Formats

Owner Leonardo Pinzolo cultivates 52 hectares of biodynamically certified vineyards on his family farms in Popoli and Capestrano. The soils here differ from those in the rest of Abruzzo. Combined with the higher altitude of the vineyards and the proximity to the Gran Sasso mountains, these wines have a decidedly cooler expression than is usually found in Abruzzo. In the winery, fermentations are spontaneous and without temperature control. With the exception of a few single-vineyard wines, most of the wines are matured in stainless steel.

Punggl – is the name given to a small hill in the local dialect. 50 metres high, south of Margreid, at an altitude of between 220 and 250 metres: a geological feature in the flatlands of the Unterland. Composed of grey, loamy sand with a high clay content. A soil that stores heat, retains moisture and lends the Pinot Grigio a richness and structure that barren soils can never achieve. Margreid’s Mediterranean climate, the daily Ora breeze from Lake Garda – —this interplay provides ideal ripening conditions for the vines here, some of which are up to 80 years old. The vinification of Punggl differs significantly from simple grape processing: pressed immediately, the juice is clear and aromatic – followed by three weeks’ fermentation in 30-hectolitre wooden barrels. No steel, no concrete. The neutral wood gives the must a texture that steel cannot provide. Eight months’ ageing on fine lees in the same wooden barrels further deepens this structure.

Watch out, or even better - don't be afraid of the wolf: Attenti al Lupo is the exciting result of a new project by Podere le Ripi, which is specifically exploring new possibilities in the vineyard and cellar to find solutions to climate change, which is now putting all farmers and winegrowers to the test.

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 rhythm 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.

The grapes come from the family's own plots in the Barolo and Barbaresco zone (including La Morra and Serralunga). Il Nebbio is deliberately vinified as a young, elegant interpretation of Langhe: predominantly Nebbiolo with a small proportion of Pinot Nero (authorised as part of the Langhe DOC). Cool, parcel-by-parcel harvest, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel with short maceration, followed by malolactic fermentation and ageing in steel tanks until early bottling – for maximum freshness and finely polished tannins.

Abruzzo is the greenest region in Italy. 36 per cent of the area is protected – three national parks, one regional park and over thirty nature reserves. Valle Reale is located exactly where the Gran Sasso in the north, the Majella in the south and the Sirente-Velino in the north-west meet. Cerasuolo comes from the same vineyards near Popoli and Capestrano that produce the estate's great red wines – demeter-certified, on stony soils with strong drainage, exposed to the cool winds of the mountain passes and pronounced day-night temperature differences. The grapes for the Rosato are harvested earlier than those for the Montepulciano rosso – deliberately to preserve the freshness of the acidity. Only indigenous yeasts are used in the cellar, activated using the pied-de-cuve method: no intervention that is not mandatory.

Owner Leonardo Pinzolo cultivates 52 hectares of biodynamically certified vineyards on his family farms in Popoli and Capestrano. The soils here differ from those in the rest of Abruzzo. Combined with the higher altitude of the vineyards and the proximity to the Gran Sasso mountains, these wines have a decidedly cooler expression than is usually found in Abruzzo. In the winery, fermentations are spontaneous and without temperature control. With the exception of a few single-vineyard wines, most of the wines are matured in stainless steel.

An elegant, finely sparkling and invigorating Prosecco Brut with irresistible charm. Straw yellow, crystal clear and clean, with fresh aromas of white peach and apple, wonderfully light, yet precise, fruity and with a fine salty note on the palate. SUPERIORE.DE

Distilled from the pomace of the legendary Venegazzù della Casa – the Bordeaux blend that has been making history here on the Montello since the 1950s. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec provide the aromatic basis for this classic Grappa Bianca. Distillation is carried out using the traditional discontinuous method in a water bath (bagnomaria), in which small copper stills gently extract the fine flavours of the grape skins – a process that takes time but guarantees elegance.

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

Deeply rooted in the Molise terroir since time immemorial, the Tintilia grape variety was long threatened with disappearance – until dedicated winegrowers revived it as an autochthonous treasure. This red wine in Riserva quality today represents the prestige of this once almost forgotten grape variety: 100% Tintilia, finely selected and with very low yields at high altitudes, where calcareous clay soils and fresh mountain air characterise its distinctive profile.

The Petit Rouge grape variety is the backbone of the Aosta Valley. Those who know it only ever know it as Torrette DOC – the oldest and largest appellation in the region. A red wine that has been served for generations as naturally as the mountain cheese fondue next to it. The Charrère family knows this tradition better than most. And yet they made a different decision in 2019. Not a Torrette DOC. Instead, a Valle d'Aosta DOC rosé. The idea: the same indigenous variety, different clones, old vines – but read differently. Not as a red wine, but as something that the mountain can tell in its lightest, freshest form.

Ca' Brione is Nino Negri's top white wine and was first produced in 1986. The geological origins of the soil date back to the time when the African and European plates collided to form the Alps. The resulting variety of rocks gives the wine minerality and elegance. Fresh yellow colour with greenish reflections. Balsamic, elegant, slightly reductive bouquet with hints of apple, pear and spices, delicate nuances of strawberries and almond blossom. Deep and rich in flavour, yet fresh and harmonious, with an elegant, very pleasant bitter note and fresh acidity paired with minerality in the long final. Ca' Brione is one of Italy's greatest white wines, and not just for us! SUPERIORE.DE

Il Randagio (the stray) is wonderfully complex and nuanced. Initially quite closed, the delicately spicy nose creeps up with increasing aeration and opens up further into a wonderfully complex bouquet of dark red to black berries. Rising floral, savoury and spicy accents point to a wine that says more about the style of the house than anything else. The palate is wide-ranging with delicate wild berry flavours, perfectly polished tannins and a fresh, very invigorating acid wire that uninhibitedly enhances the drinkability of this once again typically different red. The best days of this wine still lie in the future. SUPERIORE.DE

Santo Stefano Belbo and Calosso, 400 metres above sea level, on the marly soils of the Langhe: here grows the Moscato Bianco from which I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano – the joint project of the Ceretto family and local winegrowers since 1976 – to produce this Asti Spumante. 41 hectares, harvested by hand. A wine that comes from one of the most precise Moscato terroirs in Piedmont. The second fermentation in pressurised tanks gives the wine its lively, finely sparkling mousseux and raises the alcohol content to 7%. Five atmospheres of pressure during bottling: this is complete sparkling wine character that brings the Moscato flavours to the fore.

Three thousand years of winegrowing history are condensed into one street name: Strada Provinciale 68 near Vittoria, the route along which generations of Sicilian farmers carried their amphorae and later barrels to market. Arianna Occhipinti, a pioneer of Sicilian natural wine, has created a liquid monument to this country road. Albanello and Zibibbo, two indigenous islanders, grow here on red sand over limestone. The grapes ferment together with wild yeasts in concrete, and two weeks of maceration give the Bianco its characteristic texture. Bottled unfiltered, it retains its lively cloudiness.

Gentle in flavour, powerful in body. La Casa in Collina is Vite Colte's charming statement on Barbaresco. Created from traditional grape variety assemblages from old terroirs in a light southern exposure, this wine combines nuance with poise: around 20 days of slow fermentation and a year in large oak barrels create a balance that allows depth without sacrificing elegance. In the glass, the colour is a rich ruby red that thickens to a fine garnet at the edges. The nose opens with a refined profile: ripe plum, red berry and violet, accompanied by coffee powder, tobacco leaf and a hint of fine woody spices, subtly intense but never overwhelming. Lively and carefully structured on the palate, with well-embedded tannins, fresh acidity and dense fruit. The big wood is noticeable, but nuanced. The finish is long, savoury and pleasantly round, with a hint of subtle vanilla and juicy cherry. This Barbaresco is confident and expressive, yet approachable enough to enjoy today. Optimal value for money – good potential available. SUPERIORE.DE

Demesse Vecchie is named after the village where Olivini has its family seat. The historic part of the vineyard was home to a nunnery in the late 17th century. The addition "vecchie" promises that the grapes for this very complex Lugana come from the estate's oldest vines, some of which are over 50 years old. They are also harvested late and carefully selected, after which they are matured on the fine lees for several months.

Swiss precision meets Tuscan passion: Monika and Thomas Bär-Bettschart have been realising their dream at the Antico Podere Gagliole in Castellina in Chianti since 1990. Rubiolo is the certified organic homage to over three decades of winegrowing in one of the most beautiful terroirs in Tuscany. Made from pure Sangiovese grapes from both the historic terraces around Castellina and the famous Conca d'Oro in Panzano, this wine epitomises the synthesis of two exceptional vineyards.

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.

High above the Tyrrhenian coast, where the dawn of the Mediterranean awakens and the scent of the Mediterranean scrub permeates the salty breeze, lies one of the most mysterious hills of the Alta Maremma: Poggio ai Ginepri – the hill of junipers. Here, where the red aeolian sands of Donoratico mingle with the ancient flysch sediments of the Lower Cretaceous period, one of Bolgheri's most legendary wines has been produced since 2002. It was the very first wine to see the light of day at Tenuta Argentiera – born from the vision of revealing the unspoilt beauty of this privileged terroir. A name that has since become one of the most recognised brands in the entire denomination. The juniper bushes that give this magical hill its name stand like silent sentinels between the rows of Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Merlot (30%), Cabernet Franc (20%) and Petit Verdot (10%) vines. At an altitude of 80-100 metres, between the remains of prehistoric sediments and the sandy deposits of millennia of sea influence, these international varieties develop an authentic Tuscan character.

A photo from 1955 adorns the bottle: Elliott Erwitt's "California Kiss", two lovers in the mirror of a car. When Trudie Styler tasted the first sip of this Vermentino, she spontaneously found the name – "like a kiss on the lips". The fact that the wine was released in March 2021, when the world was hungry for closeness, lends it additional poetry. Incidentally, it is the first white wine that Riccardo Cotarella vinified for Il Palagio – a tribute to Trudie's love of elegant Bianchi. The hand-picked Vermentino grapes ferment at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, and a short maturation period preserves the vibrant freshness.

Here the name becomes the programme: Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg gave this wine its title because it tastes like Manincor itself. The essence of the hills that surround the estate, the view over Lake Kaltern, the strength and warmth of the warmest vineyards in South Tyrol – all come together in this glass. Grapes from Manincor and Panholzerhof, both at 250 metres, south-eastern slopes with sandy clay soils full of limestone gravel and glacial deposits.