0.75 liter

Where the 2021 Branella was characterised by vigorous vegetative development and the saving summer rains, the 2022 shows the finesse and elegance of a vintage that has found exceptional refinement through later pruning and slower, controlled development. The sandier soils of Branella with their cooler temperatures, the speckled lenses of limestone that create different perceptions of acidity, and the deeper root systems that allow the vines to find nutrients even in difficult moments – all these factors come together in this vintage to create a wine that impresses not with its power, but with its precision, clarity and almost dancing lightness.

On 18 and 19 April 2017, the temperature dropped to minus 4.5 degrees; the frost damaged two-thirds of the estate's vineyards, whilst in August the temperature soared to 39 degrees. The yield was 4,800 kilograms of grapes per hectare – 38% – and from these came a wine bearing the name of the estate’s founder: Annamaria Clementi Zanella, mother of Maurizio Zanella. In 1989, the cuvée was dedicated to her; it is produced only in the best vintages and exclusively from the finest plots, at that time still known as the Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Riserva. Since the 2008 vintage, it has been simply called Annamaria Clementi and is bottled without dosage.

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

The single-varietal Duemani is for us one of the best representatives of the West Tuscan coastal region. The bouquet of exceptional clarity of dark plum, coffee and wild roses. Rich and with perfectly integrated wood notes on the palate, its 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

Emanuele Pangrazi is probably Lazio's most ambitious winemaker at the moment. With his extreme planting density and radical yield restriction, he is following a path that is trend-setting for Lazio. After he had fundamentally analysed his terroir and also the climatic conditions, it was clear to him in 2006 that he would plant mainly French grape varieties here according to the principle of the great wines of the Rhone. In addition to his famous Cuvée Habemus (Etichetta Bianca) and the San Giovenale Rosso (assemblage from two vintages of Habemus), he also vinifies four single-varietal Habemus wines, but these are absolutely small.

Emanuele Pangrazi is probably the most ambitious winemaker in Lazio at the moment. With his extreme planting density and radical yield restriction, he is following a path that is pioneering for Lazio. After thoroughly analysing his terroir and the climatic conditions, it was clear to him in 2006 that he would plant primarily French grape varieties based on the principle of the great wines of the Rhone. In addition to his famous Cuvée Habemus (Etichetta Bianca) and the San Giovenale Rosso (assemblage of two vintages of Habemus), he also vinifies four single-varietal Habemus wines, albeit in very small quantities.

One hundred and forty months. Almost twelve years in complete darkness, resting on the lees, in the historic vaulted cellars of Canale d'Alba, where wines have been maturing to perfection since 1878. No other Italian sparkling wine takes so much time. No other demands so much patience – and rewards it so overwhelmingly. Zero140 is the culmination of a journey that Enrico Serafino began in 1991 as a founding member of the Alta Langa project. In 2004, they dared to do the unthinkable with the first "Zero": a Pas Dosé from Piedmont, without any added dosage, without any concession to favour. In 2014, Gambero Rosso named this uncompromising purist the best Italian sparkling wine of the year. But the 140 goes much further – it triples the ageing time and makes time itself the protagonist.

For some years now, Riccardo Cotarella's Montiano has been characterised by great freshness and dark, concentrated fruit. In contrast to the vintages of the early 1990s, the wine has become much livelier and more dynamic. And the 2021 vintage brings a new nuance to this characterful Merlot: riper, denser and finer at the same time. The climatic conditions – an early summer temperature rise followed by cooler evening hours – allowed for slow, even ripening with perfect concentration levels. As always, the Montefiascone region delivers mineral-structured fruit and precise floral components.

Briccolina is a cru of great complexity that takes its name from its location on the top of the hill. Enrico Serafino's Barolo Riserva is a full-bodied, austere and powerful Barolo that is the result of a sustainable cultivation process. Very complex on the palate, initially rather closed, it then opens up with multi-layered fruit, roasted herbs and a fine menthol note on the finish. It has a rather exotic flavour at first, which makes it particularly exciting and almost incomparable with the other wines from the famous appellation. You have to take your time, but the reward comes with the next sip ... SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Brunate comes from the heart of the appellation in La Morra and is one of the most expressive Barolos in Ceretto's single-vineyard collection. The vines are over 50 years old and the total production of the wine is therefore vanishingly small.

Emanuele Pangrazi is probably the most ambitious winemaker in Lazio at the moment. With his extreme planting density and radical yield restriction, he is following a path that is pioneering for Lazio. After thoroughly analysing his terroir and the climatic conditions, it was clear to him in 2006 that he would plant primarily French grape varieties based on the principle of the great wines of the Rhone. In addition to his famous Cuvée Habemus (Etichetta Bianca) and the San Giovenale Rosso (a blend of two vintages of Habemus), he also produces four single-varietal Habemus wines, albeit in very small quantities.

After much anticipation, today we present the second vintage of an exceptional Sangiovese from Querciabella's single vineyard Ruffoli.

