0.75 liter

Brigaldara's Amarone Riserva is a wine born from the desire to interpret Valpolicella in its most original form. The strictly selected grapes that form its basis are chosen from the best vineyards in order to maximise the potential of the estate's own vineyards in Valpolicella.

Rose petals, spices and red-coloured fruit float in the glass, supported by fine, racy tannins. On the palate, the typical, medium-bodied characteristics of Bricco delle Viole are evident, while the contours are soft and the wine's personality demands the next sip. Vajra fans should give it a few more years to mature, despite its current accessibility. SUPERIORE.DE

Some wineries tell their story on display boards. At Fuligni, it hangs on the walls. The palazzo in the centre of Montalcino dates back to the 17th century – the Medici resided here and a Spanish princess left a room that still bears her name today. Underneath, deeper than the palazzo itself, are the cellars: built at the end of the 16th century, with vaulted ceilings in tecnica mista, completely naturally insulated. This is where the Brunello matures in Slavonian oak barrels. It also matured here when Giovanni Maria Fuligni came to Montalcino at the beginning of the 20th century – and it matures here, just as his ancestors made wine in the Maremma before him, without interruption, without abbreviation.

1961: Beppe Colla makes a decision that will set a precedent in the history of Barolo: no more blends from different vineyards, but a wine from a single vineyard – bussia. An amphitheatre in Monforte d'Alba, seven hectares, at around 350 metres, exposed from south-west to south. Soils of limestone, marl, the famous "Marne di Sant'Agata Fossili". Terroir that gives the Nebbiolo strength without taking away its soul. 2021 was the year that the classic needs: a snowy winter with a good water supply, a long, temperate summer without heat peaks, strong temperature fluctuations in autumn. The light frosts in April reduced the yield – and concentrated what remained. Harvest from 29 September to 13 October, in perfect condition. Destemming in the cellar, maceration for 8 to 10 days at a maximum temperature of 30°C, malolactic fermentation before winter. Then 18 months in large oak barrels of various capacities – traditional, unobtrusive, serving.

The grapes for Le Ripi's top Brunello come from a 4-hectare vineyard near Castelnuovo dell'Abate on the eastern side of Montalcino, not far from the Lupi e Sirene vineyard. Amore e Magia first impresses with its beauty in the glass: deep ruby with violet, fuchsia-coloured accents. The nose then reveals a very clear, concise bouquet with a disarming openness that is immediately captivating. We discover candied fruit, raspberries, roasted nuts and Christmas spices, then notes of leather. The first impression on the palate is rather silky and floral, the fine salinity and wonderfully integrated acidity provide vital freshness and the solidly woven tannin builds up with energy and flanks every sip right through to the multi-layered final. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Cerretta is a dense, concentrated and energetic expression of Nebbiolo. Red and purple fruit flavours of cassis, dried cranberries and cherries set beautiful accents, but there is also plenty of room for the equally beautiful aromas of liquorice, campfire ash and candied orange peel that play such a deft supporting role. On the palate, it is a brilliant, polished wine with enough tannin to allow it to mature in the cellar for another 10 or 20 years. SUPERIORE.DE

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

Talentis Riserva is a barrel selection that is aged for 36 months in a combination of 25 and 20 hectolitre oak barrels and a small amount in tonneaux. Pian di Conte 2019 is a classic, stately wine with lots of dark fruits, dried blackberries, spices, tobacco and mentholated herbs. The palate is polished and elegant with sweet plums, cherries and blackberries on the attack. These sweet fruit nuances are followed by spicy cedar wood and campfire flavours, as well as fine tannins and an almost endless depth. SUPERIORE.DE

In the easternmost tip of the Barolo zone, where the ancient Serravallian soils of Serralunga d'Alba force the vine roots deep into the earth, lies one of the most uncompromising MGA sites in all of Piedmont: Sorano – a name that inspires awe among Barolo connoisseurs and at the same time epitomises Matteo Ascheri's entire philosophy: To create wines that are only produced in exceptional vintages, when nature shows all its goodness. 2021 was such a year. After the tropically hot 2018, which filled the water reserves, and the equally warm 2019, 2021 created that perfect balance between power and elegance that only dream vintages can achieve. In Sorano, where the south-south-west exposure at an altitude of 280 to 350 metres brings out the Nebbiolo terroir in its purest form, 2021 produced grapes of exceptional concentration and aromatic complexity.

