Formats

It was Paolo Foradori who made Mazon what it is today. He married into the Hofstätter family in 1959 and dedicated his life to a single project: proving that the high plateau east of the Adige Valley is the most important Pinot Noir site in Italy. The experts have proved him right. Mazon, at 350 to 460 metres, exposed on the north side, on the cooler east side of the South Tyrolean Adige Valley – with limestone gravel and clay soils, which are mineralised by the rock formations of the Werfen Formation – gives the Pinot Nero a depth, concentration and complexity that cannot be found anywhere else in this form. The Riserva is the expression of the entire plateau: the wine that Foradori in Mazon always had in mind. 100% hand-picked, completely destemmed harvest, fermentation in concrete vats with remontage. Then maturation in barriques, then again in concrete – a sequence that treats structure and freshness equally – and finally two years of bottle ageing before sale.

When French noble vines were planted in the Tuscan soil of Felsina's Podere Molinuzzo in 1998, a visionary experiment of extraordinary boldness began. Pinot Nero in Tuscany? A seemingly impossible endeavour in a region dominated by Sangiovese. But Giuseppe Mazzocolin and Franco Bernabei, who had already initiated the Sangiovese revolution with the legendary Fontalloro, once again dared to do the impossible: to cultivate the Burgundian king grape variety under the Tuscan sun. The vineyard, which covers just 2.5 hectares, is strategically located on the border between Felsina and Castello di Farnetella, on soils of sand and clay with a significant stony and calcareous component. This geological peculiarity, combined with the cooler microzone of Podere Molinuzzo, creates ideal conditions for a grape variety that elsewhere in Italy only thrives in the foothills of the Alps.

In a prime plot south of the legendary Bricco Boschis lies the Cavallottos' hidden gem: Vigna Cuculo. Here, where normally only Nebbiolo is supposed to thrive, brothers Giuseppe and Alfio have achieved an oenological miracle – a Barbera cru that combines its Piedmontese soul with the aristocratic elegance of its great Barolo neighbours. The name "Cuculo" – the cuckoo – could not be more poetic for this wine, which holds its own like a stranger in royal territory whilst developing its very own identity. The plot benefits from the unique microclimate of Bricco Boschis, that geological treasure where different soils converge in a symphony of limestone, marl and sand layers. This complexity of soil imparts a minerality and structure to the Barbera grape that goes far beyond what is normally expected of this variety. A west-south-west aspect and the calcareous-clay soils create ideal conditions for a wine of exceptional depth.

Rubatsch is a vineyard in Terlan at 250 metres, on a south-western slope with sandy soil on weathered porphyry rock. Two thirds of the Lagrein vines for this wine are rooted here, while the remaining third comes from the Seehof vineyard in Caldaro, where the soil is loamier and heavier. Two soils, two characters, one indigenous grape variety that belongs to South Tyrol like the Dolomites belong to the horizon.

The Conca d'Oro – the golden basin. This is what the winegrowers of Panzano call the natural depression in the terrain south of Greve, where the sun arrives earlier and stays longer than elsewhere in Chianti Classico. The slope, the Galestro-Alberese soil, the air circulation between the hills: everything comes together to create a microclimate that gives the Sangiovese the depth and fruit ripeness that is exceptional elsewhere, year after year. Gagliole lies at the centre of it all – a small, carefully managed winery that has been showing what Panzano can achieve in this price range since the Riserva première in the 2018 vintage. 100% Sangiovese from vines over twenty years old, organically farmed, hand-picked, fermented in steel. What follows is a well thought-out ageing process: ten months in small used oak barrels, then five months in cement tanks – a combination that gives the wine structure without over-moulding it. Only 11,000 bottles.

