sea breezes create a powerful, yet always balanced microclimate. The vines are ungrafted, some are over 50 years old and yields are low. The harvest by hand and the wine is matured in the traditional way: a long maceration period followed by two years of ageing in used barriques and large wooden barrels. All this with organic care – and a firm determination to bring the best of the variety into the glass.

The first 1,850 Pinot Noir vines were brought to Italy from Burgundy by Count Vistarino back in 1865. Since then, the vinification of this demanding grape variety has been continuously refined over the generations. Today, the Pinot Noirs from the winegrowing dynasty can even outshine much more expensive Pinot Noirs from Burgundy at international tastings.

This wine is literally on fire. Flammante comes from the Inferno (hell), an area where the fruit of this fiery, warm and full-bodied wine comes from the hardness of the Rhaetian rock. With all the vigour in every sip, it is a wine of extreme grace and elegance that makes you think and marvel. Ruby red colour tending towards garnet. A beguiling bouquet of Mediterranean spices and herbs, then strawberry, wild rose, dried earth and minerals. Complex and full of character on the palate with a beautiful fruit centre and animating freshness that makes you long for the next glass. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that define an appellation. And there are wines that show where an appellation can go. The Gran Selezione from Lilliano belongs to the second category. When the Chianti Classico producers created the new top of the quality pyramid in 2010, there was a great deal of scepticism: is there really a need for another category above the Riserva? Lilliano answered this question with deeds rather than words. While other estates defined their Gran Selezione with an international use of wood and concentrated opulence, Lilliano remained true to its line: tradition, terroir, typicity. The Gran Selezione comes exclusively from the two best single vineyards of the Tenuta – piagge and Casina, both situated at an altitude of around 300 metres, both characterised by the calcareous Alberese soils that make Castellina in Chianti one of the most mineral terroirs in the entire appellation. Piagge is south-facing, fully exposed to the sun, and produces Sangiovese of concentration and vigour. Casina, on the other hand, exposed to the east-south-east, produces Colorino and Sangiovese of elegance and aromatic finesse. Together they produce a cuvée of 90% Sangiovese and 5% each of Colorino and Merlot – an assemblage that seeks perfection within the rules rather than innovation.

The "Sassorosso" vineyard is located on a rocky promontory that is separated from the rest of the mountain and has been almost completely eroded by the glacier over the centuries. It is visually characterised by the unmistakable red colour of the ferrous inclusions in the rock. The overlying shallow soil layer consists of clay and sand and lies on friable, metamorphic rock into which the roots can penetrate. The unmistakably elegant and mineral character of the terroir is therefore particularly evident in this Nebbiolo.

"La Firma" - "The signature". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary. La Firma is a single-varietal Aglianico that matures in natural caves made of volcanic tuff, carats and French oak barrels. Beautiful ruby red colour with bright violet reflections. Complex bouquet with aromas of small black berries, liquorice and hay. Powerful and very harmonious on the palate, characterised by velvety tannins and a long, balsamic finish. Great ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for this delightful red cuvée of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère come exclusively from the estate's own vineyards. Terre offers present notes of black cherry, spices and blackberry. It is a moody, lively and very fruit-orientated red that will give a lot of pleasure over the next few years! SUPERIORE.DE

There are words that tell more than entire stories. Sgarzon: In the ancient dialect of Campo Rotaliano, it means "young shoot", "sapling" and embodies the essence of youthful vitality and the impetuous vigour of new beginnings. This name is the programme for a Teroldego that revolutionises conventional ideas of this powerful grape variety. Just one kilometre from the famous Morei vineyard as the crow flies, but completely different in character, is the 2.5-hectare Sgarzon vineyard. Here, the Noce River has deposited sandy sediments over thousands of years, creating a cooler, more open microzone. While other Teroldego vineyards are already harvesting their grapes, the Sgarzon berries ripen a week longer – a decisive difference that gives this wine its exceptional finesse.

