Formats

Montepulciano has two faces. One has large wooden barrels, decades of cellar time and the name Nobile. The other is younger, more direct – and often the more honest pleasure. The Rosso di Gracciano comes from the Casale and Maramai crus, at 280 to 300 metres in north-eastern exposure: somewhat cooler, somewhat slower ripening than the Nobile sites, with medium-heavy soils that produce freshness rather than vigour. 90 per cent Prugnolo Gentile – this stubborn Sangiovese clone, which only shows its full temperament here – supplemented by ten per cent Merlot for fullness and texture. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in steel, ten days of maceration at a controlled temperature, no wood. A wine that does not wait.

Castelnuovo dell'Abate is located at the southern tip of Montalcino – right next to the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo, one of the most important ecclesiastical monuments in Tuscany. The Fanti family has lived here for generations. When the Sant'Antimo DOC was founded in 1996, Filippo and Elisa Fanti were involved from the very beginning – out of a close bond with this place, its soil and its history. Sassomagno, named after the stony, rocky character of the terroir – is their most personal commitment to this region: a Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, which shows the versatility of Montalcino's southern location in an accessible, easy-drinking form.

The name says it all: "Pino" stands for Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio, "Toi" for the Tai – as Friulano has been called in Veneto since Brussels banned the word "Tocai". Three varieties, one clear idea: freshness, fruit, drinking pleasure. 60% Tai provides the floral backbone and a subtle tropical note, 25% Pinot Bianco pear and white flowers, 15% Pinot Grigio body and a hint of spice. Fermentation and ageing exclusively in steel tanks – no wood, no distractions. Straw yellow with green reflections, lively acidity and a finish that leaves more desire than answers. As an aperitif, with seafood or light pasta. Or simply for a Tuesday that deserves a good wine. SUPERIORE.DE

According to Aristotle, the ancient clones of the Greco vine originate from Tessaglia. The most famous of these is the "Aminea Gemina Maior", from which this wine is made. Straw yellow in colour with a greenish tinge, it promises freshness and lightness. A fruity bouquet unfolds on the nose: peach, apricot, citrus fruit and a delicate hint of white flowers – all elegant and inviting. Dry, smooth and balanced on the palate: harmonious fruit, fine acidity and a mineral finish that makes you want to savour the next sip. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the varietal style and aromatic clarity. 100% Greco, organically grown in Molise – a rare and charming grape variety with an expressive character. Note: There is also serious Greco outside Campania. SUPERIORE.DE

A delicate, luminous pink with lively, fine bubbles. Vigna del Cristo reveals the elegant and dry side of Lambrusco di Sorbara: fresh, subtle and full of character. On the nose, redcurrants, fresh raspberries, pink grapefruit and a hint of white flowers. On the palate, dry, lively and crisp, with invigorating acidity and mineral tension. A finely sparkling, stylish Lambrusco – refreshing, pleasantly tart and with impressive lightness. Perfect with summery meat dishes, antipasti, seafood or simply as a sophisticated aperitif. Lovely length and an even lovelier drinking experience. SUPERIORE.DE

This could be your perfect white house wine: Light straw yellow with greenish reflections. The Bianco "Ceregio" from Zerbina is made from pure Trebbiano Romagnolo and matured in stainless steel tanks. The nose has a fresh aroma of green apple, white blossom, a little lemon and a hint of freshly cut hay. On the palate, the wine is dry, clear and straightforward, with lively acidity, a delicate flavour and fine minerality. A fresh, typical regional white wine with organic certification that focuses entirely on the grape variety and the terroir of Emilia-Romagna – unpretentious, honest and pleasantly enjoyable to drink. SUPERIORE.DE

An exciting Sicilian duo: Angimbé combines Inzolia and Chardonnay to create a white cuvée that combines island flavours with international elegance. The grapes come from Tenuta Ficuzza at an altitude of around 700 metres – a cooler terroir with clay-limestone soils that lend freshness and structure. Pale straw yellow in the glass with golden reflections. Yellow pear, pineapple, citrus, some honeydew melon and floral notes on the nose. Juicy, round and balanced on the palate, with mild acidity, fine fruit sweetness and a harmonious, slightly spicy final. A versatile, accessible white wine that accompanies Mediterranean cuisine just as effortlessly as relaxed evenings on the terrace. Very good value. SUPERIORE.DE

The name reveals more than any label. Passamante – the forest right next to the Negroamaro vineyards of Masseria Li Veli near Cellino San Marco. A forest that bears its name from times gone by: "passare" and "amante" – the lover who steals away here unobserved. There are hardly any more romantic names for a wine. 100% Negroamaro, the great grape variety of Salento, on calcareous clay, 10 to 20-year-old vines, harvested in mid-September. Fermentation in temperature-controlled steel, six months in barrique – no more, no less. The Falvo family, who have been at the masseria since 1999, with Roberto Cotarella as Oenologist, do not experiment here. They make authentic wine far from the mainstream.

Cannonau is part of Sardinia's DNA – and Sartiglia is Contini's accessible expression of this traditional grape variety. The grapes come from vineyards in the province of Oristano, near the west coast, where sea breezes and sandy soils create a warm but balanced microclimate. The wine is aged partly in stainless steel and partly for six months in used barriques – this allows the fruit to remain in the foreground, supported by subtle ripeness and depth.

