Formats

The Winkl has been vinified as a single variety since 1956 – at a time when Sauvignon Blanc was still a rarity in South Tyrol. Winery manager Rudi Kofler says that this grape variety has always felt at home around the oldest farms in the Terlan DOC area. You believe him when you taste the wine. The vineyards lie at 280 to 580 metres above sea level, exposed to the south-southwest, on steep to very steep slopes. The soil is quartz porphyry – volcanic primary rock, crystalline-mineral, with a slightly acidic pH value and an almost natural self-limitation in yields. It is precisely this microstress that produces the terroir's own polyphenols, which give Terlano wines their characteristic saltiness and tension. No other soil, no other result. Hand-picked, gentle whole-cluster pressing, slow fermentation – then 7 to 8 months on the fine lees, 80 per cent in steel, 20 per cent in large wooden barrels. This silent wood component only serves the texture, it gives the wine substance without masking its origin.

Biancolella epitomises the heart of Ischian wine culture – an indigenous grape variety with a millennia-old tradition that grows almost exclusively on Ischia. Its existence documents the inseparable link between the island and the vine since the times of the ancient Greeks, when the first amphorae carried the precious wine as far as France. The four hectares of vineyards grow on the mineral-rich volcanic soil of Monte Epomeo at an altitude of 300 metres overlooking the sea. The green tuff stores the Mediterranean warmth and passes it on to the vines, while the salty sea breezes provide natural freshness and elegance. This unique combination of volcanic power and maritime mildness characterises its unmistakable character.

Cecubo is a historical wine heritage: a cuvée of 45% Abbuoto, 35% Primitivo and 20% Piedirosso, grown on the volcanic soils of Roccamonfina – a wine that was once prized by the Romans and is now considered a cult wine of the region. The 2015 vintage presents itself with dense intensity: a deep dark ruby colour with a garnet-red rim in the glass. The nose reveals a complex aroma of ripe wild berries, dried figs, vanilla and a hint of incense. Spicy notes such as black pepper and tobacco leaves are also present. On the palate, the wine impresses with round volume, pithy tannins and powerful fruit, integrated into a fascinating minerality. The ageing in barriques gives it depth, structure and a balanced, full-bodied expression. Cecubo is a red wine with expressiveness – full of history, with Campanian temperament, but also full of subtle minerality and a terrificfinish. A monument to the region that masterfully combines elegance and originality. SUPERIORE.DE

Malvasia Istriana is not Malvasia. At least not what most people know by that name. While other varieties of this ancient Greek grape family are often lush and sweetly aromatic, the Istrian variety shows a completely different face: richer, more complex, more mineral and capable of true greatness in Collio Goriziano – and capable of its true greatness in the Collio Goriziano. Schiopetto has been vinifying it as a single variety since 1974: hand-picked at the beginning of September, fermented in steel at 16 degrees for ten to twelve days, matured on the fine lees for nine months. The result needs no explanation, just a large glass.

How could it be otherwise: Tenuta Meraviglia's Bolgheri Rosso is vinified from 100% (!) Cabernet Franc. Bright, deep ruby red colour with violet reflections. Intense and pronounced aroma of blackcurrant, wild blackberry, cherry and raspberry, enriched by notes of tobacco, liquorice, undergrowth and roasted aromas. Warm and persistent on the palate, with a fine texture and sweet, spicy tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

Crognolo is a wonderfully balanced wine that offers the tangy freshness and acidity of Sangiovese, which is balanced and softened by the small proportion of Merlot. The wine smells of cherry, blackberry and plum. Its primary intensity is bright and cheerful. The juicy finish shows a nice density, extraction and well-integrated tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

When Giuseppe Russo talks about his rosato, his eyes light up with the same intensity as the powder-pink glow that settles over the Contrada San Lorenzo in the early days of October. Here, where eighty-year-old Nerello Mascalese vines are rooted in volcanic soil at an altitude of 700 metres, one of Italy's most elegant rosés is created – born from the perfect balance between timing and technique. The magic begins with the early manual harvest, when the grapes have that crystalline freshness that only the cool Etna nights can give. Giuseppe uses a traditional vertical press in which the whole grapes are gently pressed for five hours – long enough to extract the delicate colour, short enough to preserve the mineral elegance. No maceration on the skins, no artificial intervention: just the natural connection between grape and volcanic terroir. After spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wine matures for six months in stainless steel, where it develops its characteristic finesse.

