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The Viognier and Chardonnay vines grow on Caiarossa's most calcareous terroir. The grapes are fermented separately in oak barrels, matured on the lees and blended at the end, with little or no racking in order to produce the wine with as little oxygen contact as possible. The result is a precise and clean white wine that, with its beautiful volume, depth and smoothness with fragrant flavours of flowers and almonds, goes well with a delicate and fragrant pesto. SUPERIORE.DE

Brilliant golden yellow colour. Complex notes of light peach, fresh pineapple and poached apricot on the nose. Rich and creamy on the palate with accents of smoke and toasted almonds. The finish is long-lasting, mineral and herb-accentuated. This very focussed and complex white paints a beautiful portrait of the refined side of the Trebbiano di Lugana grape, which is becoming increasingly popular. SUPERIORE.DE

There are grape varieties that have to wait decades for a visionary to recognise their true potential. Trebbiano d'Abruzzo was one such forgotten variety until Gianni Masciarelli started a revolution in 1981 that changed the face of Abruzzo viticulture forever. He was the first producer in the region to introduce the Guyot training system and French barriques, driven by a philosophy he called "innovazione continua" – continuous innovation in the service of tradition. Today, the vineyards surrounding the historic Castello di Semivicoli combine the fruits of this vision with the poetry of a place that has itself experienced a rebirth. Here, between Gran Sasso and Majella at an altitude of 380 metres, two very special Trebbiano vineyards take root: one with vines over forty years old that still embody the original vigour of the variety, and a younger one that Gianni planted at the end of the 1990s using the modern Guyot system – a symbiosis of grown wisdom and innovative spirit.

Pure Sangiovese from western Tuscany is not comparable with the interpretations from Montalcino or Chianti Classico due to its cultivation near the coast, but this somewhat different facet is in no way inferior to the aforementioned. Saturated, light ruby red colour. Intense and complex bouquet of cherries, lilac and broom, densely woven on the palate with black cherries, spices and grilled herbs, the whole framed by a terrificfreshness and lightness. A supple and elegant wine whose well-balanced acid wire not only provides the necessary structure, but also the framework for a wonderful further ageing phase. SUPERIORE.DE

Stylistically balanced, very finesse-rich Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from a small single vineyard (vineyard no. 7) in the Castelnuovo-Berardenga area, where the temperatures are always somewhat higher than in the rest of Chianti Classico. Dark, bright ruby colour. Elegant bouquet of pure Sangiovese of red berries with a very delicate hint of tobacco. Salty on the palate, shows a lot of pressure, very clear, compact fruit, builds up racy with tightly woven tannins; very intense and long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

La Grola is the eponymous, historic vineyard where Corvina, the indigenous grape of Valpolicella, is believed to have originated. The replanting of the vineyard by Giovanni Allegrini triggered an agronomic revolution and laid the foundations for the success of this wine-growing region, which today stands for convincing, great red wines from north-east Italy. With the 2022 vintage, La Grola returns to its origins: declared Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC for the first time, it marks a new phase for this iconic wine from Allegrini. The cuvée of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella comes from the limestone terraces of the La Grola hill, exposed to the south-east and consistently selectively harvested. After fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is matured in barriques, some new, some used.

Amarone Selezione Antonio Castagnedi delivers high quality at a fantastic price every year. If you've ever had the opportunity to stand in old, hand-fired brick drying sheds, three storeys high, filled with hot steam, leaves tied in bundles, stacked up and up and up, you'll know what this wine smells like. It is an extraordinary odour. It smells of steam-soaked red clay bricks, of tobacco leaves, green, yellow, gold, copper-coloured, brown and of earth, spices, dust and oven smoke. It is the smell of a good Amarone.

The grapes for this high-calibre Valpolicella Classico Superiore come from the rather barren, calcareous and terraced vineyards of Tenuta Novare above the Ognisanti church. Wines of greater complexity, perfect structure and higher concentration are produced here than in most other vineyards in Valpolicella. Sparkling ruby-garnet colour. Fragrant nose with wonderful overtones of sour cherry, dried flowers and white pepper. Perfectly balanced on the palate with firm tannins and wonderful spice and depth of fruit thanks to the ageing in wood. A superior, winning wine from the heart of the Valpolicella region. SUPERIORE.DE

In the Val di Noto, where the lime-white bagli of Tenuta Zisola are enthroned between almond trees and olive groves, one of the most extraordinary tributes to the history of the Mazzei family is being created. Effe Emme – two letters sewn into a customised wine like precious initials, bear the name of one of the most fascinating pioneers of modern times: Filippo Mazzei. On the limestone-rich soils of Noto, at an altitude of 130 metres in a south-easterly exposure, the unique characteristics of the terroir meet a rare grape variety: Petit Verdot in absolute purity. This French variety, which has found a new home here in the south of Sicily, is hand-picked at the end of September and fermented at 28-30°C, followed by a 14-day maceration. The Effe Emme is matured for around 16 months in 225 Liters French oak barrels.

Sauvignon Blanc is the most expressive of the white grape varieties – unmistakable, self-confident, with an aroma profile that polarises. In wine, it shows its famous "green" notes; in grappa, it reveals a surprisingly different side. Fresh, destemmed pomace from selected growing areas is fermented anaerobically in stainless steel and immediately distilled – slowly, in Benito Nonino's copper steam still, with precise separation of the pre- and post-distillation stages. The result rests in glass balloons until it has found its harmony.

