0.75 liter

Steep slopes, barren limestone, untamed nature – the Monti Garbi above Mezzane di Sotto are not pleasing wine country. When the Castagnedi brothers opened up these rugged heights in 1989, people in eastern Valpolicella were still focussing on quantity. They focussed on character. The grapes are harvested by hand and gently pressed. In October, the young wine undergoes its second birth: re-fermentation on the pomace of the estate's own Amarone – ripasso in the original sense. Malolactic fermentation and ageing in Liters tonneaux lend depth without heaviness. Ruby red in colour, juicy and enveloping, infused with a spicy freshness that owes its signature to the chalky white skeletal soils. Great value! SUPERIORE.DE

A bestseller and classic with a reputation: "Duca Sanfelice" is a flagship for the indigenous Gaglioppo grape variety and demonstrates the expressive wines that can be produced from the sun-kissed hills around Cirò. The Riserva comes from old vines on clayey and calcareous soils, vinified in steel tanks and then matured in stainless steel for 24 months. Deep ruby red in colour. Dark cherry, dried plums, herbs, some liquorice and a hint of tobacco on the nose – spicy and Mediterranean flavours. Dry on the palate, with ripe fruit, pithy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long, powerful and carried by earthy warmth and fine spice.

A fragrant bloomer from the hot south: Alastro, named after the wild flower that grows around Cantina Ulmo, combines the Mediterranean clarity of Grecanico with the aromatic freshness of Sauvignon Blanc. Delicate straw yellow in the glass with silvery reflections. The nose opens with tangerine, white peach, lychee and a hint of yellow blossom. Elegant and silky on the palate, with a smooth texture, clear fruit structure and lively, balanced acidity. The ageing on the lees gives the wine additional depth and finesse without detracting from its freshness. Alastro is a charming white wine for modern connoisseurs – aromatic, precise and multi-faceted. Ideal with cold pasta with summer vegetables, courgette carpaccio or grilled fish. SUPERIORE.DE

Marsala dry – that still sounds like a surprise to many. Yet dryness was the norm for a long time: before sweetness and flavour additives degraded most Marsala to a kitchen commodity, it was a serious, dry liqueur wine. Pellegrino is a reminder of this. The "Old Marsala" in its new, dry interpretation is superlative quality: 24 months in wooden barrels, Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia from western Sicily. No mosto cotto, no sweetening – the wine is left to its own devices, works oxidatively, develops depth.

Since the 2021 vintage, the grapes for this classic wine have been sourced exclusively from the hills of the Valpolicella core zone of Valpantena: fresh flowers, sweet red berries, mint and a hint of cinnamon escape from the glass. Absolutely delicious and vinous on the palate, the style is exuberant and cheerful. Valpolicella could only be so delicate, fresh and precise. SUPERIORE.DE

Dry Moscato from the Noto coast – unusual, but all the stronger in character. Allemanda comes from the south of Sicily, where the calcareous, sandy soils of Tenuta Buonivini and the Mediterranean climate create a unique terroir for aromatic grape varieties. Maturation in stainless steel tanks emphasises the purity and finesse of this rarely dry Muscat variety. Pale straw yellow in the glass with silver reflections. The aroma is clear and animating: lychee, white peach, lemon balm, wild flowers and a hint of nutmeg. Lively and dry on the palate, with a lean structure, well-integrated acidity and a delicate, almost salty finish. No opulence, but precise flavours with a fine spiciness. Allemanda shows that Moscato in the right location can also be a fragrant, elegant white wine. Ideal with summer cuisine, ceviche or marinated fennel with citrus. An original wine for explorers. SUPERIORE.DE

Professor Hermann Müller's legendary cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royal finds its alpine perfection on Andrian's calcareous dolomite soils between 500 and 700 metres. The east-facing slopes provide the temperature-sensitive grapes with morning freshness. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, followed by six months of ageing on the lees, provides additional texture.

This Sangiovese expression full of character, which bears the authentic face of Chianti Classico, comes from the privileged vineyards around Castellina in Chianti. The Zingarelli family, who have been dedicated to this exceptional terroir for five decades, rely on hand-picked grapes, predominantly Sangiovese with a subtle proportion of Merlot, for their classic wine. Lively ruby red in the glass with a youthful brilliance. The intense bouquet develops ripe aromas of raspberries and wild strawberries, accompanied by notes of violets and an elegant spiciness with subtle nuances of wood. On the palate, the wine is balanced, structured and warm, with a silky body and fine, never intrusive tannins. The lively freshness harmonises perfectly with the fruity concentration and leads to a lingering aromatic finish. A Chianti Classico that masterfully combines tradition and modernity and expresses the typicality of its origin with youthful purity. SUPERIORE.DE

Feudi di San Gregorio is an institution in Campania – greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino and Taurasi have made the winery from Sorbo Serpico famous. However, the Campanians have also been exploring other terroirs in southern Italy for years: in Apulia, not far from the Ionian Sea, they cultivate Primitivo vineyards, whose grapes produce an uncomplicated, authentic red wine. No big prestige line, but solid craftsmanship from one of the most traditional Primitivo regions in Italy. The vinification follows a straightforward concept: the grapes are carefully selected and fermented in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. The wine matures for several months in steel, without contact with wood, in order to preserve the fruity clarity of the grape variety. The result is an accessible Primitivo without baroque opulence – feudi di San Gregorio focusses on drinking pleasure rather than extract power.

