Formats

There are wines whose labels do not tell the whole truth. Bricco Ravera is labelled "Langhe Nebbiolo", but in reality it is Barolo in every respect – except for the name. The grapes come from the Ravera vineyard in Monforte d'Alba, one of the most prestigious single vineyards in the Barolo region, where Pecchenino has owned plots since the early 2000s. A complicated dispute over appellation rights meant that this wine had to be marketed under the less restrictive Langhe DOC – a bureaucratic detail that nevertheless works in the favour of the connoisseur: Barolo quality at a Langhe price. The vineyards are located in the hamlet of San Giuseppe near the Pecchenino family's Barolo winery. The chalky, clayey soils with a southern and south-western exposure offer ideal conditions for Nebbiolo, the capricious, late-ripening grape variety that develops its full aromatic complexity here. After alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine remains in contact with the skins for a prolonged post-maceration before being racked. Once malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to oak barrels, where it develops the structure and depth that distinguishes it from simpler Langhe wines.

Trebianco is a golden yellow "natural/orange wine" made from Chardonnay, Traminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Trebbiano and matured in clay barrels. The initially reductive bouquet has hints of sweet tobacco, nutmeg, leather, honey, orange peel and spicy herbs. Fresh on the palate with vibrant acidity. Note: The wine is unsulphurised, unfiltered and fascinatingly special. An oxidative note and lees in the wine do not represent a lack of quality. SUPERIORE.DE

Copper-coloured with light brown reflections. The bouquet is floral, sweet and complex. On the palate, its typical Moscato flavours are carried by honey, dried fruit, caramel and a hint of musk. Creamy and dense on the palate with a well-balanced acidity that gives it plenty of freshness. Overall, Aestas Passito is a dessert wine for us that is hard to beat in terms of excitement and speciality and where you can feel the dedication and certain wine craziness with every sip. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Manna evokes biblical associations, but the true story is even more beautiful: Franz Haas dedicated this extraordinary wine to his wife Maria Luisa Manna in 1995 – a token of love in bottle form that unites the philosophy of the winery in a single cuvée. What began as an assemblage of Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc was expanded to include Kerner from 2013 onwards – five grape varieties, five personalities that merge into a harmonious symbiosis. The vineyards are located between 350 and 800 metres above sea level in a south-westerly direction on geologically highly diverse soils: dolomite, porphyry, sand and marl give each plot its own character. The grapes ripen at different times and are harvested and vinified separately – chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc ferment in barriques, while Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Kerner ferment in stainless steel tanks. After fermentation, the young wines are blended and left to rest on the fine lees for around ten months, followed by further months of bottle ageing. This patient approach results in a wine of exceptional complexity.

Bernardina is a wine with an interesting history. The Bernardina vineyard was once part of a 600-hectare estate belonging to a noble family who did not care much for wine. When the appellation boundaries for Barolo were established, this family never lobbied to become part of the area now registered for the production of Barolo DOCG. Today, the vineyard is managed by the Ceretto family, who have instead focussed on the production of Nebbiolo d'Alba. Nebbiolo d'Alba is an appellation in which the grapes from the Barolo and Barbaresco wine regions have been declassified and which is becoming increasingly popular.

Produced in just 6,000 bottles per vintage, Godenza from the vineyard of the same name undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by temperature-controlled maceration in stainless steel tanks. After malolactic fermentation, it then matures for 12 months in cement vats and at least 9 months in the bottle. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, it is characterised by its complex and open bouquet with aromas of small red berries and spices. On the palate, it is firm and clear with a wonderful balance between acidity and ripe flavours and has a very respectable, slightly salty and spicy finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes come mainly from the historic Russeghine vineyard above the town of Ranzo Borgo. The character of the Pigato here is of particular depth and minerality, which is due to the exceptional terroir and the long maturation on the fine lees. Bright straw yellow in colour with light green reflections. Fragrant nose of herbs, yellow fruit and traces of pine resin. Full and long-lasting flavour with beautiful spiciness and aromas of citrus and almond, then again this beguiling, deep minerality at the end. SUPERIORE.DE

Famous, single-varietal Fiano from calcareous, clayey-sandy soils in the Contrada Dispensa near Menfi. Bright straw yellow in colour with a greenish tinge. The bouquet is complex and full of finesse: white flowers, Williams pear, ripe citrus fruit and a hint of exotic notes such as passion fruit and guava, underpinned by a salty, almost chalky nuance. Silky and broad on the palate, with polished fruit, lively acidity and a cool minerality. The texture appears creamy, but remains clearly contoured and convincingly expresses its origin.

