Formats

A red wine with a southern heart and depth: this Aglianico del Molise comes from organically cultivated vineyards at classic altitudes. It is aged for 18 months in large wooden barrels, which gives it structure and maturity without masking the fruit. Dense ruby colour with a violet core. Blackcurrant, blackberry, liquorice, some smoke and Mediterranean herbs on the nose. Powerful yet balanced on the palate, with well-integrated tannins, lively acidity and a mineral finish. A characterful, honestly vinified Aglianico that impressively expresses the originality of the Molise region and its excellent value in the bottle. SUPERIORE.DE

A new name – and a real one: Garofoli rechristened its classic with the 2023 vintage. Not out of a marketing whim, but out of conviction. Piancarda "Blu" – the blue stands for the Adriatic Sea, which can almost always be seen from Monte Conero. The vineyard is located within the Monte Conero Nature Reserve, on calcareous-clay soils that give Montepulciano the depth that makes this grape variety on the coast of central Italy so unmistakable. 100% Montepulciano. Maceration for 8 to 10 days, followed by 15 months in large wooden barrels and 6 months in the bottle.

A rosé that draws its strength from Aglianico – elegant, juicy and resolute in style. Terre Cerase shows its freshness in a bright salmon pink colour with a silky sheen. The bouquet already reveals aromas of ripe wild berries, sour cherry and floral nuances, underpinned by a subtle peppery spiciness. On the palate, the wine impresses with its round structure, pleasant volume and precise acidity. The fruit remains persistently present, while the dry finish leads into a delicate minerality. Despite its substantial texture, the Rosato is surprisingly light-footed and easy to drink. Ideal as an aperitif, with seafood, buffalo mozzarella or pizza – a rosato with its own personality, which is the result of uncompromising loyalty to the grape variety: an intense Aglianico in a charming guise. SUPERIORE.DE

High south-facing slopes between 300 and 750 metres above sea level give this Pinot Blanc its characteristic elegance. Coming from carefully selected vineyards around Bolzano, the current vintage combines typical South Tyrolean precision with lively freshness. Clay and limestone soils and pronounced temperature fluctuations between day and night create ideal ripening conditions for the Pinot Bianco. Straw yellow with greenish reflections in the glass, while the nose convinces with pear, apple and subtle peach aromas. On the palate, the wine is fresh and opulent at the same time, with a harmonious structure and persistent minerality. The controlled steel tank ageing preserves the finesse typical of the grape variety and makes it the ideal accompaniment to asparagus dishes and fish. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for Maurizio Castelli's new, crisp and fresh white wines come from a vineyard on Monte Bottigli, a "forteto" known to the locals for its wild and impenetrable nature. They ripen with a view of the panorama of the Tuscan archipelago and ideally embody the maritime character of the Maremma. Bright yellow with a bouquet characterised by floral and yellow-fleshed fruit aromas. On the palate, it has a medium structure, complexity and persistence, and its freshness makes it extremely enjoyable in the glass. For us, Costa Ovest is the ideal summer wine! SUPERIORE.DE

The world knows Montefalco above all in its dark red colour – sagrantino, tannin, depth. The fact that the Caprai house, which helped write this red legend, also produces white wines of distinction is its best kept secret. The Bianco Montefalco combines two very different partners: Trebbiano Spoletino – the autochthonous Umbrian grape variety, aromatic, fresh and acidic, with a subtle floral flavour – and Chardonnay, which adds fullness and flavour to the blend. No wood, just steel and time: three months of ageing, three months in the bottle. The result is not a white wine that tries to show off, but one that has a very respectable balance.

Suvereto, south of Bolgheri – where the Tuscan Maremma lies between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the metalliferous hills of the Colline Metallifere, the Frascolla family continues the legacy of Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti. They began in 1984 with a modest ten hectares, and today Tua Rita is one of the most respected addresses in the region. The Palazzetto epitomises the philosophy of the house, even in the entry-level segment: top quality without pretence. Sangiovese forms the backbone of this cuvée, with Cabernet Sauvignon providing structure and small proportions of Merlot and Syrah. The grapes come from various plots on the estate and are vinified according to organic principles. Short maceration, maturation in stainless steel tanks – deliberately without wood in order to preserve the clear fruit and vibrancy of the grape varieties.

