Formats

Feudo di Mezzo is one of the most prestigious contrade on the northern slope of Mount Etna, a place where viticulture and volcanic rock have had a symbiotic relationship for centuries. At an altitude of around 600 metres, old Nerello Mascalese vines take root here in porous, ferrous ash, interspersed with lava boulders and basalt veins – a soil that gives the wine finesse, tension and depth. Alta Mora is Cusumano's ambitious project on Etna, and Feudo di Mezzo epitomises this vision: single-varietal, rigorously selected, with maximum focus on origin and character. The 2019 vintage on Mount Etna was characterised by elegance: a cool spring followed by a long, dry summer with cool nights. The grapes ripened slowly and harmoniously, with fine phenolic ripeness and a balanced acidity structure. After manual harvesting, fermentation took place with gentle maceration, followed by 12 months of maturation in French tonneaux and a long period of rest in the bottle.

Laura Brunelli's Rosso is a blend of Sangiovese grapes from Podernovone – 500 metres above sea level on the south-eastern slope of Montalcino with south-western exposure – and Canalicchio on the north side of the village. The vines for the first vineyard were planted in 1998, those for the second in 1989. "Our Rosso is made from the same grapes as the Brunello," says Laura Brunelli. The wine is traditionally aged for a year in large oak barrels. It is extremely fresh every year and not without complexity. The aromas of redcurrants, wild strawberries, black pepper and juniper are followed by a bright bouquet of red fruits on the medium-bodied palate. It has velvety tannins and a refreshing, integrated acidity. A really great interpretation of the terroir and, as every year, a little Brunello. SUPERIORE.DE

The Ca' Guicciardi vineyard takes its name from the farmhouse situated at its centre. This single-vineyard plot is characterised by small, very steep valleys. Impressive rock faces alternate with terraces supported by some of the highest dry stone walls in the Valtellina. The distinctive colour of the rock, which tends towards a quartz-like white, significantly intensifies the sun's heat, resulting in higher temperatures and more light here than in other parts of the valley.

Rosso del Conte was Sicily's first answer to the question of whether the island could produce wines of international standing and longevity. Conte Giuseppe posed this question in 1970 – and the answer has been contained in every bottle produced on the high hills of Tenuta Regaleali ever since. The grapes – Nero d'Avola, Perricone and a small proportion of other varieties grown on the estate – ripen at an altitude of 480 metres, facing south-southeast, on loamy-sandy, slightly calcareous soil, trained using the Alberello system. Hand-harvested, traditionally fermented in stainless steel at a controlled temperature, 20 days on the skins, 18 months in new French barriques.

The Sanct Valentin line is the centrepiece of the St. Michael-Eppan winery and the Cabernet-Merlot is its only red cuvée. It has been part of this prestigious line since 2013, and the decision was a conscious one: not an experiment, but a red wine with the same claim to minerality, complexity and longevity that the white Sanct Valentin wines have embodied for decades. The vineyards are located in the warmest areas of the municipalities of Appiano, Caldaro and Cortaccia – at 250 to 400 metres, exposed to the south-west, on gravel moraine soils that drain exceptionally well and demand the concentration from both Cabernet and Merlot that makes extreme yield reduction possible in the first place. Merlot from the beginning of October, Cabernet in mid-October – hand-picked, individual selection, separate vinification. 20 days of maceration, 12 months in barriques and tonneaux. After blending, a further 10 months in steel to round off.

Milo is the only municipality on the entire slopes of Mount Etna whose white wines are permitted to bear the suffix "superiore". This distinction was enshrined in the DOC regulations in 1968 – and reflects the microclimate of this eastern flank: twice the rainfall compared to the north-facing slopes, an easterly aspect towards the Ionian Sea, cooling sea breezes, and volcanic soils composed of ash and Ripiddu lapilli. In the mists of the summer nights that Marco de Grazia describes in his writings on Milo, the Carricante ripens here to a level of precision it achieves nowhere else on the volcano.

