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Markus Prackwieser's Sauvignon vines grow on calcareous moraines with solid quartz porphyry at the foot of the Schlern massif, approx. 400-480 metres above sea level. Sparkling, light straw yellow colour. Very intense, appealing nose of tomato leaves, sage, a little thyme and white asparagus. Salty and freshly vibrant on the palate, densely woven, showing distinctly fragrant components, fine gooseberry, juicy and full of tension. SUPERIORE.DE

What makes Alberto Passeri's Rosso di Montalcino so special? He is a stranger to compromise. The grapes come from the same plots as the great Brunello, from the historic vineyards of Canalicchio in the cooler north and the warmer slopes of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the south. This dual origin is the secret: the elegance and finesse of the north merges with the strength and maturity of the south. Where other producers bottle their Rosso after just a few months, La Gerla allows it to mature for a full two years: six months in steel tanks, twelve months in large Slavonian barrels and a further six months in the bottle. This patience pays off.

Three vineyards, one wine – the name says it all. From the Ginestra and Bricco San Pietro crus in Monforte d'Alba, Clerico composes its Barbera as an orchestra: Ginestra provides freshness, Mosconi the silky fullness, San Pietro structure and depth. After 10 to 14 days of maceration, the wine matures for 16 months in equal parts barrique and large barrels – a balance that Domenico Clerico himself had initiated before he passed away in 2017. Today, Oscar Arrivabene continues to run the cellar in his spirit.

Syrah and Petit Verdot form the basis for an exciting cuvée with which the Chia family once again demonstrates its great talent for Tuscan wines. Deep dark garnet red colour. An unexpected cornucopia of dark, smoky fruit on the nose, with spicy herbs, complex and deep. Impressive texture and elegance on the palate, with spicy notes of raspberry, a salty vein and invigorating acidity. SUPERIORE.DE

Tripudium is a single-varietal Nero d'Avola from classic vineyards around Trapani, from broodinglimestone and clay soils with a light sea breeze – a terroir that gives this wine balance, tension and minerality. The name, inspired by an intoxicating celebration, is a reference to the untamed vitality of Nero d'Avola, which presents itself here as a powerful yet highly charming greatness. The summer of 2020 in Sicily was an interesting balancing act between summer heat and evening freshness, with the grapes ripening with clear depth and lively structure.

Sansonina (Lugana and Merlot) is a strictly limited and very ambitious project by the Zenato family, in which only the best grapes from their own vineyards are used. Only a small number of these are sold in numbered bottles each year.

The vineyards in Gaiole and Greve form the core of the blend, with a hint of fruit from Radda. On the nose, floral aromas and red fruits in the super-classic, medium-bodied style that is so typical of the Querciabella style today. Rose petals, lavender, mint and sweet raspberry fruit take centre stage. Brilliant medium ruby red colour. Enormous density on the palate, firm fruit body, with great youthful, fresh temperament, paired with a certain finesse and elegance. Finishes long with notes of juicy red berries, great! SUPERIORE.DE

Monte Carbonare comes from red volcanic iron soils with plenty of black basalt in the centre. Six hectares of 60-70 year old vines in cooler sites, which continue to rise to the crème de la crème of the top sites as the climate warms. A richer wine than the younger Classico, but without the same cheeky vitality. While the Classico is an unbeatable everyday wine, the Monte Carbonare is a complex wine that demands food and a little more contemplation. Mirabelle plum, apricot pit, a hint of dried mango and plenty of smoky, sharp mineral grip, with dutiful freshness that brings wonderful length. SUPERIORE.DE

La Contessa is a South Tyrolean white wine with soul and origin, produced from biodynamically farmed vineyards near Kaltern. Grown on loamy-sandy soils at an altitude of 300-400 metres, the cuvée of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc combines alpine freshness with southern charm. The 2024 vintage was characterised by a cool spring and a balanced ripening phase, which allowed for aromatic clarity and fine structure.

