Falstaff

1993 – marco Caprai stood in his vineyards and looked back on a quarter of a century that his father Arnaldo had begun in 1971 with a dream: to create a world wine from a forgotten Umbrian vine. Ten years of research lay behind him: collaboration with the University of Milan, clone selection, the risk of vinifying the Sagrantino dry instead of sweet. For the 25th anniversary, he wanted to make a statement: the ultimate Sagrantino, the essence of everything he and his father had learnt. The 25 Anni was born – and the wine world held its breath. What followed is legend. In 2000, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones chose this wine for their wedding. Luigi Veronelli proclaimed Sagrantino as one of Italy's greatest red wines. Montefalco was transformed from a sleepy village into a Mecca for wine tourism. And the 25 Anni remained – year after year, vintage after vintage – the flagship of this Umbrian revolution. It comes from the best vineyards in the Val di Maggio, a meticulous clone selection of pure Sagrantino from vines rooted with six to eight thousand plants per hectare.

San Leolino was already considered a cru site 200 years ago. Above the thousand-year-old Pieve, the Romanesque chapel that has been documented since 982, terraces run through the upper part of the Conca d'Oro. In the 15th century, Giovanni Manetti found drawings in the University of Florence that proved that this slope was once completely planted with vines. What followed was a rebirth: the terraces were renewed, 4.5 hectares at an altitude of 450 to 500 metres, on Alberese limestone. These soils are fundamentally different from the slatey Galestro of the Vigna del Sorbo – here, hard limestone dominates, giving freshness, brightness and mineral precision. The pandemic years gave Giovanni the leisure to walk through his vineyards, to reflect. He realised that this parcel has its own identity, a terroir that calls for separate vinification. The first vintage was 2019, the fourth now 2022. Production remains small: only 5,000 bottles.

A Sicilian Cabernet Franc that can only be produced by Planeta – inspired by the elegance of great Bordeaux, yet deeply rooted in the terroir of the Menfi Hills. Didacus is a tribute to the family, named after Diego Planeta, the visionary founder of the winery. The grapes come from carefully tended plots on chalky soils, where they develop their aromatic ripeness and structure under the Mediterranean sun and fresh winds from the nearby coast. After fermentation, the wine matured for 21 months in French barriques before being left to rest for two years in the bottle.

An icon of Friuli: "Vigna Dominin" Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso comes from a single vineyard with old vines that are deeply rooted in the typical Ponca soil. Paolo Meroi brings out the best in this demanding, indigenous grape variety with a precision that few winegrowers have mastered. After strict manual harvesting, the wine is matured for 24 months in French barriques and a further year in the bottle before being released in very small quantities.

Here is another outstanding 2020 Brunello from a winery that is still considered an insider tip given its small size and limited annual production. Medium, bright ruby red colour. Exotic aromas of minerals and citrus fruits reminiscent of red cherries, blood oranges and Asian spices, with a floral nuance that gains strength with air. The palate is supple and expansive, with sweet flavours of red cherries and dark plums carried by a powerful acidity. Densely packed, at once fleshy and broad, but also lively and precise. On the strikingly long finish, it shows excellent power and cut, characterised by youthful, dusty tannins and a hint of candied violets. As is so often the case, this is one of the best Brunellos of the vintage and still completely under the radar of many Sangiovese lovers. SUPERIORE.DE

At the centre of the Via Bolgherese, that legendary wine route where the Tuscan dream and the Bordeaux vision merge into an indelible myth, lies a small kingdom of just 5.5 hectares. Here, nestled between the giants Ornellaia to the right and Sassicaia to the left, Antonio Moretti Cuseri and his sons Alberto and Amedeo tell a story of unbridled passion, a story called Orma. Orma means footprint. And this 2021 truly leaves one in the soul of the taster. The purest expression of an exceptional vintage, this organically certified Bordeaux blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc unfolds like a symphony in purple and garnet. The Mediterranean sun of Bolgheri, tempered by the salty breezes of the Tyrrhenian Sea, gave the grapes that unique ripeness that only a few terroirs in the world are capable of producing.

Deep dark ruby-purple colour. On the nose, cassis, blackcurrants and a strong herbal spice with a good dose of pipe tobacco, tar and crushed gravel. On the palate, dark berries, chocolate and a cornucopia of herbs define the full-bodied palate. This juicy wine monument has precisely integrated tannins, an enormous silkiness and an almost endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE

On the "hill of the blackbirds" – is the poetic translation of Poggio ai Merli – has been producing one of the most impressive interpretations of the Merlot grape variety in Tuscany since 1999. Here, where Paolo Panerai expresses his vision of international grape varieties on Tuscan terroir, Merlot vines grow on calcareous soils between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, developing a personality that is rarely found even in the best international appellations thanks to their unique location. The name deliberately plays on the ambiguity between "Merli" (blackbirds) and Merlot – a play on words that emphasises the close connection between this terroir and the birdlife that Castellare has always protected and celebrated. Each bottle is labelled with a bird that nests in the estate's pesticide-free vineyards – a symbol of the estate's sustainable philosophy.

