Formats

Steep slopes, barren limestone, untamed nature – the Monti Garbi above Mezzane di Sotto are not pleasing wine country. When the Castagnedi brothers opened up these rugged heights in 1989, people in eastern Valpolicella were still focussing on quantity. They focussed on character. The grapes are harvested by hand and gently pressed. In October, the young wine undergoes its second birth: re-fermentation on the pomace of the estate's own Amarone – ripasso in the original sense. Malolactic fermentation and ageing in Liters tonneaux lend depth without heaviness. Ruby red in colour, juicy and enveloping, infused with a spicy freshness that owes its signature to the chalky white skeletal soils. Great value! SUPERIORE.DE

A bestseller and classic with a reputation: "Duca Sanfelice" is a flagship for the indigenous Gaglioppo grape variety and demonstrates the expressive wines that can be produced from the sun-kissed hills around Cirò. The Riserva comes from old vines on clayey and calcareous soils, vinified in steel tanks and then matured in stainless steel for 24 months. Deep ruby red in colour. Dark cherry, dried plums, herbs, some liquorice and a hint of tobacco on the nose – spicy and Mediterranean flavours. Dry on the palate, with ripe fruit, pithy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long, powerful and carried by earthy warmth and fine spice.

A fragrant bloomer from the hot south: Alastro, named after the wild flower that grows around Cantina Ulmo, combines the Mediterranean clarity of Grecanico with the aromatic freshness of Sauvignon Blanc. Delicate straw yellow in the glass with silvery reflections. The nose opens with tangerine, white peach, lychee and a hint of yellow blossom. Elegant and silky on the palate, with a smooth texture, clear fruit structure and lively, balanced acidity. The ageing on the lees gives the wine additional depth and finesse without detracting from its freshness. Alastro is a charming white wine for modern connoisseurs – aromatic, precise and multi-faceted. Ideal with cold pasta with summer vegetables, courgette carpaccio or grilled fish. SUPERIORE.DE

A Vermentino with a name that sounds like the sea – and that is precisely its promise: Cala Silente comes from selected vineyards blown by the mistral near the south-west coast of Sardinia. The grapes are harvested early in the morning and matured at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and aromatic clarity. Pale straw yellow in colour. The aroma is distinctive but subtle: white peach, lime and salty minerality, with a hint of Mediterranean herbs and wet stone. Lively and taut on the palate, with fresh acidity, a delicate melt and a long, cool finish – close to the coast and full of character. Cala Silente is an authentic representative of the Sardinian art of white wine: straightforward, aromatically precise and with a salty undertone that is inevitably reminiscent of the sea. If the glass sounds like a fresh breeze over the maquis, then it is probably Cala Silente ... SUPERIORE.DE

Poggio al Lupo brings the trendy white Vermentino variety in its sunny, Mediterranean form with clear elegance. A light, slightly golden straw yellow colour in the glass. The aroma is reminiscent of green mandarin, lemon zest, white peach and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. The palate is fresh, with animating acidity, delicate salty minerality, ripe fruit and crisp drinkability. Fruit sweetness and freshness balance each other out. An uncomplicated, reliable Tuscan from the west coast – lean, typical of the region and ideal with seafood, grilled vegetables or light fish. SUPERIORE.DE

A white wine from the heights. Peter Zemmer's Müller Thurgau thrives at 800 metres above sea level on terraced slopes in the South Tyrolean lowlands. The cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royal – named after the Swiss botanist Hermann Müller from the canton of Thurgau – finds ideal conditions here on calcareous gravel soils from moraine sediments. The exposed altitude, gentle slope and optimal sunlight ensure that the grapes ripen slowly and evenly.

Straw-yellow Gavi di Gavi with a lively floral fragrance and a hint of exotic fruits, jasmine, lemon and golden apples. Delicate, self-contained, very harmonious flavour that finishes long and mineral with a fine pepper and pastry note. SUPERIORE.DE

The general is said to have been a teetotaller. Until he drank Marsala. The story may be legend – this wine has earned its name since 1862, when Giuseppe Garibaldi landed in Marsala with his troops and discovered the sweetness that won him over. Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia, the classic triad of western Sicily. After the infusion and addition of mosto cotto, the Garibaldi Dolce matures for 24 months in large oak barrels – twice as long as the Fine, with correspondingly more depth and concentration.