Between light and shade, between strength and elegance, sometimes only a few hundred metres decide the character of a wine. Less than ten minutes' walk from Sgarzon, but geologically in a different world, lies Morei, "the dark one" in the old Trentino dialect. Here, on the warmer, rockier terrain of Campo Rotaliano, Elisabetta Foradori has been writing another exciting chapter in the Teroldego story since 1984. The name says it all: where Sgarzon embodies youthful freshness, Morei reveals the deep, mineral soul of this extraordinary grape variety. The 2.5-hectare plot rests on the ancient riverbed of the Noce, where thousands of years of erosion have left behind a mosaic of pebbles, sand and dolomite rock. This stony matrix stores the heat of the dolomite sun and releases it to the vines at night – a natural heat reservoir that gives Teroldego its characteristic depth and concentration.

"The Stilèma project was born as a testimony of Antonio Mastroberardino's love for his land, his vines and his wines, for their original character." Piero Mastroberardino

Bright, radiant golden yellow in colour. The aromas of this crus float weightlessly in the air and range from ripe banana, peach and marzipan to Amalfi lemons and quinces. The palate is creamy and surprisingly tannic for a white wine, with firm, crisp acidity and terrificcomplexity. Layer by layer, the components of this characterful white wine unfold into a refined potpourri that impressively demonstrates Luigi Moro's great class. A Greco di Tufo with huge ageing potential and, for us, like something from another planet. SUPERIORE.DE

Exultet – the Latin imperative that has been resounding in the churches of Campania for centuries: "Rejoice!" This name encapsulates the entire philosophy of Luigi Moio, one of Italy's most renowned Oenologist, who has recognised that great wines not only need technical perfection, but above all a soul that moves people to rejoice. If the professor transforms his science into poetry, then Exultet is the most shining example of this alchemy. In the volcanic hills of Mirabella Eclano, where the Via Appia once led Roman legions through the heart of Irpinia, Fiano thrives on soils that owe their origin to the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. This ancient connection between fire and earth characterises every drop of this exceptional white wine.

Sangioveto, which consists of 100% organic Sangiovese, is grown in cool locations at an altitude of 260 to 370 metres with a south-westerly exposure. In the past, Sangiovese was called "Sangioveto" or "San Zoveto". It represents a refined expression from this particular part of the appellation and a very faithful interpretation of the Tuscan grape.

Feudi's Riserva Piano di Montevergine is only vinified in outstanding years. The wine has a very impressive concentration and great richness in every vintage. Dark and brooding on first impression, it slowly awakens in the glass with a captivating blend of menthol, mint and exotic spices that evolves with a lively note of cinnamon-dusted redcurrant. This velvety-smooth and elegant wine appears heavy at first, but is quickly enlivened by a core of vibrant acidity and zesty citrus notes that embellish the tart black fruits. The tannins on the finish are sweet and chalky, while notes of wild red plum and blood orange keep the tasterer coming back for more. SUPERIORE.DE

Here, the Falanghina grape variety is redefined with impressive nuances and elegance at the highest level: Light straw yellow with golden reflections. Ripe herbal aromas, tonic, sweet lemon, grapefruit and apricot on the nose. Juicy and penetrating on the palate, with a delightful floral lift and energy that leads seamlessly into the long, complex finish with a savoury bite and pronounced minerality. A beautiful, distinctive single-vineyard Falanghina in a class of its own. SUPERIORE.DE

Giallo d'Arles tells one of the most fascinating stories of Campania's wine culture. The "yellow of Arles" refers to the golden colour that Greco di Tufo takes on when it is fully ripe, but behind this lies Luigi Moio's deep connection to classical education and his vision of a wine that translates the ancient greatness of Greco into modern perfection. Here, where the Greeks recognised two and a half millennia ago that this grape variety finds its highest perfection on the tufa soils of Campania, Moio is writing a new chapter in an ancient success story. The vineyards of Lapio, located in the heart of the Greco di Tufo zone, offer ideal conditions for this demanding grape variety. Here, at an altitude of 400 to 500 metres, the roots of the old Greco vines penetrate the characteristic tufa layers – the volcanic deposits that gave the appellation its name and give the wine its unmistakable mineral character. The extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night, intensified by the altitude, create a beautiful tension between strength and elegance.

