Formats

The owner of Selvapiana, Francesco Giuntini, and the owner of the Petrognano winery, Cecilia Galeotti Ottieri, have enjoyed a long friendship. Their small winery on the border between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna is located in the centre of the Pomino DOC, which was first mentioned in a document in 1716 and is one of the first four protected appellations in Tuscany (alongside Rufina Classico, Carmignano and Valdarno Superiore). For some years now, the two have been linked by the "Villa Petrognano" project, under which Selvapiana produces one of the most authentic and best Pomino Rosso wines in the region.

Flaminia Maremmana. The name evokes paths that are older than Rome itself. Century after century, shepherds and their flocks travelled along an ancient branch of the Via Flaminia – the consular road that had linked Rome with the Adriatic since 220 BC – From the green Umbrian hills down into the Maremma, for the transumanza – that seasonal transhumance which shaped life in this landscape right up until the 20th century. Here, where sheep and shepherds once rested, where history is etched into the earth, the vines for this special Montefalco Rosso now grow. First produced in 2007, it embodies the soul of this historic terroir. The cuvée, comprising seventy% Sangiovese, fifteen% Sagrantino and fifteen% Canaiolo, thrives on south-east-facing limestone-loam soils.

Erse Etna Rosso has a lively and spicy bouquet of sour cherries, dried roses, cloves and a hint of fresh mint. Round and juicy on the palate, yet pure, with mineral red berries that saturate, while the lively acidity retains a fantastic freshness. A subtle coating of fine tannins and a saline note define the final as it tapers gently and grippingly under a hint of red flowers. Wonderful value. SUPERIORE.DE

An Aglianico from the south of Apulia – unusual in its origin, convincing in its expression. Dark wild berries, black cherry, a little dark chocolate and a hint of tar on the nose, accompanied by spicy nuances and Mediterranean herbs. Structured and powerful on the palate, with firm tannins, well-integrated acidity and a fine mineral vein. The ageing in barriques rounds off the texture without smoothing out the originality. Terra shows how much character Aglianico can also develop outside of its classic homeland: an independent, exciting wine with depth and regional character. SUPERIORE.DE

Named after the Moar farm of the same name, which can look back on over 600 years of winegrowing tradition, this Classico embodies the soul of the St. Magdalener region. The vines grow on the south-facing slopes above Bolzano between 200 and 300 metres above sea level, where gravelly porphyry soils give the wine its unmistakable character. The classic cuvée of 85% Vernatsch and 15% Lagrein combines the best of two indigenous worlds: the floral lightness of Vernatsch with the structure-giving depth of Lagrein. After traditional fermentation, the wine matures in large oak barrels.

While the Magred thrives in the Mediterranean south of South Tyrol, the Gennen lies at the opposite end of the winery – in Nals, north of Bolzano, at 330 to 400 metres above sea level. A different world, a different character. No Ora wind, no Mediterranean flair. Instead: a continental climate, warm days, cool nights and a soil that has been washed. Literally. The subsoil is a 150 metre deep cone of debris from the Sirmian and Nals streams – 80% limestone gravel, 20% porphyry gravel, orientated east-southeast. This soil gives the Sauvignon Blanc its tension: striking minerality, salty flavour, aromatic precision. Cellar master Harald Schraffl ferments the clarified must for around three weeks in cool steel tanks and then matures the young wine for seven months on the fine lees – pure, without the influence of wood, focussing on freshness and structure.

A circular forest sits enthroned on the highest point of the vineyard, and inside it rests an Etruscan tomb – over 2,500 years old. Al Passo, "at the passage", is what they call this place, from where the view extends as far as the Torre del Mangia in Siena. Here, where past and present meet, the estate's most popular cuvée is created: equal parts Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on the silty-clayey limestone soils of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Double selection, 20 days on the skins, then 14 months in French oak – six of which on the fine lees, which gives the wine its silky texture.

A Sangiovese cru that demonstrates the philosophy of single-vineyard viticulture to perfection. Sergio Zingarelli and his team recognised early on the extraordinary potential of the clay-dominated soils of Sant'Alfonso – plots with minimal skeleton content, which create the ideal conditions for concentrated, aromatically complex wines. Sangiovese clones were specifically cultivated here, which harmonise with the clay-rich structures and develop the highest phenol concentrations.

