Formats

As always, Vietti's outrageously priced "entry-level" Barolo (formerly Castiglione) is based mainly on grapes from Ravera, with smaller portions from Ginestra, Mosconi, Bricco Ravera (in Monforte), Le Coste, Costabelle, Meriame, Briccolina and Codana. Ruby red colour of medium intensity. The nose is explosive, opulent, persuasive and immediate. Notes of plum, red and ripe black cherry, black cherry, rose petals and tobacco are perceptible. The palate is classic, rich, powerful, with notes of alpine herbs and a leathery finish. The tannin is already well integrated. Especially in the peak year 2021, this wine is an absolute insider tip in the winery's incredibly terrificBarolo line-up every year, and not just because of its price. SUPERIORE.DE

The heart of the Lageder revolution beats on the spectacular steep slope of the Römigberg, where Lake Kaltern stretches like a mirror at the foot of the vines. Here, on the plot of land that has always borne the name Herz – latin "Cor" – alois Lageder dared to do the impossible in 1986: In an unprecedented act of courage, he planted the first large vineyard in South Tyrol in dense planting on a wire frame, radically breaking with the centuries-old pergola tradition. What began as a scandal became a legend. Working with winegrowers from all over the world – the legendary Robert Mondavi from California and several chateau owners from Bordeaux – inspired Lageder to make this visionary decision. He recognised that the steep south-southeast-facing slopes between 250 and 330 metres, characterised by stony, gravelly dolomite limestone over ancient moraine deposits from the third ice age, had the potential for world-class wines. Here, where warm Mediterranean influences meet Alpine coolness and intense sunshine meets millions of years of geological history, conditions of unique complexity are created.

Concerto was born in 1981, a time of dynamic change in Italian viticulture. The hitherto untapped potential was recognised and experiments were carried out with new grape varieties and, for the first time, successfully with international grape varieties. It was Marchesa Carla Mazzei who spontaneously chose the name Concerto in 1981 after the first tasting of just fifteen barriques – a symphony had taken place in her glass. As one of the first ten Super Tuscans, this wine made history and revolutionised the Tuscan understanding of wine. From the Scassi vineyard in the western part of Fonterutoli, surrounded by oak forests at an altitude of 350 metres, the Sangiovese comes from mass selections from an experimental vineyard in the 1930s. And the small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon has developed a completely independent character here over four decades, far removed from the international character it develops elsewhere. The 18-month maturation in French barriques then gives the wine its noble structure without overshadowing its original elegance.

A monument of wine! Brilliant dark ruby colour. Fresh, silky, elegant - and majestic. Blackberry jam, violets, bittersweet chocolate, plus crushed rock and minerality. An opulent wine with fabulously polished tannins and considerable ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

100% Cabernet Franc according to the traditional Ripasso method! This wine was created by Giuseppe in honour of his grandmother Franca and has a definite Quintarelli style. Dark ruby with brownish reflections. On the nose, sweet aroma of dark red fruits, damp forest floor and a hint of noble winter truffle. On the palate, highly concentrated, punchy and with beautiful suppleness and finely granulated tannin. Its dense body and immense complexity opens up depth, aromatic diversity and, in addition, a finely sweet Amarone style with every further sip! Not a playful experiment by a quality fanatic, but a serious, finesse-rich wine with a clear signature and terrific ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

A monument of wine! Brilliant dark ruby. Fresh, silky, elegant - and majestic. Blackberry jam, violets, bittersweet chocolate, plus crushed rock and minerality. An opulent wine with fabulously polished tannins and considerable ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

There is no announcement calendar for this wine. No planned release date, no market strategy. Marco Dal Forno has opened his treasure trove – and pulled out the 2011. That's all you need to know. Romano Dal Forno makes his decisions in the vineyard, not in the cellar. Only vines over ten years old provide grapes for the Amarone – only the best sites on Monte Lodoletta. After the harvest, three months of appassimento in the drying rooms of the well-ventilated Lodoletta: the berries lose up to 40 per cent of their weight, what remains is concentration in its purest form. Fermentation in steel tanks with computer-controlled pump-overs, at least 24 months in new barriques, then years – many years – in the bottle. The vintage itself was full of surprises: started cool, exploded in August, cooled down for the harvest.

Dal Forno's Amarone della Valpolicella 2018 is, as always, convincing across the board. With a little air, the tannins soften and release a variety of intense dark aromas and flavours. Dark chocolate, cloves, violets, plums and blackberry jam coat every inch of the palate in a stunning Amarone that captures all the best qualities of the vintage. When Romano Dal Forno's wines are on a roll, there's nothing quite like it, and that's certainly the case here. Needs a lot of air when young, experienced connoisseurs will practise patience. SUPERIORE.DE

Giuseppe Massolino fell in love with a vineyard in 1956 and put all his eggs in one basket. In order to acquire a small part of the Vigna Rionda, he swapped a plot twice as large. Madness, people said. A stroke of luck, as it turned out. Because Giuseppe knew that Vigna Rionda was no ordinary vineyard. Since 1879, the name has been listed in Giovanni Gagna's book on viticulture in the Langhe – as one of the few places that produces exceptional wines. Before 1340, the land belonged to the Marquis of Saluzzo, then for centuries to the Falletti family. History knows many names for this hill: Vignarionda, Arionda, Rotonda – because of its round shape. But they all mean the same thing: the epitome of Serralunga.

