Formats

In the early hours of the morning, when the Maestrale is still gently caressing the hills between Bolgheri and Bibbona and the first light kisses the red earth, the true essence of what Massimo Piccin has been moulding as his life's work for over two decades is revealed. Sapaio – named after the ancient Tuscan grape variety Sapaia – is more than just a wine. It is the manifesto of a visionary who came here in 1999 as a Venetian engineer and created a kingdom of the senses from eight hectares of bare earth. The name bears a crown as a logo, a tribute to the nobility of wine and the daily devotion of those who leave their souls between the vines and barrels. Since 2015, Sapaio has deliberately been labelled Toscana IGT, not out of embarrassment but out of conviction: Because the best grapes grow beyond the administrative borders of Bolgheri, in Bibbona, where ferruginous red clay soils give a minerality that no decree in the world can duplicate.

Some wines bear the name of their creator and thus a silent commitment. Gualto is Gualtiero Ghezzi's personal signature: a strict selection of the best exposed Sangiovese Grosso plots near the Castello, at an altitude of over 300 metres, from sandy limestone marl soils with fossil inclusions. Matured for 36 months in oak barrels and a further two years in the bottle – the fact that this Riserva is being released while 2020s are already on the shelves elsewhere is not an oversight, but an attitude. 2019 was the year that rewarded such patience. Spring rains created the water reserves for a warm but never excessive summer. A radiant September with large day-night fluctuations brought full phenolic ripeness – slowly and without haste. International critics are celebrating the 2019 Brunello vintage as one of the most important since 2010 and 2016.

The Ravera vineyard on the Novello side, where steep hills descend from a castle perched on a beautiful panorama, is one of the best cru sites in the Barolo DOCG. From this vantage point, you can see Novello and the Elvio Cogno winery, which is located halfway up the slope. Valter Fissore's Ravera from the great 2021 vintage benefits from this special location and shows terrific versatility and depth every year.

Dark, translucent ruby red in the glass, elegant even at first glance. An inviting aroma of red and black fruit flavours, almost a mix of wild berries and sour cherries. And then again that spiciness so typical of Tenuta di Valgiano, herbaceous and mineral, fresh and yet Mediterranean, simply incomparable. Full-bodied on the palate, very juicy, extracted sweet fruit, again accompanied by this mineral flavour. Juicy, deep, with a silky, elegant tannin structure and a wonderfully balanced interplay of fruit and acidity. A wine with finesse and piquancy, length and ageing potential for a good fifteen to twenty years. This wine should be decanted and left to breathe in the carafe for at least one to two hours before drinking. SUPERIORE.DE

In the heart of the Valdarno Superiore, where the ancient Via dei Setteponti inspired Leonardo da Vinci to create his immortal landscape studies, lies Tenuta Sette Ponti – named after the seven bridges that have linked Arezzo and Florence since Etruscan times. Here, on 300 hectares where history meets modernity, Dr Antonio Moretti Cuseri realised a visionary idea in 1999: to create a Tuscan Bordeaux-style wine that combines international elegance with the soul of Tuscany. Oreno – named after the small river that flows through the estate in that clay-rich area where the Merlot vines put down their deepest roots – was born out of a passion for Bordeaux finesse. Fascinated by his travels to Bordeaux, Moretti Cuseri had existing vineyards grafted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Whilst the Merlot thrives in the clay-rich soils, the Cabernet vines find their home on gravelly terraces that offer perfect drainage and natural temperature regulation. The Petit Verdot rounds off the cuvée with spicy notes and intense flavour.

Gualto 2016 not only reflects the extremely aristocratic exceptional vintage, but is also one of the best Riservas from 2016. On the nose, very clear and straightforward after cherry, herbs and crushed rock. Full and supple on the palate, its texture is elegant and fine, the tannins only come to the fore in the second step and are excellently balanced. This wine will only reveal its true greatness in a few years, but it already offers an extremely tasty and engaging character. For a Riserva, it has a surprising amount of fruit and an elegance that makes it one of the most charming representatives of its kind. This wine (no more than 4,000 bottles were bottled) should not be missing in any well-stocked wine cellar! SUPERIORE.DE

Serra is an often misunderstood location. Small, little known, sometimes underestimated by connoisseurs – because it has neither the full southern sun of a Cerretta nor the dramatic hillside location of a Vigna Rionda. Anyone who hears the MGA Serra in Serralunga for the first time thinks: quite nice. Anyone drinking the wine for the first time will think: wait a minute. The Rosso family's parcel is located around one kilometre south of the village centre, in the upper municipal area of Serralunga, with an eastern to south-eastern exposure. No midday light to overwhelm the grapes – instead, cool mornings, slow ripening, a precision in the tannin that only this orientation can produce. Davide Rosso describes it himself: The eastern exposure intensifies the fresh, austere character of these wines. And rightly so. Those who reduce Barolo to power and flavour will have no use for Serra. Those who reduce Barolo to origin and attitude will never forget it.

