Formats

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.

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.

Elisabetta Geppetti has dedicated this Rosato to a woman who came before her: Rosa Mati – the first in the family to believe in the Maremma when others were still turning a blind eye. A woman who invested when this wild coastal landscape in south-western Tuscany was not yet a wine-growing region in the modern sense. That belief was the beginning of everything that Le Pupille is today. And the wine that bears her name is Elisabetta Geppetti's most personal creation – unchanged in its conviction since the first vintage in 2002: 100% Syrah, as a rosé. This is not an obvious choice. In the Maremma, Syrah is primarily known as a powerful red wine. Turning it into a rosé – transparent, fresh, elegant – requires precision.

The name pays tribute to the Butteri, those legendary horsemen of the Maremma who have been the symbol of this region for generations – powerful yet elegant. It refers to the long, tapered ash-wood herding staff with which the Butteri still guide their herds across the plains of the Maremma to this day. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah blend here to create a full-bodied, rich red wine – the Syrah component lends it particular depth without sacrificing the elegance and freshness typical of Rocca di Frassinello.

Calabria showed its sunniest side in the warm, dry year of 2023. The single-varietal Magliocco from the "Megonio" vineyard benefited from this constellation with deeply ripe grapes, concentrated fruit and healthy berry skins. The vinification process was classic: temperature-controlled mash fermentation, followed by ageing in barriques for around a year – enough to create structure without masking the authenticity of the variety.

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

Le Tense is made from grapes sourced exclusively from the Sassella DOCG sub-zone. During Swiss rule (1512–1797), the finest vineyards were 'secured' by armed guards, which is how it came to be named. They thus became arguably the most famous vineyards in the appellation. The selection of vines produces a wine that expresses the character of the soil: old stones and rocks that define the terroir of Sassella. Nebbiolo from Sassella produces elegant aromas and delicate, harmonious flavours that are typical of the Alpine reds of Valtellina.

Goldmuskateller is one of South Tyrol's oldest grape varieties, which until a few years ago was still regarded as temperamental and demanding. Manincor demonstrates what this "diva" is capable of when given the right sites: Mareit Leiten at 350 metres, with an extremely steep south-facing slope featuring warm gravelly soils and moraine deposits. Added to this are Vogelleiten and Panholzer, with loamy limestone gravel soils – sites where the Muscat's exuberant growth is tamed and perfect ripeness is achieved. The destemmed berries macerate for twelve hours in the press to extract aroma and structure from the skins. Fermentation takes place in wooden barrels and steel tanks, largely spontaneously with wild yeasts. During the five-month ageing on the fine lees, the aroma and flavour become more refined – and the wine develops that balance between fruit and minerality which characterises dry Muscat wines.

Kretzer – it sounds rougher than the wine actually is. This old South Tyrolean word for rosé, once derived from the tart freshness of unripe berries, has a completely different character today: fruity, lively, with the unmistakable temperament of Lagrein. For Lagrein is South Tyrol in its purest form – an indigenous grape variety that has been at home between Bolzano and Terlano for centuries. As a rosé, it reveals a side that the full-bodied red does not always show: lightness, freshness and approachability. The grapes grow at altitudes of 250 to 280 metres in the flat, sun-drenched vineyards around Terlan. Hand-harvested, gently pressed as whole bunches, slow fermentation in stainless steel – 6 to 7 months on the fine lees.

Bright ruby colour with a violet rim. Juicy red cherry and blackberry on the nose, with violets and a fine hint of bitter almond – open, inviting and typically Dolcetto. Fresh and straightforward on the palate: juicy fruit, fine, ripe tannins and an invigorating, well-integrated acidity make for a lively and enjoyable wine. The final is clear, with a delicate almond note and a cool, mineral accent. A classic Dolcetto full of character from Pio Cesare, uncomplicated in the very best sense of the word, with style, precision and a beautiful drinking flow. SUPERIORE.DE