Buchholz – in the Austrian land register of 1858, the name already referred to the valley slopes above Salurn, where terraced vineyards lie on dolomite sedimentary rock between 400 and 800 metres above sea level. Peter Zemmer, whose family has been making wine in Kurtinig an der Weinstraße since 1928, has chosen this heterogeneous location for his Chardonnay: A mosaic of microclimates and soils that combines alpine freshness with southern ripeness. In the morning, the breeze from the north cools, in the afternoon the "Ora" from the south warms: a daily breathing space that gives the grapes time. The vinification remains deliberately restrained: short cold maceration to preserve the fruit, fermentation at 19°C in large wooden barrels.

La Braccesca is a special place where Tuscany and Umbria almost meet. Once a hunting ground for the noble Counts of Bracci, it is now the setting for a contemporary interpretation of Vino Nobile – a classic that has found an ideal place here, between rolling hills and fragrant cypress trees. The 2021 vintage spoils with clear, balanced fruit. Rich ruby red in the glass with a subtle garnet rim. A multi-layered aroma on the nose: black cherry, plum, some violets and fine spice, accompanied by elegant roasted notes. The wine is round on the palate, with fine tannins and harmonious freshness – while remaining approachable, supple and yet with a classic structure. A wine that tells a story and interprets it in a modern and perfect way: timeless, elegant and full of character – in the spirit of its noble origins. SUPERIORE.DE

Gentle in flavour, powerful in body. La Casa in Collina is Vite Colte's charming statement on Barbaresco. Created from traditional grape variety assemblages from old terroirs in a light southern exposure, this wine combines nuance with poise: around 20 days of slow fermentation and a year in large oak barrels create a balance that allows depth without sacrificing elegance. In the glass, the colour is a rich ruby red that thickens to a fine garnet at the edges. The nose opens with a refined profile: ripe plum, red berry and violet, accompanied by coffee powder, tobacco leaf and a hint of fine woody spices, subtly intense but never overwhelming. Lively and carefully structured on the palate, with well-embedded tannins, fresh acidity and dense fruit. The big wood is noticeable, but nuanced. The finish is long, savoury and pleasantly round, with a hint of subtle vanilla and juicy cherry. This Barbaresco is confident and expressive, yet approachable enough to enjoy today. Optimal value for money – good potential available. SUPERIORE.DE

High above the Tyrrhenian coast, where the dawn of the Mediterranean awakens and the scent of the Mediterranean scrub permeates the salty breeze, lies one of the most mysterious hills of the Alta Maremma: Poggio ai Ginepri – the hill of junipers. Here, where the red aeolian sands of Donoratico mingle with the ancient flysch sediments of the Lower Cretaceous period, one of Bolgheri's most legendary wines has been produced since 2002. It was the very first wine to see the light of day at Tenuta Argentiera – born from the vision of revealing the unspoilt beauty of this privileged terroir. A name that has since become one of the most recognised brands in the entire denomination. The juniper bushes that give this magical hill its name stand like silent sentinels between the rows of Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Merlot (30%), Cabernet Franc (20%) and Petit Verdot (10%) vines. At an altitude of 80-100 metres, between the remains of prehistoric sediments and the sandy deposits of millennia of sea influence, these international varieties develop an authentic Tuscan character.

La Rosé de Manincor is produced using the classic saignée method – as a juice extraction from the estate's best red wine batches. The grapes come from the Manincor, Seehof, Panholzerhof and Mazzon vineyards between 250 and 500 metres above sea level. Strong clay soils, interspersed with limestone gravel and glacial rock deposits, characterise the wines. The composition of the cuvée changes slightly from year to year – in 2024, it consists of 35% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 14% Pinot Nero, 6% Syrah, 6% Tempranillo, 5% Lagrein and 4% Petit Verdot. After six to twelve hours of maceration, the must is drawn off – this is the part that makes the red wines more concentrated and gives the rosé its colour, structure and aromatic richness. Fermentation takes place in wooden barrels, partly spontaneously with wild yeasts. The wine then matures for five months on the fine lees, where the aromas are refined and the creamy texture that characterises La Rosé develops.