Ca' dei Frati, known as "il luogo dei Frati" since 1782 – the place of the monks – in Lugana near Sirmione on Lake Garda, is now owned by the fourth generation of the Dal Cero family. The traditional winery vinifies each vineyard plot separately in order to precisely express the respective terroir. The Cuvée dei Frati dosaggio zero is made from the indigenous Turbiana grape variety, the famous Trebbiano di Lugana, supplemented by a small dose of Chardonnay to maintain the acidity structure typical of Metodo Classico wines. The grapes grow on calcareous, clayey soils on the moraine hills south of Lake Garda, whose minerality gives the wines a special freshness and sapidity. The first fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in barriques, the second fermentation strictly according to the Metodo Classico in the bottle. After at least 36 months on the lees – significantly longer than for Brut – followed by a further four months of bottle ageing after disgorgement.

Above Bolzano, where old gravel paths lead through sun-drenched vineyards, lies the legendary Huck am Bach farm, which gives its name to one of the most authentic red wines in South Tyrol. Between 250 and 500 metres above sea level, the Vernatsch and Lagrein vines that have been at the heart of the St. Magdalener tradition for generations thrive here on mineral-rich gravel soils. The harvest harvest produces grapes that mature in large oak barrels into a wine of enchanting elegance.

Behind Noà is Cusumano's vision of a Sicilian red wine of international calibre, rooted in the barren highlands of Presti e Pegni near Monreale. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d'Avola thrive on calcareous, stony soils at an altitude of around 300 metres – a place where the heat of the day and the coolness of the night allow a precise interplay of ripeness and freshness. In the glass, Noà is a dark ruby colour with violet hues. The bouquet reveals a complex composition of ripe blackcurrants, sour cherries, blackberries and dried plums, underpinned by notes of espresso, cedar wood, tobacco and dark cocoa. Powerful and structured on the palate with velvety tannins, a supple texture and the characteristic depth that comes from the volcanic terroir and the barrique-aged composition. The final is long, with hints of liquorice, herbs and mineral spice.

The elegant blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot surprises with its aroma full of purity and intensely aromatic fruit flavour. Elegance and finesse trump muscle in Turpino, a wine that is always light on its feet. Fermentation in wooden barrels and ageing in barriques lend the spicy, balsamic notes of the grape blend a softness, a fine frame and a beguilingly long finish on the palate. With its tangy acidity balancing the ripe fruit, Turpino manages to be generous and restrained at the same time, making it a great accompaniment to Mediterranean meat dishes. SUPERIORE.DE

In Montalcino, the name Ginestreto stands for something special: a Rosso di Montalcino that is more than just the "little brother" of Brunello. Fuligni has been producing this wine for years with a care that has long since earned him a reputation of his own. The Sangiovese Grosso comes partly from younger vines and partly from classified Brunello vineyards – a deliberate selection that gives the Ginestreto the balance between youthful freshness and structured depth that characterises it. The vinification follows the Fuligni philosophy: hand-picking, careful selection, separate vinification of the different parcels. Part of the wine matures for around six months in French Allier tonneaux, the rest in stainless steel – a combination that harmonises fruit and structure.

Bright silver-grey with a persistent, finesse-rich perlage. A wonderful nose of white flowers and light-coloured fruit. Full, broad and creamy elegance on the palate, supported by a delicate interplay of sweetness and acidity. A very expressive and sensual Prosecco Superiore from the top Cartizze vineyard. SUPERIORE.DE

Tramin gave Gewürztraminer its name – and the world has since associated it with lush rose flavours, lychee and a body that likes to be heavy. Martin Foradori-Hofstätter thinks differently. With Vigna Castel Rechtenthal, he shows what this variety can do when the location is right and the winemaker does not stand in its way. The vineyard plot is located on a gravelly hill above Rechtenthal Castle, at the foot of Monte Roen – the highest peak in Tramin at 2,116 metres. The soil is an alluvial cone of dolomite gravel: permeable, cool and mineralised. The Höllentalbach stream intensifies the already fresh downdraughts that blow down from the mountain and significantly lower the temperatures at night. No other Gewürztraminer Tramin grows under such conditions.

La Fabriseria comes across as an elegant, medium-bodied Amarone. Its intensity, tannin structure and density are hard to beat in this price range. Very juicy on the palate, full-bodied and soft, with notes of cherries, cardamom and cloves. And always with the elegant seriousness of the Tedeschi family's great flagship of the same name. SUPERIORE.DE

From old vines in the best Lagrein vineyards in Gries near Bolzano comes this Riserva, which is strictly limited every year and has a seductively chocolaty, fruity bouquet. Rich, dark purple in colour with a slightly lighter rim. On the palate, it is velvety and elegant with a soft fullness and lively freshness, with further fruity accents on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Villa Gresti is an exciting cuvée of Merlot and Carménère that represents a very nice balance between fruit intensity, spice, ripe cherry and sweet tobacco. Medium-bodied on the palate, with a softness and a very attractive, drinkystyle and a rich, fruit-accentuated finish. Classic Bordeaux style. SUPERIORE.DE