Just like the famous I Sistri, the “Collezione Privata” is a single-varietal Chardonnay. Since the early 1980s, the former LitersGiovanni Mazzocolin had sourced some of his Chardonnay vines from Burgundy, and so a micro-site was cultivated here right up until the 2000s; the grapes from this site are used to produce the gently vinified “I Sistri Collezione Privata” is made. A bright, intense straw-yellow colour with golden highlights. A delicately reductive nose of spices, peach and exotic fruits, with subtle hints of vanilla. Creamy and full-bodied on the palate; the perfectly balanced acidity lends it structure, whilst the fresh juice, combined with a mineral-salty note, carries this complex white wine into an exciting and spicy finish of quince and orange. The clearly recognisable Burgundian style of this great Chardonnay will continue to develop with further bottle ageing, not least due to the subtle barrique ageing. Very attractive at an even more attractive price! SUPERIORE.DE

From Vittoria to Chiaramonte Gulfi, always following the limestone trail. Along the Iblean Mountains, the ancient sea, the flint – and the Grillo. This is how Arianna Occhipinti describes the journey that gave rise to this wine. She wanted to see how Grillo would fare at 240 metres, on the limestone hills of her homeland, where the subsoil consists of ancient marine sediment rather than the red sand on which her other wines are grown. The vineyard lies on the Promontorio Serra San Bartolo, a rocky ridge that separates two geological worlds: on one side, the historic contrade with red sand and tuff, Occhipinti's familiar terrain since the very first vintage. On the other side, compact limestone. Serracalcara lies exactly in between. The soil reveals both facets: white sand with iron inclusions on the surface; beneath this, at a depth of 30 to 40 centimetres, layers of marine limestone that are seabeds millions of years old. Cultivated biodynamically, using the "Guyot basso" training system with double branching, at a density of 5,291 vines per hectare.

In the annals of Sardinian wine history, Angialis marks a turning point – the moment when Antonio Argiolas realised that the island could not only produce great dry wines, but also sweet wines of exceptional complexity. The name Angialis, derived from the mystical angelic figures of Sardinian folklore, refers to the almost supernatural quality of this wine, which is made from late harvested grapes of the autochthonous Nasco and Malvasia di Sardegna grape varieties. The vineyards of Serdiana offer ideal conditions for this delicate vinification: the warm autumn days and cool nights promote the natural concentration of the grapes, while the proximity to the sea provides the necessary humidity that favours the controlled development of botrytis. The grapes ripen here until November, developing the unique balance between sweetness and acidity that characterises Sardinian sweet wines. Vinification is carried out with the utmost care: hand-picked grapes are gently pressed and the must ferments slowly at controlled temperatures. The wine then matures for over two years in small oak barrels, where it develops its characteristic golden colour and complex aromatic structure. This long maturation gives Angialis the depth and elegance that distinguishes it from simple dessert wines.

The name embodies three thousand years of history: the Etruscans called this land "Fèlsina", long before it came to be known as Tuscany. When the shipowner Domenico Poggiali acquired the estate in Castelnuovo Berardenga in 1966, it was known primarily for its olive oil – there were just two and a half hectares of vines on the 400-hectare estate. The Vin Santo embodies the estate’s philosophy: respect for tradition, but no fear of the unconventional. Unlike most producers, Felsina does not use only Trebbiano and Malvasia, but adds a proportion of Sangiovese – the grape variety that has made the estate world-famous with Rancia and Fontalloro. The Sangiovese lends the sweet wine structure and colour, a hint of tannin and that elegance which characterises Felsina's wines.

A great Friulano from small plots: Paolo Meroi vinifies his single-varietal white wine from vines over 40 years old on barren flysch soils around Buttrio and Rosazzo – a terroir that provides depth and precision. The wine is matured traditionally in barriques with long lees contact, which gives the wine structure and subtle maturity. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with golden reflections. The nose is complex and finely interwoven: ripe pear, white peach, candied citrus fruit, lime blossom and a hint of herbal honey. Delicate hints of hazelnut, beeswax and wet stone in the background. Powerful, silky and elegantly textured on the palate. The acidity is well integrated and the salty minerality characterises the long, powerful finish. A Friulano of a special calibre – dense, complex and with an unmistakable character of origin. Paolo Merois' signature is palpable: authentic, precise, fully committed to Friuli. SUPERIORE.DE

