0.75 liter

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 there is also a poor, loose marl soil, which 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, after a few years of ageing in the bottle, lead to enjoyable heights that will make lovers of complex, energetic white wines dizzy. SUPERIORE.DE

Typical ruby red colour with a matt sheen. Well-defined and clean on the nose, with notes of cherry, small, mostly red fruits and a subtle, delicate spiciness. Fresh on the palate, opens wide and finishes with a spicy note and considerable length. The tannins, very well extracted, delicately caress the palate. A wine full of elegance and harmony, with pronounced terroir typicity and recognisable ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

The dark, seductive Cabernet Franc Poggio de' Colli takes its time in the glass and slowly awakens with a blend of redcurrants, peppery roses, exotic curries and a slight hint of musk that lends it gravitas. Velvety soft yet refined. Aristocratic and cool on the palate, with a powerful wave of tart raspberry fruit that feeds the palate with savoury spices and mineral notes. Leaves a layer of fine tannins and a hint of berry concentration on the final, which tapers off savoury, long and perfectly balanced. A radiant wine that will only reveal its full beauty in a few years. SUPERIORE.DE

The dark and seductive bouquet opens with blackberry jam, blueberries and peppery floral tones, which are found on the palate together with salty notes and a fine tannin. Its enormously silky texture and the well-dosed concentration of black fruits are accompanied by a remarkable freshness that builds and builds until the endlessly long final. This lively and at the same time incredibly elegant red wine delights on the finish with minty herbs and flowers that could not be more seductive. With increasing years of ageing in the bottle, you can look forward to a few more positive surprises! SUPERIORE.DE

Born in the Contrada Arcurìa near Passopisciaro – around 650 metres high on the north-eastern flank of Mount Etna – this Nerello Mascalese carries the clarity of the volcanic slopes in every nuance. The 2020 vintage was the year of deep balance. Warm days were tempered by cooling night-time temperatures, allowing the grapes to achieve healthy ripeness with a lean fruit structure. The harvest took place late, carefully and in small batches. The wine is fermented traditionally and matured for around 24 months in large wooden barrels.

On the hill of Rosazzo, where Augustinian monks were already making wine in the year 1000, lies a vineyard that understands Sauvignon like few others in Italy. Ronco del Gnemiz treats every parcel like a Grand Cru – not as a marketing slogan, but as a working philosophy. Serena Palazzolo and her husband Christian Patat, an Oenologist with a steady hand and a clear eye, have created something here that has become rare: wines that let their place speak for itself. Salici comes from a vineyard planted in 1997 on the lower slope, where lighter soils give the Sauvignon a different voice than on the heavy Ponca marls further up. The grapes are pressed as whole bunches, then the must ferments exclusively in wood – partly in barriques, partly in Liters barrels. No malolactic fermentation, no bâtonnage. Christian Patat leaves the wine alone for twelve months until it shows what it can do on its own.

Initially, the wines from Etna led a rather shadowy existence; the great potential of the wines, some of which were produced in very small quantities, usually only delighted connoisseurs. Even today, many of the winegrowers are still so-called insider tips, as the wines produced in small quantities hardly appear on the international markets, or only in very homeopathic quantities. Like us here at SUPERIORE.DE, Angelo Gaja recognised the incomparable elegance and class, the minerality and the purist style of the Nerello and Carricante grapes early on and therefore entered into a joint venture with Alberto Graci a few years ago.

Sometimes the oldest things are hidden. While the Chardonnay Sol, the founding wine from 1981, tells the story of Ronco del Gnemiz, the Corrado di Manzano has even deeper roots: its vines were planted between the two world wars, at a time when no one could have guessed that one of the most important Chardonnay vineyards in the Colli Orientali would one day be created here. The name honours a family member, as is the tradition at Ronco del Gnemiz: Dottore Palazzolo, Iris, now Corrado. The location in Manzano, exposed to the south-east, differs from the headquarters in Rosazzo. The soils are rich in organic matter and, despite their biblical age, the vines show enviable vigour year after year – year after year. Christian Patat takes a different approach here than with Sol or Ronco Basso: the must matures for ten months in stainless steel and wooden barrels, not exclusively in barriques.

In Sicily, "Firraru" is not just a profession – it symbolises precision craftsmanship and quiet dignity. The blacksmith who moulds lasting values with patience, fire and strength. Feudo Maccari dedicates its most impressive white wine to this image: a single-varietal Grillo, which, like no other, makes the combination of origin, patience and depth tangible. The name was deliberately chosen because the wine is artisanal, elegant, precise and at the same time uncompromisingly Sicilian. The grapes come from high-altitude plots in the south-east of the island, where the limestone-rich soil and proximity to the sea give the Grillo structure and salty tension. Manual harvesting, gentle pressing and slow fermentation form the basis – the wine then matures for 12 months on the fine lees in Liters French oak tonneaux, with some of the wine also being matured in concrete eggs. Here too, the organic approach is not just a label, but is reflected in the clarity and vitality of the wine.

At Ronco del Gnemiz, each vineyard is an individual. The plots are harvested individually, vinified individually and bottled individually – cru philosophy in its purest form. Every wine, except this one, because San Zuan is the only blend of the house. Three small Friulano parcels come together here, scattered across the hills of San Giovanni al Natisone – san Zuan in the local dialect. The oldest vines have been bearing fruit for sixty years, the youngest for twenty. Each parcel is harvested and vinified separately, but in the end they come together. What Christian Patat strictly separates with Sauvignon and Chardonnay, he deliberately brings together with Friulano. Why? Friulano is special. The grape variety, which used to be called Tocai and had to be renamed after losing a name dispute with Hungary, requires a sure instinct. It does not like new wood – so only used barriques, between a quarter and three quarters of the wine, depending on the vintage. Whole-cluster pressing, no malolactic fermentation, eight months in stainless steel, then three more in the bottle.

When Ferruccio Ferragamo took over the dilapidated Borgo from the Duke of Savoy-Aosta in 1993, it was more than just a property purchase. It was, as he himself said, "an act of faith". Thirty years later, the flagship of the house carries this spirit in every bottle: a commitment to elegance without compromise. A meticulous geological study preceded its creation. Each grape variety was planted where the soil would best bring out its strengths: Merlot for velvety opulence, Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and depth, Syrah for freshness and aromatic lift. Separate vinification, then the marriage – a blend that bears the signature of Valdarno. The wines mature for eighteen months in French oak – the Merlot partly in larger barrels to preserve its fruit, Cabernet and Syrah in first and second passage barriques. The result is neither a copy of nor a competitor to Bolgheri or Chianti, but something completely unique.

Feudo di Mezzo is more than just a vineyard – it is the historic centrepiece of viticulture on Etna. One of Pietradolce's oldest and most fascinating plots is located in the contrada of the same name, around 600 metres above sea level between the lava flows of past eruptions. The Nerello Mascalese vines are rooted here in deep black, mineral-rich lava soil with excellent drainage. The microclimate is characterised by wide temperature fluctuations, which give the wine a special depth and tension. Vinification is carried out with great sensitivity: spontaneous fermentation in traditional wooden vats, maturing for around 12 months in large tonneaux.

On the lower slopes of Ronco, where the hills of Rosazzo gently fade into the valley, lies a plot of land that Christian Patat planted in 2001 with a mission: to make the best Chardonnay in Friuli. Not a modest ambition, but anyone who knows the wines of Ronco del Gnemiz knows that nobody bakes small rolls here. The vines come from Selezione Massale, vegetatively propagated from the estate's oldest Chardonnay vines. They are rooted in the Ponca, Friuli's famous marl soil, which gives the wines their mineral tension. Exposed to the south-west, they capture the warmth of the afternoon sun – and yet they retain the freshness that only the Adriatic breeze and the proximity of the Alps can provide. What distinguishes Ronco Basso from the other white wines of the estate: It is the only one to undergo malolactic fermentation. Christian Patat gives it this creamy dimension because the Chardonnay can take it – no, because it needs it. Whole-cluster pressing, then eleven months in French barriques, a third of them new, the rest second and third vintages. Rare bâtonnage, a lot of patience.

At Ronco del Gnemiz, Sauvignon is the queen. Not Chardonnay, not Friulano – sauvignon Bianco. And the Sol is its purest embodiment. The name is initially misleading: unlike Chardonnay Sol, this wine does not come from the historic vineyard between the world wars. Its terrain is younger – around thirty years old, planted with Selezione Massale from the estate's oldest Sauvignon vines. What makes it special lies beneath the surface: calcareous soils, where the other Sauvignons of the estate are rooted on the famous Ponca of marl and sandstone. You can taste the difference. Where Peri and Salici show mineral tension, the Sol responds with an almost luminous clarity. Christian Patat treats it like all of the estate's white wines: whole bunch pressing, then fermentation exclusively in wood – used barriques and Liters barrels. No malolactic fermentation, no bâtonnage. The wine should speak, not the winemaker.

What does it mean to elicit the highest form of expression from a grape variety? For the Ferragamos, it is the essence of their wine philosophy – and this Chardonnay is their white manifesto. In a region that, since Cosimo III de' Medici's decree of 1716, has been one of the four noblest wine zones in Tuscany, Il Borro dares to do the unexpected: a white wine that wants to compete with the great Burgundies. The vines are rooted in metamorphic soils interspersed with fossilised sea shells – witnesses to a time when water still covered the land here. At the foot of the Pratomagno, they find that balance of warmth and night-time coolness that gives the Chardonnay both ripeness and freshness. After being harvested by hand in small crates, an unrivalled ageing process begins: part of the must ferments in stainless steel, while the rest is divided between clayver, acacia and oak barriques. Maturation on the fine lees lends texture and depth – each vessel contributes its own nuance before merging into the final cuvée.

