Falstaff

The Cotarellas have dedicated a second Verdeluce to the "green heart of Italy": a single-varietal Vermentino from the hills around Montecchio near Orvieto. Whilst the Bianco blend focuses on complexity and depth, the Vermentino plays the card of freshness and immediacy. Pale straw yellow with greenish highlights. The nose is clean and delicate: chamomile, kumquat, yellow peach, a hint of Mediterranean herbs. On the palate, it is slender and light-footed, with lively acidity and that salty undertone that characterises a good Vermentino. Uncomplicated in the best sense of the word – a wine for an aperitif, for seafood, for summer evenings. SUPERIORE.DE

San Pietro di Barbozza is no unknown name within the appellation. Anyone familiar with the hills knows that this is also where Cartizze is found. This legendary 107-hectare slope, the grand cru of the entire Valdobbiadene region, borders directly on the municipality of San Pietro di Barbozza – the same steep limestone cliffs, the same heroic hillside, the same ‘Biancone’ – that fine-grained limestone which has been breaking out of the mountain for millennia, imbuing the soils of this area with a sharp minerality. Andreola only began cultivating this plot for harvest 2024 harvest – just two hectares, facing east to west, with slopes of up to 80%. The soils become thinner with increasing altitude, until the roots reach directly into the limestone. No buffer, no storage – just rock and freshness.

Rive di Rolle lies in the shelter of the Trevigian Prealps – warmer than the more open sites of the Denominazione, with higher average annual temperatures and deep, fine-grained clay-marl soils that retain moisture and ensure a consistent water balance for the vines even in dry years. The result is a Glera that matures differently than elsewhere: more opulent, more fruit-driven, with an aromatic spectrum that goes far beyond the floral notes of the limestone vineyards. The Vigna Ochera is the most perfect representative of this terroir logic in the Andreola portfolio.

Refrontolo lies on the eastern edge of the Denominazione – quieter, warmer, and a shade cooler than the steep slopes of the core zone. The Col del Forno vineyard is a natural amphitheatre covering around four hectares at an altitude of 250 metres, nestled between woods and terraced slopes. Andreola acquired the plot in 2016 – and from the very start, the wine has been one of the most compelling in the entire Rive range. What distinguishes Refrontolo from Col San Martino is not quality, but character. The clay-marl soils, featuring karst formations dating from before the last Ice Age, reliably retain moisture – ensuring a stable water supply for the vines even in dry years. Temperatures are slightly higher than in the western part of the appellation, meaning ripening begins earlier. The result is not wines of intense floral character, but Glera with a rich, ripe fruitiness: hawthorn, wisteria, apple, peach and yellow citrus fruits – a warmer, more complex spectrum of aromas.

The sparkling classic from Italy's leading Prosecco winery is now certified organic. Radiant in the glass, with the scent of white flowers and fruit, extremely fine and elegant in flavour. Clean, delicate finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Carménère was once one of the six great Bordeaux grape varieties. Following the phylloxera crisis, it was thought to have been lost – until it was rediscovered in Chile in the 1990s, where it had been marketed as Merlot for a century. And in the Colli Berici region of Veneto, it had survived quietly and unnoticed until Inama became the first winery in Italy to launch a serious project centred on it. Carménère and Merlot, from the hills south-west of Vicenza, aged for 12 months in used barriques. A red wine that is unrivalled in Europe – because no one else in the Colli Berici produces a Carménère apart from Inama. A real statement wine and excellent value for money.

In the Tuscan dialect, "Botro" means a ditch, a natural channel that carries water away. "Dei Fichi" refers to the fig trees. The Botro dei Fichi is already mentioned in the cadastral records of the 18th-century Leopoldine Land Survey – a small depression on the estate that gave its name to a wine long before Vermentino was grown here. The vineyard lies at an altitude of 50 metres, facing west, on volcanic soil with a high proportion of scree. No sand dunes, no alluvial deposits – volcanic rock that lends the grape variety structure and minerality. Fermentation for 30 days in unglazed, raw concrete vats at a controlled temperature of 18°C, using indigenous yeasts. At least three months sur lies. No oak.

Graziano Merotto has named wines after parcels of land, after decades of experience, and also after himself. This one, however, he named after his daughter. La Primavera di Barbara – barbara's spring. What at first sounds like a gesture of affection is also a precise description of the wine: bright, blooming, with a vibrancy that can only be found in the best season.

The name refers to an ancient coin of the Genoese lords who once owned the vineyards around Gavi. Today, the Cortese grapes come from the heart of the appellation: the Comune di Gavi itself, where calcareous marl soils and pronounced day-night differences give the wine its characteristic freshness and floral aromas. After being harvested by hand, the grapes are cooled with carbon dioxide snow and pressed particularly gently. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, followed by three months of bottle ageing.

Feudi's Premium Rosato San Greg bursts from the glass with a lovely blend of sweet melon and white flowers. It offers a captivating balance between ripe stone fruits, candied citrus and a refreshing acidity. The finish is of medium length, leaving a tangy hint of lime and steely mineral notes. San Greg, made from 100% Aglianico, is a very sophisticated rosé and an absolute delight. SUPERIORE.DE

When the Antinori family founded their Apulian branch Tormaresca in 1998, they set an example: Southern Italy could deliver more than quantity. Torcicoda became proof of this vision – the first wine from Apulia to make it into the Wine Spectator Top 100. Its name refers to the historic grooming tool for horse manes, but also to the lush, twisting growth of the Primitivo vines, which were once called the "vine of three harvests".

