Falstaff

Steep slopes, barren limestone, untamed nature – the Monti Garbi above Mezzane di Sotto are not pleasing wine country. When the Castagnedi brothers opened up these rugged heights in 1989, people in eastern Valpolicella were still focussing on quantity. They focussed on character. The grapes are harvested by hand and gently pressed. In October, the young wine undergoes its second birth: re-fermentation on the pomace of the estate's own Amarone – ripasso in the original sense. Malolactic fermentation and ageing in Liters tonneaux lend depth without heaviness. Ruby red in colour, juicy and enveloping, infused with a spicy freshness that owes its signature to the chalky white skeletal soils. Great value! SUPERIORE.DE

Just the thing for fans of mineral, refreshing white wines: a bright straw-yellow colour with a golden sheen. On the nose, the Frammento (formerly Villa Barbi) opens with notes of green melon, candied lime, fresh mint and wet stone. On the palate, it is streamlined and vertical, with salty notes flanked by yellow stone fruit. It finishes fresh, with good acidity, medium length and a cheeky salty-spicy note. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine that tells in every facet where it comes from – that is Contado Riserva. Made from 100% Aglianico from organically farmed slopes of the Ramitello vineyard in Molise (Contrada Camarda), it shows the potential of this robust grape variety and the special region. The soil is calcareous with clay and sand, giving the wine mineral depth and vigour. The late harvest is followed by a long maceration period, after which the wine matures for a total of around three years: partly in barriques and tonneaux, partly in stainless steel tanks, and finally with extended bottle ageing. This careful ageing philosophy gives the wine complexity, elegance and a fine power of integration in every vintage.

Elisabetta Geppetti is more than just a winemaker – she is the "Signora del Morellino", that dynamic woman who, at the age of just 20, took the reins of the family-owned winery and helped bring the Maremma to international prominence. When she pressed the first Morellino in 1985, she laid the foundations for a success story that continues to this day. This wine is Le Pupille's calling card, both in terms of quantity and quality – a consistent, authentic expression of the terroir between Pereta and Magliano in Toscana.

The vines are planted where the Piedmont slopes gently at Canelli and the Barbera grape can develop its depth. The name is reminiscent of Cesare Pavese, the great son of these hills – and his most famous work "La Luna e i Falò". Like the novel, this wine also carries a quiet melancholy, paired with expression, maturity and identity. Matured in barriques and large casks for around a year, this is a Barbera full of character and at the same time modern.

Caricagiola is a red grape variety grown primarily in Sardinia and Corsica. It is particularly widespread in the Sardinian region of Gallura, where it thrives in the region's unique climatic and soil conditions. However, its close resemblance to the black Vermentino Nero grape suggests that it may also originate from Liguria. Another theory regarding its origins links it to the southern Portuguese grape variety Mourvèdre Nero, or Bonvendro, which was formerly considered a specific biotype of the Mourvèdre variety common in southern France and Spain.

Rosé di Morgante is made exclusively from Nero d'Avola grapes and comes from the higher-altitude vineyards around Grotte, near Agrigento. The sparse, limestone-rich soils lend it freshness and structure, whilst the sunny yet well-ventilated microclimate ensures optimal aroma development. Ageing in stainless steel preserves the fruit and precision. In the glass, it displays a delicate salmon-pink colour with coppery glints. On the nose, redcurrant, rosehip, a hint of blood orange and delicate floral notes. On the palate, it is lively, with vibrant acidity, elegant fruit and a salty, mineral undertone. Dry, crisp and very well-balanced, with a fine finish.

Above Bolzano, where old gravel paths wind through sun-drenched vineyards, lies the legendary Hof Huck am Bach, which lends its name to one of South Tyrol's most authentic red wines. At altitudes of between 250 and 500 metres, on mineral-rich gravel soils, the Vernatsch and Lagrein vines thrive here – vines that have formed the heart of the St. Magdalener tradition for generations. Theharvest yields grapes that mature in large oak barrels to produce a wine of enchanting elegance.