Conte Vistarino's Pinot Nero Pernice, which is great every year, comes from the single vineyard of the same name and fascinates with its fine fragrance and elegance. Intense ruby red colour with garnet reflections. The bouquet is complex and rich with notes of violets and small red fruits, some roasted coffee and cocoa. Elegant, full-bodied on the palate, with present fruit, very balanced with a pleasant minerality and a long, spicy finish. The harmonious tannins make this wine elegant and give it a good backbone from start to finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Vorberg – the name gives away its location: on the steep southern slopes of the Tschöggelberg, at altitudes between 450 and 650 metres, a Pinot Blanc thrives that reveals the full potential of this famous South Tyrolean grape variety. The stony, sandy-loam soils, formed from weathered porphyry, with their high quartz content and slightly acidic pH levels, characterise a terroir of extremes: high water permeability, limited nutrient availability and naturally restricted yields. This microstress elicits unique, terroir-specific polyphenols from the vines. Hand-harvested, gently pressed as whole bunches, followed by natural sedimentation. Slow fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in large oak barrels (70 and 30 hl), followed by partial malolactic fermentation and 12 months' ageing on the fine lees in traditional wooden barrels.

Castello di Ama thinks in concentric circles. The Chianti Classico Ama is the outermost – approachable, direct, meant to be enjoyed straight away. The San Lorenzo Gran Selezione is the innermost – dense, expressive, meant to be laid down for decades. In between, with the release of the 2018 vintage, came the Montebuoni: a Chianti Classico Riserva that aspires to the depth of the San Lorenzo whilst retaining the drinking pleasure of the Ama. Castello di Ama itself calls it the most honest expression of the Sangiovese grape's elegance in this terroir – and that is saying a lot, coming from a winery that has helped set the benchmark for this elegance. Montebuoni comes from the valley of the same name – the south-westernmost and, at the same time, climatically most diverse of the four Ama vineyard sites, situated between 420 and 508 metres above sea level. The soils vary: heavy clay at the bottom, limestone and scree at the top. Both give the Sangiovese something different – structure and body from below, freshness and minerality from the higher elevations. This interplay is the secret of the wine.

This Riesling is an exceptional phenomenon: it grows on the black, barren lava soils of northern Etna at an altitude of almost 900 metres – in a microclimate that is almost alpine. The grapes come from the historic Contrada Sciaranuova, a place shaped by the massive eruption of 1614. Wines of salty tension, cool precision and a depth that is unrivalled in southern Italy are produced here. Fermentation and ageing take place exclusively in stainless steel in order to preserve freshness and pure expression of origin. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with a silver sheen. Crystal-clear citrus notes, green apple, white peach, smoke and a fine hint of petrol on the nose – subtle, not overpowering. Vibrant and slender on the palate, with focussed acidity, mineral density and a long, almost crystalline final. Great with oysters, scallops or purist Japanese cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE

Verdeca is a grape variety that hardly anyone knows – and that is no coincidence. For centuries, it was used as the base material for vermouth, was rarely vinified as a single variety and was considered too unspectacular for its own bottle. Yet its history is an ancient one: Greek in origin, it probably arrived in Apulia with the first settlers and became native to the sandy limestone soils of Salento. Masseria Li Veli has given it a stage with the Askos project – and the wine critics have responded. Askos Verdeca is the only Apulian white wine ever to be honoured by Gambero Rosso with its Tre Bicchieri.

The vines from which the Chardonnay grapes for the Rio delle Rose come are over 80 years old. Fine, exotic and noticeably mineral bouquet of pome fruit, apple, citrus peel, white flowers, some flint and a hint of banana and pineapple. On the palate, it is driven forward, with beautiful pressure and juicy tension, then again this fine minerality in the further course and a very delicate, never-ending melt in the long, complex finish. Very balanced and big - with its subtle restraint and great personality, Rio delle Rose is for us one of the best Chardonnays from Friuli! SUPERIORE.DE

The name alone reveals the poetry of this vintage sparkling wine. For decades, Perlé has been considered the essence of Ferrari's art, born from a meticulous selection of the best Chardonnay grapes from the Trentino mountains. The grapes for this Millesimato come from altitudes between 300 and 600 metres. Here, where the vines are bathed in mountain sunshine throughout the day but rest at night in the cool mountain air, the Chardonnay develops the mineral depth and aromatic complexity that makes Perlé so unmistakable. The Lunelli family only selects the very best batches – the grapes that most purely reflect the terroir. Perlé matures for almost five years on the fine yeasts – an exceptionally patient maturation period that gives the sparkling wine its characteristic creaminess and delicate yeast notes that harmonise perfectly with the fruity elegance of the Chardonnay.