Where the Lombards once built their fortress and Frederick II held court, Marco Ricasoli Firidolfi now cultivates his vines – a descendant of Bettino Ricasoli, who invented the Chianti formula in the 19th century. Monti in Chianti, situated at an altitude of 340 to 510 metres, is considered one of the best vineyards in the entire region. Limestone soils, organic farming and three-phase manual harvesting form the basis for this classic Chianti: 90% Sangiovese, supplemented by Canaiolo from our own selection. Matured for twelve months in Allier oak, bottled unfiltered.

A Zinfandel with an Italian soul: Terra Nera Primitivo comes from organically farmed plots around Manduria, where old vines are rooted in red soil with veins of limestone – a terroir that allows the Primitivo (known internationally as Zinfandel) to reach its full potential. In the glass, it is a deep purple with a garnet-red core. The bouquet is dark, dense and complex: blackcurrant, dried figs and dark chocolate, accompanied by tobacco leaf, clove and a hint of graphite. On the palate, it is full-bodied but not overpowering, with ripe fruit, balanced acidity and finely polished tannins. The oak influence remains subtle, the structure firm and the finish remarkably clean. An expressive, organically produced Primitivo from 60- to 70-year-old vines, skilfully combining power and precision! SUPERIORE.DE

A Sangiovese cru that demonstrates the philosophy of single-vineyard viticulture to perfection. Sergio Zingarelli and his team recognised early on the extraordinary potential of the clay-dominated soils of Sant'Alfonso – plots with minimal skeleton content, which create the ideal conditions for concentrated, aromatically complex wines. Sangiovese clones were specifically cultivated here, which harmonise with the clay-rich structures and develop the highest phenol concentrations.

Ten days before the main harvest for Redigaffi and Giusto di Notri, the pre-harvest selection begins at Tua Rita – a selection from the younger vineyards, whose grapes are not intended to achieve the extreme concentration of the great crus, but rather to offer freshness and approachability. This deliberate choice gives rise to the Rosso dei Notri, which has been the estate's flagship wine since 2000. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon form the foundation in equal parts, whilst Syrah and Cabernet Franc add spice and structure. The vineyards are situated on the metal-rich hills near Suvereto, where loamy soils with a high proportion of coarse particles lend the wines that mineral precision which characterises Tua Rita. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, followed by ageing in concrete – no woody notes are allowed to mask the pure fruit.

Kretzer – it sounds rougher than the wine actually is. This old South Tyrolean word for rosé, once derived from the tart freshness of unripe berries, has a completely different character today: fruity, lively, with the unmistakable temperament of Lagrein. For Lagrein is South Tyrol in its purest form – an indigenous grape variety that has been at home between Bolzano and Terlano for centuries. As a rosé, it reveals a side that the full-bodied red does not always show: lightness, freshness and approachability. The grapes grow at altitudes of 250 to 280 metres in the flat, sun-drenched vineyards around Terlan. Hand-harvested, gently pressed as whole bunches, slow fermentation in stainless steel – 6 to 7 months on the fine lees.

Elisabetta Geppetti has dedicated this Rosato to a woman who came before her: Rosa Mati – the first in the family to believe in the Maremma when others were still turning a blind eye. A woman who invested when this wild coastal landscape in south-western Tuscany was not yet a wine-growing region in the modern sense. That belief was the beginning of everything that Le Pupille is today. And the wine that bears her name is Elisabetta Geppetti's most personal creation – unchanged in its conviction since the first vintage in 2002: 100% Syrah, as a rosé. This is not an obvious choice. In the Maremma, Syrah is primarily known as a powerful red wine. Turning it into a rosé – transparent, fresh, elegant – requires precision.

Floramundi combines the sensual power of Nero d'Avola with the elegance of Frappato – a classic Cerasuolo di Vittoria that charmingly harmonises the DOCG origin, freshness and finesse. The vines grow in south-east Sicily on red sand and limestone soils around Vittoria. Maturation in stainless steel tanks followed by ageing in the bottle preserves the freshness and aromatic expressiveness of this traditional appellation.

The name reveals the origin: pepis made up of the classic Sauvignon vineyards Penon and Pinzon, which are located in the municipalities of Kurtatsch and Montan on opposite sides of the valley. A clever move – while one side receives its full ration of sunshine in the morning, the other is only spoilt in the afternoon. The result: grapes from 250 to 550 metres above sea level that ripen on calcareous, loamy, gravelly soils and benefit from extreme day-night fluctuations. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a cool 19°C.

At some point in the past, a small metal plate on the roof of the Castagnedi farmstead in the Monti Garbi moved in the wind – like a flag, a "bandina". A landmark for all those who knew these hills. Today, it is the name of the single vineyard that lies at the heart of the Tenuta. Colognola ai Colli, eastern Valpolicella: calcareous sandy soils at around 300 metres. This is the terroir that has belonged to the four Castagnedi brothers since 1995 and which characterises their wines with a characteristic balsamic: liquorice, white mint, graphite, China. Corvina and Corvinone form the backbone with 70%, Rondinella brings freshness, Croatina and Oseleta the flavour. Hand-picked in October, fermentation at a controlled temperature with certified organic yeasts, natural malo. Then aged for 24 months in 25-hectolitre French oak tonneaux – medium roasted, integrated, never dominant.

Pèppoli is an entertaining, very relaxed red wine with a firm fan base. A sparkling, intense ruby colour with a slight garnet hue. The Pèppoli expresses its strong personality through its bouquet of ripe fruit with light mineral accents. The juicy flavour with lively tannins spreads gently yet powerfully across the palate and lingers for a long time. Very easy to drink, very classic and, incidentally, excellent value! SUPERIORE.DE