Rubrato is the youthful expression of Aglianico – powerful but not overloaded, typical and yet accessible. The grapes come from the higher parcels of Irpinia with volcanic soils. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves freshness and varietal purity. Rich ruby red colour in the glass. The aroma opens with ripe cherries, dark wild berries, some violets and a hint of graphite. The wine is lively on the palate, with juicy fruit, fine acidity and moderate tannins – clearly structured, but with plenty of drinkability. Rubrato has elegance and balance in every vintage, it is a stylish introduction to the world of Aglianico that goes perfectly with pasta with sugo, grilled meat or mature cheese. SUPERIORE.DE

Garofoli has been known for decades for its excellent sparkling wines. Here comes the new Rosé Frizzante made from 100% Montepulciano using the classic pet-nat method (Metodo Ancestrale), which is harvested in the last half of August and whose carbon dioxide is created almost unplanned by the almost complete fermentation of the sugar in the bottle. Bright salmon pink, floral, red berry notes, beautiful freshness, delicate mousseux and a fine yeast note on the final. Unfiltered. SUPERIORE.DE

Ribelle – rebel. At La Monacesca, where Verdicchio traditionally matures for a long time, this wine is a deliberate break with the rules: harvested in its youth, vinified for freshness, released before time takes the corners off it. Only stainless steel, no rush, but also no waiting for a certain patina. The result is crisp, lively, light-hearted – a Verdicchio for the moment. Green apple, citrus, a hint of almond on the finish. Not a wine for the cellar, but for the summer: aperitivo, crudo, seafood. The monks who settled here a thousand years ago probably didn't know such lightness. But they would certainly have liked it. SUPERIORE.DE

Andrian's Burgundian classic finds its southern Alpine interpretation between 300 and 500 metres on calcareous clay-dolomite soils. These lower-lying sites offer the Pinot Bianco optimal ripening conditions: early morning sunshine with sufficient coolness for the thin-skinned, pressure-sensitive berries. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and six months of refinement on the fine lees give Finado its characteristic texture and complexity.

Falanghina is one of the great white wine classics of southern Italy – and Feudi di San Gregorio interprets it in its purest form. The grapes come from the gentle hills of the Sannio, a high altitude area with calcareous soils and striking day-night differences. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with greenish reflections. Aromas of white peach, apple blossom, lime and a hint of broom. Fresh, fruity and delicately flavoured on the palate, the minerality remains subtly in the background. A confident, clear white wine from a traditional grape variety that does not want to be fashionable, but speaks its origins. Ideal with seafood, pasta with vegetables or simply as an aperitif on a warm evening. SUPERIORE.DE

A Vermentino with a name that sounds like the sea – and that is precisely its promise: Cala Silente comes from selected vineyards blown by the mistral near the south-west coast of Sardinia. The grapes are harvested early in the morning and matured at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and aromatic clarity. Pale straw yellow in colour. The aroma is distinctive but subtle: white peach, lime and salty minerality, with a hint of Mediterranean herbs and wet stone. Lively and taut on the palate, with fresh acidity, a delicate melt and a long, cool finish – close to the coast and full of character. Cala Silente is an authentic representative of the Sardinian art of white wine: straightforward, aromatically precise and with a salty undertone that is inevitably reminiscent of the sea. If the glass sounds like a fresh breeze over the maquis, then it is probably Cala Silente ... SUPERIORE.DE

In 1993, on the 50th anniversary of the Five Roses, Leone de Castris decided that an anniversary deserved a worthy wine. The Anniversario was born – and has been making history ever since. The Tre Bicchieri of the Gambero Rosso several times, as if it were routine. 80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera di Lecce, on clayey-silty soils in Salice Salentino. Hand-picked at the beginning of September, gentle destemming, cold maceration at 7–10°C, gentle must extraction without pressing pressure, controlled fermentation in steel. Simple, precise, without compromise.

A Nero d'Avola with soft tannins and ripe fruit, named after the pale purple plumbago that blooms in the vineyards around the Ulmo winery. Plumbago comes from loamy soils near Lago Arancio, characterised by the warm microclimate of western Sicily. The wine is matured for 10 months in large wood, which gives it a gentle structure and a finely interwoven flavour. Rich ruby red colour with a purple core in the glass. Black cherry, blackberry, dark plum and a hint of liquorice on the nose, underpinned by cedar and cocoa. Velvety and accessible on the palate, with ripe berry fruit, supple acidity and rounded tannins. An expressive, modern Nero d'Avola with a clear signature and Mediterranean soul – powerful, but not heavy. Versatile with game birds, aubergines alla parmigiana or spicy hard cheese. SUPERIORE.DE