Formats

In the early 14th century, a place name appears in a document from Castelnuovo dell'Abate: "Vallocchio Brunello" – situated between the fields known as "Podio Rubeo" and "Piage di Monte Caprile". This is the oldest documented reference to viticulture in this municipality. Seven centuries later, the five oldest vineyards of Tenuta Fanti stand on precisely this land. The story has never ceased here. Filippo Fanti has spent decades studying, tending and observing this terroir. In 2010, the time had come – the first Vallocchio. Since then, it has been released only in exceptional vintages: no pressure, no annual commitment, but a selective expression of what the site truly has to offer in a particular season. Five hectares, vines aged between 20 and 35 years, well-drained, medium-textured Galestro soils at an altitude of 230 to 250 metres above sea level. Hand-harvested from the second half of September to mid-October, depending on the aspect and plot.

A wine that breathes history and yet floats lightly through the modern style: Sito Moresco bears his name in memory of the former family that owned the legendary cru near Barbaresco. For Angelo Gaja, this wine – first vinified in 1991 – marked the entry into a new class: an everyday Langhe, elegantly balanced between regionality and internationality. Since the 2020 edition, the cuvée has consisted exclusively of Nebbiolo and Barbera from selected parcels in Barbaresco and Barolo. Here, the delicate structure and mineral depth of Nebbiolo are combined with the rounder fruit and accessibility of Barbera – without ever appearing too harmonious, but rather complementary and sharpened. Sito Moresco is a modern classic, clear in character, elegant in style, and a Gaja reference in which authenticity and readability merge wonderfully.

What begins with a seductive bouquet of delicate plums and a hint of mint gains volume and depth as grilled sage and rum-soaked blackcurrants mingle with sweet tobacco and allspice. Its texture is silky and fleshy, accompanied by a nervous acidity, while ripe black cherries and a hint of cranberry sauce create a sweet and sour tension on the palate. The concentration is astonishing, yet the energy remains incredibly high, even if the grippy tannins increase towards the end. Notes of sour citrus fruits, savoury herbs and tart wild berries linger incredibly long in the structured yet remarkably fresh final. Only around 3,000 bottles of this cru are produced and it is a real must-have for all Aglianico lovers! SUPERIORE.DE

Ceretto's 2019 Barolo combines the power of the vintage with the subtle signature of the house. The grapes come from various organically farmed cru sites in La Morra, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba – a composition that emphasises diversity and balance. On the nose, a precise, deep bouquet of dark cherry, ripe raspberry, dried rose and subtle hints of tobacco, liquorice and spicy undergrowth.

The Winkl has been produced as a single-varietal wine since 1956 – at a time when Sauvignon Blanc was still a rarity in South Tyrol. Winery manager Rudi Kofler says that this grape variety has always felt at home around the oldest farms in the Terlano DOC area. You believe him when you have the wine in your glass. The vineyards lie at altitudes of 280 to 580 metres, facing south-south-west, on steep to very steep slopes. The soil is quartz porphyry – ancient volcanic rock, crystalline and mineral-rich, with a slightly acidic pH and an almost natural self-limiting effect on yields. It is precisely this micro-stress that produces terroir-specific polyphenols, which lend Terlan wines their characteristic salinity and tension. No other soil, no other result. Hand-harvested, gentle whole-bunch pressing, slow fermentation – followed by 7 to 8 months on the fine lees, 80% in stainless steel and 20% in large wooden casks. This subtle oaky component serves solely to enhance the texture; it gives the wine body without masking its origin.

Bombolieri lies high up on a limestone plateau north of Vittoria. It is the place where the sand becomes flatter and the white rocks of the Iblei emerge to the surface. It is a barren, light-coloured landscape, swept by the wind, which has always fascinated Arianna Occhipinti. Her plot in Contrada Bombolieri lies exactly where three geological zones meet – a place of tension, depth and distinctive character. And from this site comes a Frappato that uncompromisingly expresses its origins. Spontaneously fermented, spending around 30 days on the skins. It is aged for 22 months in concrete tanks – a deliberate choice to ensure purity, texture and authenticity. Like all wines in this range, the BB remains unfiltered and unclarified.

