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This visionary wine comes from the legendary Conca d'Oro in Panzano and epitomises Giampaolo Motta's radical break with the traditions of Chianti Classico. The Neapolitan, who lost his heart to the Tuscan soil, took the courageous step of declassifying in 2002 – out of a burning desire for absolute oenological freedom. The cuvée combines Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to create a Burgundian-Bordelaise dialogue that captures the mineral power of the Galestro and Alberese soils on a south-westerly slope. The wine is carefully vinified in French barriques for ten months "sur lie" with regular bâtonnage, giving the wine a wonderfully silky structure.

The youngest Nerello vines here are rooted in old volcanic soil: Pietradolce Rosso comes from plots in Solicchiata on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, around 600 metres above sea level. The terroir, a mixture of ash, basalt and sand, gives the wine a precise structure and striking minerality. Clear ruby red in colour with light reflections. Fragrant on the nose and typical of young Nerello Mascalese: Sour cherry, redcurrant, some blood orange and a hint of violet. Lean, fresh and taut on the palate with lively acidity and grippy tannins that blend harmoniously with the juicy fruit. The finish is straightforward, spicy and characterised by a fine mineral salinity. An authentic Etna Rosso with a clear signature – accessible and direct, but anything but arbitrary. SUPERIORE.DE

Riecine's Chianti Classico can be described without exaggeration as an archetype of the Gaiole terroir: Bright in the glass with wild fruits, blackberries and white pepper. These slightly wilder flavours are very specific to Gaiole in Chianti, particularly this corner of the sub-zone near the village after which it was named. This cool location produces a sharp and elegant Sangiovese with tension and crispness, savoury tannins, the return of small black fruits and a respectable finish. Riecine has been producing one of the most subtle Chianti Classico wines for years - a marvellous wine. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine that bears its creator in its name: "Birba" – little cheeky bastard – is what they called Sergio Rossi, the visionary founder of La Gerla. What began as an experiment became a homage: a Brunello that follows all the rules except those of the wooden barrel. Instead of maturing in the large Slavonian vats like its noble siblings, the Birba spends up to fourteen months in French barriques from Allier and the Vosges, a third of which are new – a third of them new. The thirty-year-old vines on the slopes of Canalicchio, between 270 and 320 metres above sea level, produce tiny yields of just 50 quintals per hectare. Fifteen days of maceration extract substance and depth before the wood leaves its spicy signature.

Brolio Riserva is the flagship of Italy's most traditional winery – a wine that bears the signature of the Ricasoli family year after year and at the same time captures the extraordinary diversity of the Brolio terroir. The 100% Sangiovese grapes come from the five characteristic soil types of the estate between 280 and 480 metres above sea level – a terroir mosaic of sandstone, Galestro, Alberese, marine and fluvial deposits that lend the wine exceptional complexity. After controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks with 12 to 16 days of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in first and second passage tonneaux before resting for a further three months in the bottle. Intense ruby red in colour with garnet reflections, the bouquet combines ripe black cherry, spicy notes and an elegant hint of vanilla. A generous fullness unfolds on the palate, supported by silky tannins and lively freshness – a harmonious, multi-layered Chianti Classico that perfectly balances tradition and international elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

What distinguishes a Riserva from an Annata? Time. Time to select the best Sangiovese grapes from the estate's twelve plots. Time for a 25-day vinification process that is conducted with the utmost respect for tradition. And time for at least 21 months in French oak barrels, followed by further bottle ageing before the wine leaves the estate.

The name means "motherland" – and the Tedeschi family has indeed found a special spot of land with the 84-hectare vineyard between Tregnago and Mezzane di Sotto, which they acquired in 2006. Extensive soil mapping identified real crus here, including the Impervio vineyard – named after its impassable steep slope at an altitude of 400 metres. White and yellow limestone marl of moraine origin characterise the terroir and give the wine its characteristic freshness. Corvina (40%), Corvinone (30%) and Rondinella (30%) are harvested overripe in mid to late October and fermented as whole bunches – a conscious decision for structure and depth of flavour. After 20 days of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in Slavonian oak and a further six months in the bottle.

