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Here comes the third vintage of Stefano Frascolla's heart project from the Alta Maremma. Just 2,500 bottles of this 100% Syrah are bottled, aged (on the skins) for half a year in amphorae, then filtered and matured in small French oak barrels.

At the southern foot of the Margreider Schuttkegel is a vineyard with the dialect name "Punggl", which has been known and coveted for viticulture since time immemorial. In the mid-1950s, the former owners of the Hirschprunn estate planted a vineyard there with Merlot, as it had already produced very good results in previous decades. In 1995, the grapes from this vineyard proved to be of such first-class quality that they inspired Luis von Dellemann, the Oenologistresponsible at the time, to vinify these grapes as a single variety - since then, and only in the best years, this strictly selected grape material has formed the basis for the MCM.

From the oldest Merlot plot in the Le Sondraie vineyards comes Bell'Aja’s flagship wine – a wine that impressively demonstrates the ambition of the San Felice project in Bolgheri. Since 2016, this estate has rounded off the historic group’s interpretation of Tuscan wine: from the hills of Chianti Classico, through the prestigious vineyards of Montalcino, to this shining jewel on the Etruscan coast. Bell’Aja Superiore embodies the pure essence of a unique terroir: 95% Merlot from the estate’s most venerable vines blends with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon to create a wine of impressive power and opulence. The sandy-clay soils of the Le Sondraie area, just five kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea, lend this Bordeaux-inspired blend the maritime minerality that makes Bolgheri one of the most fascinating terroirs in the wine world.

The Montepulciano vines for this powerful and terroir-rich Montepulciano grow on the Campo San Giorgio vineyard at an altitude of about 150 m on deep, chalky clay soils. The wine is unfiltered and unfined and matures for 12 months in small and large wooden barrels. The label represents the historic design of the Rosso Conero of the 1970s and the impressive result is the calling card of a long family tradition and expertise in viticulture.

The grapes for the rare Naturalis Historia come from a 50-year-old vineyard located 400 metres above sea level with deep, sandy soils of volcanic origin in Mirabella. Deep, sparkling dark red colour. Redcurrant, sweet spices and aromas of dark plums and red cherries on the nose. Perfectly structured on the palate with well-balanced pressure and a full body that is never broad, but fresh, supple and very agile, leading to a harmonious, long-lasting final. An outstanding Aglianico that is already delicious to drink now, but will also age wonderfully. SUPERIORE.DE

The Paesaggio Inatteso selection comes from Camigliano's 3.5-hectare "La Magia" vineyard, which has mineral and calcareous soils. Only just under 3,000 bottles are bottled. It offers a more robust style and a stronger aromatic intensity than the Annata. Bright red with an amber-coloured rim. On the nose, round notes of walnut shells, roasted hazelnuts and linseed, as well as red plums, pomegranate seeds and green olives. Traces of incense and cardamom in the background. Full-bodied, lively tannins on the palate, with hints of red berries and flowers leading to an intense and long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Monteverro's Chardonnay is an exciting and multi-faceted expression of Tuscan white wine culture and combines Burgundian finesse with the radiance of the Maremma. The grapes come from carefully tended plots on limestone and clay near Capalbio, where the coastal microclimate with warm days and cool nights offers the Chardonnay an ideal ripening window. The vinification was carried out with Burgundian standards: slow fermentation in French barriques – partly new, partly used –regular bâtonnage and a fine lees ageing period of around ten months.

Just 2,500 bottles of this 100% Syrah are bottled, aged (on the skins) for six months in amphorae, then filtered and matured in small French oak barrels.

A characterful expression of southern elegance, characterised by the terroir of the Maremma and a cuvée that ingeniously combines Syrah and Grenache. The vines for the Tinata grow on clay and limestone soils on a hillside not far from the Tyrrhenian coast near Capalbio. The 2021 vintage was balanced and almost ideal: a moderately warm summer, without drought stress, followed by a long, sunny autumn - the best conditions for fully ripe, aromatically complex grapes.

Black cherry red with a violet rim. On the nose, notes of spices such as ginger, cinnamon, dried coriander and vanilla pod, rounded off with fruit flavours of pomegranate, cherry and floral nuances such as geranium, lavender and rose. Fresh rose sugar and graphite on the palate, with raspberry, cherry, fresh plum and cranberry flavours. Long finish with a fine cassis note. SUPERIORE.DE

Duemani has only 7,000 Syrah vines – the smallest parcel on the estate, but perhaps the most precious. Suisassi, this enigmatic name, reminiscent of the sound of the nearby surf, stands for Elena's very personal vision: to create a Syrah that imitates neither the Rhône nor South Australia, but captures the Tuscan coast in all its wild beauty. Luca D'Attoma, who helped create Le Macchioles legendary Scrio as a consultant, applies the same philosophy here: 30 per cent of the grapes are fermented as whole bunches to increase the aromatic complexity, spontaneous yeast fermentation in conical oak vats and small 1,Liters tanks preserves the vibrancy of the fruit before the wine is left to rest for 20 months in French barriques.

