Formats

An uncompromisingly natural Franciacorta: Essence Nature dispenses entirely with dosage and thus presents itself with clear purity, dry tension and precise fruit. The base consists mainly of Chardonnay, supplemented by Pinot Nero from carefully selected, moraine-rich vineyards. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a continuously fine perlage. Yellow citrus fruit, green apple, white acacia and a delicate hint of brioche are present on the nose. On the palate, this Dosaggio Zero is dry, lively and structured - with lively acidity, mineral freshness and a clear texture. The long finish remains focussed, with a delicate hint of bitter almond. A very puristic Franciacorta, fine and distinctive with just 1.90 g/l residual sugar - one of our absolute favourites! SUPERIORE.DE

A Satèn with supple fullness and fine elegance: the 2021 Millesimato edition shows how velvety Chardonnay can be. The grapes come from Chardonnay parcels on moraine hills that harmoniously reflect the cooler climate of Franciacorta. Maturation in the bottle on the lees lasted around 36 months, giving the wine its silky texture and fine complexity.

Don Antonio is not only a great and powerful wine, it is also a monument. Dedicated to the father of the Morgante family, this Nero d'Avola embodies the quintessence of the passion with which vines have been cultivated in the hills of Grotte for generations. The grapes come from old vines and the best altitudes of up to 500 metres, where day-night temperature fluctuations, limestone soils and the sea breeze favour a Mediterranean but wonderfully developed profile. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine is aged for twelve months in French barriques, followed by a further maturation phase in the bottle.

The name alone conjures up images: La Luna e i Falò – "The moon and the fires". An allusion to Cesare Pavese's novel of the same name, a reflection of a deep-rooted love of one's homeland, melancholic and powerful at the same time. And so is this Barbera from the heart of the Nizza region – deep in the Monferrato – is not just a pleasant wine, but an expression of inner density and grown identity. The grapes come from old vineyards around Agliano Terme, with poor, calcareous soils and optimal south to south-west exposure. After a long maceration period, the wine is aged for 18 months in French barriques, followed by further maturation in the bottle. A Riserva with format, precision and the necessary breath.

In the Val di Noto, where the lime-white bagli of Tenuta Zisola are enthroned between almond trees and olive groves, one of the most extraordinary tributes to the history of the Mazzei family is being created. Effe Emme – two letters sewn into a customised wine like precious initials, bear the name of one of the most fascinating pioneers of modern times: Filippo Mazzei. On the limestone-rich soils of Noto, at an altitude of 130 metres in a south-easterly exposure, the unique characteristics of the terroir meet a rare grape variety: Petit Verdot in absolute purity. This French variety, which has found a new home here in the south of Sicily, is hand-picked at the end of September and fermented at 28-30°C, followed by a 14-day maceration. The Effe Emme is matured for around 16 months in 225 Liters French oak barrels.

Ca' dei Frati, known as "il luogo dei Frati" since 1782 – the place of the monks – in Lugana near Sirmione on Lake Garda, is now owned by the fourth generation of the Dal Cero family. The traditional winery vinifies each vineyard plot separately in order to precisely express the respective terroir. The Cuvée dei Frati dosaggio zero is made from the indigenous Turbiana grape variety, the famous Trebbiano di Lugana, supplemented by a small dose of Chardonnay to maintain the acidity structure typical of Metodo Classico wines. The grapes grow on calcareous, clayey soils on the moraine hills south of Lake Garda, whose minerality gives the wines a special freshness and sapidity. The first fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in barriques, the second fermentation strictly according to the Metodo Classico in the bottle. After at least 36 months on the lees – significantly longer than for Brut – followed by a further four months of bottle ageing after disgorgement.

Malvasia Istriana is the most fragrant variety in Friuli – and the least known outside its borders. Gianfranco Gallo cultivated it when hardly anyone believed in it, on one and a half hectares in Mariano del Friuli, which give it everything it needs in terms of yield and ripeness. Dis Cumieris – named after a local topographical term – is Gallo's homage to the variety in its purest form. 100% Malvasia Istriana, on glacial gravel with sand, eight months on the lees, no malolactic. The result is a fragrance that is almost unrivalled in intensity by any other grape variety.

Named after Giuseppe Massolino, the charismatic uncle and long-time ambassador of the winery, Gisep is the majestic interpretation of a grape variety that matures to unimagined depth here. The grapes come from high-altitude, old vineyards in Serralunga d'Alba, whose calcareous and clayey soils give the Barbera natural vigour and firm structure. The 2022 vintage, characterised by a warm summer with cooling September nights, produced grapes of exceptional physiological ripeness. The ageing in large oak barrels ensures harmonious tannins and a deep, persistent flavour.

Behind Noà is Cusumano's vision of a Sicilian red wine of international calibre, rooted in the barren highlands of Presti e Pegni near Monreale. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d'Avola thrive on calcareous, stony soils at an altitude of around 300 metres – a place where the heat of the day and the coolness of the night allow a precise interplay of ripeness and freshness. In the glass, Noà is a dark ruby colour with violet hues. The bouquet reveals a complex composition of ripe blackcurrants, sour cherries, blackberries and dried plums, underpinned by notes of espresso, cedar wood, tobacco and dark cocoa. Powerful and structured on the palate with velvety tannins, a supple texture and the characteristic depth that comes from the volcanic terroir and the barrique-aged composition. The final is long, with hints of liquorice, herbs and mineral spice.

Sicilian Metodo Classico, which approaches the style of the great sparkling wines of Europe – and yet never denies its Mediterranean identity - that was the plan. Donnafugata's Millesimato is made from Pinot Nero and Chardonnay, which grow at an altitude of around 470 metres in the hills of Contessa Entellina. Calcareous, well-aerated soils and strong day-night fluctuations ensure aromatic depth, freshness and ripening potential. The grapes are harvested early and selectively in order to preserve the necessary acidity structure. After gentle pressing, the first fermentation takes place in steel tanks, followed by the second in the bottle for 36 months on the lees – a phase that gives it complexity, density and structure.

Picolit is not only one of the rarest, but also one of the finest grape varieties in Italy - a diva in the vineyard and a treasure in the glass. Due to its natural trickling, it naturally produces only a few, but highly concentrated berries. Tunella dedicates itself to this delicate, traditional plant with the utmost respect: hand-picking in several passes, natural drying of the berries on the plant until deep into autumn, ageing in small French oak barrels and a lot of patience. 2021 was a year with an ideal late summer that offered perfect conditions for Picolit. The noble rot grapes from the hills of the Colli Orientali yielded a dense, golden must that was fermented slowly and carefully. Maturation in small wooden barrels on the lees lends depth and texture without masking the delicate elegance of the variety.

In 1991, the personal and professional relationship between Gianni Masciarelli and his wife, Marina Cvetic, gave rise to the range that still bears their name today. The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva is their best-selling wine, available in 55 countries, and has played a key role in strengthening the reputation of this grape variety worldwide – today it is regarded as one of its most recognisable and distinctive expressions. The grapes come from four distinct vineyard sites around San Martino sulla Marrucina, at an altitude of 400 metres: Colle di Paolo, Fonte Filippo, Schiavone and Colle Rosina, on medium-textured clay soil, trained using the Guyot system, with vines aged between 15 and 30 years.

Pelago is a tribute to the harmonious combination of classic Marche flavours with international influences. The cuvée of Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot brings together the best of the region in a finely structured red wine. The grapes are harvested by hand and placed in stainless steel tanks for controlled fermentation before the wine matures for 14 months in Liters barriques and then develops for a further twelve months in the bottle.