Ai Suma is Braida's epitome of exceptional Barbera – ai Suma, which means "We did it" in the Piedmontese dialect, was first created in 1989 by a lucky coincidence: a late harvest that gave the wine enormous maturity and complexity. Since then, Braida's top Barbera has only been vinified in outstanding years, from hand-picked grapes from old vines in sun-drenched vineyards around Rocchetta Tanaro. The 2021 vintage benefited from a harmonious vegetation cycle: a mild spring, warm but balanced summer months and a dry, sunny harvestthat lasted well into October. These conditions allowed for a late harvest with perfectly ripe berries that characterise the wine. Careful fermentation is followed by the classic ageing period of around 15 months in French barriques, followed by a longer period of rest in the bottle, which brings structure and flavour into full harmony.

Massimo Piccin is living the dream of giving new expression to Bordeaux growths from Bolgheri and producing wines that combine power, elegance and longevity. And so the Sapaio offers its full, vital and tannin-rich style magnificently and allows plenty of time for the finish. Once again, some of the grapes come from Bibbona, i.e. outside the Bolgheri DOC, so that this great wine can only bear the addition Toscana IGT.

Here it is, the impressive first Gran Selezione from Riecine, showing more grace than muscle and delivering a Riecine-typical and very precise Burgundian interpretation of the Sangiovese grape.

Sauvignon Bianco Rachtl comes from a small micro-location of just 0.4 hectares. It gets its fine flint and graphite nose from the porphyry soils near Unteraicha in the municipality of Völs. Very subtle on the palate with fine saline acidity, fresh fruit and a long-lasting finish. If you can call one of the 2,000 bottles of this vintage your own, you can count yourself lucky! SUPERIORE.DE

Gualto 2016 not only reflects the extremely aristocratic exceptional vintage, but is also one of the best Riservas from 2016. On the nose, very clear and straightforward after cherry, herbs and crushed rock. Full and supple on the palate, its texture is elegant and fine, the tannins only come to the fore in the second step and are excellently balanced. This wine will only reveal its true greatness in a few years, but it already offers an extremely tasty and engaging character. For a Riserva, it has a surprising amount of fruit and an elegance that makes it one of the most charming representatives of its kind. This wine (no more than 4,000 bottles were bottled) should not be missing in any well-stocked wine cellar! SUPERIORE.DE

Some wines bear the name of their creator and thus a silent commitment. Gualto is Gualtiero Ghezzi's personal signature: a strict selection of the best exposed Sangiovese Grosso plots near the Castello, at an altitude of over 300 metres, from sandy limestone marl soils with fossil inclusions. Matured for 36 months in oak barrels and a further two years in the bottle – the fact that this Riserva is being released while 2020s are already on the shelves elsewhere is not an oversight, but an attitude. 2019 was the year that rewarded such patience. Spring rains created the water reserves for a warm but never excessive summer. A radiant September with large day-night fluctuations brought full phenolic ripeness – slowly and without haste. International critics are celebrating the 2019 Brunello vintage as one of the most important since 2010 and 2016.

Ugolaia is a 1.7-hectare, south-west-facing plot with a view of the sea, where the temperature fluctuations between day and night are considerable. The estate's oldest vines grow here on red iron soil.

It was 1988 when Bruno and Brigitte Widmer ventured a bold dream that would change the Tuscan wine world forever. Their Il Blu – named after the timeless blue label with orange capsule – became the icon of an entire generation of Supertuscans, a manifesto of modernity in the midst of centuries-old traditions. Today, after more than three decades of perfection, the organically certified Il Blu 2022 epitomises Barbara Widmer's visionary continuity. What once began as a Sangiovese-dominated cuvée has developed into an 80% Merlot blend with 10% each of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon thanks to the ever-growing complexity of the Merlot vines from Radda, now over thirty years old. Only the finest, hand-picked grapes for this exceptional wine come from the two Chianti estates in Castellina and Radda. The clay and galestro soils at an altitude of 230 to 400 metres, characterised by a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters, give the grapes their characteristic intensity. The vinification follows a ritual of precision: each parcel, each grape variety matures individually for 18 months in French barriques – two thirds new, one third used barrels. Only then is the final blend made, followed by three months of refinement in uncoated concrete tanks and at least one year of ageing in the bottle.

The vineyards of the Löwengang estate in Margreid have been owned by the Lageder family since 1934. Here, on the rubble cone of ancient dolomite rock below steep cliffs, grape varieties such as Carménère and Cabernet find ideal conditions in the mild climate of the valley.

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.