The vineyards of the Löwengang estate in Margreid have been owned by the Lageder family since 1934. Here, on the rubble cone of ancient dolomite rock below steep cliffs, grape varieties such as Carménère and Cabernet find ideal conditions in the mild climate of the valley.

Between Sassicaia on the left and Ornellaia on the right, on the Strada del Vino of Bolgheri, lies a vineyard that has rewritten the definition of "perfect location". When Antonio Moretti Cuseri drove through the dense fog of the Maremma in October 2004 and suddenly emerged into the glistening sunlight of this coastal landscape, he knew: this is where he would make the Orma – his footprint. The third generation of the Moretti Cuseri family had already proven with Oreno at Tenuta Sette Ponti that their passion for Bordeaux cuvées can become an obsession. In Bolgheri, this love of Merlot and Cabernet was to find a new interpretation. On just 5.5 hectares of vines rooted deep in gravel and clay, organically farmed grapes are used to produce the wine that has been delighting international wine critics since its debut in 2005. The 2023 vintage combines half Merlot with 30 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 20 per cent Cabernet Franc – an assemblage that combines the Mediterranean climate of the Tuscan coast with the finesse of great Bordeaux growths.

Ceretto's Barbaresco Asili (approx. 4,000 bottles) is the clearest and most complete of the winery's impressive Barbaresco collection. It reveals a fine sweetness of cherries and redcurrants on the nose, followed by an extremely silky and fine texture on the palate. Following on from the bright berry fruit, its bouquet reveals subtle notes of gravel and delicate, salty flavours. Overall, an accessible and highly elegant approach with great freshness, fine tannins and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

LUX VITIS comes from Cabernet Sauvignon vines over 12 years old and contains a small amount of Sangiovese. The 2019 vintage is rich and powerful, with full intensity. On the palate, a core of dark cherries and blackberries, framed by sweet spices, bitter chocolate and campfire embers. As with the other wines in the Tenuta Luce portfolio, oak spice and tannins play an important role in the basic style expressed here. Only 6,600 bottles were produced. LUX VITIS will reveal its true treasure only with years of ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

"The art of waiting" – this is how Tenuta Luce describes the philosophy behind the creation of Lux Vitis. A wine that is in no hurry: three hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon, planted in 2004, left to grow undisturbed for eleven years before the first label bearing its own name was printed. And then, vintage after vintage, the same patience in the cellar: 24 months in exclusively new French barriques before the wine leaves the estate. 2021 put that patience to the test. April brought an unexpected frost – the vines, which had budded early, were affected, and production was reduced. This was followed by a recovery, a rainy spring and a hot, long summer. The significant temperature fluctuations between day and night during the harvest weeks acted as a counterbalance: they preserved the wine's precision and aromatics. 7,000 bottles – fewer than the previous year, but of great concentration. Concrete vats, 12 days' fermentation, 20 days' maceration, malolactic fermentation in barriques, 24 months in new oak.

Siepi has always been more than just a vineyard – it was a vision waiting to become reality. Owned by the Mazzei family since 1435, this mystical place lies amidst dense oak forests near Castellina in Chianti: ten hectares of pure magic on Alberese soils, which even the ancient Romans knew how to appreciate. Paradoxically, the story of Siepi 2023 begins with one of the most challenging vintages of recent times. A mild winter with scant rainfall, followed by a rainy spring that pushed the Mazzei winemakers to their limits. And yet, or perhaps precisely because of this, a wine emerged that impressively embodies the estate's philosophy: "Great vineyards shine in difficult vintages."

Conteisa comes from the Cerequio vineyard in La Morra. It is very expressive for its origin and opens with a beautiful floral fragrance of pressed roses and blue violets, followed by bright cherries, cassis, chopped mint, liquorice, tar, ginger and delicately smoked cedar. Its complexity is breathtaking. Conteisa glides effortlessly across the palate, and a refined austerity sets in at the back. SUPERIORE.DE

For over a hundred years, two communities fought over a hill. La Morra to the north, Barolo to the south – both wanted to own Cerequio, the amphitheatre of limestone marl and blue clay that the locals call the "Riviera of the Langhe". It was not until 1275 that an agreement settled the dispute; the document is still in the archives of La Morra. "Conteisa" – piedmontese for dispute – is the memory of this battle over a piece of land that was apparently already considered precious in the Middle Ages. When Angelo Gaja acquired six hectares in Cerequio in 1995, he returned to Barolo after decades of absence. The first vintage in 1996 was still labelled Langhe Nebbiolo – gaja's conscious decision against the rigid DOCG rules. Today, back in the Barolo aristocracy, Conteisa represents the elegant side of the house: feminine, floral, with silky finesse, where its brother Sperss from Serralunga trumps with masculine power. Sixty-year-old vines are rooted here at an altitude of 380 metres in a south-facing location. After being harvested by hand, the wine rests for twelve months in barriques and a further twelve in large oak barrels.

