1.5 liters | Magnum

For over 60 years, the Produttori del Barbaresco have stood for an uncompromising commitment to quality, supported by over 50 winegrowers who contribute their finest grapes from Barbaresco, Neive and Treiso to the cooperative. The Barbaresco 2022 is a prime example of collective precision and classic style: the Nebbiolo grapes come from selected municipal vineyards, some of which border the crus, on limestone and clay-rich soils. Vinification was carried out using traditional methods: extended maceration, ageing for 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by a further period of rest in the bottle.

"From the most important grape variety in the Langhe comes a wine that is an introduction to the king of wines." This is how Chiara Boschis describes her Langhe Nebbiolo – and this modesty is programmatic. The winery is located in Castiglione Falletto, one of the seven Barolo communes, overlooking vineyards such as Via Nuova and Mosconi. The Langhe Nebbiolo comes from its own vineyard and the so-called "fasce di rispetto" – those rows that border on conventionally cultivated neighbouring vineyards and are treated with particular care in terms of organic farming. 100% Nebbiolo, soils of calcareous clay in characteristic pale grey and pink-coloured rock – the same geological basis as the Barolo vineyards.

At Pelissero, "Tulin" not only stands for a vineyard, but also for a claim. The extremely rare Barbera from this parcel is not a by-product of the Nebbiolo-heavy winery, but an independent, uncompromisingly sophisticated interpretation of the Barbera grape variety. In a year like 2021, which united structure, freshness and concentration in a rare balance, this wine reaches a level that sets it apart from the crowd - and clearly places it in the rank of an exceptional wine. The vines grow on calcareous marl with blue clay - a constellation that combines maturity with tension. The yields are low, the selection strict. Tulin is matured for around 18 months in French barriques, with the necessary time and care to get the best out of the grape variety - not more fruit, not more wood, but more depth and complexity.

1989 marks the year of origin of the St. Michael-Eppan Winery's most famous wine. Cellar master Hans Terzer created the Sauvignon Sanct Valentin as the flagship wine of the top-tier range of the same name: selected plots on the slopes of the Mendel Mountains, strict quality guidelines, low yields and intensive manual labour. Since then, it has been regarded as one of Italy's most award-winning white wines – a title it continues to earn year after year. Today, the responsibility lies with Jakob Gasser, who upholds this legacy with the same care and attention. The vineyards on the foothills of the Mendel Mountains benefit daily from the fallwind – the cooling evening breezes that preserve freshness and aromatics and lend the Sauvignon its characteristic minerality. Hand-harvested, cold maceration of the skins, fermentation in stainless steel, ageing on the fine lees. Precision at every stage, with no intervention that masks the expression of the terroir.

Solicchiata, northern slope of Mount Etna, 800 metres. The Faro family has dug deep into the volcano here since 2005 – literally, because the sandy soils of weathered lava rock allow roots to travel far. 100% Nerello Mascalese, Alberello, vines between 50 and 65 years old. Hand-picked, two weeks of maceration, three months in fine-grained oak barrels. Not a wood wine – a classic red volcanic wine.

In 1996, Elisabetta Geppetti purchased a hillside near Pereta. She named it Poggio Valente – the capable hill, the brave hill. A name that says it all. The vineyard lies at an altitude of 280 metres, facing south-west, on sandy soils over sandstone bedrock with clay interlayers – a soil that lends the Sangiovese precision and elegance rather than weight and power. Elisabetta wanted something different here: a single-varietal Sangiovese cru in the Burgundian tradition, a wine that speaks of its vineyard and nothing else. In 2014, she took a decisive step: Poggio Valente left the Morellino appellation and has since been classified as Toscana IGT. This is no step backwards – quite the opposite. It is a statement. This wine is greater than its designation of origin, and Elisabetta did not want the lack of international recognition of an appellation to limit her ambition.

Della Bastonaca is the quintessence of the COS philosophy, grown on the historic estate in Bastonaca near Vittoria – where up to 75-year-old Alberello vines of Nero d'Avola and Frappato stand on calcareous red clay, criss-crossed by quartz veins and the constant presence of Mediterranean air. Biodynamics is not a statement here, but a lived practice – for decades, each vintage has been vinified in harmony with nature at the right rhythm.

In South Tyrol, the name St. Valentin has long stood for more than just a premium range – it is a promise. A promise of precision, a commitment to terroir, and the determination to draw the maximum expression from well-known grape varieties. With the Pinot Grigio, this is achieved in an almost understated manner – without drama, but with depth and character. The vines for the St. Valentin Pinot Grigio grow on selected, higher-altitude plots around Eppan, where calcareous gravel soils, alpine altitude and long hours of sunshine create an exceptional interplay. A Pinot Grigio that does not aim for quick fruitiness or casual appeal, but rather for structure, minerality and longevity. After harvest, fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in large wooden barrels – the subsequent ageing on the fine lees lends it substance and a hint of creamy elegance.