Uva dei Colombi – the grape of the doves. A name like a poem, for a wine that epitomises everything that Piaggia stands for. And what Carmignano can be when no compromises are made. The grapes come from the founding vineyard: the plot in Poggio a Caiano that Mauro Vannucci planted in 1972 when he built his house here and saw the slopes above. He was convinced that this exposure, this soil – clay and galestro, permeable and calcareous – was destined for great wines. Fifty years later, the vines prove him right. 70% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot. Each variety is harvested separately, fermented separately – with natural yeasts, eighteen to twenty-eight days on the skins. Malolactic fermentation already takes place in the barriques: one hundred per cent new French oak, for thirty-six months. Then a further twelve months of bottle ageing before the wine leaves the winery. Only around a thousand bottles are produced in each vintage.

Of all five Le Ragnaies vineyards, Vecchie Vigne is the most classic wine with a pronounced concentration and personality. Like Passo Lume Spento, the grapes for this vinophile gem come from vineyards located 600 metres above sea level. The site is one of the highest in the entire appellation. Its fruit is harvested from old vines that are 60 years old or more. Vecchie Vigne offers a dramatic and pungent bouquet of wild berries, blue flowers, balsamic herbs and crushed stone. The tannins are firm and taut and, given the high altitude, it is not surprising that the wine and its Sangiovese character are particularly crisp and linear. This exceptional Brunello also has an elegant, savoury profile, a silky texture and brilliant acidity that adds juicy depth to the tart red fruits. We recommend ageing the wine for at least another 5 years to reveal its full potential and distinctive character. SUPERIORE.DE

Sesta di Sopras Riserva from the 2019 flagship vintage impressively presents a masculine and muscular personality in the glass. The nose has a striking aroma of dark fruits, wild berries, sour cherries, leather and tobacco. All of these components blend together seamlessly. A medium texture and density on the palate and a fantastically long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1958, Bertani produced his first Amarone. The category was virtually non-existent, and "Amarone" is a new term for an age-old practice, yet most producers were still unsure whether this dry Appassimento wine had a future. Bertani, however, had no doubts at the time. Since then, the estate has been one of the leading voices behind a wine that is now considered one of the world's longest-lived reds. The key is patience. Corvina and Rondinella from the Tenuta Novare in Arbizzano di Negrar – vineyards dedicated exclusively to Amarone grapes – hand-harvested from the second week of September.

Bricco – is what the Piedmontese call the top of a hill, the highest point where the wind blows the strongest and the sun lingers the longest. The Briccolina in Serralunga d'Alba is just such a place: a steep, south-facing slope of just one hectare, which is one of the most important Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA) in the municipality. Here, where calcareous clay soils are criss-crossed by veins of sand, there are vines with stories to tell – more than half of them were planted in 1955 and are still cultivated today using the traditional Catena Vecchia, the old chain training system.

Back in 2007, the winery embarked on the cru project with the aim of emphasising the natural elegance and vitality of Sangiovese and the essential value of what the Latins call the "genius loci". What began as an experiment and a challenge evolved into years of constant but calculated work to identify the best vineyards in Chianti Classico. The best winemaking and ageing methods were then applied to enhance the particular influence of the origin on the texture, flavour and character of the wine.

Around 300 bottles. No more. Anyone who knows the Etichetta Nera knows: you don't just buy it like that – you get it if you're lucky. The Syrah on the black label grows on a single hectare in Blera, 380 metres above sea level, exposed to the south-east, on heavy clay with rock inclusions. The same vineyard from which Emanuele Pangrazi and Marco Casolanetti have always distilled their Syrah fraction for the Habemus blend – the part that Pangrazi once described as the "mouth of Habemus": the fleshy, the dark, the substantial. What used to carry the body of the blend stands alone here for the first time.

Until the regulations were changed in 2016, 600 metres was the upper limit for Brunello di Montalcino. The grapes for Passo del Lume Spento come from a single vineyard located on a sandstone plateau at 621 metres above sea level. It displays fresh aromas of lavender and fennel with warm, fragrant earth and a subtle smoky note. The medium-bodied, crisp and sinewy wine tastes of red berries pressed from rocky earth, accompanied by tangy acidity and remarkable freshness. The finish is still primary and mineral, with crisp tannins that give this single-vineyard cru a remarkable bite and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

One of Italy's finest Merlots: its inviting bouquet is almost reminiscent of a Burgundy, with notes of raspberries and, as the wine opens up, the typical black forest berries and a delicate peppery spice. On the palate, too, there is a generous variety of flavours, combining power and depth with finesse and elegance. Not at all coarse, but harmonious, beautifully rounded by ripe, silky tannins and very long on the finish. A true rarity – not least because only around 5,000 bottles were produced, meaning it is virtually impossible to come across it for a tasting. SUPERIORE.DE

Ceretto's Barolo Bussia comes from one of the most famous cru sites bordering the municipalities of Monforte d'Alba and Barolo, it draws its Nebbiolo fruit from a 7,000 sqm parcel in Bussia Soprana in Monforte d'Alba. Just 3,500 1/1 bottles and 200 magnums are bottled.