Formats

Sandro Chia's remarkable 2020 vintage is taut, forward and downright bold in the glass. On the palate, it impresses with a lot of natural richness and beautiful opulence of fruit, complemented by varietal elements of wild cherry, blue flowers and soft earth. Secondary flavours of tobacco, cedar and cinnamon then quickly surprise, adding complexity and personality to the wine, which is built up in many deep layers. It has wonderful potential for further ageing in the bottle, but it is already an absolute delight and the quality of the fruit and its length make it irresistible. SUPERIORE.DE

An impenetrable, dark ruby red. The bouquet is enveloping, with sweet and ripe – not cooked – fruity notes, along with balsamic and floral nuances of violets, which fade into hints of tobacco on final. The palate displays great structure and distinct character. The balance between the soft tannins – which are perfectly integrated with the alcohol – and the long finish is also impressive. Radiant and powerful. SUPERIORE.DE

Set amongst the hills of Bibbona, where the vineyards of the Alta Maremma overlook the Tyrrhenian Sea, this characterful cuvée is the result of an ambitious project by the Antinori brothers. The name Insoglio is a poetic reference to the places where wild boars root around in the ground – a symbol of the wild, unspoilt nature of the Maremma landscape. Composed mainly of Syrah, complemented by Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine displays an intense purplish-red colour with violet highlights.

From the oldest Merlot parcel in the Le Sondraie vineyards comes Bell'Aja's flagship wine – a wine that impressively demonstrates the ambition of the San Felice project in Bolgheri. Since 2016, this Tenuta has completed the Tuscan wine interpretation of the historic group: from the hills of Chianti Classico to the prestigious vineyards of Montalcino to this radiant jewel on the Etruscan Coast. Bell'Aja Superiore embodies the pure essence of a unique terroir: 95% Merlot from the Tenuta's most venerable vines is combined with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon to create a wine of impressive power and opulence. The sandy-loamy soils of the Le Sondraie zone, just five kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea, give this Bordeaux-inspired blend the maritime minerality that makes Bolgheri one of the most fascinating terroirs in the wine world.

Titolo Superiore is a selection that is aged for 12 months in tonneaux, followed by 12 months in used barrels and finally 12 months in the bottle. It has a dark, musky character and presents an earthy bouquet that blends with grilled herbs and blackcurrants. It flows across the palate like pure silk, gaining further tension as the mineral-driven flavours of wild berries slowly come to the fore. Firm, well-proportioned tannins glide into the finish, which tapers off in a structured, long and almost salty manner. Citrus fruits and residual acidity lend a refined freshness. Wonderful! SUPERIORE.DE

North-west of Montalcino, where the hills become wilder and shadier and the view stretches towards the Maremma, Castello Romitorio lies in a secluded spot that truly lives up to the estate's name. Romitorio – hermitage. When Sandro Chia acquired the dilapidated castle in 1984, it had been uninhabited for decades, having most recently served as a shelter for shepherds and their flocks. He filled it with art and planted the slopes with old Sangiovese clones – without realising what distinctive character this north-western microclimate would one day bring to the bottle. The vineyards receive less direct sunlight than the south-facing slopes; temperatures are cooler and ripening occurs later – conditions that lend the Sangiovese elegance rather than power.

The grapes for the Annata, which was certified organic for the first time in 2020, come from a 13-hectare site at an altitude of 500 metres. The soils here are somewhat lighter and stonier than the average for the appellation, with slate-rich Galestro and calcareous Alberese. As always, Poggio Antico's 2020 vintage is authentic and classic, with bright fruit tones, wild cherries, roasted nuts, blue flowers and forest floor. While the other wines in the portfolio mature in smaller tonneaux, this wine is aged in large Slavonian barrels. We like the energetic lift and the simultaneous brightness of the fruit - the winery achieves this like no other. As the wine progresses, the approach is very delicate with a convincing intensity of floral aromas and a silky mouthfeel. A lively acidity ensures balance and freshness right to the end, while a salty, mineral note is added on the finish. As always, this Brunello from the best winery is a safe bet! SUPERIORE.DE

A Barbaresco from our own vineyards in Treiso and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio. Each parcel is harvested separately and fermented in stainless steel; gentle remontage, selective délestage, followed by calm malolactic fermentation. For the maturation phase, the winery uses large Slavonian barrels, supplemented by a smaller proportion of French oak – not to provide flavour, but to fine-tune the texture and balance. Thanks to stable summer weather and cool nights in autumn, 2020 produced fully ripe, healthy harvestwith a well-proportioned acidity line.

This beguiling Gewürztraminer is one of the most exciting growths in the wine world and the favourite of the Italians. Golden yellow with an aroma potpourri of roses, exotic fruits and oriental spices. Powerful and complex on the palate with discreet residual sweetness and a long finish. Gewürztraminer Sanct Valentin is an absolute top growth that promises wonderful drinking pleasure even after many years. SUPERIORE.DE

Poliziano stands for Nobile di Montepulciano – almost everyone knows that. But at the end of the 1990s, Federico Carletti bought a second estate, far to the south, in the centre of Maremma: Lohsa. Sandstone soils, a hundred metres above sea level, the Mediterranean climate clearly noticeable. A different terroir, a different language – and consequently a different wine. The Mandrone di Lohsa "speaks" Cabernet Sauvignon, but with an unmistakable Tuscan-Mediterranean accent. Complemented by Petit Verdot and Carignano – not decoration, but character. Small, decisive proportions that give the wine its spice, its solar power and its recognisability. Fermentation in conical steel tanks with a long maceration period, 18 months ageing in French barriques and tonneaux.