Feudi di San Gregorio is an institution in Campania – greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino and Taurasi have made the winery from Sorbo Serpico famous. However, the Campanians have also been exploring other terroirs in southern Italy for years: in Apulia, not far from the Ionian Sea, they cultivate Primitivo vineyards, whose grapes produce an uncomplicated, authentic red wine. No big prestige line, but solid craftsmanship from one of the most traditional Primitivo regions in Italy. The vinification follows a straightforward concept: the grapes are carefully selected and fermented in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. The wine matures for several months in steel, without contact with wood, in order to preserve the fruity clarity of the grape variety. The result is an accessible Primitivo without baroque opulence – feudi di San Gregorio focusses on drinking pleasure rather than extract power.

In 1993, on the 50th anniversary of the Five Roses, Leone de Castris decided that an anniversary deserved a worthy wine. The Anniversario was born – and has been making history ever since. The Tre Bicchieri of the Gambero Rosso several times, as if it were routine. 80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera di Lecce, on clayey-silty soils in Salice Salentino. Hand-picked at the beginning of September, gentle destemming, cold maceration at 7–10°C, gentle must extraction without pressing pressure, controlled fermentation in steel. Simple, precise, without compromise.

A Nero d'Avola with soft tannins and ripe fruit, named after the pale purple plumbago that blooms in the vineyards around the Ulmo winery. Plumbago comes from loamy soils near Lago Arancio, characterised by the warm microclimate of western Sicily. The wine is matured for 10 months in large wood, which gives it a gentle structure and a finely interwoven flavour. Rich ruby red colour with a purple core in the glass. Black cherry, blackberry, dark plum and a hint of liquorice on the nose, underpinned by cedar and cocoa. Velvety and accessible on the palate, with ripe berry fruit, supple acidity and rounded tannins. An expressive, modern Nero d'Avola with a clear signature and Mediterranean soul – powerful, but not heavy. Versatile with game birds, aubergines alla parmigiana or spicy hard cheese. SUPERIORE.DE

This still Muscat, which was conceived as the "little brother" of Torcolato and Acininobili, is a masterpiece and proves once again that Fausto Maculan is one of the world's best producers of dessert wines. Dindarello enchants with a marvellous blend of peach sorbet, kiwi and fresh mint. These aromas accompany the wonderfully full flavour right through to the finish. Its perfect balance between sweetness and acidity will ennoble any meal. SUPERIORE.DE

This traditional cuvée is already inspiring in its youth. Made from outstanding grapes, you can taste the ripe fruit and richness of the three classic vineyards. Deep ruby-garnet colour with violet reflections. Full-bodied bouquet of dusty violets and roses, which fades into spiced confectionery and crushed cherries. The palate reveals fresh cherries, mixed herbs and undergrowth - all well balanced - giving the wine a lightness and at the same time a complexity that keeps you coming back for more. SUPERIORE.DE

Ribelle – rebel. At La Monacesca, where Verdicchio traditionally matures for a long time, this wine is a deliberate break with the rules: harvested in its youth, vinified for freshness, released before time takes the corners off it. Only stainless steel, no rush, but also no waiting for a certain patina. The result is crisp, lively, light-hearted – a Verdicchio for the moment. Green apple, citrus, a hint of almond on the finish. Not a wine for the cellar, but for the summer: aperitivo, crudo, seafood. The monks who settled here a thousand years ago probably didn't know such lightness. But they would certainly have liked it. SUPERIORE.DE

Rubrato is the youthful expression of Aglianico – powerful but not overloaded, typical and yet accessible. The grapes come from the higher parcels of Irpinia with volcanic soils. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves freshness and varietal purity. Rich ruby red colour in the glass. The aroma opens with ripe cherries, dark wild berries, some violets and a hint of graphite. The wine is lively on the palate, with juicy fruit, fine acidity and moderate tannins – clearly structured, but with plenty of drinkability. Rubrato has elegance and balance in every vintage, it is a stylish introduction to the world of Aglianico that goes perfectly with pasta with sugo, grilled meat or mature cheese. SUPERIORE.DE

Garofoli has been known for decades for its excellent sparkling wines. Here comes the new Rosé Frizzante made from 100% Montepulciano using the classic pet-nat method (Metodo Ancestrale), which is harvested in the last half of August and whose carbon dioxide is created almost unplanned by the almost complete fermentation of the sugar in the bottle. Bright salmon pink, floral, red berry notes, beautiful freshness, delicate mousseux and a fine yeast note on the final. Unfiltered. SUPERIORE.DE