Falstaff

Avvoltore is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Powerful and explosive in the glass, it possesses remarkable intensity in all its dimensions, with great fruit and equally impressive tannins. Dark cherry, leather, smoke, tobacco, liquorice and grilled herbs form a virile, imposing Maremma red wine that will need at least a few years to develop its full expressive power. Once again, Morisfarms has done a great job with its flagship wine. SUPERIORE.DE,

Deep crimson ruby red colour. On the nose, it smells of raspberries with beautiful concentration, a peppery tingle and perfectly integrated oak. Lively, crushed red berry fruit on the palate with long, finely chiselled tannins. It closes up a little on the finish, so you can expect much more, but for now it is already irresistible. Balanced and very elegant. SUPERIORE.DE

A white wine with Mediterranean lightness and a Friulian signature: Shàris is the charming combination of Chardonnay and Ribolla Gialla – two varieties that show their finest profile here on the marl and sandstone soils of the Collio. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. The nose is fresh and expressive at the same time: white flowers, ripe pear, citrus fruit, a little honeydew melon and a hint of almond. Smooth and clear on the palate, with well-balanced acidity, fine minerality and a pleasantly dry finish. A cleverly composed bianco with character that is not overwhelming, but at no stage is it banal – it is a true flagship for the modern white wine culture of Friuli and the estate's bestseller. SUPERIORE.DE

First-class, ruby-red Pinot Noir with a garnet-red shimmer. Fine fruity bouquet of wild berries and cherries. An elegant red, well-proportioned and never overloaded, but with a clear identity and elegant character. SUPERIORE.DE

The world-famous Valpolicella Superiore from Zenato, produced using the Ripasso method, is a rich wine with the best value. It is peppery, with earthy tones and gravel giving way to black cherries and savoury herbs. It reveals deep, silky textures balanced by vibrant acids, while ripe red and black fruits resonate under a hint of lavender. Zenato's Ripassa is concentrated and intense, but at the same time conveys elegance and leaves a fresh note of violet candy on the palate that lingers for a long time. SUPERIORE.DE

Sparkling, medium-dense ruby-garnet colour. The Rancia Riserva from the single vineyard of the same name is powerful and energetic, expressive and dense and has been elevated to "Gran Selezione" status for the first time. The aroma is characterised by ripe, full-bodied fruit and mineral notes. The flavour is earthy, tannic and terroir-influenced, beautifully articulated, fine and with an enjoyable length. A wine that requires sensitivity and/or a few years of rest. SUPERIORE.DE

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

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.

"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

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.

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.