When Angelo Gaja finally acquired those 100 hectares in Castagneto Carducci in 1996 after 18 gruelling rounds of negotiations, which from then on were known as Ca' Marcanda – the house of endless conversations – this name was more than just a play on words. It was the promise of a visionary who had already revolutionised Piedmont and now wanted to write his next legend on the Tuscan coast.

"Rich, brooding and convincing: Colle Sant'Antonio is a small selection of Garganega that I carefully choose in the vineyard and patiently wait for in the cellar." Graziano Prà

Pelagrilli is the origin – the name of the hillside north-east of Montalcino, which Siro Pacenti acquired in 1970, and at the same time the name of the flagship Brunello that his son Giancarlo has been vinifying since 1988. On sandy-loamy soils, channelling the cooling westerly winds, between 25 and 40-year-old vines, a Brunello is created here that combines Giancarlo's mathematical precision and his Bordeaux experience: fermentation in steel at a controlled temperature, 24 months in small French barriques – not for flavour, but for purity. 2020 was a warm, dry summer – sangiovese under pressure, which, where well managed, turned into concentrated, supple fruit. The northern slope of Pelagrilli absorbed the heat better than the southern sites; the harvest began in mid-September under good conditions.

Bianco Trinoro is made from 100% Semillon from a tiny sandy plot in the highest areas of the Trinoro vineyard. The plot is located at around 600 metres above sea level and covers approximately 5,000 square metres. The vineyard was partially planted in 2001 and completed in 2006 with vines from Bordeaux; here, as elsewhere on the estate, the vines are planted close together, one metre apart, in the Bordeaux style. Very aromatic with ripe, fruity notes balanced by a lovely freshness and acidity, great length and very good ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Vigna San Marcellino Gran Selezione is both youthfully fresh and ripe and complexly muscular. It contains a healthy dose of the deeply coloured Pugnitello grape, and on the nose liquorice, tarragon and broom mingle with lush plum and subtle roasted aromas that are highly seductive in their complexity. Deep, taut and lively on the palate, loaded with black cherry and rich, velvety tannins. The texture is silky, while subtle chalky notes and a salty minerality give it plenty of energy and lead it into a juicy, refreshing finish. Vigna San Marcellino is a convincing wine with enormous ageing potential every year. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that bear the name of their place. And there is this one – it bears the name of the beginning. "Campo delle Piane" was the name of the half hectare of land that Antonio Cerri farmed into old age, when the world around him had long since given up. When Christoph Künzli took over this inheritance at the end of the nineties, it became Le Piane. The wine, which today is simply called Piane, is the essence of this original story – and a tribute to an almost forgotten grape variety: Croatina. The grapes come from the estate's oldest plots, planted between 1910 and 1920 on the hills of Montalbano, Traversagna and Santuario. Centenary roots that reach deep into the volcanic porphyry. Fermented spontaneously, six days on the skins, then matured for two years – first in tonneaux, then in large Slavonian oak vats. No filtration, no intervention. Just time.

The white Zero made history as the first Pas Dosé of the Alta Langa. Its pink-coloured brother goes one step further: here it is the Pinot Nero alone that carries the uncompromising philosophy – 100%, without the Chardonnay as an elegant intermediary. What remains is the pure commitment to one grape variety and one terroir. Saignée – the bloodletting. The method betrays Burgundian roots: after destemming and gentle pressing, the must rests on the skins for two to four hours in a nitrogen atmosphere, just long enough to extract that delicate copper colour that shimmers so seductively in the glass. The yield of blossom must is a maximum of 45% – concentration instead of mass. The grapes come from altitudes between 450 and 550 metres, where the calcareous soils of the Alta Langa give the Pinot Nero mineral tension and aromatic depth.

When Angelo Gaja finally acquired those 100 hectares in Castagneto Carducci in 1996 after 18 gruelling rounds of negotiations, which from then on were known as Ca' Marcanda – the house of endless conversations – this name was more than just a play on words. It was the promise of a visionary who had already revolutionised Piedmont and now wanted to write his next legend on the Tuscan coast.

Archineri Bianco comes from a small, high-altitude single vineyard in the Contrada Rampante – one of the most renowned cru sites on Etna. The ungrafted vines, some of which are over 100 years old, are rooted at an altitude of 850 metres in barren, stony lava soil with north-eastern exposure. This extreme location ensures an extended vegetation period, pronounced day-night fluctuations and a precise, almost razor-sharp aroma spectrum. The single-varietal Carricante is selectively harvested by hand, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel and then matured on the fine lees for several months.