Translucent purple with a fresh garnet red rim. The bouquet is a potpourri of dried fruits, truffles, dark chocolate and delicate nougat notes. Opens fruity and velvety on the palate and will give pleasure for many years to come with its straightforwardness and wonderfully integrated acidity. SUPERIORE.DE

Zanna comes from old vineyards in the best locations around Controguerra. Temperature-controlled fermentation is followed by around two years of ageing in large oak barrels and barriques. Deep ruby red colour in the glass. Black cherry, dried plums, liquorice, leather, tobacco and spices on the nose. Dense on the palate, with ripe fruit, grippy tannins and a long, slightly balsamic finish. A Riserva with a classic style and great development potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Enrico Serafino's classic opens in a medium-dark colour with fragrant aromas of dark fruits, plums, spices, iron ore and freshly ploughed earth. Medium-bodied on the palate, rather slender, which is not a flaw, but emphasises the elegance and class of the Nebbiolo grape very nicely. The tannins are present but pleasantly tame, with peppery nuances on the finish, a salty mineral aftertaste and delicate nougat on the final. SUPERIORE.DE

Founded in 1970, Poggio Antico is one of the defining names of the last fifty years in Montalcino, having been run for over three decades by the Milanese couple Paola Gloder and Alberto Montefiori. In 2017, Paola Gloder sold the estate to Marcel Van Poecke, a Belgian energy entrepreneur and founder of Atlas Invest – a graduate in agricultural science for whom entering the wine business was less a hobby and more a return to his first love.

Serralunga sits enthroned on its hill like a medieval fortress – and its wines taste exactly the same. Of all eleven Barolo communes, this one is the most uncompromising: here, where the oldest soils in the region lie, grey marl and sandstone from the Serravallian twelve million years ago, the Nebbiolo has to fight for every drop of water. The roots dig deep into the cement-like rock, interspersed with limestone and iron oxide. The result is wines of monumental structure – austere, long-lasting, legendary. Enrico Serafino has been cultivating his own vineyards here, an investment by the Krause Gentile family since 2015. Vinification is an act of precision: hand-picking is followed by sorting on the vibrating table, cooling with carbonic acid snow and cold maceration before fermentation. The must remains on the skins for a full 28 days – with délestage and a submerged cap, Serralunga is extracted for what it has to give. The wine is aged for a total of 28 months, first in tonneaux and then in larger oak barrels.

The Contrada Arrigo is situated on the northern slope of Mount Etna, 610 metres above sea level, facing north-east with a view of the sea. Wine has been grown on this millennia-old soil since time immemorial. It is rich in organic matter and consists mainly of volcanic sand and lava stones from a volcanic eruption in 1180. Significant temperature fluctuations between day and night result in a slow ripening process that preserves freshness and minerality.

Deep, dark Riserva with a powerful berry bouquet and intense spicy notes and hints of damp forest floor. Taut on the palate, crisp fruit, solid tannins, good length. Lots of energy, nice spice and great potential! SUPERIORE.DE

2019 was a gift to Nebbiolo in the Barbaresco DOCG - and Vanotu has accepted it. This Barbaresco from the historic Basarin cru vineyard in Neive bears the signature of a great vintage with quiet naturalness: nothing is overdrawn, nothing loud - everything is in its place with quiet precision. The vines stand on sparse limestone marl, interspersed with sandy veins, with optimal south-west exposure. This site produces wines with depth and tension, but also airiness - a play of power and transparency that is exemplified in Vanotu 2019. The wine was matured for 20 months in French barriques, sensitively dosed, only to frame the wine, not to mould it.

Since the 16th century, the Allegrini family has been playing a part in the history of Valpolicella. Giovanni Allegrini, the visionary, is regarded as the architect of its renaissance. A man they called "il ragno delle botti" – the cellar master spider – because he would wander restlessly amongst his barrels, always in search of perfection. His son Franco carried on the legacy, revolutionising the appassimento process with the construction of Terre di Fumane – a state-of-the-art drying facility that precisely controls temperature, humidity and air circulation. Since 2022, the estate has been in the hands of the third generation: Francesco, Giovanni, Matteo and Silvia. The Amarone is made from vines that have been rooted in the hills of Fumane for over 30 years, at altitudes of between 450 and 520 metres, on clay and limestone soils of volcanic origin. Corvina Veronese and Corvinone each account for 45% of the blend, complemented by Rondinella and Oseleta. Following the hand-harvest in September, the transformation begins: the grapes rest for four months in the "Fruttaio", losing 40 to 45% of their weight whilst concentrating their sugars and aromas. In January, gentle pressing takes place, followed by 25 days' maceration at a controlled temperature. Ageing: 18 months in new barriques, a further seven months in large casks, and finally 14 months' bottle ageing – a total of over three years before the wine leaves the estate.

The grapes come from family-owned plots in Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, Grinzane Cavour, Monforte and Mosconi. Each vineyard is harvested separately by hand and fermented in stainless steel; long maceration times with gentle remontages ensure a fine, complete extraction. For ageing, the winery predominantly uses large Slavonian oak barrels (botti), supplemented by a smaller proportion of French oak, which adds lustre to the texture without masking the origin. Thanks to a stable summer and cool nights in autumn, 2020 produced ripe, healthy harvestwith a clear acidity line and precise aromas.