Since 1995, Le Cupole has been the accessible gateway to the world of the legendary Tenuta di Trinoro, yet at this visionary winery, "accessible" never means compromise. In the Val d'Orcia, where southern Tuscany reveals its wild and unspoilt side, near Sarteano on the border with Umbria and Lazio, the eccentric scion of the Cinzano empire and nephew of the American painter Cy Twombly created a wine paradise at an altitude of 500 to 700 metres, which was initially considered madness. Le Cupole is made from the same Bordeaux blend as the great Tenuta di Trinoro – Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot – but comes from younger vines on deeper, less extreme soils. The proportions vary depending on the vintage in order to best reflect the characteristics of the harvest.

The grapes for this elegant Nebbiolo come from the Ravera di Monforte vineyard, a small plot with limestone and clay soils on the south-eastern slope above the village of Monforte d'Alba. It shares its name with the famous Novello cru, but is distinct in its own right, characterised by stony soils that lend the roots depth and minerality. A brilliant garnet red with a ruby-coloured core. The bouquet opens with clear, youthful fruit: sour cherry, redcurrant and a hint of raspberry, underpinned by violets, dried herbs and a subtle hint of cinnamon. On the palate, the wine is taut and fresh, with precise acidity, ripe tannins and an invigorating, slightly salty finish. An authentic Nebbiolo from the Langhe, which clearly conveys its origin and distinctive character in the glass. SUPERIORE.DE

Now in its 30th vintage, it has long been an icon of modern Sicilian winemaking: Planeta's Chardonnay combines the French tradition of grape varieties with the sun-drenched terroir of the south, producing, year after year, one of Italy's most distinctive white wines. The grapes come from two different altitudes: Ulmo at 250 m and Maroccoli at 415 m above sea level. In the glass, it is a radiant golden yellow with slightly greenish highlights. The aroma is intense and refined: yellow tropical fruits, toasted almonds, citrus blossom, vanilla, wet stone and a hint of salty butter. On the palate, it is dense and full-bodied, with ripe fruit, a perfect balance between freshness and creaminess, subtle spice and a long, elegant finish. A cult wine that combines Mediterranean richness with Burgundian nobility. Ideal with lobster, pan-fried fish, poultry in a butter sauce, or even on its own as a great white wine with real character. SUPERIORE.DE

Deep, bright ruby red in colour. This 100% Nero d'Avola is a captivating wine with its full-bodied, fruity and spicy aroma of blackcurrants, cherries, undergrowth, liquorice and dark chocolate. The soft but firm, multi-layered and warm flavour of ripe berries, the fine spice and the fine tannins are very appealing. SUPERIORE.DE

In sun-drenched Siebeneich, where the gentle slopes at an altitude of just 250 metres benefit from the warm climate of the Bolzano valley floor, Merlot finds its South Tyrolean perfection. This privileged location not far from Terlan, characterised by dry, hot soils of weathered quartz porphyry, gives the Bordeaux grape variety the intensity and structure that lead it to mastery. The name suffix "Praun" – from the South Tyrolean dialect for "brown" – since the 2021 vintage refers to the phenolically perfectly ripe, dark brown seeds and the woody-brownish structure of the stems, unmistakable signs of optimal physiological ripeness and exceptional grape quality.

Andrius. Here, where in 1893 courageous winegrowers laid the first foundations of South Tyrolean cooperative history, a Sauvignon Blanc of rare power and elegance is still produced today. The vines thrive on the limestone-rich slopes between 260 and 380 metres, where dolomite and Andrian porphyry shape the terroir like two old friends who complement one another. It is the Mediterranean climate that reveals its cooler side up here. At night, temperatures drop and the vines breathe a sigh of relief. By day, the South Tyrolean sun warms the stony soils – an interplay that lends the Sauvignon Bianco that special tension which defines great wines. In the hands of cellar master Rudi Kofler, selected grapes from the oldest vineyards are transformed into a wine of remarkable depth. Six months on the fine lees. Eighty% in stainless steel for freshness, twenty% in large wooden casks for structure.