Manzoni Bianco or Incrocio Manzoni is a cross between Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco. It was named after its breeder, Professor Luigi Manzoni, who first crossed and cultivated it in the 1930s. Straw yellow colour with greenish reflections. Elegant, delicate and very clear bouquet with the aroma of Williams pear and peach. On the palate of exuberant freshness and suppleness, plus sweet-spicy notes of mint and yellow apple, which bring it into wonderful balance with the bright acidity. The full body of the Pinot Blanc and the effervescence of the Riesling have been very palatably put into the bottle here. SUPERIORE.DE

Finimondo – the "end of the world". This is what the Pellegrino family calls the wine that comes from the remote hinterland of Agrigento, where the vineyards are rooted between 250 and 600 metres above sea level in the terra grande, the loamy, silty soil that characterises Sicily's western tip. Since 1880, the name Pellegrino has stood for Marsala and Sicilian wine culture in its purest form – now in its seventh generation, with over 150 hectares of vineyards and a respect for the terroir that runs through every bottle. For the Finimondo, autochthonous grape varieties – mainly Nero d'Avola and Syrah – are vinified according to ancient tradition: After harvest, the grapes dry directly on the vine in the Sicilian sun by cutting off the shoots, concentrating sugar and flavours in a natural way. After a long maceration and controlled fermentation, the wine matures for four months in wooden barrels.

A Gavi that sits immediately on the palate – fresh, clear and elegant. Cortese from sun-drenched, high-altitude slopes around Gavi, pressed in stainless steel and designed to present freshness and minerality in crystal-clear form. Full concentration on the terroir. Straw yellow in the glass. A lively, aromatic bouquet of ripe apple, yellow pear, white flowers and a fine citrus note, complemented by a delicate hint of spring herbs and limestone. Taut yet soft on the palate. The fruit is juicy, the lively acidity adds tension and a subtle saline-mineral tone gives the wine structure. The finish is harmonious, clear and fresh, almost dancingly elegant. A (not only) summery all-rounder that is an instant delight – ideal with antipasti, white fish, asparagus or simply on its own with the first glass of the evening after work. SUPERIORE.DE

The new name Adriaticum also gives Tavignano's pecorino a new identity: 100% pecorino from organic farming, grown on calcareous hills near Cingoli, less than 50 kilometres from the Adriatic Sea. The wine is matured for six months in stainless steel tanks – cool to preserve structure and freshness. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a silvery sheen. White flowers, yellow fruit, citrus and a hint of fennel on the nose. Lively, juicy and pointed on the palate with gripping acidity, salty tension and a fine creaminess on the finish. An independent Pecorino from the western Marche region with a straightforward profile, Mediterranean character and a proven signature. SUPERIORE.DE

Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Cabernet Sauvignon from the hills between Illasi and Mezzane – the eastern heart of Valpolicella. The Castagnedi brothers leave the grapes to dry for twenty days after hand-picking, using the same appassimento technique that characterises their Amarone. Twelve months in French tonneaux give the wine structure without obscuring its fruit. Dense ruby red in colour, with a nose of sour cherry, wild berries and black pepper over a base of cocoa and liquorice. Velvety on the palate, full-bodied and with well-integrated tannins. A "small Amarone" at a great price. SUPERIORE.DE

The lily in the name is no coincidence: Flordelis – fleur-de-lis – refers to the coat of arms of the Hohenstaufen family, to whom the winery owes its name. The Rosato comes from a six-hectare vineyard in Maschito at an altitude of 550 metres and shows the modern side of Aglianico. After brief contact with the skins, the noblest must is drawn off by saignée as soon as the typical coral colour is reached. This is followed by cold decanting like a white wine and fermentation at low temperatures with selected yeasts.

An uncomplicated Tuscan from the organically cultivated vineyards of Castello di Radda, which are south-facing on the hills behind the winery. The cuvée of 60% Merlot and 40% Sangiovese grows on clay-rich soils with a limestone content, which gives the wine its fruity and accessible character. After manual harvesting, the wine is vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with a maceration period of around ten days. The wine is matured partly in steel and partly in tonneaux, with bottling taking place in the summer after the harvest.

When you say Talenti, you mean Brunello – but Riccardo Talenti, grandson of the legendary Pierluigi, can also be more light-footed. His Rosso Toscana combines 80 per cent Sangiovese with 20 per cent Petit Verdot from vineyards south of Montalcino on clay-limestone soils. The Sangiovese matures for several months in oak, while the Petit Verdot brings colour, fruit and velvety volume to the cuvée. The colour in the glass is a deep ruby red with violet reflections. Ripe cherry, plum and blackberry meet a hint of spice. Smooth and surprisingly full-bodied on the palate, with round tannins and a juicy freshness on the finish – an uncomplicated Tuscan that cannot deny the signature of a great Brunello house. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all: "Cretum" refers to the Crete Senesi, those moon-like clay hills that stretch south of Siena. Poggio Bonelli lies on their threshold – in the extreme south of the Chianti Classico, where the vineyards of Castelnuovo Berardenga merge into the barren beauty of the Crete. Soils from the Pliocene, over five million years old, characterise the wines here: clay-rich tuff interspersed with sand. Chardonnay and Viognier come together in this terroir.