Maestro di Cava is a Bolgheri Rosso Superiore and a great example of Cabernet Franc, an expression of the volcanic soils and ageing in large barrels. Intense ruby red colour. The nose is clean, elegant and typical of the variety, characterised by a very intense bouquet of aromas with hints of red fruit, tobacco and leather. The palate is savoury, with great freshness. Excellent tannins, natural and perfectly integrated with the body of the wine. Persistent finish with mineral notes. SUPERIORE.DE

A prime example of perfect balance: elegance and structure harmonise perfectly.

Gentle balsamic notes with rosemary and lavender scents on the nose. When it opens in the glass, you can get a clear picture of the dark fruit at its centre and the delicate particles of chalk dust that frame the bouquet. The fruit for this wine comes from a five-hectare plot with alkaline soils that are rich in numerous mineral components. The complexity of the soils is reflected in the attractive bouquet, and this outstanding Riserva vintage offers a rich structure, velvety tannins and persistent intensity. SUPERIORE.DE

Contrada Guardiola is one of the most iconic vineyards on the northern slope of Mount Etna. A high-altitude plot between 800 and 1,000 metres above sea level, where the extreme microclimate, the old bush vines and the ash, lava and pumice soils allow for an expression that is as raw as it is fascinating. The vines are deeply rooted in the porous rock and produce small-berried Nerello Mascalese grapes with an impressive aromatic concentration. The 2022 vintage was characterised by a dry spring and moderate temperatures in summer, with a late harvest that brought structure and freshness into balance. The wine is aged for 18 months in large, neutral barrels.

Neris Edel-Rosso was born with the purchase of a very special vineyard. True to the winery's philosophy of only producing wines from the best terroirs around Montalcino, the small 7-hectare plot with over 45-year-old vines was acquired in 2018. This was preceded by over 40 years of friendship with the previous owners, with whom Giovanni Neri planted the vines and nurtured and cared for them over the past decades. Incidentally, the best grapes from this vineyard have been used for a small quantity of the eponymous Brunello di Montalcino since the 2018 vintage.

The grapes come from the historic centrepiece of the Planeta estate in Ulmo near Sambuca di Sicilia – a vineyard that was planted back in the mid-1980s. The vines are rooted at an altitude of around 250 metres in loamy-sandy soils with a high lime content, not far from Lake Arancio. Deep ruby red in the glass with a purple rim. The nose opens powerfully and invitingly: black cherry, plum, cassis and blueberry, accompanied by cocoa, tobacco, fresh leather and a subtle herbal spice. On the palate, Sito dell'Ulmo is both full-bodied and elegant: dense, with polished tannins, fresh acidity and a long, silky finish. The integration of the wood is finely balanced and the fruit always remains in the foreground. A Sicilian Merlot with format, origin and depth. SUPERIORE.DE

The four wines resulting from the collaboration between Dolce & Gabbana and Donnafugata show attention to detail and unconditional love for Sicily. They are the perfect expression of two top companies "Made in Italy". They represent the aesthetic fusion of craftsmanship, creativity and Sicilian passion. Together, they have created a unique collection of wines and packaging that emotionally capture Sicilian culture and lifestyle and express a clear commitment to the beauty and tradition of Sicily.

Twenty harvests. Twenty years in which a revolution grew from a single hectare of abandoned vines at Fossa di Lupo. 2023 marks Arianna Occhipinti's Ventesima Vendemmia – and this anniversary deserves a wine that unites her entire terroir mosaic. Three contrade, three voices: Fossa di Lupo, the place of origin, where brown sand rests on limestone and gives the wine its earthy depth. Bombolieri, on white sand over pure limestone, provides the austere structure and mineral tension. Finally, Pettineo, with its vines over sixty years old in orange-coloured sand over tuff, contributes silky tannins and forward fruit. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete, twenty-five days on the skins, then six months in the same container and one year in Austrian oak. Bottled unfiltered, like all wines from this house.