Laura Brunelli's Rosso is a blend of Sangiovese grapes from Podernovone – 500 metres above sea level on the south-eastern slope of Montalcino with south-western exposure – and Canalicchio on the north side of the village. The vines for the first vineyard were planted in 1998, those for the second in 1989. "Our Rosso is made from the same grapes as the Brunello," says Laura Brunelli. The wine is traditionally aged for a year in large oak barrels. It is extremely fresh every year and not without complexity. The aromas of redcurrants, wild strawberries, black pepper and juniper are followed by a bright bouquet of red fruits on the medium-bodied palate. It has velvety tannins and a refreshing, integrated acidity. A really great interpretation of the terroir and, as every year, a little Brunello. SUPERIORE.DE

Misco Riserva is more than just a flagship wine – it is the concentrated result of decades of experience with Verdicchio at the highest level. The grapes come from the cru of the same name near Cingoli, a parcel with ideal south-east exposure, poor limestone soil and pronounced day-night contrasts. Only the best harvestare vinified – selected for its potential to develop fully, first in stainless steel and then for years in the bottle. Intense straw yellow in the glass with golden reflections. The nose reveals yellow apple, citrus zest, lime blossom and a fine spiciness, underpinned by salty minerality and a hint of fennel. Dense, powerful and yet clearly contoured on the palate: with a juicy structure, taut acidity and a complex interplay of fruit, herbal spice and rocky notes.

This Riesling is an exceptional phenomenon: it grows on the black, barren lava soils of northern Etna at an altitude of almost 900 metres – in a microclimate that is almost alpine. The grapes come from the historic Contrada Sciaranuova, a place shaped by the massive eruption of 1614. Wines of salty tension, cool precision and a depth that is unrivalled in southern Italy are produced here. Fermentation and ageing take place exclusively in stainless steel in order to preserve freshness and pure expression of origin. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with a silver sheen. Crystal-clear citrus notes, green apple, white peach, smoke and a fine hint of petrol on the nose – subtle, not overpowering. Vibrant and slender on the palate, with focussed acidity, mineral density and a long, almost crystalline final. Great with oysters, scallops or purist Japanese cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE

Intense garnet red colour with black-violet hues. Open, very complex aroma of blackcurrant, raspberry, blackberry, cherry and plum, accompanied by a hint of pepper and cinnamon. On the palate, it is an elegant, dry wine that leads into the remarkable Riserva-level finish with its extract sweetness, tannins and a fine liquorice note. SUPERIORE.DE

Guardiola is a name with weight on Etna. One of the highest and steepest cru sites in Sicily, between 800 and 1,000 metres above sea level, exposed to the harsh sun, cool winds and the contrasts of a volcanic climate, which shapes not only the landscape but also the character of the wine. The vines – predominantly Nerello Mascalese – are deeply rooted in lava rock and volcanic ash, the soil is lean, black and mineralised, a barren terroir that combines strength and elegance rather than playing them off against each other. The vintage brought ideal conditions for a wine with a firm but accessible structure: after a cool spring, the grapes ripened under consistently warm summer sunshine, accompanied by pronounced day-night differences. The grapes were harvest late, by hand, in small crates – a decisive moment for precision and balance. After spontaneous fermentation, the wine was matured in French oak barrels – not to dominate the wine, but to give it contour.

In the amphitheatre of the Tuscan hills of Castellina lies a single vineyard site called Il Poggiale, whose history dates back to 1968, when Paolo Panerai united four historic Poderi into a visionary project. Here, on the limestone soils between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, only Sangioveto thrives – the noblest local variety of Sangiovese – supplemented by only a few per cent of the autochthonous Canaiolo and Colorino varieties.