0.75 liter

Its dense, intense colour has a lush bouquet, whose fruity hints of blackberries, sour cherries and blueberries are given an elegant touch by the delicate, very subtle wood spice. In the rich, firm flavour, the smooth tannin is well fused with the structure. SUPERIORE.DE

Located in the south of Montalcino, Ciacci Piccolomini's sprawling estate is characterised by warm, fragrant afternoon breezes from the Mediterranean. The wines are typically very fragrant and have a higher alcohol content, but also plenty of freshness and focus. In the aromas we find sun-kissed cherries and raspberries, red roses, tobacco, sage and thyme. Light-footed on the palate with grainy tannins that dissolve easily, this wine is already very accessible. It is literally fuelled by the golden light that falls on this part of Tuscany in the last hours of the day. A wine full of personality and identity. SUPERIORE.DE

The site near Buttrio, where the grapes of the autochthonous Friulano grape variety originate, is one of the Grand Crus of the Friuli Colli Orientali appellation together with Rosazzo. Not only are there no regulations here, but also a poor, loose marl soil that ensures extremely low yields every year. In good vintages, however, the rewards are all the greater: the volume and fruit concentration, the lower acidity and the unmistakable salinity of the wines will lead to enjoyable heights after a few years of bottle ageing, making lovers of complex, energetic white wines dizzy. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Cont'Ugo refers to a Tuscan nobleman named Ugo della Gherardesca, whose family has been linked to the Bolgheri area for centuries. It symbolises the aristocratic character of the Maremma, which can still be felt today in combination with the wild coastal landscape. For Marchese Antinori, owner of the Guado al Tasso winery, the name is a tribute to origin and character: noble, independent and deeply rooted. The 2022 vintage of this single-varietal Merlot comes from high-altitude, well-aerated plots with loamy soils and is matured for 12 months in French oak, partly new and partly used.

Prunotto's Barolo is a very beautiful, ethereal wine. Rose petals, spices, blood orange, mint and crushed red berry fruit keep it firmly grounded. On the palate, it is saturated and rich with dark flavours that are firmly connected to spices, liquorice and crushed blue flowers. There is power and richness deep within this wine, the well-proportioned tannin is fresh and firm, giving it energy and drive. SUPERIORE.DE

The Brunate vineyard, located between La Morra and Barolo, is considered one of the region's great Grand Cru. The combination of calcareous marl soils, optimal south to south-east exposure and the altitude gives the wine a fine interplay of ripe fruit, spicy depth and silky-textured tannin structure. The 2016 vintage produced wines of rare harmony in the Barolo region: a cool spring, balanced summer weeks and a long, golden autumn created conditions in which Nebbiolo could mature slowly. The result is wines of precision, depth and longevity.

Gewürztraminer has a place name in its name – and thus a whole story. Tramin, a small village in the South Tyrolean lowlands, is considered the original home of this grape variety, whose aromatic power has fascinated and polarised people in equal measure for centuries. Those who like it, love it. Those who know it know that in the wrong hands it becomes a caricature. At the Cantina Terlan, it is something else. The Lunare is the pinnacle of this interpretation. Grown at 300–400 metres in south-west-facing porphyry vineyards, where downdraughts and pronounced day-night temperature differences give Gewürztraminer exactly what it needs: aromatic precision instead of perfumed richness. The name hints at what the wine fulfils – something noctilucent, cool, unreal and clear.

The vineyard on the western side of the Montalcino hills is so secluded that you can enjoy the starry sky to the full without being disturbed. It is therefore not surprising that this supple, very classic Brunello bears the name "Sky of Ulysses". As is well known, Odysseus had the ability to navigate the seas without a compass and by simply orientating himself by the stars.

A rare and very limited wine that is more than just a Barbera: it is a living monument. The vines come from a tiny plot in the hamlet of Berri near La Morra, which was planted before the phylloxera catastrophe (prefilossera) and survived it – the vines are ungrafted, without rootstocks, a rare treasure that is almost unique in Italy today. The sandy, chalky soils and southern exposure give these grapes an intensity and clarity that is incomparable to any younger vineyard. The 2022 vintage brought sunny, warm days in which the old vines used their deep roots to tap into water reserves. harvest was strictly selective and in small crates to preserve the delicate structure of the berries.