When you say Braida, you mean Barbera. Ever since Giacomo Bologna proved in the 1980s that this underestimated grape variety can reach barrique maturity and world class, the name has been synonymous with the Piedmontese red wine revolution. Connoisseurs know that the family also produces white wines – but La Regina, Re di Fiori and the Asso di Fiori are deliberately labelled differently: Serra dei Fiori. This is the name of the vineyard near Trezzo Tinella in the Langhe, which the Bolognas acquired together with the Giacosa brothers in 1988. A separate terroir, a joint venture, a separate project. This makes what Giuseppe and Raffaella Bologna now dare to do all the more significant: the first white wine to bear the name Braida. Vinified not in the Langhe, but in the historic cellar of Rocchetta Tanaro – the heart of the estate. The grapes come from the Colli Tortonesi, the hills east of Alessandria, where the Timorasso has been rooted since the Middle Ages and was saved from extinction thanks to pioneers like Walter Massa.

GROSSO is a Blanc de Noirs produced using the classic Champagne method and matures for 24 months on the fine lees. Delicate pink colour and a fine, persistent perlage. Crisp bouquet of violets, citrus peel, nectarine and wild strawberry. On the palate with a nice tang, very straightforward flavour of red berries. Very well balanced, it prances into a respectable finish with a finely spiced and impressive freshness. SUPERIORE.DE

Dark ruby red with a delicately brightening rim. Elegant bouquet of dried cherries, followed by notes of chocolate and flowers. Radiant and juicy on the palate, showing pithy, savoury tannins, tightly woven, spanning a wide range. The zesty acidity provides a fantastic balance, while it finishes long and grippy with liquorice and a balsamic herbal flavour. All it needs is a little more time to fully develop. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all: Badilante honours those workers who, with their spades – the "badili" – for generations to drain and reclaim the marshland of the Maremma. Simone Castelli, son of the legendary OenologistMaurizio, vinifies this single-varietal Sangiovese on the organically farmed Podere 414 vineyard near Scansano. The grapes grow at an altitude of 230 metres in clayey, loamy soils with a high proportion of skeleton. Spontaneous fermentation in cement, 15–18 days maceration with délestage and remontage, followed by maturation partly in cement and partly in wood.

Since the 2022 vintage, Campanaro has proudly carried the designation Fiano di Avellino Riserva DOCG – a step that takes the years of work on this wine to a new dimension. What began as Irpinia Bianco DOC with a Fiano-Greco cuvée is now a single-varietal Fiano from the best vineyards in the DOCG zone. Feudi di San Gregorio has thus made a clear decision: The Campanaro should show the potential of a single, great Campanian grape variety, not the harmony of two grapes. Vinification takes place in tonneau, where the must ferments at a controlled temperature and then matures for six months on the fine lees. This time in small wooden barrels gives the wine the texture and complexity that distinguishes it from simpler Fiano versions. The fine lees are stirred regularly to develop a creamy fullness without masking the typical freshness of Fiano. After bottling, the Campanaro is left to mature in the bottle for a few months before being released onto the market – patience as part of the Riserva philosophy.

Pinot Bianco reveals its aristocratic side at the high altitude of Zuc di Volpe. The privileged single vineyard site near Togliano offers ideal conditions for this elegant grape variety: cool nights, calcareous soils and excellent aeration, which enables slow, balanced ripening. Maturation in stainless steel tanks with an extended maturation period on the fine lees preserves the clear fruit and at the same time lends depth and structure. The nose reveals aromas of white peach, pear and a hint of camomile, underpinned by a fine nutty note. Finely crafted and precise on the palate, with a creamy texture, firm minerality and a long, balanced finish.

Here is one of the most serious and at the same time most exciting sparkling wines that can be made from the Sorbara variety! Pale to dusky pink in colour with a fine foam and accentuated, persistent perlage. The bouquet is almost magical and yet very distinguished, with hints of raspberry and wild strawberry, which is what makes a top-class Lambrusco, but still seems to be an unattainable goal for many local winegrowers. A fine acidity on the palate, with delicate, dry bitter notes and an exciting brightening of fruity tones of wild strawberry and pomegranate. The overall impression is bone-dry and the bottled dream of a Lambrusco produced using the champagne method, which is unrivalled in the wine landscape. SUPERIORE.DE

Already the famous Italian wine critic Veronelli rated the Colli Berici together with Bolgheri as one of the best growing areas for the Bordelais grape varieties. This rare Merlot is dedicated to its creator Alfredo Lazzarini, whose vineyards Inama recently acquired, and it represents the history of the Colli Berici. Dark ruby garnet, violet reflections, delicate watery rim. Spicy nuances of black cherries, ripe plums, forest floor, some jasmine and a pleasant touch of precious wood. Juicy on the palate, with good complexity and a chocolaty texture, round tannins and a discreet extract sweetness on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Macrina shines in the glass in a clear straw yellow colour with a subtle green hue. The bouquet exudes enchanting notes of fresh white flowers and green apple, carried by an elegant, persistent freshness. On the palate, the wine displays lively acidity, a juicy fruit structure and a distinctive mineral note that stylishly accompanies the floral and fruity accents. The transparent, clear ageing in stainless steel emphasises the pure varietal and origin presence. A juicy Verdicchio with elegant finesse and a drinkable balance. SUPERIORE.DE

