Formats

Santa Cecilia is Planeta's iconic Nero d'Avola – born in the barren, sun-scorched cultivated landscape of Noto, on white limestone soils that lend the variety depth, elegance and a hint of saltiness. In the glass, it is a deep ruby red with a purplish core. The bouquet opens with ripe black cherry, plum and mulberry, flanked by balsamic herbs, black tea, a hint of liquorice and a subtle note of graphite. On the palate, it is powerful yet never overpowering: dense, ripe fruit meets a firm tannic structure that is well-integrated and lends length. The acidity is precisely balanced, the finish long and carried by a salty nuance that reflects the terroir of Contrada Buonivini. An expressive, top-class Nero d'Avola with a distinct sense of place, character and a style of vinification that does not mask the variety but rather enhances it. For Planeta, it has been a benchmark for years and an expression of a new, confident Sicily. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that possess that unmistakable clarity which captures the essence of the terroir without beating about the bush. Fontanabianca's classic Barbaresco is just such a wine – blended from various plots around Neive, vinified with the precision that Matteo Pola, the third generation of the family, has made the estate's philosophy. Whilst the single-vineyard wines Bordini and Serraboella express the specific characteristics of their crus, this Barbaresco paints the bigger picture: 5.5 hectares on the municipality's typical limestone-clay soils, 300 metres above sea level, where Nebbiolo has, for generations, developed the elegance for which Neive is renowned in the world of Barbaresco.

This approachable Rosso Toscana IGT hails from the higher elevations of Chianti Classico, situated around a 10th-century Romanesque parish church. The blend, sourced from the estate's own vineyards, skilfully combines the freshness and finesse of Sangiovese with the structure and smoothness of Merlot. Following separate vinification of the grape varieties, the wine is aged for ten months in French and American oak barrels.

What is in this glass does not come from separate, less highly regarded plots, but exclusively from grapes classified for the Brunello itself – Rosso di Montalcino is an earlier, more immediate expression of the same noble material, not a separate, lesser category. The same transparency and the same tension that characterise the estate's great wines are found here in a sleeker, more direct form.

Villa di Capezzana has been the Tenuta's flagship since 1925 and is a living testimony to Tuscan wine culture. This Carmignano DOCG epitomises the vision of the Contini Bonacossi family, who for five generations have been cultivating the heritage of a wine estate whose first documented mention dates back to 804. In 1975, Carmignano was the first Tuscan DOC zone ever to officially include Cabernet Sauvignon in the assemblage – centuries before the Super Tuscans discovered this idea for themselves. The tradition goes back to the 16th century, when Caterina de' Medici had Cabernet cuttings brought to Carmignano from Bordeaux.

Gualtiero Morellino di Scansano Riserva from Morisfarms shows why this traditional family winery is a firm favourite in the Maremma. The cuvée is predominantly based on Sangiovese (Morellino), supplemented by small proportions of international varieties. The vines grow on sun-drenched hills between the Tyrrhenian coast and the cool foothills of Monte Amiata, whose clay and sandy soils lend the wine fruit and structure. Careful manual harvesting was followed by temperature-controlled fermentation, after which the Riserva matured for 12 months in a combination of barriques and large wooden barrels to harmoniously combine elegance and complexity.

Torrette Superiore is the epitome of traditional Aosta Valley culture: a cuvée with a clear focus on Petit Rouge, complemented by Mayolet, Fumin and Cornalin. The grapes come from steep slopes around Aymavilles at an altitude of 600 to 750 metres. The wine is matured in stainless steel, sometimes with a short wood passage to preserve the alpine freshness. Transparent ruby red colour in the glass. Red cherry, rosehip, alpine herbs and a hint of pepper on the nose. Lively on the palate, with silky tannins, animating acidity and fine mineral pressure. A polished, finely bitter red wine with a profile of origin - tart, fruity, independent and full of character. A true original from the roof of Italy. SUPERIORE.DE

It was during a car journey to Bordeaux – with Francesca Moretti and her father Vittorio – that the dream which drives Petra was born. Great red wines with a Mediterranean soul and Bordeaux-style precision. Back in Suvereto, the family planted their first vines at Tenuta San Lorenzo. The vineyard, situated right next to the cantina – named after the gnarled oak trees on the edge of the macchia – is Francesca's most personal plot. Merlot is her favourite grape variety. 88% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc – a Bordeaux-inspired choice for a Tuscan terroir. 26-year-old vines on clay-sandy, slightly calcareous soils, yielding 80 double-zentner per hectare. Fermentation using the Guyot training system on 6,200 vines per hectare, followed by nine months in barriques and nine months in concrete vats – a combination that gives the wine structure whilst preserving its freshness. At least six to seven months' bottle ageing.