Elegance is the hallmark of the Prestige Cuvée Rosé, which is unfortunately strictly limited each year. The 45th edition consists of 80% Pinot Noir from the 2020 harvest year and 20% Chardonnay in equal parts from the 2019 and 2020 harvest years. Brilliant, bright pink colour. Delicate apricot colour, very light bouquet of peaches, light fruits and sultanas. The persistent flavour is soft and fruity with subtle notes of fresh toast. SUPERIORE.DE

Manfro's bouquet combines dark ripe fruits, sweet spices, some mocha with spicy herbs and violet flowers. Silky, full-bodied and energetic on the palate with cooling acidity and minerals that play superbly around the ripe black cherries. Finishes on an elegant bitter note, fresh with violet flowers and wild berries. SUPERIORE.DE

Renaissance – the name says it all. Markus Prackwieser leaves it to historians to decide whether Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli or Michelangelo were wine lovers. But their universal genius inspires him: only in the very best years, when all the factors are in perfect harmony, does he create these artistic wines – masterpieces that shine with versatility and finesse. The Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Renaissance represents this philosophy in its purest form. The grapes grow on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres, where Mediterranean warmth prevails during the day and cool Dolomite winds provide crystalline freshness at night. After a short maceration and gentle pressing, the wine ferments completely in tonneau. Then comes the decisive step: twelve months of ageing in large oak barrels on the first lees, followed by a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees. This patient maturation gives the wine that extra mellowness and finesse that sets it apart from all others.

Pinot Blanc – the supreme discipline of South Tyrol. The grape variety is considered the "number one white wine in South Tyrol" for good reason, and Markus Prackwieser's Renaissance Pinot Blanc Riserva elevates it to a level that few can match. Once again, it is the philosophy of the great Renaissance masters that is the inspiration here: universal expertise, perfection in detail, timeless beauty. Only in the very best years, when the terroir is at its most expressive, is this wine created – a work of art that needs two years to mature to perfection. The grapes come from the steepest plots of the Gump Hof, where calcareous moraines lie on solid quartz porphyry and the vines are exposed to the winds at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres. After gentle pressing, the must ferments completely in the large tonneau. Then comes the time that sets this wine apart from all others: twelve months in large wooden barrels on the first lees, a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees, followed by at least one year of bottle ageing before release. This patient ageing, which lasts over two years, gives the wine that extra mellowness, depth and finesse that distinguishes greatness from greatness.

This impressive red comes from the single vineyard "Vitticciana", which was created by the "Godfather of Carmignano" Ugo Contini Bonacossi especially for a pure Sangiovese wine due to its perfect orientation. It is only produced in the best years, when it presents itself as a multi-layered wine with fine fruit and fine-grained tannins. After a few years of ageing in the bottle, it can easily hold its own with some of the best Brunello di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

In the Montebuoni vineyard, high above the hills between Gaiole and Radda, a wine is produced whose name embodies a poetic philosophy. Haiku – the traditional Japanese verse form in three lines, whose power lies in its allusion to nature and which requires clear thinking and imagination. Marco Pallanti and Lorenza Sebasti did not choose this name by chance: like a perfect haiku, their wine combines three elements into a harmonious whole that captures the essence of Tuscan nature in its conciseness. The story of Haiku begins in 2009 with the acquisition of the Montebuoni vineyard, the replanting of which had already been completed in 2001. Three noble grape varieties found their ideal expression on these calcareous soils at an altitude of around 500 metres: 50 percent Sangiovese as Tuscan soul, 25 percent Cabernet Franc as Burgundian elegance and 25 percent Merlot as Bordeaux opulence. This tripartite division not only reflects the classic Haiku structure, but also Marco Pallanti's vision of a perfect balance between regional authenticity and international flair.

Francesco Illy came to Montalcino as a nature photographer – and stayed. What began as a personal project in 1997 is now one of the most exciting biodynamic wineries in the denomination. Demeter-certified, run by a young team, with a philosophy that does not see perfection and joie de vivre as a contradiction. The "Cielo d'Ulisse" – the sky of Ulysses – comes from the western parcels of Montalcino, near Camigliano. Clayey-sandy soils with Galestro influence, evening sun, cool forest climate: a combination that gives Sangiovese freshness and elegance rather than power. Fermentation takes place spontaneously, ageing lasts three years in large used Slavonian oak barrels.

Some wines are born from a dream. Arianna Occhipinti, who has long since become an icon of Sicilian natural wine, spent years searching for that one vineyard that could translate the limestone soul of the Monti Iblei into liquid. In 2016, she found it: a forgotten piece of land at the foot of Chiaramonte Gulfi, 490 metres above sea level, nestled between pine forests, gnarled oaks and ancient olive groves. The soil tells the story of the earth. Sandy, calcareous marl alternates with yellowish-white calcarenite – marine sediments from the Pleistocene, evidence of a sea that has long since disappeared. Four parcels with their own identity: Costa Sud and Costa Nord, grown in traditional single vines, give the wine its salty signature; Terrazza and Trefile, planted as Alberello on limestone, provide the vibrant freshness. The Grillo – native to western Sicily, known here in the east as "Riddu" – ferments spontaneously in concrete and Austrian oak, maturing for twelve months in the same containers.