Novaserra Greco di Tufo is Mastroberardino's most famous iconic white wine – a prime example of the depth and elegance that this grape variety can achieve. The grapes come from the finest vineyards around Tufo, where limestone and sulphurous soils lend the wine its distinctive mineral character. In the glass, it is a luminous straw yellow with golden highlights. The nose entices with notes of yellow plum, candied lemon, ripe pear, lime blossom and a hint of flint. On the palate, it is dense and harmonious, with ripe fruit, subtle herbal notes and a salty undertone. Year after year, this is a Greco di Tufo of distinction – powerful, elegant and with a clear expression of its terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

The name reveals the concept: Cinquanta – fifty – stands for the fifty-fifty split between Primitivo and Negroamaro, the two leading grape varieties of Salento. With this cuvée, Cantine San Marzano, founded in 1962 as a winegrowers' cooperative and now one of the largest producers in Apulia with over 1,200 members, has created a wine with an immediate impact. The grapes come from vines of different ages on the iron oxide-rich terra rossa soils of the province of Taranto. After the harvest, maceration takes place at a controlled temperature, followed by twelve months of ageing in wooden barrels.

Barbara Widmer's Chianti Classico has for years been characterised by clarity and terroir: 100% Sangiovese from plots in Castellina and Radda (230–400 m), on limestone- and clay-rich soils with a south to south-west aspect. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged for around twelve months on the fine lees in stainless steel and cement vats – deliberately without the use of wood, to allow the grape variety to express itself purely and precisely.

Montessu is wild, sun-drenched and surprisingly refined. Born out of a collaboration between some of the biggest names in the Italian wine world, including legends such as Sebastiano Rosa and Giacomo Tachis, this red wine combines the best of Mediterranean vigour with French expertise in grape varieties. Carignano sets the tone, flanked by Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc – all grown on the dry, mineral-rich soils of the Sulcis region in the hot south-west of the island. The grapes are harvested plot by plot, fermented separately and aged in small French barriques. The result is a dense yet finely structured red wine with Sardinian character and an international polish.

Floramundi combines the sensual power of Nero d'Avola with the elegance of Frappato – a classic Cerasuolo di Vittoria that charmingly harmonises the DOCG origin, freshness and finesse. The vines grow in south-east Sicily on red sand and limestone soils around Vittoria. Maturation in stainless steel tanks followed by ageing in the bottle preserves the freshness and aromatic expressiveness of this traditional appellation.

L'Altro is one of the house classics. A Langhe Chardonnay full of character that combines the clarity of the stainless steel, the fine spiciness of the wood and the subtle depth of the lees in a very charming way. The grapes come from higher-lying parcels around Treiso, Serralunga d'Alba and Trezzo Tinella; harvested cool and vinified parcel by parcel. Around three quarters are fermented in stainless steel, the smaller part in French barriques; the wine then remains on the fine lees for several months – regularly stirred for more texture and complexity.

Since 1300, Tenuta Castiglioni has epitomised the Frescobaldi family's winemaking tradition, and as early as the 16th century, its wines were held in the highest regard: at the papal court in Rome as well as at the English court of Henry VIII. This Rosso carries that reputation into the present day as a modern blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. The grapes come from the same hills near Montespertoli where the family has been growing wine for centuries. Destemmed and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with gentle, constant pumping over, the wine matures for twelve months in barriques, followed by a further two months in the bottle.

The mulberry tree gave it its name. In Valtellina, it stood between the rows of vines for centuries, providing shade, bearing fruit and forming part of the landscape. Today it has become rare – but its name lives on in this wine, as a silent homage to the old mountain agriculture of this region. 100% Chiavennasca – the local name for the Nebbiolo of Valtellina – from vineyards in different subzones. What distinguishes the Mazér from the classic zone typologies is a small detail with a big effect: a small proportion of the grapes are dried for a few days. The concentrated must from these dried berries is added to the main wine – a touch of the Sforzato principle (appassimento), enough to soften the tannins and weave dark fruit flavours deeper into the bouquet. The result is a Valtellina Superiore with the freshness and purity of the mountains – and a velvety accessibility that makes it enjoyable earlier.