1992 was the year in which Tua Rita launched its first wine on the market – not the legendary Redigaffi, but Giusto di Notri, named after the patron saint of Suvereto and the exact location of the winery. A homage to the village church, to one of the oldest vineyard parcels, to the beginnings. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates with eighty per cent, Cabernet Franc and Merlot complement – a composition that has evolved over the decades, away from Merlot and towards more Franc, for flavour and finesse. The vineyards are located on loamy soils with a high proportion of skeleton, the higher plots are stonier, the deeper ones more silty, the Merlot in the centre on clay. Long maceration over twenty-five to thirty days to gain concentration and depth. Eighteen months in French barriques, half new, half second passage – then months in the bottle before the wine leaves the estate.

The uncompromisingly selected grapes come from the estate's oldest vineyards. Dark and powerful, yet highly elegant flavours of wild cherries, spices, liquorice, cassis and leather with exceptional balance and purity. A radiant, cosmopolitan Italian. SUPERIORE.DE

Caparzos Riserva 2019 is a big, powerful wine that needs at least a few years to mature. Dark and brooding, this Riserva shows the more masculine side of Sangiovese. Black cherry, plum, leather, spices and tobacco lie on a firm beam of acidity and tannin. This red has the explosive energy and finesse of the dream 2019 vintage and will need some time to mature before all the facets of this highly personalised wine come together – but as always with top wines: patience is rewarded! SUPERIORE.DE

"Fragrante, definite e verticale." This is how some Masters of Wine describe the 2021 Brunello vintage – fragrant, precise, vertical. Rarely does an official assessment so accurately capture the essence of a wine. Yet 2021 was not an easy year. An unusually late frost in April decimated the quantities, delayed growth and – and quietly did the wine some good. No extreme heatwaves afterwards. No drought stress to panic the vines. Instead: an even summer, dry ripening, a relaxed harvest from the end of September. The soils on the eastern slopes of Montalcino, a mixture of red clay, limestone and slate, came into their own in 2021. San Filippo's organic certification pays off particularly well in years like these: living soils that retain water and deliver precision.

The organically certified Sangiovese grapes for this Chianti Classico are grown in the legendary Conca d'Oro south of Panzano, that amphitheatrical Golden Valley with its unique microclimate of warm days and cool nights. Giovanni Manetti, president of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, vinifies exclusively hand-picked grapes in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts on the chalky Galestro soils of his 170-hectare Tenuta. After three weeks of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in French oak barrels of various sizes.

Eneo is supposed to be the "Grand Vin" of Montepeloso, the Italian answer to the globalisation of wines. And Eneo can do it. The blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon unmistakably expresses its terroir and is recognised worldwide. Aromas of blackcurrant and cherry with fresh flowers and orange peel are followed by a medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins that are wonderfully integrated into the wine and leave a bright, concentrated impression. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Cupole offers excellent value every year. You get a glass full of sunny Tuscany and rich intensity at an affordable price. The wine is packed with black fruits, spices and leather, resulting in a classic bouquet, especially for a warm corner of Tuscany, off the beaten track, in Sarteano. SUPERIORE.DE

Top-class Pinot Bianco from the South Tyrolean Wine Road, more precisely from the exposed Sirmian hillside, where the Pinot Bianco finds its ideal location and an optimal microclimate. As a result, it is of remarkable quality every year. Clear and sparkling straw yellow in the glass, with an intense bouquet of light flowers, green apple, redcurrants and a hint of sage and nutmeg. Harmonious, powerful and persistent on the palate, with a full flavour typical of the grape variety and a beautiful melting, mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Sweet red berries, flowers, mint, spices and aniseed are uniquely interwoven in this generous wine. The wine gains volume and depth in the glass as the flavours build to an unexpected crescendo. This is an exceptionally well-balanced and finesse-rich Brunello full of character, freshness and originality. The tannins remain firm, but there is enough density and complexity to the fruit that opening a bottle, even at a young age, gives no cause for regret. SUPERIORE.DE

Chianti Classico by Giovanni Manetti offers a profound, densely woven and still very youthful bouquet of dark and red berries and fine spicy notes. The dry, cherry flavour with long-lasting impressions, well-extracted tannins and the acidity typical of Sangiovese show a clearly recognisable terroir character. Very clear, straightforward, long, always fresh and juicy, with excellent strength and balance. SUPERIORE.DE

Sauvignon Andrius matures on the lees for six months and is a lively, well-structured white wine with great varietal typicity. Ripe peaches, dried apricots, juicy honeydew melon, candied almonds, flowers and a hint of mint and white pepper combine with the elegant style to create a remarkable overall picture. Great class! SUPERIORE.DE

Fuligni's 2019 Brunello shows balance and symmetry with plenty of primary vigour to ensure longevity in the cellar. The bouquet opens with dark plums, dried raspberries, spices, aniseed and grilled herbs - especially lavender and rosemary. The palate is medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, with a complex weave of fruit, minerals and tannins. It is disempoweringly generous and has a subtle opulence, but never weighs down the palate. The powerful, refined tannins are finely powdered and the penetrating acidity radiates evenly but not obtrusively. Notes of liquorice, violets, blood orange and iron emerge at the end. Long-lasting and effortlessly confident, as you would expect from Fuligni! SUPERIORE.DE