0.75 liter

It took seven years and 35 purchase agreements to bring together the scattered parcels of Montebruna. When they succeeded, the joy was so great that the Bolognas invited artists, poets and musicians to give voice and verse to this vineyard. "Una terra che parla" – a land that speaks – they called the project. And indeed, anyone who drinks Montebruna hears Rocchetta Tanaro speak. The vines are rooted in Braida's heartland, 100% Barbera from their own vineyards. Two weeks of maceration in temperature-controlled steel, then a year of ageing in large oak barrels – classic, without barrique dominance.

A clear ruby colour with vibrant highlights. Botti comes predominantly from the estate’s own Bricco Botti plot in Dogliani: south to south-west facing slopes, with calcareous-clay soils – —a terroir that lends the Nebbiolo tension and delicate minerality. On the nose, red berries including raspberry and cherry, alongside blueberry, violet and a hint of spice. On the palate, it is straightforward and elegant, with juicy fruit, fine-grained, rounded tannins and lively, crisp acidity. The finish is delicately spicy and precise, with a cool, mineral note. A characterful Langhe Nebbiolo that showcases the signature of the exceptional Dogliani terroir in a youthful, approachable form. SUPERIORE.DE

High above Bolzano, where the steep porphyry slopes of the Ritten rise 650 metres into the Alpine air, one of South Tyrol’s most distinctive Gewürztraminers thrives. Kleinstein is the result of uncompromising selection: Cellar master Stephan Filippi selects grapes exclusively from those vineyards where the volcanic terroir and the extreme day-night temperature fluctuations draw out the full aromatic power of this regal grape variety. These privileged plots on the Ritten tell a geological story: Ancient volcanic rock and mineral-rich weathered soils create a terroir of rare intensity. Here, the Gewürztraminer grapes ripen under the South Tyrolean sun, whilst cool mountain breezes provide the freshness that gives this premium wine its impressive balance.

Felsina's single-varietal Sangiovese wines have been produced on the south-eastern edge of the Chianti Classico region since 1967. The vineyards, facing south-west, stretch across well-ventilated slopes at altitudes of between 320 and 420 metres on geologically diverse soils comprising quartz-rich sandstone, calcareous Alberese and clay. Following hand-picking in the first three weeks of October, temperature-controlled fermentation takes place at 28–30°C with intensive maceration in stainless steel tanks for 12–15 days. Ageing lasts twelve months, predominantly in traditional medium-sized Slavonian oak barrels, supplemented by a small proportion of used barriques. 

In the sun-drenched hills of Castelnuovo Berardenga, where Fèlsina has been one of the undisputed stars of Chianti Classico since 1966, the Poggiali family is writing another story: that of a world-class Tuscan Chardonnay. I Sistri – named after the traditional rattling instruments of the ancient mystery cults – epitomises the experimental passion that led Fèlsina to plant French Chardonnay clones on the nearby Farnetella vineyard back in the early 1980s. Between the Ombrone river and the Poggiolo farm, various plots with different clones, rootstocks and soil formations produce the grapes that have formed the heart of I Sistri since 1987.

A Carignano that stays – in the glass, in the memory and in the terroir. Is Solinas is the creamy, smoky expression of one of the southernmost wines in Europe, precisely moulded from 100% Carignano del Sulcis. Smooth extraction, controlled fermentation and around one year of ageing in French barriques – this creates a dense texture without losing its freshness. Deep ruby colour with a violet sheen in the glass. The nose opens with intense, ripe aromas: blackcurrant, ripe plum and fine jam notes, accompanied by balsamic herbs, liquorice and a hint of aromatic spice. The wine remains warm and juicy on the palate, with velvety tannins and a harmonious flow. The fruit is dense, the acidity provides balance – and the mineral note carries the long, spicy finish into the memory. Is Solinas is powerful, but never loud. A Riserva with a strong character that carries time and the island within it – it has a large profile, an elegant demeanour and a sensual and clear expression. SUPERIORE.DE

Lively ruby red colour. Dried cherry, small red berries, fresh eucalyptus, pepper and terracotta on the complex nose. Dry on the palate, very straightforward, pretty elegance on the mid-palate, beautiful herbaceous fruit, then some tangy acidity and well-proportioned tannins, leaving a crisp and very interesting overall impression. SUPERIORE.DE

The triel is a shy bird found in the dunes and sandbanks of Marina di Bibbona – sand-coloured, almost invisible, with large yellow eyes. Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi has dedicated Tenuta Campo di Sasso's only white wine to it: unassuming at first glance, yet displaying great character upon closer inspection. 100% Vermentino from sandy, gravelly soils at an altitude of 50 metres – close enough to the coast for the sea breezes to sweep over the vines every day. Hand-harvested in the cool morning hours, fermented in stainless steel at a controlled temperature, 30 days on the fine lees with daily batonnage, followed by a further two months in steel.