Deep ruby red colour. Bright, fresh and savoury aromas and flavours of blueberries, flint, coffee and fresh herbs. Long and clean with soft tannins and very good clarity on the bright finish. A beautiful, very refined wine, characterised by its early attractiveness, but also by its velvet-pawed concentration and complexity. SUPERIORE.DE

Nastagio (also known as Nastasio) is the name of an ancient farmhouse of the Fattoria di Sant'Angelo, which was already recorded in the maps of Grand Duke Leopold. Brunello Nastagio is released on the market five years after the harvest, as if it were a Riserva, and is the result of the many years of experience that Col d'Orcia has gained in the development and cultivation of the Sangiovese vineyard. It is also the result of the many research chapters that Col d'Orcia has been carrying out with the University of Florence for more than twenty years. The ageing in tonneaux (500 Liters) oak barrels and then in the traditional large "botti" represent an ideal combination between tradition and modernity, while maintaining the essential aspect of longevity.

The Contrada Porcaria lies significantly lower than Rampante, at an altitude of around 650 metres, where the northern slope of Mount Etna is more powerful and warmer. The soil is older, darker, denser – and Nerello Mascalese here produces wines of impressive substance, with darker fruit, grippier tannins and more immediate presence. Passopisciaro's vinification remains deliberately restrained: spontaneous fermentation, long maceration, ageing in large, used oak barrels for around 18 months.

Barolo Paesi Tuoi is more than just a designation of origin. The name – borrowed from the novel "Among Peasants" by Cesare Pavese – evokes Piedmont not just as a landscape, but as a cultural space: rural, archaic, full of inner tensions. And so this Barolo is not an expression of a single cru, but a synthesis of the villages, hills and soils that together form the essence of this appellation. The grapes come from different, characterful vineyards around Barolo, Monforte and Serralunga, carefully selected and vinified separately. Long maceration periods, followed by around two years of ageing in traditional, large oak barrels – the result is a classic style with depth.

Laura Brunelli's Brunello is an outstanding reflection of the appellation every year. A floral bouquet, the purest expression of cherry and strawberry imaginable, hints of mint, sage and cedar dust - all are found in its stunning bouquet. The youthful density of the ripe primary fruit contrasts with salty minerality and lively acidity, leaving a cascading and crisp impression on the palate. SUPERIORE.DE

Treat yourself to a large glass, or even better: decant the wild and racy Il Guercio, then a dark berry mix with black cherries and a hint of dark chocolate will be in the air. Equally juicy Sangiovese fruit on the palate, full-bodied with fine silky tannins, elegant and finely structured, with animating acidity, very precise and animating in the long finish. Potential for many years in the cellar. Not at all loud, but a highly impressive wine full of elegance and the winery's masterpiece. SUPERIORE.DE

Fine traditional brut from the Lunelli family, who work tirelessly on the authenticity of their Trentino classics. A wide range of aromas and an elegant flavour with a good structure offer first-class enjoyment on many occasions. On the nose, crisp green apple, tangy lemon and a hint of toasted brioche. On the palate, citrus fruits harmonise with white peaches with a subtle hint of minerality. The bubbles are fine and persistent, the finish refreshing and clean. SUPERIORE.DE

Full, enveloping and with great persistence, Montestefano is sometimes referred to as the "Barolo of Barbaresco".

The Valmaggiore site, gently sloping and rich in light-coloured, sandy soil, was already noted in old 19th century maps as being particularly suitable for Nebbiolo. Its exposure allows for optimal ripening without losing the fine, almost dance-like style that makes this wine so unmistakable. A Valmaggiore that is already inspiring today with its animating style and at the same time will richly reward patience and bottle ageing.

Walter Massa's single-vineyard Timorasso Costa del Vento is made by a cold maceration of about 40 hours, a subsequent fermentation of about 12 months in stainless steel tanks under regular batonnage of the yeast for about 12 months. It is stronger and richer than the basic Timorasso and therefore needs more attention and further bottle ageing.