Falstaff

Roagna's Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti opens with a bright garnet-red colour and a deep, shiny glow. The fruit of old vines manages to reach the impossible point between power and elegance. The wine shows a delicate and bright bouquet, but also a compact fruit and a long finish. You can feel this extra fullness on the finish. The production is around 2,500 bottles. SUPERIORE.DE

Gallina comes from a steep, sandy vineyard, similar to the Asili site, but with less limestone, which gives it more roundness and fullness. Full bouquet of sweet tobacco, cedar wood, liquorice and dried herbs. A soft, sweet, red fruit combines with the typical Roagna austerity in an exciting way on the palate to create an impressive complexity and length. It will only reveal its true elegance in a few years' time. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the deep Le Vigne come from Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba (for power), Villero in Castiglione Falletto (for precision), Vignane in Barolo (for purity of aromas) and Merli in Novello (for richness of fruit). It opens wide with aromas of fresh red fruits and a delicate spicy note. Very intense on the palate, remarkably elegant, fine-grained tannins, exceedingly clear, structured and long. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Pira Vecchie Viti comes from the estate's oldest vines, which were planted in 1937. As always, Pira Vecchie Viti is more about haunting, ethereal flavours than power. Sweet rose petals, mint, dried flowers, sweet red cherries and cedar give this beguiling, high-toned Barolo a captivating aromatic presence. A great wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Guado al Tasso is not only the name of the winery, but also the historical term for a ford in the torrent on the Marchesi Antinori estate. In the Middle Ages, this was the name given to the place where one encountered the "tasso" (badger) while travelling through the water on horse and cart. This poetic place name came to symbolise a wine that combines depth and movement: A Bolgheri Superiore with provenance, history and attitude. Despite the summer heat, the 2022 vintage produced an astonishingly balanced structure. Selective harvest in the best plots between the hills and the Tyrrhenian Sea, fermentation in stainless steel, followed by 18 months of ageing in new French barriques, followed by at least 6 months of bottle ageing.

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.

Elegant and complex: Guado al Tasso with a warm-toned bouquet and an abundance of fruit that is just as impressive as its harmonious structure. Deep, dark, rich ruby-purple colour. Very clear and intense nose, with aromas of blackberries, cassis and dark cherries, underpinned by fine, spicy notes with hints of white pepper and cardamom. Very juicy on the attack and on the palate, with a lot of sweet melting flavour, interwoven, dense tannins, supple and elegant, very long finish. An excellent wine that offers maximum drinking pleasure. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Rocche di Castiglione comes from a parcel just above the Cascina Pira of Roagna. It offers a captivating blend of supple fruit, soaring flavours and structure. The 2019 is silky and sensual through and through, as wines from this vineyard tend to be. It is transparent, beguiling and mesmerising from the very first sip. SUPERIORE.DE

This breathtaking Barbaresco (total production approx. 1,300 bottles) shows more power and intensity than you would normally find in a Barbaresco. It opens with heady aromas of wild berries, new leather, undergrowth and menthol. On the palate, it shows ripe black raspberries, juicy cherries and liquorice before finishing on a tobacco note. It is still youthfully nervous and somewhat austere, it still needs some time to develop fully. SUPERIORE.DE

2017 was the very first vintage of Massetino. It was launched in 2019, exactly 30 years after the first Massetino vintage. The newly designed wine cellar by Italian architects Zito & Mori was also inaugurated in 2019. The birth of the second wine and the opening of the wine cellar represent a historic moment for Masseto and clearly contribute to its recognition as a winery.

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

This dazzling wine is something for Sangiovese purists and lovers of extreme finesse. It literally vibrates with electric energy and charm. Opening with enticing aromas of roses, violets, berries, ploughed earth and new leather, it is youthfully intense but already a classic at this stage. With its velvety texture, it envelops everything it touches with masses of dark red fruit, liquid violet blossom, notes of lavender and sage, plus a subtle savoury note. Taut, refined tannins and bright acidity ensure a perfect balance and a promising, long ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Monteverro - a classic French blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot - is a great cru from the Maremma and is bursting with opulence and diversity. Rich, dark ruby colour with a black core. Incredibly rich in dark fruit flavours, chocolate and spices, soft, full body, polished tannins. It is impossible to exaggerate the joy of the magnificence of this wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Just like its older brother, Massetino skilfully showcases the contrast between power and opulence combined with restraint and class. A solid, crisp wine with a bright colour, very distinctive, vertical and elevated, intense and expressively aromatic. On the nose, the essence of hyacinth, saffron, wild rosemary, mulberry and a hint of lavender. Juicy on the palate, but with a frame that emphasises the feeling of density and compactness. Vertically layered, but with great depth, tapering downwards to a distant vanishing point. After a silky attack, the present tannins take hold as the wine progresses. Long and pure, very persistent. Massetino is truly something special every year. SUPERIORE.DE