The Fracia vineyard has belonged to Nino Negri since it was established in 1897. It lies at the confluence of several Alpine valleys, and the vegetation in this area – with its lavender and rosemary – is distinctly Mediterranean. The result is a wine that is flavourful and floral, with a distinctive, spicy aroma. An intense ruby red colour with garnet-red highlights. On the nose, complex aromas of dog rose and violets, which develop into spicy notes such as rosemary and lavender. On the palate, it is dense, rich and has well-structured tannins. The well-balanced and fresh acidity leads into a long, very flavourful finish. An Alpine red that is already a delight to drink today, but with further bottle ageing, its complexity and power will really come into their own. SUPERIORE.DE

Leonia Rosé is a tribute to the woman who, in the 19th century, planted French grape varieties in Pomino and pressed them in Italy's first gravity-fed cellar: great-great-grandmother Leonia, who was awarded a gold medal in Paris in 1878 for her work. This Metodo Classico made from Pinot Nero carries on her legacy in rosé form. Harvested by hand into 15-kilo crates during the cool morning hours, the grapes come from the same high-altitude vineyards in Pomino that preserve the Burgundy grape's freshness. Gently pressed to produce a precise must and cold-settled for twelve hours, the wine ferments in steel tanks, partly in wood, before blending takes place in March, followed by a long ageing on the lees with shaking and disgorging.

The "Fracia" vineyard has belonged to Nino Negri since it was founded in 1897. It lies at the confluence of several alpine valleys and the vegetation in this area is almost Mediterranean with lavender and rosemary. The result is a wine that is flavoursome and flowery with a characteristic, spicy aroma.

In the hallowed halls of Casòn Hirschprunn, where history and innovation meet in the vaults of the 13th century, a red wine is created that epitomises the future of South Tyrolean viticulture. Here, in the middle of the 30 hectares of biodynamic vineyards between 230 and 360 metres above sea level, Alois Lageder ventured a visionary experiment in the 1980s: the cultivation of Tannat, an exotic grape variety from south-west France that proved to be exceptionally suitable for the Alpine future in the face of climate change. "Negli ultimi anni, ci siamo appassionati sempre di più al Tannat" – the Lageder family confesses their growing passion for this exceptional variety, which is immediately recognisable in the vineyard thanks to its characteristic red leaf stalks. What began as an experimental curiosity developed into a philosophy: not to celebrate the typicality of individual grape varieties, but to let the unique terroir of a vineyard speak for itself – a guiding principle based on the great châteaux of the Bordelais.

Monprà is made in equal parts from Barbera and Nebbiolo – two distinctive Piedmontese grape varieties which, together, create a profile characterised by fruit, vibrancy and refined structure. They are grown in Monforte d'Alba at an altitude of 300–400 metres on calcareous marl soils with sandy and clayey veins, which lend the wine minerality and structure. Both grape varieties are fermented separately, undergo malolactic fermentation and are then aged for around twelve months in used French barriques. Only then are they blended – ensuring that the distinctive characteristics of both varieties are preserved and brought together into a harmonious whole.

The grapes for the Cortazo are grown in the hot Brenntal vineyard in Kurtatsch, which is ideal for ensuring the Cabernet Sauvignon reaches the required level of ripeness. A deep ruby red colour. A harmonious bouquet of violets and wild berries. On the palate, it is full-bodied and complex, with a lovely core of fruit and subtle extract sweetness, velvety tannins and a long finish. Excellent Storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Exultet – the Latin imperative that has resounded in the churches of Campania for centuries: "Rejoice!" This name encapsulates the entire philosophy of Luigi Moio, who, as one of Italy's most renowned Oenologist, has recognised that great wines require not only technical perfection, but above all a soul that inspires jubilation. When the professor transforms his science into poetry, Exultet is the most shining example of this alchemy. In the volcanic hills of Mirabella Eclano, where the Via Appia once led Roman legions through the heart of Irpinia, the Fiano grape thrives on soils that owe their formation to the eruptions of Vesuvius. This ancient connection between fire and earth shapes every drop of this extraordinary white wine.

Ronc di Vico's Refosco dal Peduncolo is a wine with rough edges - which is precisely why it is so fascinating. The autochthonous grape variety naturally brings depth, structure and an unmistakable flavour. The grapes come from old plots in the Colli Orientali, whose Ponca soils of marl and sandstone provide clarity and tension. The 2022 vintage offered ideal conditions for fully ripe, healthy harvest. After strict manual harvesting and a long maceration period, the wine matured for around 20 months in French barriques.

Here is a big, rich Rosso that is harmonious and impressive in all its components. The bouquet alternates between dried cherries and a fine tobacco note. The palate is taut and precise, in the style of the house, its body is supported by powerful tannins that make it an ideal and refined accompaniment to Tuscan cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE