Formats

Noble Prosecco with a lot of finesse and racy charisma, which is both light and has a sophisticated texture. Delicate, appetising colour and fine bubbles. Lively and juicy on the palate with the unmistakable apple flavour of the Glera grape. SUPERIORE.DE

A labour of love in more ways than one: Core (Italian for "heart") is an elegant blend of 50% Greco Bianco and 50% Fiano, whose contrast and harmony subtly reflect the essence of Campania. The grapes come from limestone-rich, mid- to high-altitude vineyards in the Sannio region – ripened during cool nights with great aromatic precision. In the glass, it is a pale golden-yellow with a silvery sheen. The bouquet enchants with fresh aromas of white peach, yellow pear, citrus zest and a hint of elderflower, underpinned by subtle herbal notes and a mineral finish. On the palate, the wine is lively and elegant: a precise balance between juicy fruit, invigorating acidity and a subtle salty note. Fermentation in stainless steel, with batonnage on the fine lees, lends depth without adding excessive weight. Core is a fresh, harmonious white wine that speaks volumes of its terroir, elegantly conveying its origin, grape variety and style.  SUPERIORE.DE

Fine Sauvignon Blanc from grapes grown on limestone gravel soils in Kurtatsch and loamy sandy soils in Völser Aicha. Rich flavours of elderflower, gooseberry, green pepper, sage and mint. An elegant wine, pleasantly mineral, fresh and juicy with well-balanced acidity. SUPERIORE.DE

What makes Alberto Passeri's Rosso di Montalcino so special? He is a stranger to compromise. The grapes come from the same plots as the great Brunello, from the historic vineyards of Canalicchio in the cooler north and the warmer slopes of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the south. This dual origin is the secret: the elegance and finesse of the north merges with the strength and maturity of the south. Where other producers bottle their Rosso after just a few months, La Gerla allows it to mature for a full two years: six months in steel tanks, twelve months in large Slavonian barrels and a further six months in the bottle. This patience pays off.

In San Lorenzo Isontino, you walk amongst the vines over stones. Beneath them lies a high plateau of deep gravel; the stones on the surface drain away water and store the day's heat, allowing the grapes to ripen fully. At night, the wind blows from the north-east, creating the significant temperature variations that give the wine its aroma and acidity. The Sauvignon is grown in San Lorenzo and Romans on calcareous gravel, at altitudes of between 25 and 60 metres, trained using the Guyot system with 5,200 to 5,600 vines per hectare. It ferments in stainless steel tanks and is then left on the lees for eight months, during which time the lees are stirred repeatedly.

A red wine full of character from the southern shore of Lake Garda, made from Marzemino, Sangiovese and a hint of Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines grow on clayey and calcareous moraine soil, which gives the wine structure and minerality. Deep ruby red colour with a purple core in the glass. The bouquet opens with ripe wild berries, sour cherry and plum, as well as notes of violet, black pepper and a hint of liquorice. Powerful yet supple on the palate, with juicy fruit, well-integrated tannins and fine spice. A fresh, supporting acidity provides balance and flow. An expressive red wine with a regional accent that shines with both strong meat dishes and mature cheese. SUPERIORE.DE

A real rarity: Ebnerhof is home to the southernmost Grüner-Veltliner vineyards in South Tyrol. What is mainstream in Austria is exclusive in the Isarco Valley – the grape variety has felt at home here for generations, but only a few winegrowers dare to try their hand at it. The Unterthiner family cultivates this Austrian legend on mineral-rich, gravelly soils at an altitude of 500 to 550 metres, where the special soil conditions give the wine its unmistakable signature. After gentle processing, the must ferments at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, after which the wine matures on the fine lees – partly in small wooden barrels –which gives it additional depth.

Timorasso – once almost forgotten, today one of the most exciting white wines in Piedmont. Piccolo Derthona is Walter Massa's introduction to this fascinating grape variety, but there is no question of a simple base. The wine comes from the hillside vineyards around Monleale, where clay and limestone on ancient sea beds create a microclimate that favours cool fruit and mineral tension. The wine is traditionally matured in stainless steel, with long maturation on the fine lees – for structure, clarity and character.

Kirchegg – the corner by the church. Field names like this are as old in South Tyrol as the vineyards themselves: precise descriptions of the land before there were maps, before there were appellations, before anyone had the idea of marketing vineyards. This patch of earth near Tramin – in the heart of the South Tyrolean Wine Route – is one of the warmest sites in the Adige Valley: naturally good for grape varieties that need warmth, structure and ripeness. 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon on heavy clay soils: Merlot brings the warm, dark fruit and the fullness, Cabernet the structure, the tannic persistence and the slightly vegetal tone that gives the wine its unmistakable character. After the harvest, a short maceration followed by 10 days of fermentation with the skins permanently submerged, with a deliberate increase in temperature towards the end for maximum extraction of colour and aromas. International in the origin of the grape varieties – pure South Tyrol in the result.

The French grape variety has felt at home in the southern Eisack Valley since the end of the 19th century. At the Ebnerhof, Sauvignon grows on barren, stone-rich gravel and marl soil – it is precisely this sparseness that makes the difference. The Unterthiner family works with consistent yield regulation, manual defoliation and thinning out in order to obtain concentrated grape material. In the cellar, they rely on temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness typical of the variety.

Pinot Grigio has been at home in the Isonzo for 140 years now; with the necessary sensitivity, it develops a great deal of elegance and structure and can almost be called autochthonous here. It is not surprising that Alvaro Pecorari has taken this grape variety to his heart. A finesse-rich white with a floral bouquet and a fine peach note. On the palate, multi-layered and quite complex, the 8-month yeast storage gives it depth, length and a good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Fiore di Campo, based on Friulano, is no more and no less than the self-proclaimed "family wine" of the Lis Neris house, and that is entirely justified: pretty straw yellow with green-gold reflections. Enticing mineral and citrus nose with notes of peach, jasmine, almonds and liquorice. Firm, fresh and crisp on the palate of apricot and green apple, plus a lovely creamy texture. Its full body and gentle complexity marry in a final with considerable freshness and high drinkability. Perfect entry into the world of Lis Neris' terrific white wines. SUPERIORE.DE

Buchholz – as early as the Austrian land register of 1858, the name referred to the valley slopes above Salurn, where terraced vineyards lie on dolomite sedimentary rock at altitudes between 400 and 800 metres. Peter Zemmer, whose family has been making wine in Kurtinig on the Weinstraße since 1928, has chosen this diverse site for his Chardonnay: a mosaic of microclimates and soils that combines alpine freshness with southern ripeness. In the mornings, the breeze from the north cools the vines; in the afternoons, the ‘Ora’ from the south warms them: a daily cycle that gives the grapes time to develop. The winemaking process is deliberately restrained: a short cold maceration to preserve the fruit, followed by fermentation at 19°C in large wooden barrels.