In 1970, Caparzo produced its first Brunello, at a time when there were just thirteen wineries in Montalcino – one of the appellation's historic estates. What continues to set Caparzo's Brunello apart to this day is the provenance of its Sangiovese grapes: The estate is one of the few in Montalcino to own vineyards spread across various geographical zones throughout the entire appellation. Rather than drawing from a single terroir, this Brunello combines the microclimates of four vineyards into a complex whole: "Caparzo" itself in the north at 220 metres, sandy-clay Pliocene sediments; "La Caduta" in the south-west at 300 metres, loose, stony sandstone-schist; "Il Cassero" in the south at 270 metres, Pliocene sediments with a sandy, stony and schistose matrix; and "San Piero-Caselle" in the east at 250 metres, sandy-clayey.

The organically certified Sangiovese grapes for this Chianti Classico are grown in the legendary Conca d'Oro south of Panzano, that amphitheatrical Golden Valley with its unique microclimate of warm days and cool nights. Giovanni Manetti, president of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, vinifies exclusively hand-picked grapes in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts on the chalky Galestro soils of his 170-hectare Tenuta. After three weeks of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in French oak barrels of various sizes.

Eneo is supposed to be the "Grand Vin" of Montepeloso, the Italian answer to the globalisation of wines. And Eneo can do it. The blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon unmistakably expresses its terroir and is recognised worldwide. Aromas of blackcurrant and cherry with fresh flowers and orange peel are followed by a medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins that are wonderfully integrated into the wine and leave a bright, concentrated impression. SUPERIORE.DE

Montalcino is a hill. To be more precise: a single large cone of limestone, marl, slate and sand, rising above the Val d'Orcia – facing north, south-east and south-west, and characterised by three completely different climates. Most producers in the appellation have access to one of these slopes. Val di Suga boasts all three: Vigna del Lago in the north-west, Poggio al Granchio in the south-east and Vigna Spuntali in the south-west. Three soils, three microclimates, three characters – and a single winery that brings them all together under one roof. The entry-level Brunello is the result of this unique location: a cuvée blending all three vineyards, aiming not for simplification but for synthesis. Fermentation lasts eight to twelve days at a controlled temperature, with maceration continuing for a further two to three weeks. The wine is aged for 24 months in traditional 50-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels, followed by six months in concrete, then bottled. The 2021 vintage saw a late frost in April – the harvest was reduced, the quality concentrated. A dry summer without extreme heat, followed by a long, steady autumn. The Consorzio and a jury of eight Masters of Wine agreed on three words to characterise the vintage: fragrant, precise, vertical.

Every year, Le Cupole offers excellent value. You get a glass full of sunny Tuscany and rich intensity at an affordable price. The wine is packed with black fruits, spices and leather, resulting in a classic bouquet, particularly for a warm corner of Tuscany, off the beaten track, in Sarteano. SUPERIORE.DE

Chianti Classico by Giovanni Manetti offers a profound, densely woven and still very youthful bouquet of dark and red berries and fine spicy notes. The dry, cherry flavour with long-lasting impressions, well-extracted tannins and the acidity typical of Sangiovese show a clearly recognisable terroir character. Very clear, straightforward, long, always fresh and juicy, with excellent strength and balance. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1090, while Leif Erikson was discovering America and the first universities in Europe were being established, two friends of Abbot Rolando paid "two capons, three loaves of bread and six silver denarii from Lucca" for the annual lease of a vineyard in the divine valley of Dievole. Nine hundred (Novecento) years later, in 1990, this wine was created as a reminiscence of the incredible journey through the centuries. The grapes thrive between 300 and 420 metres above sea level on stony soils of marl, limestone and galestro. The vines, which are on average 15 years old and cultivated organically as in the early days of this domain, undergo a 14-day spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in cement vats before maturing for 18 months in large, unroasted French Allier oak barrels.

Sauvignon Andrius matures on the lees for six months and is a lively, well-structured white wine with great varietal typicity. Ripe peaches, dried apricots, juicy honeydew melon, candied almonds, flowers and a hint of mint and white pepper combine with the elegant style to create a remarkable overall picture. Great class! SUPERIORE.DE

Normally, the Sangiovese grapes from the 14-hectare single vineyard are mainly harvested in Ama and San Lorenzo. Since the 2018 harvest, Lorenza and Marco have decided to vinify a small quantity separately. Deep, dark ruby red colour with violet reflections. Extroverted bouquet of blackberry, raspberry and redcurrant, with notes of crushed gravel, tobacco and traces of young leather. Very powerful and beautifully textured on the palate, the various layers of primary fruit only gradually unfold, the wood pleasantly receding into the background. Finely granulated tannins and a well-integrated acidity flank this very harmonious red on an elegant, long final. There is a lot to like here, for us it is once again a typical Ama wine: racy, powerful and elegant! SUPERIORE.DE