A Zinfandel with an Italian soul: Terra Nera Primitivo comes from organically farmed plots around Manduria, where old vines are rooted in red soil with veins of limestone – a terroir that allows the Primitivo (known internationally as Zinfandel) to reach its full potential. In the glass, it is a deep purple with a garnet-red core. The bouquet is dark, dense and complex: blackcurrant, dried figs and dark chocolate, accompanied by tobacco leaf, clove and a hint of graphite. On the palate, it is full-bodied but not overpowering, with ripe fruit, balanced acidity and finely polished tannins. The oak influence remains subtle, the structure firm and the finish remarkably clean. An expressive, organically produced Primitivo from 60- to 70-year-old vines, skilfully combining power and precision! SUPERIORE.DE

The Rivetti family, who have long since achieved fame with La Spinetta in Piedmont, found their Tuscan terroir for Vermentino in Terricciola. Sandy soils of marine origin, interspersed with oceanic sediments, characterise this white wine with its unmistakable minerality and salty freshness. The vines grow at an altitude of 250 metres on a south-easterly exposure and are cultivated organically. After manual harvesting, the must ferments spontaneously with natural yeasts, after which the wine rests for three to four months on the fine lees in stainless steel.

The Barbera vines for this wine are rooted in plots around Novello, partly in the renowned Ravera zone, on calcareous and clayey marl soils with good water retention. Deep ruby red in colour with a violet rim. The bouquet opens with ripe cherry, plum and blackcurrant, underpinned by violets, delicate herbal spice and a hint of liquorice. Full-bodied and harmonious on the palate, carried by juicy fruit and lively acidity that counteracts the warmth of the vintage with freshness. The tannins are soft but present and give the wine contour. Ageing for 12 months in large, used wooden barrels and a short period of maturation in the bottle round off the profile: a beautiful Barbera with a balance between fruitiness and elegance that is a true reflection of its origins. Outstanding value. SUPERIORE.DE

Roberto Anselmi and red wine? That doesn't really go together. While his colleagues in the Soave region have long since jumped on the lucrative Amarone bandwagon or, like Inama in the Colli Berici, produce exceptional red wines, the white wine purist has basically remained true to his line for decades. With one exception: at the foot of Monte Zoppega, hidden among his beloved Garganega vines, a little secret has been thriving for years: Realda, named after a historic church estate. Only 7,000 bottles of this single red wine in the Anselmi portfolio are produced each year – a little gimmick, as Roberto himself says, but a damn good one, in our opinion. 100 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, matured for 18 months in French Troncais barriques, with a further six months of bottle ageing.

Michele Satta came to Castagneto Carducci in 1974 – by chance, as he says himself. He stayed forever. Since the first Vendemmia in 1983, his story has grown in parallel with the history of Bolgheri, vintage after vintage, vineyard after vineyard. Miché is his most personal chapter: named after himself, made from grapes that were once simply thinned out. Satta has kept them – and distilled them into a wine that is unrivalled in Tuscany. 100% Sangiovese, Metodo Ancestrale. No second fermentation according to the recipe, no filtration, no dosage – the yeast remains, the perlage develops naturally in the bottle. Pet-Nat in Tuscan, if you like ...

Ten days before the main harvest for Redigaffi and Giusto di Notri, the pre-harvest selection begins at Tua Rita – a selection from the younger vineyards, whose grapes are not intended to achieve the extreme concentration of the great crus, but rather to offer freshness and approachability. This deliberate choice gives rise to the Rosso dei Notri, which has been the estate's flagship wine since 2000. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon form the foundation in equal parts, whilst Syrah and Cabernet Franc add spice and structure. The vineyards are situated on the metal-rich hills near Suvereto, where loamy soils with a high proportion of coarse particles lend the wines that mineral precision which characterises Tua Rita. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, followed by ageing in concrete – no woody notes are allowed to mask the pure fruit.

Dolcetto is the third voice in the Piedmontese trio – after Nebbiolo and Barbera, the most accessible, the most immediate. No grand gestures, no long maturation periods. Instead: flavour, fruit, liveliness. Prunotto specifically captures these characteristics – the wine is matured exclusively in stainless steel tanks so as not to overpower the typical freshness and fruitiness of the variety. 100% Dolcetto from vineyards around Alba. Maceration for six days at a controlled 27–28°C, malolactic fermentation until mid-December – then steel, nothing more.

There is this one moment when Graziano Merotto stops explaining and simply puts his glass down to observe his counterpart. This wine is that very special moment. Integral: undivided, unmediated, without abbreviation – bone dry.

Castello di Semivicoli is a great Rosso from the Chieti area and Masciarelli's first red wine cuvée. The vines in the vineyards of the province of L'Aquila were planted by Gianni Masciarelli in 2003. Medium-bodied purple red. On the nose black berries and nice peppery notes with some tobacco, violets and vanilla. Powerful and silky on the palate, polished tannin and a wonderfully fruity finish. SUPERIORE.DE