When Nino Franco discovered the Col del Vent vineyard in 2014, it was like a step back in time for him. He realised that the tiny plot above Valdobbiadene was home to 100-year-old vines of Glera biotypes that had long since been replaced by modern clonal selections in the region and were in an excellent state of health. The following year, with the help of Marco Simonit, a master of pruning (consultant to Yquem, Latour and Roederer), he produced the first wine from this vineyard. He called it Nodi (knot) in reference to the gnarled trunks of the old vines.

"This is the wine with which my experience as a winemaker was born. A wine from a single vineyard in which I frankly find all the characteristics of Bolgheri that I love: clear and juicy fruit, balance. The Merlot brings volume and softness, the Cabernet Sauvignon structure. I give a lot of space to the very Tuscan Sangiovese, which adds complexity and drinkability." Fabio Motta

This Vermentino cru is the result of a study project in the vineyard and in the winery and comes from two clones each from Corsica and Sardinia. "Belguardo V" (formerly "Codice V") displays the most distinctive characteristics of Tyrrhenian Vermentino and thus epitomises the typical Vermentino as the Mazzei family understands it. Fresh and bright citrus flavours with white flowers, honeysuckle and cut grass. Sunny, savoury and very mineral on the palate with the typical Vermentino structure. Taut on the final and with promising ageing potential. 30% of the wine is matured on the fine lees in amphorae. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine that made history. When the first vintage of La Selvanella Riserva was presented in 1969, it was a revolution in Chianti Classico – the very first cru from a single vineyard in the entire region. Today, over 50 years later, this Sangiovese classic is still regarded as a benchmark for the elegance and purity of the Radda terroirs. The 50 hectares of the La Selvanella vineyard sit at an altitude of 350 to 550 metres above Radda in Chianti in one of the most privileged positions in the entire region. Wines of exceptional structure and lively acidity are produced here. The perfect south-west exposure and the temperate continental climate create ideal conditions for the capricious Sangiovese to develop its full aromatic complexity.

Pale straw yellow with a sparkling lustre. Noble nuances of flint on the nose, mineral with beautiful citrus, grapefruit and gooseberry notes. Subtly creamy and taut on the palate, with beautiful precision and juiciness, the racy, long final is pleasantly fresh and slightly salty. SUPERIORE.DE

Light, bright straw yellow with a subtle greenish shimmer – is how this exceptional white wine appears in the glass. The grapes come 100% from Nascetta, probably the only autochthonous white wine variety in the Langhe, which has been revitalised in Novello far beyond eye level – as a true expression of the diversity of regional grape varieties. The wine is matured in equal parts in stainless steel tanks and Slavonian 15-litre oak barrels – precisely balanced to combine freshness with an enveloping structure.

Gravello is the great red classic of the Librandi house – and has been a pioneering wine for the region since the 1980s. The cuvée of Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon is a symbol of modern Calabria: powerful, structured and of international calibre, without denying its origins. The 2022 vintage was characterised by a warm, dry summer with cool nights, resulting in ripe, healthy grapes with dense fruit and good freshness. The wine is aged for twelve months in French barriques, giving it depth and elegance.

"A quei tempi era sempre festa" – back then there was always a party. Thus begins Cesare Pavese's novel "La bella estate", written in 1940 and awarded the Premio Strega in 1950, a tale about those fleeting summers of youth when anything seems possible. It is no coincidence that Vite Colte named its Moscato Passito after this work: the Barolo cooperative has dedicated several of its wines to Piedmontese Liters– "La Luna e i Falò", also a Pavese title, adorns their award-winning Barbera d'Asti. It is a nod to their homeland, to the landscape of hills and mist that Pavese described so unmistakably.

Gewürztraminer is not a modest grape variety. He enters the room – and everyone turns round. The question is not whether it stands out, but whether there is substance behind the flavour. In the case of Lyra from Nals Margreid, the answer is yes. The vineyards are located in the South Tyrolean lowlands, facing south-east, between 350 and 550 metres at the foot of the Roen mountain range. The soil of broodingloamy gravel on limestone gives the wine its texture, while the afternoon Ora from Lake Garda ensures freshness and healthy harvest. Cellar master Harald Schraffl vinifies single-varietal wines in steel tanks, fermenting for three weeks at a cool temperature and maturing for seven months on the fine lees.