Deep purple-red colour, distinctive bouquet that does not deny the Apulian home of the Susumaniello and enchants us with a stimulating freshness. Hints of ripe black cherries and fine spicy notes on the palate, dense, harmonious, long-lasting and with beautifully integrated tannins. An original, rustic flavour experience! SUPERIORE.DE

On the gently rolling slopes of Monte Quarin, in the heart of the Collio Goriziano, lies the small domain of the Raccaro family. Since 1928, they have been cultivating their seven hectares with the quiet perseverance that characterises true craftsmanship. Dario Raccaro is recognised by connoisseurs as one of the "great silents" of the Collio – his wines have a powerful essentiality that lingers on. His Collio Bianco combines Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Malvasia Istriana to create a cuvée that speaks unmistakably of the terroir of the Ponca soils. Gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation at 18 degrees, six months of maturation in stainless steel – a vinification that favours clarity.

An outstanding red wine with origin and personality: "Vicorosso" combines 80% Merlot with 20% Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso - a cuvée that embodies international elegance and regional expression in equal measure. The grapes come from old, slow-growing vines on the typical Ponca soils between Prepotto and Buttrio. After selective hand-picking, the wine matured for around 15 months in French barriques before harmonising for a few months in the bottle. Dense ruby red in the glass with violet reflections. The rich bouquet of black cherry, blackberry and plum is finely underpinned by violets, liquorice, tobacco leaf and graphite. The palate combines juicy fruit, fine-grained tannins and lively acidity in great balance, supported by a hint of salty minerality on the finish. The wine has a precise, compact and stimulating effect at the same time - an (almost) modern Friulian red wine with depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Standing in the shadow of great Brunellos is not an easy fate. The San Jacopo knows this fate – and makes the best of it. Fuligni himself calls it a "variation on the theme of Sangiovese", and that is exactly what it is: an elegant deviation from the strict rules, an experiment with freedom. 85% Sangiovese, obtained from younger clones from the various vineyards, meets 15% Merlot from the Bandita estate, where the tuff and clay soils are favourable to the international grape variety. Paolo Vagaggini, Fuligni's Oenologist for decades, vinifies the grapes separately and then blends them into a harmonious whole. Maturation takes place for around seven months in French tonneaux, which give the wine structure without dominating it.

Piera Dolza means "soft stone" and is the name of a very rare, historic dessert wine that was first produced in the traditional Prosecco region around Conegliano around 1600. It is only thanks to the initiative of 7 small local producers that it is being produced again today.

A grape variety like a secret: Rosenmuskateller migrated from Sicily to the Alps in the middle of the 19th century and found its second home on the alluvial soils of the Anreiterhof farm in Moritzing near Bolzano. Today it is one of the rarest grape varieties in South Tyrol – and the Rosis from the Bolzano winery is one of its finest interpreters. After harvest, the select grapes are subjected to natural air-drying, which concentrates their flavours and intensifies their sweetness. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and patient bottle ageing preserve the delicate fullness of flavour.

With the acquisition of Tenuta Le Macioche in 2017, the Cotarella family fulfilled a dream: a foothold in prestigious Montalcino. The Sangiovese vines thrive on just 3.5 hectares in the southern quadrant of Sant'Antimo, where Galestro, slate and clay form the subsoil at an altitude of 450 metres. The name of the estate is derived from the Corbezzolo bushes, whose roots are called "macioca" in the Tuscan dialect – a symbol of deep roots in the terroir. The Rosso di Montalcino is the more accessible brother of Brunello, ready to drink earlier: 100 per cent Sangiovese, fermented in stainless steel after selective hand-picking and then matured for twelve months in Liters tonneaux. The Mediterranean climate with continental influences and the strong thermal fluctuations between day and night give the wine its characteristic aromatic precision.

The name Manna evokes biblical associations, yet the true story is even more beautiful: in 1995, Franz Haas dedicated this exceptional wine to his wife, Maria Luisa Manna – a token of love in a bottle that embodies the winery’s philosophy in a single cuvée. What began as a blend of Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc was expanded to include Kerner from 2013 onwards – five grape varieties, five distinct characters, merging into a harmonious symbiosis.