A wonderfully matured Salice Salentino with character and depth: Per Lui Salice Salentino Riserva comes from selected Negroamaro vineyards that are deeply rooted in the iron-rich soils around Salice. Extended ageing in wood – partly in barriques, partly in tonneaux – lends the wine density and expression without compromising its balance. In the glass, it is a deep ruby red with a slight garnet rim. The nose is warm and complex: black cherry, plum, dried herbs, a hint of tobacco and a touch of cedar. On the palate, it is structured and powerful, with well-integrated tannins, juicy fruit and a spicy finish. An elegant, mature Salice Salentino that reveals its finer, more serious side – very much in the style of the great wines of southern Apulia. SUPERIORE.DE

"Querciabella" – beautiful oak. The name says it all for a winery that has been one of the leading producers shaping the style of Chianti Classico since 1974. Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni was one of the first to switch to organic viticulture here – as early as 1988, when the word "organic" still raised eyebrows in the wine industry. Since 2000, Querciabella has been practising biodynamic viticulture and today manages the largest certified biodynamic vineyard in Italy. The fact that Daniele Cernilli (Dr Wine) named the estate "Cantina dell'Anno" in 2024 came as no surprise to anyone familiar with these wines. The Riserva blends Sangiovese from three of the finest vineyards in Chianti Classico: Greve brings vibrancy and bright fruit, Radda firm tannins and dark berry notes, and Gaiole riper fruit and distinctive limestone minerality. The altitudes of between 350 and 550 metres ensure cool nights and slow ripening. In the cellar, each plot is vinified and matured separately – a process of micro-vinification that preserves the terroir of each vineyard and only brings them together into a multi-layered whole during the final blend. Sixteen months in French barriques and tonneaux lend structure without overpowering the wine.

The Colline Metallifere – the Metalliferous Hills – take their name from what people have been extracting from the ground here for thousands of years: copper, iron and silver. An ancient mining landscape, part of the UNESCO Geopark since 2024, set amongst volcanic and limestone soils that bear witness to three million years of geological history. 500 metres above sea level, in the Alta Maremma, Demeter biodynamic. Elisabetta Foradori – the woman who brought Teroldego back to life in Trentino – founded Ampeleia together with Giovanni Podini and Thomas Widmann, because they believed that this place, with Cabernet Franc, could express something it has never expressed elsewhere.

Like a precious legacy, this wine rests in the history of the patrician Serristori family, who acquired the land of Donoratico in 1512 and built the magnificent villa in 1660. Today, from the shadow of these historic walls springs a wine that bears the soul of the Tuscan Maremma – where the salty whisper of the Tyrrhenian Sea meets the warm hills of Bolgheri. In the vineyards of Argentiera, the DOC Bolgheri estate closest to the coast and at the same time the highest, the grapes ripen between the Mediterranean scrub and the endless blue of the archipelago. Here, on just twelve hectares of the Villa Donoratico site, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot take root in sandy and rocky soils, while the subsoil is criss-crossed by marine flysch rock, a geological memory of seas long past.

Illivio is a subtle bridge between Friuli's autochthonous self-image and international nobility – a cuvée of Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Picolit, named after the charismatic founder of the estate, Livio Felluga, who sadly passed away in 2017. The vines grow on the characteristic Ponca soils of the Collio – marly, limestone-rich layers that lend the wines tension, minerality and depth. The 2022 vintage brought ideal conditions: a warm, sunny summer without extreme heat and a dry autumn ensured perfectly ripe, aromatically complex grapes.

Mauritius – a name that evokes dreams of tropical islands, but here it embodies the ancient Latin name for the small village of Moritzing, where one of South Tyrol's most successful red wine cuvées is produced on warm alluvial soils. At an altitude of just 250 metres, the vineyards in Moritzing and Gries benefit from the Mediterranean microclimate, which offers both the autochthonous Lagrein and the international Merlot optimal ripening conditions. This symbiosis of two grape variety worlds – the alpine vigour of Lagrein with the Burgundian elegance of Merlot – creates a wine of exceptional complexity.