Intense and pure fruit bouquet. Lively on the palate with beautiful blackberry components and hints of the origin of clay and limestone soils. Well-knit tannins guide this refined and full-bodied cuvée into a thoroughly respectable finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Ramitello is unjustly overshadowed by Contado. Yet it is a potential favourite red wine that perfectly embodies the intensity of southern Molise. Made from 80% Montepulciano and 20% Aglianico, Ramitello matures for around 18 months, partly in barriques and partly in stainless steel tanks, followed by around six months of bottle ageing. In the glass, it has a deep ruby colour with violet reflections. The bouquet is brooding and complex: ripe plum and blackberry combine with spicy notes of leather, liquorice, eucalyptus and a hint of coffee. The palate shows excellent balance: dense fruit, structured, grippy tannins and a long, fruit-accentuated finish that is characterised by tension and naturalness. This wine epitomises the authentic power of Molise – unaffected, terroir-precise and at the same time impressively harmonious. SUPERIORE.DE

On the label, a moth flutters, circling a flame that will ultimately consume it. Beneath it is a Latin palindrome, the author of which is lost in the mists of history, probably dating from the 13th century: "In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni" – we circle in the night and are consumed by fire. A phrase that reads the same forwards as it does backwards, as if it too were trapped within the very circle it describes. Moths inevitably fly towards the light at night, often until they perish in it – an ancient metaphor for human desire itself, which draws us in like a flame until it has completely consumed us. The same struggle, the same attraction, from antiquity to the present day, without end.

The name "Hebo" traces back to an ancient Etruscan settlement near Suvereto and serves as a reminder that this part of the Maremma has been a wine-growing region for millennia. Francesca Moretti conceived this wine as a versatile everyday companion that bears Petra's signature without being prohibitively expensive. The blend combines Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc – the very varieties that Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Princess of Piombino, introduced to this area in the early 19th century. Following selective hand-harvesting, the grapes ferment in stainless steel at controlled temperatures. Ageing takes place in a combination of vessels: part in large Slavonian oak casks of 30 to 50 hectolitres, and part in two- to three-year-old French barriques. After around 12 months, the cuvée is blended and matures for a further few months in the bottle.

The Maremma is a land of red wine. Morellino di Scansano, Saffredi, great Sangiovese and Cabernet – these are the images that characterise this coastal region of southern Tuscany. Elisabetta Geppetti, who has been regarded as an ambassador for this region for decades, took a different approach in 1997: a white wine made from northern grape varieties – Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Manseng, Traminer, Semillon – planted in the south. The result is called Poggio Argentato, a white wine with – as Geppetti herself puts it – "a French accent and a Tuscan soul". The grapes come from two vineyards: Pian di Fiora near Pereta, on tuff-rich, alabaster-laden soil with a south-easterly aspect, and San Vittorio near Scansano, on clayey silt with quartz and igneous rock, open to the north-east where it catches the sea breezes. Altitude 200 to 250 metres, 6,500 vines per hectare. The Sauvignon Blanc is aged exclusively in stainless steel. The other varieties spend a short time in second-use tonneaux. Five months on the fine lees – for texture and depth without any hint of oak.

Deep, dark ruby red with a garnet red centre. The aroma is warm and complex: black cherry, dried plums, a pinch of tobacco and balsamic notes, underpinned by a hint of liquorice and toast. Powerful and well-structured on the palate, with dense tannins and a ripe, almost velvety texture. The ageing in barriques adds depth without overpowering the fruit. Negroamaro in this Riserva form shows its full potential: independent, complex and with elegant maturity. An authentic representative of the DOC Leverano, characterised by the warm climate of Salento and the craftsmanship of Conti Zecca. SUPERIORE.DE

Gregory Perrucci has given Primitivo di Manduria back its dignity. When he founded the Felline winery in 1992, Primitivo was still a mass-produced commodity for tanker exports – cheap blended wine without prestige. Perrucci recognised the potential of the grape variety and began to systematically investigate the terroirs around Manduria. With his Accademia dei Racemi, founded in 1996, he became a pioneer in the valorisation of indigenous Apulian varieties. Today, Felline is considered a reference for Primitivo di Manduria – thanks to its work on different types of soil (terra rossa, white earth, black earth, sand) and its uncompromising focus on quality. This basic Primitivo comes from different plots of the 120 hectares of vineyards, which are organically farmed. Hand-picked, vinified separately according to soil type, matured for six months in French barriques – a classic interpretation of the variety.

The name "Der Wal" refers to the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is visible from the hills of Suvereto and whose breeze sweeps daily across the San Lorenzo vineyard in the single vineyard of the same name. What is produced here carries the essence of this sea within it. 50% Vermentino, 50% Viognier – a meeting of two Mediterranean characters on loamy-sandy, slightly calcareous soil, 18-year-old vines, Guyot training. Three months on the fine lees. What ultimately ends up in the bottle is one of those white wines that you don't analyse, but simply drink.

