Formats

Deep, dark ruby red with a garnet red centre. The aroma is warm and complex: black cherry, dried plums, a pinch of tobacco and balsamic notes, underpinned by a hint of liquorice and toast. Powerful and well-structured on the palate, with dense tannins and a ripe, almost velvety texture. The ageing in barriques adds depth without overpowering the fruit. Negroamaro in this Riserva form shows its full potential: independent, complex and with elegant maturity. An authentic representative of the DOC Leverano, characterised by the warm climate of Salento and the craftsmanship of Conti Zecca. SUPERIORE.DE

Branu means "spring" and is a fresh greeting from Gallura: the name alludes to new beginnings and lightness and it is the programme. 100% Vermentino, grown on the granite terraces around Arzachena, captures spring in a glass – primarily in flavour and style, but never too playful. The vineyards are located close to the coast, with granite substrates, sparse scrubland and a constant sea breeze – a terroir that combines minerality and freshness as it matures.

Martin Foradori-Hofstätter sees his Chardonnay as an expression of the South Tyrolean lowlands: clear, precise, without detours via the wood. The grapes come from the Mazon and Egna vineyards, where marl soils and the typical diurnal variation between alpine night and warm afternoon give the Chardonnay a natural freshness that no cellar master could force. Vinified at controlled temperatures, matured exclusively in steel on the fine lees until the point of optimum ripeness.

The Eisack Valley between Klausen and Brixen is one of the coolest wine-growing regions in South Tyrol – and one of the steepest. At 615 to 908 metres above sea level, on weathered mica schist and sandy gravel soils, the Müller-Thurgau vines of two winegrower partners, which Alois Lageder looks after organically, grow. This altitude is no coincidence: Müller Thurgau needs coolness and slow ripening to develop its fine flavour – the Eisack Valley has both in abundance. In the cellar, Lageder works with a level of care that goes beyond the usual: temperature-controlled fermentation in steel and in large wooden barrels, a small percentage ferments and macerates on the intact grapes – stalks and skins included. Maturation takes place on the fine lees in steel and on the full lees in large wooden barrels. Not filtered.

Maremma is red wine country. Morellino di Scansano, Saffredi, great Sangiovese and Cabernet – these are the images that characterise this coastal region of southern Tuscany. Elisabetta Geppetti, who has been an ambassador for this region for decades, dared to do something different in 1997: a white wine that works with Nordic varieties – sauvignon Blanc, Petit Manseng, Traminer, Semillon – and planted them in the south. The result is called Poggio Argentato, a white wine with – as Geppetti himself calls it – "French accent and Tuscan soul". The grapes come from two vineyards: Pian di Fiora near Pereta on tufaceous, alabaster-rich soil with south-east exposure and San Vittorio near Scansano on clayey silt with quartz and magmatic rock, open to the sea breezes to the north-east. 200 to 250 metres above sea level, 6,500 vines per hectare. The Sauvignon Blanc matures exclusively in steel. The other varieties spend a short time in secondary tonneau. Five months on the fine lees – for texture and depth without the impression of wood.

Tiefenbrunner and Müller-Thurgau – is more than just a grape variety and a winery. The family has taken this cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royale to the highest altitudes of their vineyards and created an icon in the process: the Vigna Feldmarschall von Fenner, one of the most famous high-altitude wines in Italy, at over 1,000 metres. And Merus is the start of this story – first vintage: 1968, the grapes come exclusively from the Graun vineyard at 750 to 900 metres above sea level – calcareous-loamy dolomite soils, south-southeast exposure, the coolest of the Merus sites. This altitude is no coincidence: Müller-Thurgau needs coolness to develop its characteristic herbal flavour. Vinified in concrete vats – like Chardonnay, but with a different result.

The namesake of the winery – and the wine. Pandolfo Malatesta, the bold 15th century general whose portrait by Piero della Francesca now hangs in the Louvre, once lived on this estate. The Sangiovese vines stand at an altitude of 150 to 250 metres, characterised by brown limestone soils, planted in 1999 with 4,500 vines per hectare. After 14 days of maceration, 70% of the wine is matured in stainless steel and 30% in large Slavonian oak barrels – one step more complex than the Federico, but not yet the Riserva.