Named after Cassian, the son of Count Michael Goëss-Enzenberg, who was born in 1996, the same year that Manincor opened its own winery. A name that stands for new beginnings, for the future, for the next generation. The cuvée combines six international grape varieties from the estate's best red wine sites: Manincor, Seehof and Panholzerhof, between 250 and 280 metres above sea level. Exposed to the south-east with a view of the lake, the vines are rooted in strong sandy loam soils interspersed with limestone gravel and glacial rock deposits – these plots are among the warmest sites in South Tyrol. Each grape variety is vinified separately. Mash fermentation takes place spontaneously in wooden vats with wild yeasts. The 16-month maturation in barriques (one third new wood) refines the structure without dominating the fruit. Blending only takes place shortly before bottling – the art of composition, in which character and individuality merge with solemnity and elegance.

Five years of patience transform strength into velvet. This Riserva matures for sixty months in the same French barriques that previously housed the Capo di Stato – a double legacy of wine and wood. Where the young grappa is crystal clear, the Riserva is a deep amber colour with copper reflections. The nose reveals what only long ageing can give: cocoa, leather, liquorice, cherry and blackcurrant. Silky softness and elegance on the palate, with a clean final in which the oak confirms the fruit rather than masking it. At 45% vol. it is a gentler drinker than its younger sister. The label bears Zancanaro's equivalent: "...et pour Monsieur la Bombe" – once created for President de Gaulle. The perfect accompaniment to a mild cigar or dark chocolate of the finest quality. SUPERIORE.DE

The same triad – calcarole, Pojega, Rovereti – and yet a completely different wine. Where the 2019 offered warmth and richness, the 2021 is more about precision and classic contours. The April frost noticeably reduced yields, but what followed was a gift: a summer in which temperatures never exceeded the critical 33-degree threshold for Corvina. The vines ripened steadily, without heat stress, with cool nights that preserved acidity and flavour. The subsequent appassimento in the historic drying rooms of Pojega took place under ideal conditions – dry, cool and even. The winemakers of Valpolicella simply call 2021 "l'annata perfetta".

Sì. One word, no compromises. The most direct promise a wine can make. Elena Celli and winemaker Luca D'Attoma founded Duemani in 2000 in Riparbella, on hills between 200 and 300 metres above sea level overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Biodynamic according to Demeter standards, uncompromising in its philosophy: Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot grown on soil with up to 40% clay content, limestone outcrops and pronounced salinity, stemming from the proximity to the coast and the sea breezes. A terroir that speaks for itself in the glass. Sì is 100% Syrah vinified as a rosé. Spontaneous fermentation takes place inLiters, in which the wine also spends its entire ageing period. No fining, no filtration.

A very special wine made from overripe and strictly selected Aglianico grapes that thrive in Mastroberardino's south-facing vineyards. The Taurasi is aged for two years in oak barrels and one year in the bottle. A wine with a fascinating personality, power and extremely high Storage potential.

1172 – the year in which Volpaia is first mentioned in documents. A small, fortified borgo on a hill north of Radda in Chianti, built as a border fortress between Florence and Siena. Today it is a jewel of peace and beauty and one of the most historic wine villages in Tuscany. Here, where soldiers once stood guard, the Stianti-Mascheroni families now press their grapes within the medieval walls. The bottles mature in the vaults of old churches and almost every cellar contains a tank of organic wine. An entire village dedicated to viticulture. So complete that it becomes poetic again. The Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese from vineyards between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. One of the highest wineries in the region. Up here, where the air is thin and the nights are cool, Sangiovese develops the elegance and minerality that makes Volpaia so distinctive. Sandstone, clay and sandy-loamy soils with a high proportion of skeleton. Manual harvest in the second half of September, temperature-controlled vinification, then 24 months in French and Slovenian oak barrels.