In Bolgheri, less than four kilometres from the Mediterranean, lies the "El Dorado" of Italian viticulture that the legendary Oenologist André Tchelistcheff once visionarily recognised. Here, on the volcanic soils between the old cypress avenue and the Tuscan coast, Le Volte is the accessible calling card of a winery whose name stands for uncompromising quality worldwide. The 2023 vintage presented itself as an almost ideal interplay of Mediterranean conditions: Sunny days, cool nights and precisely dosed rainfall formed grapes of perfect physiological ripeness with a lively freshness. The cuvée of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot is vinified separately in small steel tanks in order to preserve its individual characteristics. After malolactic fermentation, the wine matures for ten months, partly in used Ornellaia barriques and partly in concrete tanks – a deliberate balance between structure and fruit expression.

Brilliant ruby red with a light-coloured rim. Very precise bouquet of blackberry, raspberry and spices. The palate is light and lively, with an elegant and deep fruit component accompanied by a delicate bitter note and fine spice. A very elegant and juicy Pinot Nero with good Storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

The name reveals the location, the location reveals the wine. Banditella – a vineyard on the southern slope of the Sant'Angelo hill, 250 to 300 metres above the Orcia Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. Col d'Orcia planted Sangiovese clones here in 1998, which were selected over ten years of research in collaboration with the University of Florence – not just any clones, but those that most accurately express the terroir of Montalcino. Biodynamically farmed, limestone soils with little clay, full southern sun: the conditions could hardly be better. The 2022 vintage demanded decisiveness: temperature fluctuations and late summer rains called for an early, forward-looking harvest at the beginning of September. The grapes were placed in shallow, wide steel tanks – a design that favours gentle extraction – where they macerated at 25°C, accompanied by daily pumping over and délestage. Twelve months in Allier barriques and tonneaux followed before the wine was bottled.

On the Costa degli Etruschi, where the Maestrale blows in from the Tyrrhenian Sea and the waves crash just ten kilometres away, Massimo Piccin has been realising his dream of the perfect Bordeaux blend since 1999. Under his visionary hand and the advice of the renowned OenologistCarlo Ferrini, the modest farm in Castagneto Carducci has grown into a 40-hectare vineyard that is now one of Bolgheri's most respected addresses. Volpolo embodies the pure essence of this exceptional location between the municipalities of Castagneto Carducci and Bibbona; the name is a tribute to the ancient Tuscan grape variety Volpola and at the same time an expression of the deep roots in the Bolgheri terroir. This organically certified cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot thrives on the estate's 27 different soil types – a mosaic of sand, clay, limestone and sea pebbles, which owes its mineral richness to the former marshlands. The proximity to the sea provides the vines with the constant ventilation and intense light that allow Bordeaux varieties to mature to unimagined complexity.

The grapes come exclusively from the single vineyard San Pietro, and since the 2018 vintage, part of the wine has been aged in amphorae. Berries, liquorice and deep red fruit on the nose. Finely woven and very precise structure, a bright, open personality and class on the palate. Sheer elegance and Clerico enjoyment without waiting for further ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

Verdeluce – green light – is the name of this wine that the Famiglia Cotarella dedicates to the hills around Orvieto, the area on the border between Lazio and Umbria that has always been synonymous with quality white wines. Riccardo and Renzo Cotarella, two of Italy's most influential Oenologist, founded Falesco in 1979 with the aim of revitalising forgotten grape varieties. Today, cousins Dominga, Marta and Enrica continue the legacy – with a modern style and an international outlook, without losing their roots in the territory.