The Pratzner family keeps a few hundred bottles of each good vintage, which are then matured in the cellar for a further 6 years. These refined wines are then sold in small quantities as "Private Reserves" to selected retailers and restaurants, demonstrating the impressive ageing potential of their wines, which are matured for 10 months on the fine lees. Medium-bodied light yellow colour. Complex nose of pome fruit and lychee, the further 6 years of bottle ageing have given the wine a wonderful fullness and depth. We are delighted with the freshness and vigour that this Riserva radiates today. The final has an animating minerality with a pleasant smoky component. SUPERIORE.DE

For many, Carricante is inextricably linked with Etna. But with Carjcanti, Gulfi shows that this grape variety can also develop its very own, characterful profile in the south-eastern hinterland of Chiaramonte Gulfi on calcareous and clayey soils at an altitude of around 600 metres. Organic cultivation, hand-picking in the cool morning hours and gentle ageing in stainless steel tanks followed by six months of storage on the fine lees – accompanied by regular bâtonnage – ensure complexity, texture and freshness at the same time.

Taurasi, undisputedly the great red of the south, rightly referred to as the "Barolo of the south", shows all its power and nobility in Feudi di San Gregorio's interpretation. The pure Aglianico comes from vineyards at altitudes of up to 700 metres, on volcanic soils with basalt, clay and tuff. The result is a brooding, long-lasting red wine with character of origin and high standards. Dark ruby red in the glass with a purple centre. The bouquet is intense and clearly structured: black cherry, cassis, blackberry, tobacco, roasted coffee, liquorice, tar and a hint of balsamic herbs. The ageing in large wooden barrels and barriques ensures balance and a fine, polished tannin structure. Dense yet cool on the palate, with grippy tannins, deep fruit and mineral freshness. The vintage also brings clarity, precise contours and an elegant length.

The name Shardana refers to a mysterious, seafaring people of the Bronze Age, described by historians as part of the legendary Sea Peoples. Many assume that the Shardana originated from Sardinia – or at least settled here – before they became famous in the Mediterranean as fearless warriors and skilful navigators. Their symbols – horned helmets, round shields, depictions of ships – can still be found today in nuraghi and ancient inscriptions. With the name Shardana, Cantina Santadi builds a bridge from the past to the present. The wine symbolises the island's ancient, proud identity: unshakeable, powerful, full of character. It is no coincidence that the Carignano – a grape variety with deep roots in the south of the island – takes centre stage here. Like the Shardana itself, this wine defies time and fashion, remains true to itself and tells a story of origin, resistance and pride.

Light, dense ruby colour. A cool Cabernet profile with blue fruit on the nose: Blackberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, plus cedar wood, graphite, laurel and a hint of juniper. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, yet polished: juicy, dark fruit, very fine-grained, ripe tannins and a lively acidity that benefits from the constant coastal wind and the day/night temperature gradient. The spice remains elegantly in the background, the wood is perfectly integrated and supports the texture without masking the freshness. Long, straightforward finish with a salty, mineral flavour. The 2023 shows the sunny side of the Tuscan coast with balance instead of vigour: a precise, modern Maremma Cabernet – accessible in its youth, with reserves for several years. Ideal with grilled beef, lamb chops, savoury mushroom dishes or mature pecorino. SUPERIORE.DE

The blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah combines the aristocratic depth of Cabernet with the seductive flavour of Syrah - both grape varieties that find Mediterranean ripeness in the chalky, sun-drenched soils around Noto. Cultivated organically, this wine conveys the sunshine of Sicily with a down-to-earth character and structure. The wine was originally only intended for private occasions – a heartfelt project that today celebrates with its name the connection to people and moments that are more than mere consumption. The grapes for it (label: "only the best grapes") come from strictly selected plots around Noto, where chalky soils, salt winds and intense sunlight characterise the aroma and structure.

Named after the "Seggio" stream, the largest watercourse in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci, this elegant Bordeaux blend epitomises the accessibility and finesse of Bolgheri DOC. The historic watercourse rises in the Etruscan Colline Metallifere near Sassetta and flows through the entire Bolgheri area, its alluvial deposits enriching the characteristic clay soils with valuable pebbles. This harmonious cuvée comes from the privileged vineyards of Le Sondraie and Via Bolgherese. The vines, which are around 19 years old, thrive on well-drained, skeleton-rich soils with a clay layer and a high magnesium and iron content – ideal conditions for the international grape variety assemblage.