Formats

The porphyry-rich steep slopes of the Ritten above Bolzano offer first-class conditions for producing a Sauvignon Bianco with unique fruitiness, minerality, elegance and depth. Straw-yellow with greenish highlights. Precise fruity notes of gooseberry, elderflower, herbs, yeast and a subtle hint of oak. On the palate, it is harmonious with very well-integrated acidity, a pronounced body and an elegant, mineral character. Long and deep on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Between the hills of Gaiole and Radda in Chianti, at an altitude of 460 to 525 metres, lies one of the most extraordinary wine estates in Tuscany. Since 1982, Marco Pallanti and Lorenza Sebasti have shaped the fortunes of Castello di Ama – a winemaking couple who have helped Chianti Classico achieve worldwide recognition. "Ama" was created in 2010 with the introduction of the Gran Selezione as an independent line and represents the essence of the estate's younger Sangiovese clones. Made from 96% Sangiovese and 4% Merlot, the wine comes from densely planted vineyards on chalky, clayey soils. The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand, fermented spontaneously with natural yeasts and matured for twelve months in second-use barriques.

The grapes for this fresh and very complex Pinot Grigio come from a single vineyard at an altitude of around 700 metres with a westerly exposure; only 3,200 bottles are bottled each year. This Pinot Grigio reflects both the alpine terroir and the clear varietal identity. Bright straw yellow in colour, with a floral nose of lime, hawthorn and herbs. Firm and fresh on the palate, with harmonious, flavoursome notes of apple and pear and a mineral vein on the long, balanced finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Barriu – in Sardinian dialect a word for "load" or "burden" – refers to the traditional unit of measurement that was once used to measure the carrying capacity of a donkey. One barriu was equivalent to around 100 Liters of wine, a symbol of a rural world in which every load had weight – both physically and symbolically. Vigne Surrau uses this metaphor to give its most powerful red wine a name that combines origin, strength and identity. Barriu is Sardinia in traditional rhythm, born in Gallura, where sun, wind and granite create a dramatic stage for great red wines. The wine combines three grape variety characters: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cannonau and Carignano and each variety brings its own signature. The vines are rooted in granite soils in the hills near Arzachena, where cool nights and thermal winds ensure slow, balanced ripening.

A white pioneer in Tuscany: in 1987, Avignonesi was the first winery in the region to create a barrique-aged white wine and named it after the stone lion in front of the palazzo in Montepulciano – symbolising wisdom and strength. Today, Virginie Saverys continues this tradition with biodynamic precision and vinifies the Chardonnay from Cortona using the pied-de-cuve method: 81% is matured in French barriques, 19% in cement barrels, in each case for at least five months on the fine lees.

Furggl is a field name that sticks in the memory. In the municipality of Auer, in the heart of South Tyrol’s Unterland region, this single vineyard is situated on alluvial soils composed of limestone and porphyry gravel, interspersed with sand and loam. A terroir that offers the late-ripening Lagrein exactly what it needs: warmth, depth and the soil moisture that ensures a consistent supply of water even in dry years. The vines, grafted onto low-vigor rootstocks and trained using the Guyot system, yield concentrated harvests of just 45 hectolitres per hectare. Following the hand-harvest in early October, the destemmed grapes first undergo a one-day cold maceration before fermentation takes place at 28–30 °C over ten days. Regular pumping over and gentle submersion keep the must in contact with the skins – , allowing colour pigments and fruit aromas to permeate the heart of the wine. After two careful rackings, the long ageing process begins: 12 months in French barriques, followed by 6 months in stainless steel, then a further 6 months of bottle ageing. Only after a total of 24 months’ ageing does this wine reach the customer – ready to drink, yet with the potential to age for a decade or more.

As you know, at Roagna there are no afterthoughts. When Luca Roagna, the fifth generation of this legendary Barbaresco dynasty, makes Dolcetto, it is not as a stopgap between the great Nebbiolos, but as a testament to its substance. The grapes come from 45-year-old vines in the prestigious Pajé and Asili vineyards, where the iconic Barbaresco wines are usually produced. Pajé, with its chalk-rich marl soils and high proportion of active chalk, Asili, with its east-facing clay-limestone soils and distinctive sandy content – these are no ordinary Dolcetto terroirs. The winemaking process follows the Roagna philosophy: ten days' fermentation in large wooden vats with indigenous yeasts, followed by 90 to 100 days' contact with the skins – a maceration period that even many Barolos do not undergo. After approximately ten months' ageing in wooden and concrete vats, the wine is bottled unfiltered.

"La Procura" - "The Public Prosecutor's Office". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary. The climate in Basilicata is characterised by hot, sunny days and cool nights thanks to altitudes of up to 600 m above sea level. This large day/night temperature difference promotes slow phenolic ripening and preserves the freshness of the fruit. The limestone and clay soils store heat during the day and release it at night, resulting in a balance of concentration and elegance. Notaio's new La Procura Primitivo comes from hand-picked Primitivo grapes in the province of Potenza. Harvested at the end of October, the grapes macerated for 20 days, followed by 12 months of ageing in French barriques and 12 months of bottle ageing.

The family-run Andreola winery in Col San Martino was founded in 1984 by Nazzareno Pola in the heart of the Valdobbiadene wine-growing region. In his honour, a beautiful Prosecco Superiore is produced here every year in small batches, the 2024 vintage has once again received the highest accolade from Gambero Rosso. For Stefano Pola, the "Etichetta del Fondatore" represents the ultimate expression of finesse and olfactory elegance that the Glera grape can offer in the heart of the Prosecco Superiore region – combined with the verticality and juiciness imparted by the soils, without ever losing its lightness and drinkability.

The Via Francigena was the great pilgrimage route of the Middle Ages, running from Canterbury to Rome. It passed through San Gimignano, and those travelling along it would also stop to rest at the small Romanesque Pieve di San Donato – a church around which a medieval village had once gathered, before time and history caused it to disperse. The church remained. And at some point, the brothers Giampiero and Stefano, together with their father Mario, bought this Pieve and the surrounding land. They set up their first cellar in the old sacristy.

This is where Ampeleia's true masterclass is revealed: the Cabernet Franc from the single vineyard "Vigna dell'Asina" is the centrepiece of the "Monovarietali" project and shows why this grape variety has become the flagship of the winery. What began as a vision in 2003 has developed into one of the most precise expressions of the Tuscan terroir. The vineyard lies at an altitude of 500 metres and combines ideal conditions: Clay-rich soils interspersed with characteristic Galestro limestone rocks and Palombini formations create a unique microclimate. Contrary to the expectation that clay soils produce heavy wines, wines of surprising elegance and purity are produced here – a phenomenon that can only be observed in Roccatederighi. Vinification follows Ampeleia's purist approach: 20% of the grapes undergo carbonic maceration as whole bunches, the rest are destemmed. After two weeks of maceration, the wine matures for nine months in cement tanks – for nine months in cement tanks without the use of wood in order to preserve the varietal characteristics unadulterated.

In 1090, while Leif Erikson was discovering America and the first universities in Europe were being established, two friends of Abbot Rolando paid "two capons, three loaves of bread and six silver denarii from Lucca" for the annual lease of a vineyard in the divine valley of Dievole. Nine hundred (Novecento) years later, in 1990, this wine was created as a reminiscence of the incredible journey through the centuries. The grapes thrive between 300 and 420 metres above sea level on stony soils of marl, limestone and galestro. The vines, which are on average 15 years old and cultivated organically as in the early days of this domain, undergo a 14-day spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in cement vats before maturing for 18 months in large, unroasted French Allier oak barrels.

Francesca Moretti grew up with Bellavista – her father Vittorio's Franciacorta winery, one of Italy's reference addresses for sparkling wine. What she wanted to develop in Suvereto was the opposite: great red wines in the style of Bordeaux, from a terroir that hardly anyone knew. The Potenti is her most personal commitment to this conviction – named after the vineyard in Riotorto from which the grapes come. The soils are clayey, sandy and calcareous, interspersed with coarse skeleton – a foundation that forces the Cabernet Sauvignon to root deeply and bear concentrated fruit. The vineyard lies between the foothills of the Colline Metallifere and the Tyrrhenian coast, in a climate that combines sea breezes with long, sunny autumns. After the harvest in October, the wine ferments in large oak conical barrels and matures for 18 months in French barriques – according to the best Bordelese tradition.

Whilst most labels feature Sting's songs, this Chianti Riserva bears the name of another artist: Trudie Styler, producer of cult films such as *Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels* and the Oscar-winning *Still Alice*, and founder of Maven Pictures, which promotes female directing talent. "La Regista" – the female director – is her wine-loving signature, and just like in a great film, every detail here is spot on. Pure Sangiovese from the biodynamically farmed slopes around Figline Valdarno, twelve days on the skins, fourteen months' ageing in large wooden barrels.

All the vineyards of the Falkenstein winery face south. Except for one. The St. Ursula vineyard is exposed to the south-west, and this decision is no coincidence. Pinot Noir needs a different logic than Riesling or Pinot Blanc: a little less direct midday sun, a little more afternoon warmth, a slower, more even ripening. On dry glacial moraine soils of gneiss, slate, granite, mica and quartz, at altitudes between 600 and 900 metres, the basis for the estate's top selection grows here. The St. Ursula is the selection of the best grapes from this unique parcel – hand-picked, matured in barriques, the only Falkenstein wine not aged in acacia wood but in small wooden barrels. Aged in the bottle for at least 365 days before leaving the winery. The name bears – like so many vineyards in Alpine South Tyrol – the history of a chapel or patrocinium that has characterised this landscape for centuries.

Subtle but tantalising aromas of yellow pear, smoke, citrus and hazelnut lift from the glass, along with a hint of cedar. The flavours continue on the elegantly structured palate, along with citrus peel and a hint of acacia honey. It shows the ageing potential of Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo and is a serious white wine that is suitable not only as an aperitif but also as an accompaniment to an entire meal. Piquant and impressive. SUPERIORE.DE

It was Luigi Veronelli, the Italian wine revolutionary of the 1960s and 1970s, who convinced Francesco Giuntini that exceptional single-vineyard wines deserve a voice of their own. Of all the old poderi from the mezzadria era, Bucerchiale has always been the finest – a south-west-facing amphitheatre in the cooler heights of Rufina, where Tuscany meets the final foothills of the Apennines. In 1979, Francesco dared to break new ground. Whilst the law still mandated Trebbiano in every Chianti and the wine world prioritised quantity, he produced a defiant challenge made from 100% Sangiovese. A 100% Sangiovese from a single vineyard – a revolutionary act at the time, marking the beginning of the Tuscan Renaissance. In 2022, Vigneto Bucerchiale celebrates its 43rd year and embodies a vision brought to perfection. Spontaneous fermentation in steel tanks at 30–32°C, with 30 days' maceration, allows every nuance of the terroir to unfold before the wine is aged 50% in 25-hl French oak casks and 50% in barriques – only 15% of which are new.

The steep porphyry slopes on the Ritten, situated at altitudes of up to 650 metres above Bolzano, offer ideal conditions for producing this robust yet elegant Chardonnay, characterised by superb balance, well-integrated acidity and excellent ageing potential. Straw-yellow in colour with greenish hues. The bouquet offers pure exotic notes of pineapple, mango and white peach, underpinned by a delicate hint of vanilla. Powerful on the palate; the well-integrated acidity ensures that, despite its power and complexity, it remains fresh and mineral right through to a seemingly endless finish. A great Chardonnay from South Tyrol! SUPERIORE.DE

The organically certified Sangiovese grapes for this Chianti Classico are grown in the legendary Conca d'Oro south of Panzano, that amphitheatrical Golden Valley with its unique microclimate of warm days and cool nights. Giovanni Manetti, president of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, vinifies exclusively hand-picked grapes in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts on the chalky Galestro soils of his 170-hectare Tenuta. After three weeks of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in French oak barrels of various sizes.

A wine of great personality that embodies the entire philosophy of Poggio Bonelli. Poggiassai is the Supertuscan of the house – a modern interpretation of Tuscan winemaking that masterfully combines tradition and innovation. It demonstrates the expertise of a winery that has been honoured over the centuries by the most important noble families in Siena. The vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills around Castelnuovo Berardenga with a perfect south-west exposure. The carefully hand-picked grapes thrive in ideal conditions on these special soils, where sandy subsoils ensure optimum drainage. Strict selection limits the yield to just 50 centners per hectare - a commitment to uncompromising quality.

A Lugana Metodo Classico with superior elegance: Olivini's extra brut made from 100% Turbiana matures for around 36 months on the fine lees and combines freshness, structure and fine complexity. Pale straw yellow in colour with golden reflections and a fine, persistent perlage. On the nose, notes of lemon, white apple and bread crust, subtly accompanied by hints of almond. Clear and dry on the palate, with lively acidity, precise texture and fine mineral tension.