Intense ruby red with a sparkling centre. Suculé immediately shows that it wants to be more than a classic Barbera. The fragrance caresses the senses with ripe sour cherry, blackberry, rose petals and a fine hint of vanilla – a complex, inviting bouquet. Velvety and dense on the palate and perfectly balanced: juicy red fruit meets a harmonious structure, a supporting sweetness and a subtle hint of minerality on the finish. Maturation for 18 months in barriques ensures velvety depth and length. A powerful but elegantly interwoven Barbera with format and accessibility. SUPERIORE.DE

In the 1980s, Luigi Baudana planted Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc on his slopes in Serralunga d'Alba – at a time when white wine had no great tradition in the Langhe. That took courage. This is precisely why the wine is now called Dragon and bears the dragon by illustrator Gianni Gallo on the label: a symbol of courage that the Vajra family incorporated into its own history after taking over the Baudana estate. Today, the Dragon is no longer a simple Bianco. Nascetta – the most fascinating indigenous white wine variety of the Langhe, rescued and cultivated by Vajra – gives the blend its unmistakable character. A touch of Riesling: the signature of an estate that sees curiosity as an attitude. Fermentation and ageing in steel for approx. 6 months.

Dark, almost impenetrable ruby red colour with violet reflections. The aroma combines ripe black cherry, blackberry and cassis with fine notes of liquorice, dark chocolate and a spicy hint of pepper. A gentle smokiness from the ageing in barriques frames the multi-layered bouquet. Full-bodied on the palate, with juicy fruit fullness and velvety embedded tannins. The cuvée of Barbera, Merlot, Nebbiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon combines power and elegance, while the fresh acidity ensures balance. The long, spicy finish makes you want to savour the next sip. A modern Langhe Rosso full of character that skilfully combines international grape varieties with a Piedmontese heart. SUPERIORE.DE

An elegant journey to Lake Garda: Rosa dei Frati blends the region’s typical grape varieties – Groppello, Marzemino, Sangiovese and Barbera – into a harmonious cuvée. In the glass, a delicate salmon pink with a subtle orange sheen. On the nose, a delicate interplay of summer berries, raspberry, redcurrant and elderflower, underpinned by a hint of almond blossom and green apple. Fresh and lively on the palate, supported by crisp acidity, juicy fruit and a subtle salty minerality. The dry, structured final is long and inviting. A stylish rosé that goes down a treat – ideal for light summer dishes, antipasti or simply as a lively aperitif. SUPERIORE.DE

An integral part of Piedmont's wine culture and arguably one of Italy's most underrated wines with DOCG status: the distinctly sparkling Brachetto d'Acqui is a pale ruby red (with a cherry-red head). The bouquet is highly aromatic, with notes of nutmeg, rose and violets. The flavour is exceptionally elegant, reminiscent of strawberries; it is round and finely balanced between a mild sweetness and a fruity, very refreshing tartness. SUPERIORE.DE

Here comes a cheerful and lively delight for the glass and the heart: a straw-yellow sparkle with a silvery sheen and a fine, persistent effervescence. On the nose, it's a dance of fruit and florals: peach, white blossoms, rose petals, a hint of orange blossom and delicate musky notes – all fresh, playful and spicy. On the palate, it is sweet yet never heavy, with refreshing lightness, delicate acidity and a gentle aroma that swings into a soft, aromatic final. The Moscato grapes are grown in Mango d'Alba, are gently processed (including controlled fermentation in an autoclave) and undergo a short period of bottle ageing — very typical of the variety and with a refined style. Vigna Senza Nome is not a classic dessert wine, but a charming, vibrant experience – like a summery greeting from Piedmont. SUPERIORE.DE

The "Kretzer" is South Tyrol's most traditional rosé. It is produced on calcareous loam soils at altitudes of between 260 and 380 metres from the quintessential indigenous "Königsrebe" grape variety. The name "Kretzer" derives from medieval winemaking practices – the "Kretze", a woven wicker basket, was once used to separate the must from the grape skins. This historic rosé wine tradition is continued today using state-of-the-art winery technology: the Lagrein grapes undergo traditional rosé vinification at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, with brief skin contact giving the wine its characteristic salmon-pink colour.