1968 – three years before Sassicaia changed the world – san Felice created Vigorello: the first Chianti Classico wine produced without the white grape varieties that were mandatory at the time, made exclusively from red varieties. A quiet revolution that instilled in the estate a sense of what was possible, which continues to shape its identity to this day. An expression of this identity is the Vitiarium, a research project spanning over twenty years dedicated to the rediscovery and preservation of indigenous Tuscan grape varieties. One of these is the Pugnitello: its name means ‘little fist’, referring to the compact, fist-shaped bunches. Almost extinct, preserved by San Felice, it is now an integral part of the Borgo. Sangiovese and Pugnitello, grown on medium-heavy calcareous-marly soils near the medieval Borgo, are vinified separately in stainless steel and only come together during ageing: twelve months in large Slavonian oak barrels.

Cuvée Real epitomises the elegant signature of Antica Fratta and shows just how fine Franciacorta can be. It is based on Chardonnay and a small proportion of Pinot Nero from the gentle moraine hills of Lombardy. After gentle whole-cluster pressing, the first fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in small wooden barrels before the wine matures for at least 24 months on the fine lees in the bottle. Delicate straw yellow in the glass with a fine, persistent perlage. The bouquet opens with notes of fresh lemon, yellow apple, some white peach and a hint of roasted hazelnut. The palate is fresh and precise, with an elegant creaminess, fine citrus flavour and balanced structure. The finish is clear, mineral-accentuated and persistent. A stylish, versatile Franciacorta that shines both as an aperitif and as an accompaniment to fine cuisine – classic, precise and charming. SUPERIORE.DE

Feudi di San Gregorio's DUBL project was born in 2004 from an awareness of the great richness of the autochthonous vines of the Irpinia region and the desire to open up new horizons for them: as a Metodo Classico Spumante or by means of the famous Méthode Champenoise. An advisor was quickly found for this - none other than Anselme Selosse, who is known for his champagnes and his feeling for the particularities of the vines and vineyards.

Ceretto's Langhe Rosso Monsordo is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah with fruit from 11 hectares in the Langa region. It penetrates into areas that Ceretto's master grape, Nebbiolo, never addresses. Monsordo attempts to provide answers to questions that are rarely asked in the Langa, and he answers them with fine extract sweetness and fullness.

Puer Apuliae (son of Apulia) is what the De Coratos call their elegant and outstanding quality wine made from 100% Nero di Troia. The flagship in the cellar delights with its balsamic aroma, in which there is room for spices, plums, pickled nuts and black sultanas. The flavour is very concentrated yet juicy, full-bodied and dense, with a long finish and a lovely hint of cranberries and tobacco. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Potazzine: this is the name given in Montalcino dialect to the little tits that flutter through the vineyards. It was the pet name given by a grandmother to her lively granddaughters: Viola and Sofia. Today, together with their mother Gigliola Giannetti, the two run one of the most purist wineries in the appellation. The vines grow at an altitude of 450 to 530 metres – sites that were once considered too cool and are now considered a blessing. This Sangiovese is the youthful entry: pure stainless steel ageing, twelve months, no oak, just the grape.

The year is 1773 and a storm drives the English merchant ship "Elizabeth" into the harbour of Marsala. John Woodhouse, a merchant from Liverpool, seeks shelter – and finds a wine in an osteria that won't let him go. To stabilise it for the long journey home, he fortifies it with Acquavite. A makeshift solution that establishes the history of an entire wine. Pellegrino, the centrepiece of the Marsala tradition since 1880, has dedicated its own cuvée to this far-sighted Englishman. "Old John" – respect in two words. Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia, harvested in the hinterland between Marsala and Mazara del Vallo, are fortified with neutral alcohol after fermentation has stopped and topped with mosto cotto – grape must – flavoured and slightly sweetened. Then comes the time: at least 48 months in large oak barrels and a further six months in barriques. The 1998 is a true Riserva – not a vintage for the impatient.