Chardonnay Turmhof has a multi-layered bouquet of clear, well-defined apple and pear flavours, flowers and grasses. Creamy on the palate, yet fresh and mountain-mineral, lively and harmonious. Flavours of baked apple, dried flowers and mountain minerality give this wine a special note. Turmhof Chardonnay finishes savoury and crisp, leaving a salty note and a hint of nectarine. SUPERIORE.DE

Margreid lies in the very south of South Tyrol – and is therefore, in terms of climate, a world away from the high Alpine regions near Nals. Warm summers, mild winters, and every afternoon the Ora: the warm southerly wind from Lake Garda that sweeps through the vineyards, aerating the vines and keeping the harvesthealthy. Chardonnay thrives on precisely this. The vineyards, situated on a gentle slope at altitudes between 220 and 350 metres and facing south-southeast, are planted on brooding, white limestone gravel soil with a high humus content – a terroir that fosters both richness and aromatic intensity. Cellar master Harald Schraffl favours a measured approach to vinification: fermentation in 30-hectolitre wooden barrels over three weeks, followed by eight months' ageing on the fine lees. The creaminess comes from the lees, not the wood.

Arneis, the once almost forgotten "Barolo bianco", is experiencing a triumphant renaissance at Vietti and this example celebrates it at the highest level. Produced in Santo Stefano Roero from vines around 30 years old on limestone marl, processed cooler and bottled with care – all characterised by fresh clarity and lively elegance. The Arneis is fermented spontaneously in stainless steel without malolactic fermentation or wood in order to bring out its flowery freshness on the fine lees.

Profound and yet accessible: Cygnus presents itself as an artfully composed liaison between Sicilian passion and international elegance. The cuvée – made from around 60% Nero d'Avola, supplemented by approx. 40% Cabernet Sauvignon – tells the story of two characters: the spirited autochthonous grape variety and the structurally clear, international grape. The name refers to a charming anecdote from the family: in 1881, Richard Wagner devoted himself to swan motifs during a garden stay at Villa Tasca in Palermo, while he was completing the third act of his opera Parsifal – a historical event that appropriately honours Cygnus.

The historic fortified tower in the centre of Entiklar, which gives the winery its name and its middle line its character: structured, expressive, from selected vineyards. One step above the Merus – and you can feel it. Turmhof Chardonnay comes from the same three vineyard sites as Merus, but with a lower yield: 50 to 60 hectolitres per hectare instead of 65 to 75. The altitude range of 210 to 650 metres remains the same – calcareous dolomite soils in Penon, Hofstatt and Rain, calcareous gravel soils from moraine deposits in Entiklar and on the Margreider Leiten, sandy-calcareous alluvial soils in Margreid, Punggl and Kurtinig. What distinguishes Turmhof from Merus is also decided in the cellar: partial ageing in large oak barrels.

The Vernatsch from Manincor comes from the monopoly position "der Keil" on Lake Kaltern – one of the warmest vineyards in South Tyrol. At an altitude of 250 metres, old vines are rooted in traditional pergola training on calcareous, sandy loam soils. The south-facing aspect with a direct view of the lake ensures optimum heat accumulation and perfect ripening conditions. After a wet spring in 2024 and a hot summer, the golden autumn brought physiologically ripe grapes with moderate alcohol and a cool character. The grapes were harvested by hand in mid-September at an ideal degree of ripeness and a yield of 60 hectolitres per hectare. The destemmed grapes ferment spontaneously with wild yeasts in open wooden vats. During the one-week mash fermentation at a moderate 24°C, the cap is gently punctured only once a day – minimal intervention for maximum fruit clarity. The wine then matures for five months on the fine lees in large wooden barrels, where the flavours are refined and the natural elegance of the Vernatsch comes to full fruition.

In 1987, Castello Romitorio was not yet a winery. Just a castle, an artist and an idea. Sandro Chia bought grapes from his friend and cellar master Franco Martini and had the first wine vinified – even before a single vine of his own had ripened. That was the Romitorio: not a reaction, but an attitude. Today it grows at Tenuta Ghiaccio Forte in Scansano, 25 kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea, at an altitude of 170 metres. The soils are of Pliocene origin – galestro, clay, Alberese, interspersed with fossils and shell remains, remnants of a primeval seabed. Petit Verdot and Syrah give the wine its profile: fermentation in steel, ageing in cement and oak.

On the edge of Alba, where the hills of the Langhe begin gently, lies the Rossana vineyard – a parcel of the Tenuta Monsordo Bernardina, has always been known as one of the best sites for Dolcetto in the region. Calcareous and marly soil, around 300 metres above sea level, organic farming. 100% Dolcetto, harvested by hand. The vinification follows a clear philosophy: exclusively steel, deliberately short maceration. Dolcetto naturally has a lively, sometimes stubborn tannin – the short maceration period tames this without compromising the fruit.

Tramin, a small village in the South Tyrolean lowlands – and one of the great namesakes of the wine world. It is here, at the foot of the Dolomites, that Gewürztraminer originated. It is no coincidence that the Cantina Terlan has included this wine in its "Tradition" line: it is part of the region's DNA. The grapes grow at an altitude of 270 to 450 metres, in vineyards between the Alpine north and the Mediterranean south – a location that creates pronounced temperature differences between day and night and gives Gewürztraminer precisely the tension that distinguishes it from its fuller-bodied relatives. Hand-picked, gentle pressing, slow fermentation in steel, 6–7 months on the lees.