For us, the pure Cabernet Franc from Duemani is one of the best representatives of the grape variety and the western Tuscan coastal region. The bouquet has an extraordinary clarity of dark plum, coffee and wild roses. Rich and with a perfectly integrated woody note on the palate, its strength, structure and elegance are particularly fascinating. SUPERIORE.DE

Suisassi is rich and expressive. The bouquet convinces with aromas of sage, rosemary, wild flowers, liquorice, violets and plums. Very full and round on the palate with memories of berries, chocolate and nuts. Elegant and intellectual, still needs time. SUPERIORE.DE

When the world-famous Oenologist Carlo Ferrini makes his own wine, you can't help but be excited. Here, he has succeeded in creating an interpretation of Sangiovese that brings all his experience from decades of working with this grape variety to the fore as if through a burning glass. The moderate use of wood through ageing in 700-litre tonneaux expresses the clarity and personality of the grape and the unique terroir (there are just 1.5 hectares of the best Brunello sites) in an archetypal way. A great harmony of dark cherries, black fruits, spices, leather and tobacco, ideally integrated tannins and great persistence will quickly make the few thousand bottles a sought-after collector's item. SUPERIORE.DE

Gambero Rosso named the Giodo Brunello 2020 "The best red wine in Italy in 2026", and the reasoning reads like a silent tribute: "The sum of his experience with Sangiovese, his first love." His daughter Bianca Ferrini added what is behind the wine: "It is the first vintage in the new cellar, the first chapter together with my father."

Tasting the different lots of Il Marroneto from the barrel is a fascinating task. The vines are all similarly situated at high altitude, on coarse sand of marine origin, and predominantly north-facing. While they have subtle differences, the distinct character of Madonna delle Grazie often merits a separate bottling - as the 2018 proves. The aromas take on the darkest, most heady purple florals, tangled in allspice and smoky incense. The wine is muscular with firm tannins that grip it tightly and don't let go, though it is never beefy, heavy or angular. At the moment it is still developing, but the finish already reveals a refined balsamic core and a spicy, salted plum. SUPERIORE.DE

More than two centuries ago, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Princess of Piombino, had something planted on the ferruginous hills above Suvereto that would change this landscape forever: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon – grape varieties from the Bordelais. The Maremma, still rough and wild at the time, became the testing ground for a woman with a feel for terroir. Francesca Moretti, daughter of Bellavista founder Vittorio, deliberately picks up on this thread with Petra. The name says it all. Petra. Stone. Consistency. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, hand-picked from the Vigneto di Petra in San Lorenzo Alto. Limestone soils with the right balance of clay and skeleton, 10 to 15 per cent slope. Fermentation with natural yeasts in large oak vats, ageing for at least 15 months in French barriques – 25 per cent new – followed by at least 17 months in the bottle. The cellar, a structure by Mario Botta, works with gravity: no pumping, no stress.

Pianrosso comes from a south-western site of the Castelnuovo dell'Abate subzone at an altitude of about 300 m with mainly Galestro soils. It opens the pleasure cinema with a rich, sparkling garnet red. The bouquet is seductive and deep with hints of dark and black fruits, sage, rose petals and violets. On the palate, there is a distinct salty-fresh minerality, which soon enters into a wonderful harmony with the fine-grained tannins and the perfectly layered fruit, leading the wine powerfully with optimal balance into a soft, hardly ending finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Castiglione is produced from a large number of parcels throughout the Barolo zone, many of which are of such high quality that they could be bottled separately. The 2019 vintage is beautiful in the way it combines the vibrancy of the year with a soft, inviting textural presence. Fresh cut flowers, mint, sweet spices, aniseed and red berries are beautifully interwoven in the glass. As the wine progresses, it shines with exquisite finesse, floral aromas and an exquisite overall balance. Ripe, silky tannins support the impressive finish. The 2019 version gives a first impression of how great this vintage is at Vietti. This is first-class stuff. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Annata, which was certified organic for the first time in 2020, come from a 13-hectare site at an altitude of 500 metres. The soils here are somewhat lighter and stonier than the average for the appellation, with slate-rich Galestro and calcareous Alberese. As always, Poggio Antico's 2020 vintage is authentic and classic, with bright fruit tones, wild cherries, roasted nuts, blue flowers and forest floor. While the other wines in the portfolio mature in smaller tonneaux, this wine is aged in large Slavonian barrels. We like the energetic lift and the simultaneous brightness of the fruit - the winery achieves this like no other. As the wine progresses, the approach is very delicate with a convincing intensity of floral aromas and a silky mouthfeel. A lively acidity ensures balance and freshness right to the end, while a salty, mineral note is added on the finish. As always, this Brunello from the best winery is a safe bet! SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Prapò comes from Serralunga d'Alba and is, as expected, the most powerful and structured of the various single-vineyard wines from this ambitious estate. At the same time, it is also the most closed at the beginning and, with its introverted nature, is made for a long ageing period. This site is one of the last where the grapes ripen, giving them plenty of time to develop slowly and carefully each year.

The name says it all: wines of the slopes. Vigneti del Versante is made from grapes from the Cancello Rosso parcel and the lower part of Pian Bassolino – sites, which lie at an altitude of 350 metres and have a soil of exceptional geological diversity. Calcareous clay, slightly decomposed marl, sandstone, flysch – layers from the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods, interspersed with volcanic influences from nearby Monte Amiata. In the Cancello Rosso vineyard, an increased proportion of sand in the topsoil provides the typical spicy and nutty flavours of the berries; Pian Bassolino contributes with a calcareous density. Jan Erbach sees the Vigneti del Versante as the search for a harmony that is more than the sum of its parts – like the different voices of an orchestra that only find their sound together. Spontaneous fermentation, strict selection of grapes on the table, no technological additives, maturation in large oak barrels without filtration.

2020 is the first organic Oreno vintage. Deep dark ruby violet. On the nose, cassis, blackcurrant and a powerful herbal spice with a good dose of pipe tobacco, tar and crushed boulders. On the palate, dark berries, chocolate and a cornucopia of herbs define the full body. This juicy wine monument has precisely integrated tannins, an enormous silkiness and a seemingly endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE