Falstaff

Here comes Guido Berlucchi's fine vintage Franciacorta, which does not require any dosage (zero) and thus perfectly rounds off the top end of the 61 collection. The "61" line stands for the birth year of the first Franciacorta, which was created in 1961 in the centuries-old Berlucchi vineyards. The grapes come from four vineyards between Corte Franca and Provaglio d'Iseo. In its purity, the cuvée perfectly embodies the expression of the terroir and shows the fascination of Chardonnay. Despite its 0 grams of residual sugar, it is rich and full-bodied on the palate. Very big! SUPERIORE.DE

On the Colli Berici near Lonigo, where the clay-limestone soils give the international grape varieties a Venetian home, the harvest always starts last. At the end of September, beginning of October – when most other vineyards have long since harvested. For Celestino Gaspari, this is no coincidence: "Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc need their time on these soils. Merlot even more so – although it leaves the vineyard at the same time, it then spends 20 to 30 days in shallow crates in the Fruttaio. Appassimento for a Bordeaux blend: a decidedly Venetian decision. After a cool, unsettled spring, 2021 brought a summer of distinct elegance in the Veneto – moderate warmth, good temperature fluctuations, healthy grapes. The manual harvest yielded aromatically clear, structured fruit. 40 days of fermentation in cement with indigenous yeasts, at least 24 months in new French barriques, one year in the bottle.

2022 was a vintage of concentration: dry winter, hot summer – small yields, but outstanding quality. The Tiefenbrunner family demonstrates this intensity in the Linticlarus cuvée in an impressive way. The classic Bordeaux assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in equal parts grows on the south-southeast-facing slopes of Entiklar, at an altitude of 260 to 300 metres. The broodingmoraine soil – loamy sand with a high lime content – stores the heat of the day and slowly releases it at night. The result: perfect phenolic ripeness with preserved freshness. Mash fermentation in concrete is followed by 12 months in barriques, 6 months in large wooden barrels and a further year of bottle ageing.

Satèn – the name alone promises what this Franciacorta delivers: silky-soft texture, reduced perlage intensity, pure elegance. Bellavista vinifies this exclusive category exclusively in outstanding years from pure Chardonnay from the higher vineyards that catch the first morning light. The 2020 vintage shows what Vittorio Moretti's vision of perfection means: hand-picked grapes, vinified in small oak barrels, then matured on the lees for at least four years in the bottle – time that you can taste.

"In 2012, I bought the small vineyard Le Gonnare and began to cultivate it. It represents the excellence of the Bolgheri terroir. The soil is clayey and rich in skeleton, which allows for very gradual ripening, a particularly important aspect for Merlot. The character of the wine is therefore Mediterranean, but balanced." Fabio Motta

Terra di Monteverro is the estate's finely composed second wine, but in terms of expression, fidelity to its origins and depth, it is far more than that. It comes from the stony, coastal slopes near Capalbio in the southern Maremma - a region that was characterised by a long, warm summer in 2021 with moderate peaks and cool nights in September. The climatic balance allowed the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot grape varieties, which were harvested and vinified parcel by parcel, to ripen perfectly.

The South Tyrolean Pinot Noir Riserva Anrar is fresh and light on the palate with wild berries and cassis, followed by dried mint and lavender flavours. This red wine fermented in steel and matured in barriques is silky and smooth, almost without rough edges. Cantina Andriano Kellerei Andrian works with a skilful hand when it comes to Pinot Noir, preserving the nuanced elegance of the grape variety's aromas. SUPERIORE.DE

This is where it all began. In Viagrande, on the south-eastern slope of Mount Etna, where Giuseppe Benanti's grandfather planted the first vines at the end of the 19th century, lies the heart of the winery. The Contrada Monte Serra is no ordinary vineyard – it rises on an extinct volcanic cone that once erupted independently of the main crater and whose pyroclastic deposits created a unique soil: light, rich in skeletons, with exceptional drainage. At an altitude of just 450 metres, closer to the Ionian Sea than the other contrade, the grapes ripen earlier here and develop a softer, more accessible elegance. The vines – some over 100 years old – grow in the traditional Alberello on small terraces with lava stone dry stone walls, with an extreme density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The sandy volcanic soils are rich in ripiddu, the characteristic small pumice skeleton of Etna.

Masari's flagship presents itself in a deep, dense garnet red colour. Ripe blackberry and cassis on the nose, underpinned by bitter cocoa and ripe cherries, light leather spice and liquorice. Full and balanced on the palate, slowly but complexly spreads over the tongue, then convinces with beautiful and lasting pressure, long, salty and simply wonderful. SUPERIORE.DE

It was 1991 when Michele Satta planted his first Syrah vine in Bolgheri – an act of rebellion in a still young appellation that was just beginning to find its identity. The visionary winemaker from Varese followed a clear conviction: The Syrah should maximise the aromatic complexity of the Mediterranean terroir and at the same time express his personal identification with the great wines of the Rhône. Thirty years later, this exotic wine has matured into one of Bolgheri's most fascinating single-vineyard wines.

Count Giuseppe Tasca d'Almerita created the first expression of the highest quality and longevity in Sicilian viticulture in 1970 with the Rosso del Conte – a wine that changed the oenological future of the island forever. The grapes come from the Vigna San Lucio, Regaleali's first large vineyard, born in 1959 at an altitude of 480 metres with a south-south-easterly exposure, where Nero d'Avola and Perricone have thrived in harmonious symbiosis for generations. The vines grow in the Alberello system, the oldest form of cultivation in the Mediterranean, on yellow-brown, loamy-sandy soils with calcareous inclusions. A philosophy of perfection that has developed over five decades through various ageing methods: from the original chestnut barrels to Slavonian oak and today's French barriques.

Salcheto's sparkling garnet-red Vino Nobile delights us with its fragrant aroma of dried plum and a hint of cinnamon and clove. Lots of present fruit on the palate, with a fine, sweet melting flavour and a long finish. An authentic and pleasantly elegant organic wine from the heart of the Montepulciano region that is ready to drink when young. SUPERIORE.DE

1997 saw the birth of Bradisismo, named after the geological event that led to the formation of the Colli Berici. It is a successful symbiosis of the intense, concentrated flavour of ripe Cabernet cherries and the lively, spicy notes of Carménère. With its bouquet of small dark berries, spices, pepper and chocolate, it is a wonderfully inexpensive alternative to the great Bordeaux blends or Supertuscans. On the palate, it has a velvety texture, with a mix of dark fruits, cherries, floral notes and fine tannins that glide seamlessly over the palate. Deep, long finish and very good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

The A in the name of Boggina stands for the natural wine aged for around 6 months in 400-600 Liters terracotta amphorae, which is bottled in a run of just 5,000 bottles without the addition of sulphites. Light, bright garnet red in colour. The bouquet is ethereal, very delicate and nuanced, with a very precise interpretation of the fragrance of the Sangiovese grape. Medium-bodied on the palate, with an exceptionally beautiful structure and authentic Sangiovese fruit with a salty vein. The finish is highly drinkable, with silky tannins and beguiling length. A masterpiece of beauty and elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Tenuta Il Poggione is located on the south-west side of the Montalcino hill, in Sant'Angelo in Colle – one of the most historically significant areas of the appellation. Lavinio Franceschi laid the foundations here at the end of the 19th century as a founding member of the Brunello consortium and one of the first to market this wine under its current name. Today, his descendants Leopoldo and Livia cultivate 140 hectares of vines, with vines up to 60 years old and a cellar philosophy of classic rigour: natural yeasts, large French oak barrels, time.

The wine comes from a neighbouring walled vineyard around the Villa di Trefiano, which produces a wonderfully elegant variant of Carmignano. Trefiano Riserva remains in used 350-litre tonneaux for 18 months after spontaneous fermentation. Bright, noble ruby red colour. Black cherry and cassis on the nose, with an intense, ripe and juicy plum flavour. Long, multi-layered and complex on the palate, the Riserva needs a little more air and shows a little more depth than the classic Carmignano. The 10% Canaiolo component ensures its irresistible fragrance and complexity, simply marvellous! SUPERIORE.DE

1997 saw the birth of Bradisismo, named after the geological event that led to the formation of the Colli Berici. It is a successful symbiosis of the intense, concentrated flavour of ripe Cabernet cherries and the lively, spicy notes of Carménère. With its bouquet of small dark berries, spices, pepper and chocolate, it is a wonderfully inexpensive alternative to the great Bordeaux blends or Supertuscans. On the palate, it has a velvety texture, with a mix of dark fruits, cherries, floral notes and fine tannins that glide seamlessly over the palate. Deep, long finish and very good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

In the treasure troves of time, where ancient wisdom meets modern vision, Petruna Anfora is born – a tribute to the origins of viticulture and at the same time a revolutionary expression of pure Sangiovese. The hand-picked grapes for this extraordinary experiment in clay and time come from the unique single vineyard Casa al Coltro, where slate soils at an altitude of 350 metres force the vines to achieve the utmost concentration.

The strictly selected grapes come from the vineyard "Il Corno" of approx. 400 m altitude with ideal southern exposure. Bright, sparkling ruby red. Well structured nose of blackberries, cassis, some cedar and shoe polish. Medium ripe, quite fresh fruit on the palate, yet supple and well balanced with all the volume. In the rest of the drink with great finesse, coolness and liveliness, the finish is long with well integrated wood, red fruitiness, with a slightly salty vein and lots of spice. A harmonious and well-proportioned top wine of the house, which can rightly bear the highest quality level Gran Selezione. SUPERIORE.DE

Dark, concentrated ruby red colour. Complex on the nose with an abundance of ripe red and black berry fruit aromas, including sour cherry, blackcurrant and elderberry, followed by notes of dried violets, sweet spices, liquorice, cocoa powder, mentholated tobacco and eucalyptus. Rich and multi-layered on the palate, powerful and soft with youthful but well-integrated tannins and excellent acidity. Only reveals its large reservoir of impressions after some aeration. Very long on the finish, great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE