Formats

Caprais Montefalco Rosso is an attractive red made predominantly from Sangiovese with small amounts of Sagrantino and Merlot. The aroma is unmistakably of black cherries and violets. Juicy and playful on the palate, with balanced acidity that enlivens the crisp red berry fruit, which leaves a slight mineral touch towards the end. Plenty of power and freshness, good structure, elegant on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1971, a successful textile merchant from Umbria bought an estate. Arnaldo Caprai wanted to make wine – no more, no less. What he didn't know was that the estate was called Val di Maggio, and the grape variety that grew on its hills would one day carry the name Montefalco into the world. It was Marco Caprai, the son, who recognised this potential. From 1988, he devoted himself to Sagrantino with a rigour that bordered on obsession – research partnership with the University of Milan, clone selection, new plantings, recalibration of the entire viticulture. Sagrantino, for centuries a monk's wine from Sicilian cellars, became an international great under his hands. And Valdimaggio, since 2012, is Caprai's most personal statement: named after the original estate, planted on 6,000 to 7,000 vines per hectare, on calcareous-clayey soils between 220 and 472 metres above sea level – the heart of the DOCG.

Cabernet Franc is a grape variety that seeks the sea. In the Loire, in Bordeaux, on Long Island – wherever maritime influences slow down ripening and maintain freshness, it finds its most convincing voice. On the Tuscan coast, it is increasingly coming to the fore: warmer coastal locations give it density and concentration; cooler, higher altitudes with acidic soils such as Montebamboli give it something else: tension, precision and a Mediterranean originality that imitates neither the Loire nor Bordeaux.

A Riserva that only comes into being when the year allows it – and which makes a promise with its name: Essenze stands for the essence of the grape variety, the terroir and the time. The grapes come exclusively from the best cru sites in the municipalities of Barolo, Monforte, Serralunga, La Morra and Castiglione Falletto. Each parcel is vinified separately, carefully monitored, matured – and finally composed like a mosaic. The result: a Riserva Barolo that does not need to be loud to radiate authority. It is only bottled in exceptional years such as 2015 – after more than 42 months of ageing in large barrels and barriques.

In 1398, Ser Lapo Mazzei wrote a letter in which the word "Chianti" was used for the first time in the modern sense of wine. It is the oldest document of its kind. The family who wrote this letter still makes wine today – they have been doing so for more than 600 years, now in their seventeenth generation. When a family dynasty with such a long history arrived in the Maremma in 1997 and decided to produce its flagship wine on the sandy soils between Grosseto and Montiano, it was a testament to their faith in that terroir. The philosophy is clearly articulated: Tenuta Belguardo is released only in the finest vintages. No compromises. Since the first vintage in 2000, this approach has defined the positioning of the cru: not quantity, but character. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon from plots with the highest proportion of sandstone and skeletal material, which demand of the Cabernet that balance between natural power and elegance that would not emerge in this way on heavier soil. 15% Cabernet Franc acts as the perfect counterpoint: structuring, herbaceous, and characterised by freshness even in hot vintages.

High above Bolzano stands the legendary Mockhof – a single vineyard that offers Sauvignon Bianco the perfect conditions in which to develop its full potential. Situated at an altitude of 500 metres on steep porphyry slopes, the vines benefit from extreme daytime temperatures and cool nights, which allow for an exceptionally slow ripening process. This exposed site is one of the latest-harvesting areas in South Tyrol – a factor that lends the Mock its characteristic aromatic complexity. Cellar master Stephan Filippi vinifies this single-vineyard wine with the utmost care: gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation and ageing exclusively in stainless steel preserve the intensity typical of the grape variety.

The fifth vineyard. Such is the simple origin of this name – and so direct is Carlo Ferrini's philosophy behind it. La Quinta is not the little sister of Brunello, but its self-confident counterpart: the same address in Sant'Angelo in Colle at 400 metres, the same Sangiovese from skeleton-rich soils with a south-easterly orientation, the same care in the cellar and ageing. Only the time horizon is different. 2020 brought Montalcino warm, balanced conditions with a good night-day temperature amplitude – a vintage that favoured depth and drinkability in equal measure. 7 days of fermentation, 13 days of maceration in steel, then 12 months in a combination of 700-litre Liters, 2,500-litre Liters barrels and cocciopesto amphorae, rounded off in cement tanks. The baked clay amphora provides the breathable openness that keeps the wine alive without oxidising it.

Montalcino is Brunello country. Anyone who has anything to do with wine knows that. This makes the decision that Conte Alberto Marone Cinzano made in the early 1980s all the more remarkable: he planted Cabernet Sauvignon in the hills above Sant'Angelo in Colle – in a region that has belonged to Sangiovese for centuries. Not an experiment, not a whim, but out of conviction: That the exceptional terroir of Montalcino can give this grape variety what it cannot find elsewhere. The vineyard bears the name of the Elm grove that accompanies it – olmaia. The denomination has changed over the decades: what once appeared under Sant'Antimo DOC is now labelled Toscana IGT. The wine has remained the same. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, organically grown on 140 hectares of the estate, on soils of galestro and clay, which give the Cabernet the concentrated minerality that has always characterised Col d'Orcia. The grapes ripen slowly, under the dry heat of summer, surrounded by maquis, olive trees and the silence of the hill.

Le Baròncole Riserva captivates right from the nose with its juicy fruit and stone fruit aromas, and carries this lovely impression through to the palate. Cherries, sour cherries and blackberries – very juicy and powerful on the palate – fill the mouth completely, whilst remaining lively and elegant throughout. Silky, fine-grained tannins and a long, balsamic finish leave you longing for the next glass. A fine wine. Good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

A name that breathes history: since 2011, the grapes for Marchese Antinori have come exclusively from the vineyards of Tenuta Tignanello – the legendary location that lies at the heart of the Chianti Classico between the gentle hills of the Greve and Pesa valleys. Here, where the Medici once walked and where the Antinori family has been realising its visionary wine philosophy since 1850, one of the purest interpretations of Sangiovese thrives on stony limestone soils. The 2022 vintage tells of a summer of extremes – little rain until August, hot spells in June and July. But the old vines proved resilient: even budding, regular flowering, perfectly ripe grapes for the harvest. In the winery's cellars, winemaking was carried out with classic precision: gentle destemming, gentle pressing, one week of fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Ten days of maceration using gentle methods – an extraction that combines intensity with elegant, supple tannins. Natural acid degradation until the end of the year, then twelve months of ageing in French and Hungarian oak barrels, followed by a further twelve months of bottle ageing before release.

Deep ruby red colour, lush notes of cherries, strawberries and sweet oak spice, vanilla and black pepper. The Sangiovese gives the blend great freshness and is in perfect balance with the silky and soft tannins of the Merlot. Overall rich, but always elegant and with great persistence. A complex, excellently structured red wine in absolute Super Tuscan quality and produced in a limited edition of just under 3,000 bottles. SUPERIORE.DE

Moscadello was originally the first wine from the Montalcino appellation, long before the triumphant rise of Brunello. Mastrojanni's Moscadello di Montalcino is a blend of late harvested Moscato, Malvasia di Candia and Sauvignon Bianco. The wine matures for two years in barriques and tonneaux. Intensely fragrant bouquet with plenty of power and character, aromas of candied fruit, honey and brown sugar. These notes are reproduced with every sip with impressively brilliant precision and astonishing freshness. This rare wine (only 1,300 bottles were filled) matures for two years in barriques and tonneaux and is traditionally enjoyed instead of a dessert or with cantuccini. Very delicate. SUPERIORE.DE

Guardiola is a name of some standing on Mount Etna. One of Sicily's highest and steepest cru sites, situated between 800 and 1,000 metres above sea level, exposed to the harsh sun, cool winds and the contrasts of a volcanic climate – a combination that shapes not only the landscape but also the character of the wine. The vines – predominantly Nerello Mascalese – are deeply rooted in lava rock and volcanic ash; the soil is poor, black and mineral-rich, a barren terroir that does not pit power against elegance, but rather unites them. The vintage brought ideal conditions for a wine with a firm yet approachable structure: following a cool spring, the grapes ripened under consistently warm summer sun, accompanied by marked day-night temperature variations. The harvest took place late, by hand, in small crates – a crucial moment for precision and balance. Following spontaneous fermentation, the wine was matured in French oak barrels – not to dominate the wine, but to give it definition.

It was 1997 when a dream began to take shape in the cellars of Capichera. After two decades in which the Ragnedda family had enchanted the wine world with their revolutionary Vermentino creations, they dared to take on a new challenge: could Gallura's ancient soil also produce red wines on a par with the greatness of their white siblings? The experiment was so convincing that it dictated its own name – assajé, Sardinian for "that's something". A legend was born out of modest hope. What began as pure Carignano developed into a masterful symbiosis of Sardinian originality and international elegance. Today, this pioneer among Gallurese red wines combines the island's finest indigenous grapes with a subtle hint of Syrah – a blend that unites twenty-year-old vines from Olbia and Palau to create a harmonious narrative. On the weathered granite sands, where salty sea breezes ripen the grapes for months, a wine of remarkable depth is created.

In 1991, Gianni Masciarelli took a step that was somewhat unusual for the Abruzzo region: he planted Chardonnay, a grape variety with no tradition in the region, and dedicated the resulting wine to his wife, Marina. 35 years later, an exclusive tasting at the Castello di Semivicoli demonstrated just how far-reaching that decision had been – in a direct comparison with a Chardonnay from Burgundy, produced by Albert Bichot, the Abruzzo wine proved its own ageing potential and depth. This special edition celebrates precisely this anniversary. The grapes come from the Fonte Filippo and Bucchianico vineyards near San Martino sulla Marrucina, at an altitude of 350 metres, where the vines are trained using the traditional Abruzzese pergola method combined with Guyot. Fermentation takes place – unusually for the region – directly in wood for 15 to 30 days – a demanding process that lends the Chardonnay structure and depth right from the start.

The name "retus" comes from "Rhaetia" or "Raetia", the name of the Roman province. In Celtic, "reit" refers to a mountain village. Bright straw green colour. Wild herbs, orange peel, green fruit and spices on the nose. Round and broad on the attack, then more straightforward and restrained in the centre, with a sufficiently salty edge and harmonious acidity to buffer the subtle fruit sweetness. The finish is long with flint and stone notes. Great Sauvignon Bianco with a refreshingly alpine character. SUPERIORE.DE

On the hill of Riparbella, which smells of the sea and the forest, one principle holds true: what is done by hand in the vineyard at the right time of year determines what can be created in the cellar. Luca D'Attoma's work in the vines sets the stage for everything that follows. The clay soils with their pronounced salinity, the limestone gravel, the sea breezes, the constant temperature range – the terroir of Duemani is characterised by a tranquillity that carries over into the glass. Altrovino follows the same approach as it always has: Merlot and Cabernet Franc fermented spontaneously, separately, in concrete, with 20 days' maceration. Part of the Cabernet Franc is aged in terracotta amphorae, which lend volume to the fruit and allow the floral notes to unfold. Then comes the blending, followed by eight months in oak vats. No fining, no filtration.

Historically, the vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli are situated in the territories of three neighbouring municipalities within the Chianti Classico region: Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Radda in Chianti. With the 2017 vintage, the Mazzei family vinified all three major vineyards separately as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione for the first time, in order to reflect the diversity of the terroir: Castello di Fonterutoli, Vicoregio 36 and Badiola.

Named after the ancient Roman wine festivals, Passito Vinalia is a sweet dessert wine that goes particularly well with South Tyrolean apple strudel. The strictly selected grapes, which are air-dried after the harvest, come from the sun-drenched vineyards on the slopes of Bolzano at 300 to 400 metres above sea level. They are gently pressed around 4 months after the harvest and then fermented in used French barriques.

Vigna San Francesco Cabernet Sauvignon is in a class of its own amongst Sicilian red wines – not a Mediterranean oddity, but an expressive, distinguished example of its grape variety, grown at an altitude of 570 metres in the cool vineyards of the Tenuta Regaleali estate in the heart of Sicily. The San Francesco plot, planted with Cabernet since 1985, rests on calcareous clay soils, whose structure and drainage lend the wine precision, depth and vigour.

Lodano Rosso is a blend of Petit Verdot and Merlot that is seamlessly integrated with its dark fruits, blackberries and plums, which are nicely rounded off by smoke and tobacco from French oak and a smaller proportion of American oak. The Merlot comes from the winery's famous old vines, and the contemporary concentration and richness of the Lodano can be found in this wine as well as in the winery's entire portfolio. The dark fruits and spices speak in a deep baritone that calls for a juicy grilled steak, it also offers excellent value! SUPERIORE.DE

In Abruzzo, Trebbiano was long regarded as a simple "workhorse" grape variety, hardly worthy of any serious reputation. Gianni Masciarelli saw something different in it: the most organoleptically interesting variety in the entire Trebbiano family, capable of standing stylistically alongside the great white wines of Burgundy, whilst retaining the unique vigour and character of its Abruzzese origins. In 1991, this wine was created, and it has since held its own amongst the most distinguished Italian white wines. Thirty-five years later, a tasting in direct comparison with a Burgundy Chardonnay from Albert Bichot confirmed precisely this vision.

The top wine Cavalli Rosso comes from loose marl soils at an altitude of 400 metres facing south. It reveals a dark and lush fruit profile with intense blackberry, sour cherry, plum and graphite flavours. On the palate, it has a high primary intensity and medium weight, finishing with a very crisp acidity. It is polished and deep, balanced and supple with plenty of fruity power, weight and length. SUPERIORE.DE