Here comes a wine that completely tantalises the senses: Maximo is a sweet wine rarity based on Sauvignon Blanc, harvested at the height of the Villa Bianchi estate – where humidity and dry winds favour the noblest form of Botrytis cinerea. The grapes ripen on the cool Colli del Verdicchio before they are hand-picked several times and transferred to the cellar, where they are pressed particularly gently in a small Vaslin press basket. Spontaneous fermentation takes place at 15 °C for around a month. After static clarification, the wine matures in small stainless steel tanks for around a year.

A new name – and a real one: Garofoli rechristened its classic with the 2023 vintage. Not out of a marketing whim, but out of conviction. Piancarda "Blu" – the blue stands for the Adriatic Sea, which can almost always be seen from Monte Conero. The vineyard is located within the Monte Conero Nature Reserve, on calcareous-clay soils that give Montepulciano the depth that makes this grape variety on the coast of central Italy so unmistakable. 100% Montepulciano. Maceration for 8 to 10 days, followed by 15 months in large wooden barrels and 6 months in the bottle.

Very rarely do even the traditionalists relax their strict rules. Fuligni, synonymous with classic Brunello di Montalcino for over a century, has taken a step with this rosato that surprises and enchants – and enchants. Only around a thousand bottles of this Sangiovese rosé are produced, which grows on the north-eastern slopes of Montalcino, where the family has cultivated its vineyards since the beginning of the 20th century. Maria Flora Fuligni, who has managed the estate with philosophical calm since 1971, was guided by the joy of experimentation. The vinification follows the classic Rosato method: short maceration, gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel.

In the top "San Clemente" line, Zaccagnini takes Montepulciano from Abruzzo to a new level - towards origin, depth and maturity. The 2019 Riserva comes from the Terre di Casauria DOC area, one of the most characterful zones in the region, located between the Majella massif and the Adriatic coast. The vineyards there are located on calcareous and clayey slopes with good drainage and ideal exposure - a terroir that gives the Montepulciano structure, density and balance. The 2019 vintage was selectively harvested, fermented on the skins at a controlled temperature and then matured for around 24 months in a combination of barriques and large wooden barrels. The use of wood remains discreet, accompanying but not dominating.

The Greeks brought Moscato Bianco to Sicily. Biblino, the island's first documented wine from the Syracusan hinterland, is said to be its ancestor. Thousands of years later, Planeta lies in Contrada Buonivini, not far from Noto, at 40 metres above sea level in a landscape of white, limestone-rich soil, almond trees and sea breezes. What the Greeks knew: there is hardly a better place for Moscato. At the end of August, when the berries have reached full ripeness, the grapes are harvested by hand. What follows is the centrepiece: around 40 days of appassimento in fruttaio, in 5-kilogram crates with controlled ventilation. The grapes lose half their weight – and double their essence.

For decades, the Sottimano family in Neive has vinified five individual Barbaresco vineyards separately: Cotta, Pajoré, Fausoni, Basarin and Currà – each with its own signature, each an independent argument for the terroir of the municipality. The Langhe Nebbiolo at Sottimano is normally made from the younger vines of the Basarin vineyard, while the older vines contribute their material to the five Barbaresco cru.

Uccelliera's Rosso di Montalcino slowly comes to life with a beguiling blend of mentholated herbs, pine shavings and dried strawberries. It glides over the palate with a texture of pure silk, caressing everything it touches with ripe red fruits and rosy flowers accompanied by a lively acidity. Structured, powerful and long on the final – as always, it far exceeds its weight class and is a top-class Rosso di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

A rare Riesling from Friuli that does not seek grand gestures, but impresses with its precision and subtle tension. The grapes come from higher-lying plots with calcareous flysch soil, which favours the mineral expression. Pale yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. The bouquet opens with fine notes of lime, white peach, some grapefruit and a hint of flint. Slender, straightforward and powerful on the palate, with animating acidity and a pleasantly tart, citrus-accentuated finish. A northern Italian Riesling with character that consciously sets itself apart from German or Alsatian models – fine, dry and mineral in character. Good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

New world meets old world. Impressive Sauvignon Bianco from higher-lying plots in the Langhe around Treiso and Trezzo Tinella, harvested cool and rigorously selected. The musts are fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel; the wine then remains on the fine lees for several months (with gentle stirring), without malolactic fermentation and without the use of wood – for maximum aromatic precision and a fine, chalky texture.