Neré comes from organic cultivation on volcanic soils near Noto, where the vines benefit from cool breezes and intense sunlight – a terroir that balances ripeness and freshness. Rich ruby-violet colour, very clear and intense bouquet with strong notes of dark fruit and a hint of violets. Juicy, fresh with lots of ripe berry fruit on the palate. Round, supple and dense with a fruity, savoury final, serve chilled. SUPERIORE.DE

Pliny the Elder wrote that the Egyptians and Greeks equated wine with the place of its origin. In Piceno, the historic region of the Marche between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea, this has been true since ancient times: Rosso Piceno is not just a wine – it is a regional name that has endured for millennia. Tenuta di Tavignano cultivates its red wines on the ‘Adriatic slope’ of its estate – —the part of the vineyard that slopes down towards the coast, whilst the Verdicchio grows on the opposite side. Montepulciano brings body, dark fruit and a tannin-rich structure. Sangiovese lends freshness and aromatic vibrancy. Organically farmed since 2018.

Castel del Monte Bombino Nero is Italy's only DOCG designation reserved exclusively for rosé wines – made from at least 90% of the indigenous Bombino Nero grape. The vineyards lie at an altitude of 400–500 metres around Castel del Monte, the octagonal Staufer castle built by Frederick II, whose mysterious geometry inspired the Torrevento logo. Limestone karst soils, Mediterranean sunshine and a constant sea breeze from 13 kilometres away – ideal conditions for a grape variety that withstands heat, retains its freshness and always remains light and direct on the palate. Gentle pressing, controlled temperature, four months' ageing in stainless steel.

Perdera means "quarry" in Sardinian and is an elegant expression of the indigenous Monica grape variety, supported by small amounts of Carignano and Bovale Sardo. The grapes grow on calcareous and marly soils near Cagliari, where they develop early ripeness and precise fruit. Fermentation is controlled in stainless steel, but the real depth comes from the ageing: around six to eight months in neutral French barriques and around four months in cement tanks create an elegant balance between freshness and harmony.

Montepulciano thinks in red. The Prugnolo Gentile, this stubborn Sangiovese clone, is bred for the long haul – for Nobile, for Riserva, for decades in the cellar. The fact that it is also so convincing as a rosato has to do with the terroir: the Toraia and Casale cru sites at 300 to 350 metres, clayey-silty soils, south to south-east exposure. Hand-picked at the end of September, cryomaceration for four to five hours.

Sicily and rosé – that sounds like a beach bar and a sea view at first. Not here. Tenuta Regaleali is located in the heart of the island, on a wooded high plateau of the Contea di Sclafani, around 500 metres above sea level, far away from any coastline. Large temperature fluctuations between day and night, calcareous-clay soils, vines with a history. The Tasca d'Almerita family has been growing Nerello Mascalese here for this rosé since the 1970s – a grape variety that is unrivalled in Sicily: Delicately fruity, lively, with a natural floral fragrance that gave the wine its name. The roses that have always grown on Regaleali are the inspiration. Gentle pressing, fermentation in steel at 14°C, three months of ageing, fruit and freshness.

"Susu lu somariellu!" – run, little donkey! That’s what they used to shout in Salento when the young Susumaniello vines bore such an exuberant crop that the pack animal could barely move forward. The name stuck. So did the grape variety – albeit only just. Susumaniello had almost been forgotten before northern Salento, around Brindisi, led the way in its rediscovery. Masseria Li Veli is one of those estates that takes this rare variety seriously. Clay-sand soils with a limestone subsoil, cordon speronato training, hand-harvested at the end of September. Temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, aged in French oak barrels.

For over 190 years, the Tasca d'Almerita family has been running the Regaleali estate – deep in the heart of Sicily, on the hills between Palermo and Caltanissetta, where the island shows its true character: tart, warm, incorruptible. This white wine has been the flagship of the house for over 60 vintages – and it is something like the most honest business card that Sicily can issue. Inzolia, Catarratto, Grecanico – three indigenous grape varieties of the island, rounded off with a touch of Chardonnay – grow at the higher altitudes of the estate, where cooler nights sharpen the flavour and preserve the natural acidity. Matured in stainless steel, cool and precise, without wood, without distraction.

Gròttolo means ‘little grotto’. A fitting name for an estate whose cellars are dug deep into the rock – across four levels, designed according to the principles of bio-architecture by Edoardo Milesi. No pumps, just gravity. Down there, where the temperature remains constant and time passes differently, this Rosato also matures. Sangiovese, gently pressed, with a short maceration at cool temperatures in stainless steel – and so, from Montecucco’s most important grape variety, a rosé is born that expresses the character of the terroir in a different colour.

Pale yellow with a greenish tinge – olli already looks like a Sicilian summer breeze in the glass. The pure Grillo comes from organic cultivation near Noto, where the vines are rooted in chalky soil and cooled by the sea breeze. Citrus, white peach, a little sage and a hint of salty sea air – the bouquet is fresh and charming. The palate is dry, lively and with animating fruit, accompanied by delicate minerality and a pleasant length. The ageing in stainless steel tanks gives it freshness and drinkability. An energetic wine with vigour and expressiveness right to the finish, this clear and balanced white from the trendy Sicilian Grillo variety offers exemplary value. SUPERIORE.DE

Far from the fame of the Vino Nobile vineyards, this Chianti was created in the "Pozzi" vineyards, where Federico Carletti ventured an oenological experiment. At an altitude of 350 to 450 metres, with a view of the famous San Biagio church, densely planted Sangiovese vines thrive on stony clay soils of almost skeletal permeability. Ninety-five per cent Sangiovese blends with five per cent other Tuscan varieties to create a Chianti of uncompromising authenticity. Six months in stainless steel preserve the youthful freshness of this DOCG composition, which Federico deliberately conceived as an alternative to modern velvet gloves.

From vineyards at an altitude of 250 metres in the midst of the majestic Dolomite landscape comes this charming Rosato, which embodies the carefree lightness of the South Tyrolean summer. The composition of carefully selected regional red grape varieties – mainly Lagrein – thrives in the warm, well-ventilated vineyards around Bolzano, where the mild climate and mineral-rich soils create ideal conditions for fresh, elegant rosé wines.