In the gentle hills of Mezzane di Sotto, where the Monti Garbi rise majestically over the eastern Valpolicella, lies the centrepiece of the Tenuta Sant'Antonio: Campo dei Gigli – the field of lilies. The oldest vines of the brothers Armando, Tiziano, Paolo and Massimo Castagnedi are rooted here, on calcareous white soils with sandy-loamy inclusions at an altitude of 300 metres. A single vineyard that produces a unique wine. Since 1989, the Castagnedi family has embodied the revolution that changed Valpolicella forever: quality instead of quantity, while everyone else was still focussing on quantity. Forty-year-old vines, trained on the traditional Pergola Veronese with only 3,300 vines per hectare, bear the cuvée of 70% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella and 5% each of Croatina and the rare Oseleta. The appassimento – the mystical drying period of at least three months – transforms the hand-picked grapes into concentrated essence.

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.

Concerto was born in 1981, a time of dynamic change in Italian viticulture. The hitherto untapped potential was recognised and experiments were carried out with new grape varieties and, for the first time, successfully with international grape varieties. It was Marchesa Carla Mazzei who spontaneously chose the name Concerto in 1981 after the first tasting of just fifteen barriques – a symphony had taken place in her glass. As one of the first ten Super Tuscans, this wine made history and revolutionised the Tuscan understanding of wine. From the Scassi vineyard in the western part of Fonterutoli, surrounded by oak forests at an altitude of 350 metres, the Sangiovese comes from mass selections from an experimental vineyard in the 1930s. And the small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon has developed a completely independent character here over four decades, far removed from the international character it develops elsewhere. The 18-month maturation in French barriques then gives the wine its noble structure without overshadowing its original elegance.

La Gioia is the pure expression of Sangiovese with fruit from the estate's best vineyards. It is a big, expressive wine every year, retaining its crisp, medium-bodied mouthfeel. Tones of cherries, wild berries, violets and spices make for an elegant and very pure bouquet. The finish is characterised by fresh acidity in the typical and very refined Riecine style. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Rocche di Castiglione comes from a parcel just above the Cascina Pira of Roagna. It offers a captivating blend of supple fruit, soaring flavours and structure. The 2018 is silky and sensual through and through, as wines from this vineyard tend to be. It is transparent, beguiling and mesmerising from the very first sip. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Pira is a great, complex wine that has enormous depth and many nuances that open up further with time. It is light-footed yet wonderfully profound and has so much to offer. Cherry, sweet red cherry, spice, orange peel, menthol and spice fill out the layers effortlessly. Young Barolo tannins are present, but the fruit is rich enough to keep things in balance. SUPERIORE.DE

Altesinos Montosoli is always a crowd pleaser and a beautiful wine. It shows depth, intensity and plenty of authenticity both in terms of the grape variety and the area. Dark cherries and blackberries rise from the bouquet with spices, pipe tobacco and damp earth in tow. The wine is complex and nuanced. The authenticity of the Sangiovese comes through clearly on the palate. It is a medium-bodied wine with polished but firm tannins and distinct acidity. The finish shows a touch of freshness, minerality, notes of mint and great depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Of all his wines, the flagship Tenuta di Trinoro offers the deepest insight into Andrea Franchetti's viticulture. Andrea changes the proprietary blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot from limestone and clay soils every year depending on the quality and quantity of the harvest. The grapes are always the best of the vintage. Franchetti's own style is recognisable in each of his wines and with each vintage. The 2020 vintage was the first to be given an additional year of bottle ageing before being released for sale.

Gallina comes from a steep, sandy vineyard, similar to the Asili site, but with less limestone, which gives it more roundness and fullness. Full bouquet of sweet tobacco, cedar wood, liquorice and dried herbs. A soft, sweet, red fruit combines with the typical Roagna austerity in an exciting way on the palate to create an impressive complexity and length. It will only reveal its true elegance in a few years' time. SUPERIORE.DE

"Ruby red with bright reflections. The nose delights with a bouquet of floral notes: Mallow, hibiscus and hollyhocks are surrounded by fruity cherries and preserved raspberries and complemented by spicy aromas of black pepper, cedar and juniper berries. The red fruit is accompanied by dark aromas and vegetal notes of blackcurrant and blackberry leaves. The attack is initially subtle until the iron fist is brought out in a velvet glove. The gentle attack calmly builds up immense pressure with great inner tension on the mid-palate. The extract-sweet fruit of cherries and a fine core of sloes mingle with marzipan and noble bitter notes of the ripe tannins, which give it additional length. The exemplary use of wood highlights exactly what characterises a Barbaresco: Concentration combined with lightness and transparency." Sebastian Bordthäuser (Sommelier und Wein-Journalist)

In 1991, Turriga was one of the first bottled wines ever to be exported from the island. Turriga has a 100% Sardinian soul - the famous blend of four red autochthonous grape varieties was once created by the famous OenologistGiacomo Tachis and is continued today by his "heir" Mariano Murru, technical director and Oenologist at Argiolas. The DNA of this exceptional wine sounds as simple as it is perfect: its sophisticated blend of grape varieties gives it its unique structure, roundness, fullness, fruit and a perfectly balanced portion of tannins.

With a few hours in the air, Albesani begins to reveal the inner sweetness and fragrance so typical of wines from this Neive vineyard. Sweet dried cherries, rose petals, kirsch, cinnamon, orange peel and sweet tobacco open up with a little coaxing. Albesani clearly has a lot to offer for those who can wait for the initially prominent tannins to soften. SUPERIORE.DE

Roagna's Barbaresco Pajè already has a great need to communicate in its youth and shows itself to be open-minded and with multi-layered flavours, full-bodied and harmoniously balanced. An extraordinary pleasure for the next 20 years. SUPERIORE.DE