A Pinot Nero from Franz Haas is a textbook expression every year and a benchmark throughout South Tyrol, with bright aromas of blueberries, violets and lavender rising gracefully from the bouquet. This is pure cool climate in the glass. On the palate, it is taut and silky and always beautifully polished and streamlined in a positive sense. This is a beautiful, complex and exceptionally exciting Pinot Nero from a master hand. SUPERIORE.DE

When a winery uses the same label for its Riserva for over sixty years, it is not a lack of imagination – it is a stance. Castello di Monsanto's Riserva is considered one of Italy's oldest labels still in continuous production. The label was around even before Chianti Classico became an appellation. It has survived decades and changing fashions – and it encapsulates what Monsanto stands for: a deep-rooted commitment to Sangiovese. The estate is situated in San Donato in Poggio, the westernmost sub-region of Chianti Classico, at an altitude of 280 to 320 metres. Galestro – a slate-rich, barren and mineral-laden soil – is the ground in which the Sangiovese vines from four vineyards take root.

In the local dialect, ‘Giatl’ means ‘small plot of land’ – and this name is steeped in history. The ten-hectare single vineyard in the valley floor of Kurtinig a.d.W. is one of the most exceptional terroirs for Pinot Grigio in the South Tyrolean Unterland. On sandy alluvial soils with calcareous gravel, vines grafted onto low-vigor rootstocks thrive here under ideal conditions, trained using the Guyot system. The unique microclimate of this sun-drenched spot is shaped by two contrasting wind systems: the warm ‘Ora’ blows northwards from Lake Garda in the afternoons, tempering the daytime heat, whilst at night cool downdrafts from the Dolomites provide relief. These extreme temperature fluctuations allow for long, slow ripening phases whilst perfectly preserving acidity and concentrating the aromas. Following hand-harvesting and destemming, a short cold maceration takes place to emphasise the fruitiness. The gently pressed grapes are clarified by natural sedimentation before alcoholic fermentation takes place in small and large French oak barrels (12 months) and in stainless steel tanks (6 months). Yeast ageing lends the wine valuable complexity and depth, whilst further months of bottle ageing round off its profile.

Some of the Malvasia vines at Raccaro are among the oldest on the estate – up to fifty years old, planted on the gentle hills at the foot of Monte Quarin, rooted in the "Ponca" soil typical of the Collio region, a stony, mineral-rich flysch soil. When these vines were planted, Malvasia was still considered a little-appreciated variety outside the Collio and the Trieste area – an early, forward-thinking decision in favour of a grape variety that has since become one of the region’s hallmarks. The grapes are gently processed in a membrane press, the must is cold-settled, followed by fermentation at a controlled temperature of 18 to 19°C in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then left to rest on its fine lees for six months before being bottled.

107 hectares. That's all. Across the entire Valdobbiadene Denominazione, which stretches across 15 municipalities and thousands of hectares of steep slopes, there is exactly one hill that has been demarcated by its own regulations since 1969 – a golden pentagon, as the locals call it, whose plots measure on average barely two tenths of a hectare. Cartizze is the grand cru of Veneto. Andreola sources his grapes from the "Cartizze Alto" sub-region – the limestone-rich ridge of the hill, where marl and sandstone alternate, the soils are flat and rich in minerals, and the perfect south-facing aspect balances the "Alta Collina" climate. Temperatures remain mild and stable – cooler than in the valley floor, warmer than the exposed steep slopes surrounding it. It is precisely this balance that produces a Glera of exceptional ripeness and aromatic complexity. The grapes come from long-standing contract growers who have been supplying Andreola for generations – because Cartizze is not a vineyard you can simply buy. If you’re lucky, you might cultivate a fraction of it.

The delicious Salealto consists of Insolia, Zibibbo and Grillo and was matured for approx. 10 months on the fine lees in stainless steel. Deep golden yellow in colour with green reflections. Open nose with hints of beeswax, yellow flowers, acacia, red apple and green pepper. Very refreshing on the palate, low acidity, a fine saline note and wonderful fruit flavours. Herbal spice and expansive fruit with beautiful freshness on the deep finish - be sure to aerate. SUPERIORE.DE

Gioia del Colle is an Italian municipality near Bari and probably the most famous DOC for Primitivo wines. The wines from this appellation embody a straightforward, fresh style and are far removed from the usual jammy suspects. The vines here grow at altitudes of up to 450 metres above sea level, the nights are cooler here than elsewhere in Apulia and the wines have a racier, tighter style and more structure than their namesakes.

A perfect introduction to the impressive craft of a young winemaker who has already come a long way on her way to the top. Here, Nebbiolo comes into the glass in purezza, the ageing partly in 500 Liters tonneaux and stainless steel interprets it – giulia Negri's vision – unadulterated and without distractions. Bright ruby red in colour, with a bouquet of small red berries, damp forest floor and a subtle hint of violets. Impressively elegant and supple on the palate, the Nebbiolo always remains taut and cool. In the final, the dark fruit beguiles with a freshness and juiciness that never seems opulent, but carries the tension into the long finish. SUPERIORE.DE