Delicate straw yellow colour with silver reflections. The aroma: clear, fresh and typical of Friulian Sauvignon - green gooseberry, lemon zest, elderflower and a hint of sage. Lively and juicy on the palate, with well-balanced freshness. The flavour remains precise without being overpowering, the acidity is present but well integrated. The ageing in stainless steel tanks preserves the tension and varietal character, while a fine melting texture lends the wine elegance. A modern classic with a northern Italian soul - its balance makes it a versatile accompaniment to light cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE

With its Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso, Mastroberardino once again brings all the power and mysticism of Vesuvius to the glass. The soils of volcanic origin and the unique microclimate along the slopes of the volcano characterise this wine with unmistakable spice and expressiveness. The varietal Piedirosso has a medium ruby red colour with a violet hue in the glass. The bouquet is lively and clear: redcurrant, sour cherry, black pepper and a subtle smoky note. Juicy and medium-bodied on the palate, with present but ripe acidity, fine-grained tannins and mineral depth. The fruit remains cool and clear, the impression balanced between fiery origin and stylistic precision. A traditional wine with a cult-like aura – and at the same time a fine everyday red wine from one of Italy's most fascinating regions. SUPERIORE.DE

Merus – the Latin word for pure, genuine, unmixed. The Tiefenbrunner family has given its entry-level line a name that says it all: no distractions, no overlaying – just the character of the grape variety and the place. Chardonnay Merus comes from two very different sites that complement each other: Penon, Hofstatt and Rain at 400 to 650 metres, on calcareous dolomite soils with south-southeast exposure, stand for freshness and minerality. Margreid, Punggl and Kurtinig at the bottom of the valley at 210 to 220 metres, on sandy-limestone alluvial soils, stand for fullness and fruit. Vinified in concrete vats.

Greco di Tufo is one of the most distinctive white wines in southern Italy – mineral, full of character and with a clear profile of origin. The volcanic soils around Tufo in the heart of Irpinia give the wine its typical tension. The vintage is balanced and aromatically precise: a light straw yellow colour with golden reflections in the glass. On the nose, white mandarin, yellow apple, quince and a hint of smokiness – typical of the grape variety. Taut and juicy on the palate, with vibrant acidity, a chalky texture and a salty finish. An expressive, terroir-influenced white wine with serious depth, which is excellent on its own or with grilled fish, shellfish or pasta with mussels. SUPERIORE.DE

Suvereto, south of Bolgheri – where the Tuscan Maremma lies between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the metalliferous hills of the Colline Metallifere, the Frascolla family continues the legacy of Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti. They began in 1984 with a modest ten hectares, and today Tua Rita is one of the most respected addresses in the region. The Palazzetto epitomises the philosophy of the house, even in the entry-level segment: top quality without pretence. Sangiovese forms the backbone of this cuvée, with Cabernet Sauvignon providing structure and small proportions of Merlot and Syrah. The grapes come from various plots on the estate and are vinified according to organic principles. Short maceration, maturation in stainless steel tanks – deliberately without wood in order to preserve the clear fruit and vibrancy of the grape varieties.

The Cantina della Volta is located on a section of the Naviglio di Bomporto canal – the place where river trains used to have to turn round before continuing towards Modena. La Volta means the turn, the hairpin bend. Not an inappropriate name for a frizzante that also goes its own way. 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara from the alluvial soils of the Secchia river, hand-picked in 15-kilogramme crates, cold maceration, first fermentation in steel tanks. What follows is the decisive step: the second fermentation in the bottle – bottle-fermented like a Méthode Classico, then the yeast carefully removed, crown cork. The same artisanal effort that Christian Bellei shows in his great sparkling wines – for a frizzante that should simply be a pleasure to drink.

Piedmont in a bottle – not a mere miniature, but the very essence. Nebbiolo brings structure and bright cherry fruit, Barbera contributes juicy acidity, Dolcetto rounds it off with soft tannins, and in the background, Freisa and Albarossa whisper of the diversity of grape varieties in a region that is far more than just Barolo and Barbaresco. The Vajras call this wine "a hug from Piedmont", and that is exactly how it feels: warm, approachable, without ever becoming insubstantial. The grapes come from younger vines, are vinified separately and only then blended into the cuvée – a process that demands precision where others merely feign simplicity.