Bucine, Valdarno di Sopra – where the Arno meanders through gentle hills between Arezzo and Florence, Fattoria Petrolo lies between 250 and 500 metres above sea level. In 1988, Lucia Bazzocchi Sanjust wanted a wine that told the true identity of this terroir: the "Château" of Petrolo, a tribute to the centuries-old Tuscan tradition of combining French varieties with Sangiovese. As early as 1834, Giorgio Perrin, agronomist of Swiss origin and owner of Petrolo, reported in the "Giornale Agrario Toscano" that it was customary in Chianti to blend "uve francese" with Sangiovese, not to change the quality, but because the terroir won out over the grape varieties.

Pale straw yellow in colour with a fine, lively perlage. The bouquet shows clear signs of citrus fruit, yellow peach and green apple, accompanied by a fine bread crust flavour and a salty hint. Dry and elegantly structured on the palate, with taut acidity, fine mousse and astonishing finesse. Thanks to 24 months of ageing on the lees, the texture is creamy, the finish long, mineral and characterised by subtle almond notes – a Lugana in sparkling guise that impressively emphasises the potential of the indigenous Turbiana as a sparkling wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Vinified from selected, south to south-west-facing plots in the heart of the Langhe, this Barbera exemplifies Sandrone's understanding of balance between varietal expression and elegance. The 2022 vintage, characterised by warm, dry summer months and cool nights, yielded fully ripe harvestwith concentrated aromas and fresh acidity. The short maturation in used wooden barrels rounds off the texture without overpowering the varietal freshness.

Crognolo is a wonderfully balanced wine that offers the tangy freshness and acidity of Sangiovese, which is balanced and softened by the small proportion of Merlot. The wine smells of cherry, blackberry and plum. Its primary intensity is bright and cheerful. The juicy finish shows a nice density, extraction and well-integrated tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

Dark ruby red with a delicately brightening rim. Elegant bouquet of dried cherries, followed by notes of chocolate and flowers. Radiant and juicy on the palate, showing pithy, savoury tannins, tightly woven, spanning a wide range. The zesty acidity provides a fantastic balance, while it finishes long and grippy with liquorice and a balsamic herbal flavour. All it needs is a little more time to fully develop. SUPERIORE.DE

Light, dense ruby colour. A cool Cabernet profile with blue fruit on the nose: Blackberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, plus cedar wood, graphite, laurel and a hint of juniper. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, yet polished: juicy, dark fruit, very fine-grained, ripe tannins and a lively acidity that benefits from the constant coastal wind and the day/night temperature gradient. The spice remains elegantly in the background, the wood is perfectly integrated and supports the texture without masking the freshness. Long, straightforward finish with a salty, mineral flavour. The 2023 shows the sunny side of the Tuscan coast with balance instead of vigour: a precise, modern Maremma Cabernet – accessible in its youth, with reserves for several years. Ideal with grilled beef, lamb chops, savoury mushroom dishes or mature pecorino. SUPERIORE.DE

The blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah combines the aristocratic depth of Cabernet with the seductive flavour of Syrah - both grape varieties that find Mediterranean ripeness in the chalky, sun-drenched soils around Noto. Cultivated organically, this wine conveys the sunshine of Sicily with a down-to-earth character and structure. The wine was originally only intended for private occasions – a heartfelt project that today celebrates with its name the connection to people and moments that are more than mere consumption. The grapes for it (label: "only the best grapes") come from strictly selected plots around Noto, where chalky soils, salt winds and intense sunlight characterise the aroma and structure.

Named after the "Seggio" stream, the largest watercourse in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci, this elegant Bordeaux blend epitomises the accessibility and finesse of Bolgheri DOC. The historic watercourse rises in the Etruscan Colline Metallifere near Sassetta and flows through the entire Bolgheri area, its alluvial deposits enriching the characteristic clay soils with valuable pebbles. This harmonious cuvée comes from the privileged vineyards of Le Sondraie and Via Bolgherese. The vines, which are around 19 years old, thrive on well-drained, skeleton-rich soils with a clay layer and a high magnesium and iron content – ideal conditions for the international grape variety assemblage.