In the 1930s, Carlotta della Gherardesca Antinori inherited – piero Antinori's mother – inherited an estate on the Maremma coast, a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. At the time, the land was used for agriculture and the winegrowing tradition in Bolgheri was only just beginning. Carlotta and her husband Niccolò recognised the potential of the amphitheatre: a curved plain framed by hills like a natural cauldron that captures the sea breezes and concentrates the energy of ripening. Today, Tenuta Guado al Tasso extends over 320 hectares in this very amphitheatre – one of the largest estates in the entire appellation in terms of surface area.

In 1967, Sergio Manetti, a Milanese industrialist and passionate art collector, bought an abandoned estate in the hills of Radda in Chianti. He knew little about wine. He knew a great deal about quality. And he decided early on that his wine would make no compromises – not even those demanded by the appellation. When the Chianti Classico DOCG stipulated that white grapes must be blended in, Manetti refused. From then on, his wine was known as Toscana IGT. Not for lack of pride in Chianti – but because he had too much of it. What grows at Montevertine are the three indigenous reds of Chianti: Sangiovese as the soul, Canaiolo for elegance, and Colorino for colour and structure. No additions, no international compromises. Martino Manetti, Sergio's son, runs the estate with the same conviction: "Simplicity, respect, care for every detail and savoir-faire" – this is how the estate itself describes its philosophy. Words that sound simple, yet are so difficult to put into practice.

Sumptuous Brunello Riserva with a bouquet of sweet black cherries, incense, liquorice and tobacco. The 2011 vintage brings incredible depth, immense full-bodied flavour and a great personality. SUPERIORE.DE

Matarocchio - a pure Cabernet Franc produced by the Antinori family in a limited edition - is a wine that leaves an overwhelming first, second, third and so on impression. This wonderful and detailed wine is an unforgettable experience, especially for those who are drawn to the irresistible flavours of sun-drenched coastal Tuscany. The fruit comes from a five-hectare plot with well-drained soils and white stones. The vines were planted at the end of the 1990s at a density of 6,000 vines per hectare. The rows of vines are orientated so that they are exposed to the evening breezes that blow in from the beach, and the vines benefit from the strong diurnal temperature fluctuations. Matarocchio represents a crown in the very impressive pyramid of iconic Antinori wines (including Tignanello, Solaia and Guado al Tasso). To date, it has only been produced in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.

Messorio has been undisputedly one of Italy's best and rarest Merlots since the mid-1990s. Soft, rich, elegant, refined and never overdone. On the nose, ripe fruit, coffee, graphite and French oak. Structured and balanced, Messorio fascinates the international wine world every year with a clarity and length that is unparalleled. SUPERIORE.DE

Mazzei's top wine Siepi is not only an outstanding Tuscan wine every year, but also a 6-hectare vineyard in the middle of dense oak forests with an ideal altitude and a unique climate. The sunshine is optimal throughout the day and a constant breeze from the west prevents excessive heat and creates a mild, Mediterranean climate. The oak forests also provide an ideal protective barrier against extreme weather conditions. Rocky soils of marl, limestone and clay from the Pliocene period ensure a special balance of elements in this geological complex.

A modernist by the book. Balanced and impressive at the same time. 2018 Rennina with powerful aromas and flavours of violets, black cherries, tobacco and menthol. The tannins are firm yet beautifully integrated. Rennina is a complex, medium-bodied wine, which has a great positive influence on its ageing potential and makes it a success story. SUPERIORE.DE

Three years after the Annata, Romano and his sons launch a small edition of the same vintage in large formats. As every year, the secret star of the house gives the Dominator in Dal Forno style. Dark and dense, it reveals an intense bouquet with marmalade-like aromas of red and dark fruits, alongside which spices and wood, tobacco and chocolate echo. At the same time, the youthful and stormy taste is an overwhelming demonstration of power. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that define a family across generations, and there are those moments when a winemaker gives his life’s work a name that bridges the past and the future. When Luciano Sandrone decided in 2013 to rename his legendary Barolo Cannubi Boschis, he did not choose just any name, but created an acronym from the first names of his grandchildren: ALEssia and STEfano. ALESTE – a word that embodies experience, continuity and the hope that what he began in 1985 with the first bottle from Cannubi Boschis will live on in the hands of the next generation. Cannubi Boschis, the sub-parcel at the heart of Barolo’s legendary Cannubi vineyard, is the vineyard in which Luciano invested his entire savings in 1977 – directly opposite the winery, on a hill whose potential he recognised from the very first moment. Here, on optimal soils in a sheltered, sun-drenched location, Nebbiolo flourishes into that combination of power and finesse that has made Cannubi famous worldwide.