"A Dolcetto as it should be: flattering and drinkable." This is how Matteo Ascheri describes his Dolcetto. No more, no less and no promise that is not kept. The vines grow in Rivalta between La Morra and Verduno, at 350 metres, exposed to the south-west and south-east – where Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto have always been at home. At least 85% Dolcetto, hand-picked between mid and late September, six days of fermentation at 25°C.

In 1979, Sting sent a desperate message to the world with The Police – and landed a global hit. The red message in a bottle from Tuscany conveys a different message: that modern Tuscan red wine can combine tradition and cosmopolitanism. 70% Sangiovese forms the basis, supplemented by 15% each of Syrah and Merlot – a cuvée in the spirit of the Super Tuscans, but without their price ambitions. The grapes are harvested by hand, fermented for seven to eight days at a controlled temperature and matured for twelve months in French barriques.

Delicate rosé, aromatic, vinous fragrance with notes of roses, violets and undergrowth. Fresh on the palate with fine acidity, soft and a slightly salty note. An Aglianico Rosato that does not conceal its volcanic origins and is not easily forgotten. SUPERIORE.DE

Brilliant ruby red colour. Intense bouquet of small red berries, cherries and a violet-spice component. Warm and full flavours of forest fruits and cherries on the palate, flanked by a solid tannin structure. The finish is soft and long, medium-bodied and very elegant. SUPERIORE.DE

Nebbiolo is red wine. Always. Barolo, Barbaresco, Valtellina Superiore – the great reds of the north. And yet: in the vineyards of the Alpi Retiche, on the steep terraces of Valtellina between 350 and 600 metres, Nino Negri makes a white wine from this grape variety. Blanc de Noir – with a depth and independence that shows what Nebbiolo can do when you take away the colour and let the minerality do the talking. The secret lies in the soil. The geological diversity of the Alpi Retiche is the result of the collision between the African and European continental plates – a collision that formed the Alps and left behind rocks of exceptional minerality. These soils give the Nebbiolo Bianco its unmistakable character: elegant, mineral, with a complexity that is surprising for a white wine from this region.

The Maremma was Etruscan country before it became wine country – and on the hill of Gavorrano, where the cellar building designed by Renzo Piano is cut into the landscape, excavations have brought to light wine remains from a past almost three thousand years old. What began back then, Rocca di Frassinello continues today: as a joint venture between Castellare di Castellina and the Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Lafite, with the aim of uniting the best of two wine worlds on a single estate. The Vermentino grows at an altitude of 90 metres in a natural wind tunnel along the old Via Aurelia – a constant sea breeze blows over the hills from the coast near Castiglione della Pescaia, keeping humidity and heat at bay. Vinification in steel tanks, six months maturation on the lees.

Intense ruby red with a sparkling centre. Suculé immediately shows that it wants to be more than a classic Barbera. The fragrance caresses the senses with ripe sour cherry, blackberry, rose petals and a fine hint of vanilla – a complex, inviting bouquet. Velvety and dense on the palate and perfectly balanced: juicy red fruit meets a harmonious structure, a supporting sweetness and a subtle hint of minerality on the finish. Maturation for 18 months in barriques ensures velvety depth and length. A powerful but elegantly interwoven Barbera with format and accessibility. SUPERIORE.DE

The hill. A solitary, 50-metre-high ridge south of Margreid, which gives the Pinot Grigio its name and character. The soil is unusual: grey, loamy sand with a high clay content – —no porphyry, no limestone gravel—but a soft, nutrient-rich deposit that gives the Pinot Grigio a richness and freshness that poorer soils simply cannot provide. Margreid’s Mediterranean climate – — warm summers, mild winters, and the afternoon ‘Ora’ breeze from Lake Garda – ensures the grapes ripen evenly and develop their aromas. Hand-harvested, clarified must, three weeks’ fermentation in stainless steel, five months on the fine lees.

A medieval watchtower on the river Marzeno gave this wine its name – and indeed it watches over the boundaries of what Romagna Sangiovese can be. Cristina Geminiani, who took over her grandfather's winery in 1987, has created something here that has nothing to hide from any Tuscan. Her secret: Alberello, the old bush cultivation, planted in densities that are considered insane elsewhere. What grows here is Sangiovese of unusual concentration, complemented by a touch of Merlot and the indigenous Ancellotta. Twelve months in French barriques polish the wine without masking its origins.