1.5 liters | Magnum

Neromàccarj is the broodingwine from Gulfi's high-quality Nero d'Avola range. The vines are rooted in the single vineyard Màccari, a barren hilly landscape near Pachino, where calcareous clay, volcanic rock and sea breezes create a powerful, yet always balanced microclimate. The vines are ungrafted, some are over 50 years old and yields are low. The harvest by hand and the wine is matured in the traditional way: a long maceration period followed by two years of ageing in used barriques and large wooden barrels. All this with organic care – and a firm determination to bring the best of the variety into the glass.

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 bought a slope near Pereta. She called it Poggio Valente – the valiant hill, the brave hill. A name that says it all. The site lies at 280 metres, facing south-west, on sandy soils over sandstone rocks with clay inlays – a soil that gives the Sangiovese precision and elegance rather than weight and vigour. Elisabetta wanted something different here: a single-varietal Sangiovese cru in the Burgundian style, a wine that speaks its vineyard and nothing else. In 2014, she made a consistent decision: Poggio Valente left the Morellino appellation and has since appeared as a Toscana IGT. Not a step backwards – quite the opposite. A statement. This wine is bigger than its designation of origin, and Elisabetta did not want the lack of international recognition of an appellation to limit its 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.

Bright ruby red in colour with a slight garnet hue – a lively start to this elegant Nebbiolo from the breathtaking vineyards of Ravera near Monforte d'Alba at an altitude of around 400 metres. The vines are around 15 years old and are deeply rooted in chalky clay soil, which gives the wine its characteristic freshness and precision. After manual harvesting and gentle fermentation in stainless steel, the wine matures for around 14 months in used French barriques before being bottled.

Le Cupole has been the accessible entry point into the world of the legendary Tenuta di Trinoro since 1995, but "accessible" never means compromise at this visionary winery. In the Val d'Orcia, where southern Tuscany is wild and unspoilt, 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 thought to be crazy. 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 optimally interpret the characteristics of the harvest.

The grapes for this elegant Nebbiolo come from the Ravera di Monforte vineyard, a small, calcareous and clayey plot on the south-eastern slope above the village of Monforte d'Alba. It shares its name with the famous Novello cru, but is independent and characterised by stony soils that give the roots depth and minerality. Bright 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 animating, slightly salty length. An authentic Nebbiolo from the Langhe that clearly shows its origin and 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 tradition of French grape varieties with the sun-drenched terroir of the south, producing one of Italy’s most distinctive white wines year after year. The grapes come from two different altitudes: Ulmo at 250 metres and Maroccoli at 415 metres 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, fried fish, poultry in butter sauce, or 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 foundation stone of South Tyrolean co-operative history, a Sauvignon Blanc of rare strength and elegance is still produced today. The vines thrive on the calcareous slopes between 260 and 380 metres, where dolomite rock and Andrian porphyry characterise the terroir like two old friends who complement each other. It is the Mediterranean climate that shows its cooler side up here. Temperatures drop at night, allowing the vines to breathe. During the day, the South Tyrolean sun warms the stony soils – an interplay that gives the Sauvignon Bianco that special tension that characterises great wines. In the hands of cellar master Rudi Kofler, selected grapes from the oldest vineyards are turned into a wine of remarkable depth. Six months on the fine lees. Eighty per cent in stainless steel for freshness, twenty per cent in large wooden barrels for structure.

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 that rises above the Val d'Orcia – exposed to the north, south-east and south-west, characterised by three completely different climates. Most of the producers in the appellation have access to one of these slopes. Val di Suga has all three. Vigna del Lago in the north-west, Poggio al Granchio in the south-east, Vigna Spuntali in the south-west. Three soils, three microclimates, three characters – and a single winery that unites them all under one roof. The basic Brunello is the result of this unique position: a cuvée from all three sites that does not aim for simplification, but for synthesis. Fermentation takes eight to twelve days at a controlled temperature, with maceration lasting a further two to three weeks. Maturation in traditional 50-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months, followed by six months in concrete and then the bottle. The 2021 vintage brought a late frost in April – the harvest was reduced, the quality concentrated. A dry summer without extreme heat, a long, even autumn. The Consorzio and a jury of eight Masters of Wine agreed on three words to characterise the vintage: fragrant, precise, vertical.

Le Cupole offers excellent value every year. 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, especially 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

A wine of great personality that embodies the entire philosophy of Poggio Bonelli. Poggiassai is the Supertuscan of the house – a modern interpretation of Tuscan winemaking that masterfully combines tradition and innovation. It demonstrates the expertise of a winery that has been honoured over the centuries by the most important noble families in Siena. The vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills around Castelnuovo Berardenga with a perfect south-west exposure. The carefully hand-picked grapes thrive in ideal conditions on these special soils, where sandy subsoils ensure optimum drainage. Strict selection limits the yield to just 50 centners per hectare - a commitment to uncompromising quality.

The Riserva Poggio Lombrone is produced according to traditional winemaking methods and organically. Distinctive bouquet of red fruits, roses, violets and sweet spices. Polished, rich texture on the palate, full of finesse, juicy and with balanced tannins. A great Sangiovese full of character with good ageing Storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Nerobaronj is no ordinary Nero d'Avola, but a deeply rooted homage to origin and style. The name plays with the aristocratic title and grape variety – and refers to the self-confident profile of a wine that sets new standards with its concentration and elegance. The grapes come from the south of Sicily, not far from Noto, from old bush vines on calcareous clay soil. Organic cultivation, hand-picking and strict selection ensure a high degree of precision. The wine is matured for 24 months in barriques and tonneaux, followed by long bottle ageing.