Guado al Tasso presents itself with a warm-toned bouquet and an abundance of fruit that is just as convincing as its harmonious structure. Deep, dark, rich ruby-purple colour. Very clear and intense nose, with aromas of blackberries, cassis and dark cherries, underpinned by fine, spicy notes with hints of white pepper and leather. Very juicy on the attack and on the palate, with plenty of sweet flavour, elegant tannins and a very long finish. A finesse-rich red that offers maximum drinking pleasure and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2017, exactly thirty years after the first Masseto, Massetino was born: not as a mere second wine, but as an independent interpretation of the same extraordinary terroir. Where its big brother requires patience and can mature for decades, Massetino opens up earlier, more – more accessible, more inviting, without sacrificing depth. A wine that provides an introduction to the Masseto universe without compromising on quality. The cuvée combines Merlot with a small proportion of Cabernet Franc – a deliberate difference to the single-varietal Masseto. The Franc brings floral nuances, herbal spice and an additional aromatic dimension into play, giving the Massetino its own character. Hand-picked in small crates, double selection, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, then twelve months of ageing in French oak, half of which is new. After blending, the wine rests for a further month before being bottled.

Between Sassicaia on the left and Ornellaia on the right, on the Strada del Vino of Bolgheri, lies a vineyard that has rewritten the definition of "perfect location". When Antonio Moretti Cuseri drove through the thick Maremma fog in October 2004 and suddenly emerged into the glistening sunlight of this coastal landscape, he knew: this is where he would make the Orma – his footprint. The third generation of the Moretti Cuseri family had already proven with Oreno at Tenuta Sette Ponti that their passion for Bordeaux cuvées can become an obsession. In Bolgheri, this love of Merlot and Cabernet was to find a new interpretation. On just 5.5 hectares of vines rooted deep in gravel and clay, organically farmed grapes are used to produce the wine that has been delighting international wine critics since its debut in 2005. The 2023 vintage combines half Merlot with 30 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 20 per cent Cabernet Franc – an assemblage that combines the Mediterranean climate of the Tuscan coast with the finesse of great Bordeaux growths.

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family pursues no less a goal than to make the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from their own 50 years of research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione that is produced at an altitude of up to 350 m in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family is pursuing no less a goal than making the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from the family's own 50-year-old research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione, which is produced at an altitude of up to 350 metres in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family is pursuing no less a goal than making the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from the family's own 50-year research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione, which is produced at an altitude of up to 350 metres in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).

Typical Asili: Vecchie Viti 2018 emerges from the glass with an impressive aroma. Sweet red berries, mint, blood orange, cinnamon and star anise form a wonderful network of aromas and flavours. The 2018 is graceful, light-footed and full of Asili seduction, but with that extra kick of tannin that is so typical of Roagna. With further bottle ageing, this is sure to be one of the great wines of the appellation! SUPERIORE.DE

Roagna's Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti opens with a bright garnet-red colour and a deep, shiny glow. The fruit of old vines manages to reach the impossible point between power and elegance. The wine shows a delicate and bright bouquet, but also a compact fruit and a long finish. You can feel this extra fullness on the finish. The production is around 2,500 bottles. SUPERIORE.DE

Beguiling aroma of sweet, dark berries with a hint of cassis, cedar wood and antique leather. Very balanced on the palate, beautifully viscous with an elegant melt. Fine-meshed tannins, restrained mineral tones and wonderfully polished fruit accompany a remarkable finish. For all its elegance, it shows pressure and power and, with the right dose of acidity, promises a long life and almost reaches the level of its famous big brother. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Pira Vecchie Viti comes from the estate's oldest vines, which were planted in 1937. As always, Pira Vecchie Viti is more about haunting, ethereal flavours than power. Sweet rose petals, mint, dried flowers, sweet red cherries and cedar give this beguiling, high-toned Barolo a captivating aromatic presence. A great wine. SUPERIORE.DE