Falstaff

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

In the historic vineyards of Mazon and Glen, where two micro-terroirs between 400 and 600 metres above sea level merge to form a poetic name, one of the most subtle interpretations of Pinot Nero in the whole of South Tyrol thrives. The fine Pinot Noir grapes ripen in a climate of extreme contrasts on sandy clay soils that lean westwards towards the evening sun. The Mediterranean warmth of the day meets the icy mountain winds of the night – a dialogue between passion and restraint that gives the Pinot Nero complexity and elegance. Ruby to garnet red in colour in the glass, with aromas of sour cherries and wild berries, accompanied by delicate orange notes and spicy hints. Fine fruit unfolds on the palate with a salty freshness, delicate, elegant and with a length that lingers in the memory long after the last sip. A Pinot Nero that combines Burgundian soul with Alpine precision, destined for a decade of ageing and beyond. 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

Confini can justifiably be described as one of Friuli's best white wines. This crescendo is an exciting blend of Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio and Riesling, with the strong flavours of Traminer clearly leading the way. Medium-bodied on the palate, with a creamy fullness and silky intensity, with hints of tropical fruit, gingerbread and exotic flowers. In the final third, the palate is then again wide-ranging, full of freshness, juicy acidity and grace - and with the lasting, deep impression that more than does justice to a top wine from this appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

Serralunga d'Alba stands for powerful Barolo with depth, structure and astonishing ageing potential. Giovanni Rosso draws the best from this origin: south-east to south-west facing vines on calcareous, clayey-maceous soils at high altitudes (300-350 metres), combined with rigorous natural cultivation. The 2020 vintage recorded optimal ripeness, favoured by warm days, cool nights and a flawless autumn. After careful manual harvesting, each parcel underwent separate 25-day maceration, after which the wine matured for between 24 and 60 months in large oak barrels.

At the Wangger farm in Leitach, where moraine debris and sandy alluvial soil characterise the south-eastern slopes between 260 and 300 metres, Lagrein grows on the kind of soil that turns strength into stability. Here, in the classic growing area near Bolzano, where the indigenous variety has found its deepest expression for generations, Hans Terzer hand-selects the grapes that have the potential to age for more than a decade. Twelve months in barriques, then the assemblage – only when the true architecture of the wine is revealed. A further six months in large oak barrels to complete the harmony.

This Riserva is only made available each year in very small quantities to hand-picked specialist retailers and top restaurants. Brilliant ruby red colour. Fine raspberry and floral notes dominate the spicy nose. Very juicy on the palate, tannins and acidity are well integrated. Riecines Riserva has length and suppleness right through to the long fruity finish. The elegance and fine melting texture are impressive. Once again, this is Sangiovese at the top level that Riecine is known for! SUPERIORE.DE

Lagrein is South Tyrol's great indigenous red wine variety – and in the Linticlarus version it shows its full potential. The name honours the Roman Castrum Linticlar, the ancient fortress above the winery, whose history dates back to the Stone Age. The Linticlarus selection is only produced in outstanding vintages. The grapes come from the Breitbach, Gruben and Milla vineyards near Entiklar, at an altitude of 230 to 300 metres. The calcareous, sandy alluvial soils give the wine mineral depth and structure. Mash fermentation in stainless steel is followed by 12 months in barrique – more than a third of which is new – then 6 months in large wooden barrels and a further year of ageing in the bottle.

Like a precious legacy, this wine rests in the history of the patrician Serristori family, who acquired the land of Donoratico in 1512 and built the magnificent villa in 1660. Today, from the shadow of these historic walls springs a wine that bears the soul of the Tuscan Maremma – where the salty whisper of the Tyrrhenian Sea meets the warm hills of Bolgheri. In the vineyards of Argentiera, the DOC Bolgheri estate closest to the coast and at the same time the highest, the grapes ripen between the Mediterranean scrub and the endless blue of the archipelago. Here, on just twelve hectares of the Villa Donoratico site, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot take root in sandy and rocky soils, while the subsoil is criss-crossed by marine flysch rock, a geological memory of seas long past.

Dark ruby red in colour. The bouquet is a furious indication of what this opulent long-distance runner is capable of: full-flavoured heart cherry fruit, blue flowers, damp forest soil, elegant spice and a well-dosed use of wood alternate impressively. The attack is just as complex and multi-layered, followed by beguiling wild berries, precisely polished tannins and an extraordinarily elegant long final. Wow, this is pure fruit! SUPERIORE.DE

Feudo di Mezzo is one of the most prestigious contrade on the northern slope of Mount Etna, a place where viticulture and volcanic rock have had a symbiotic relationship for centuries. At an altitude of around 600 metres, old Nerello Mascalese vines take root here in porous, ferrous ash, interspersed with lava boulders and basalt veins – a soil that gives the wine finesse, tension and depth. Alta Mora is Cusumano's ambitious project on Etna, and Feudo di Mezzo epitomises this vision: single-varietal, rigorously selected, with maximum focus on origin and character. The 2019 vintage on Mount Etna was characterised by elegance: a cool spring followed by a long, dry summer with cool nights. The grapes ripened slowly and harmoniously, with fine phenolic ripeness and a balanced acidity structure. After manual harvesting, fermentation took place with gentle maceration, followed by 12 months of maturation in French tonneaux and a long period of rest in the bottle.

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 classic Barolo, based on an exciting blend of plots from Serralunga d'Alba, Castiglione Falletto and Barolo, shows the stylistic signature of the region at its best. The soils are structurally diverse: rich in calcareous marl, loam and mineral intersperses, each parcel contributes its part to the tension of the wine. The 2020 vintage reveals a model year of balance: a cool, precise ripening process with milder temperatures early on, followed by warm but balanced days and cool nights until the harvest. After traditional vinification – including daily pumping over during the 25-day maceration period – the wine matured for around 24–30 months in tonneaux.

Here is a big, rich Rosso that is harmonious and impressive in all its components. The bouquet alternates between dried cherries and a fine tobacco note. The palate is taut and precise, in the style of the house, its body is supported by powerful tannins that make it an ideal and refined accompaniment to Tuscan cuisine. 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.

A summer that Europe remembers as hot – and Montalcino as surprising. The vines of Col d'Orcia, deeply rooted in the calcareous, clay-poor soils of the Orcia hill, showed in 2020 what biodynamic cultivation means in years of stress: resilience. Early bud burst after a mild winter, followed by a balanced spring with well-distributed rainfall. The summer remained warm, but without extreme heat phases – sporadic downpours at the end of August cooled the soil at the last moment and allowed the grapes to develop aromatic compounds instead of simply ripening. In addition, there were pronounced day-night temperature differences in September. Harvest from mid-September, clean and structured. The result has a character that Montalcino connoisseurs describe as "captivante": simultaneously accessible and enigmatic. Maceration for 18 to 20 days, shallow 150-hl steel tanks, gentle extraction. Three years in large barrels, twelve months in the bottle: Col d'Orcia's traditional vinification process – unchanged for decades because it works.

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.

Piaggia Riserva is pure elegance in a bottle: clear ruby red colour, almost impenetrable, very consistent. Raspberry compote, dried orange peel, roses, exotic spices and a hint of cocoa on the broodingbouquet. Silky and refined on the palate, with notes of violets, ripe red and black fruits in rapid succession. Its lively acidity retains exceptional finesse, although the primary fruit slowly asserts itself. Finishes long with a layer of sweet tannins and balsamic cherry flavours. Its finesse and balance are already astonishing at a young age, and the best will only come in a few years. SUPERIORE.DE

Doran is no coincidence. It shows what happens when French Chardonnay clones meet South Tyrolean limestone soils. The Andrian winery takes exactly the time it needs for this Riserva: twelve months in tonneaux, 30% of which in new French barrels. This is the Burgundy school in its purest form. The grapes come from the highest vineyards around Andrian, between 350 and 450 metres above sea level. This is where the calcareous clay soil is interspersed with white dolomite rock. The microclimate makes all the difference: cooler temperatures than elsewhere, longer ripening time, more acidity. Perfect for a Chardonnay with high standards. Cellar master Rudi Kofler favours full fermentation in wood. Regular batonnage ensures that the wood is elegantly integrated and never becomes dominant. After malolactic fermentation, the wine matures for a further three months in stainless steel – for a final balance between opulence and freshness.

Traditionally vinified Barolo from the estate's best vineyards. Brilliant ruby red colour. Complex, spicy bouquet of liquorice, tobacco, dried flowers, violets and damp leaves. Very emphatic, firm and full-bodied on the palate. Its racy and forward style is flanked by tangible, robust tannins. Finishes with a fine sweetness, elegant and long. The already undisputed high level will continue to develop in full beauty over the next few years. SUPERIORE.DE

Sometimes a great vintage needs a little scare first. In April 2021, the thermometer dropped to minus seven degrees in parts of Montalcino – late frost, which hit the more sensitive sites and reduced the harvest to around 15 per cent below the previous year. What was a loss for some farms proved to be a gift for quality. Fewer grapes, more concentration. The surviving vines seemed to know what was at stake. The rest of the year followed the textbook pattern of classic Brunello meteorology: regular spring, hot and dry summer – then two decisive rain events in the second half of August, which gave the vineyards water and the grapes their final aromatic complexity. The September nights cooled the Sant'Angelo vineyard in Colle to temperatures that distinguish phenolic ripeness from genuine elegance. Harvest did not start until mid to late September – patiently waited, fully redeemed.

Donnafugata's "Dolce & Gabbana" Limited Edition represents the collaboration between two iconic brands that are recognised beyond the country's borders as ambassadors of Sicilian culture and Italian excellence. The joint commitment of these two companies to elegance, craftsmanship and creativity brilliantly reinterprets this historic cuvée of the winery. To mark the occasion, Tancredi has been given an exclusive Dolce & Gabbana label since the 2018 vintage, with an aesthetic that pays homage to both Italy's baroque-aristocratic tradition and the revolutionary values that emerged in Sicily after the country's unification. This noble Sicilian is made mainly from Nero d'Avola and Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter enriching the aroma spectrum with a subtle minty facet. In addition, the bouquet is refined by sweet mineral graphite, tones of liquorice, cocoa, sour cherries and blueberries. The excellent, broad and enveloping flavour structure is confirmed in the final of considerable length. SUPERIORE.DE

In the history of the Campolungo vineyard, thousands of years of Tuscan viticultural culture merge with visionary dedication to perfection. These historic terraces between 420 and 580 metres above sea level were already recognised as exceptional by the Romans and have been considered one of the cradles of fine Chianti since the 19th century. The 2018 tells the story of a special climatic favour: after a hot, dry summer, the extreme altitude of Lamole preserved the crystalline freshness that makes Campolungo one of the most exceptional single vineyards in Tuscany. Pure Sangiovese from hand-picked grapes of exceptional aromatic intensity. After careful hand-picking and visual selection of the best grapes, a two-week fermentation with skin contact takes place in traditional wooden vats. Thirty months of ageing in oak barrels, supplemented by a small proportion in French barriques, create a wine of multi-layered complexity and elegance.