Formats

The structure of Cabernet Sauvignon, the spiciness of Cabernet Franc, the power of Syrah and the softness of Merlot combine here to create a red wine full of character, Mediterranean aromas and elegance. Dark red with a violet edge, fresh fruit bouquet of pomegranate and red currant with balanced hints of thyme, bay leaf and cedar. Initially very fresh and powerful on the palate with memories of raspberry and redcurrant, then round and harmonious, well structured and with soft tannin. SUPERIORE.DE

Gewürztraminer has a place name in its name – and thus a whole story. Tramin, a small village in the South Tyrolean lowlands, is considered the original home of this grape variety, whose aromatic power has fascinated and polarised people in equal measure for centuries. Those who like it, love it. Those who know it know that in the wrong hands it becomes a caricature. At the Cantina Terlan, it is something else. The Lunare is the pinnacle of this interpretation. Grown at 300–400 metres in south-west-facing porphyry vineyards, where downdraughts and pronounced day-night temperature differences give Gewürztraminer exactly what it needs: aromatic precision instead of perfumed richness. The name hints at what the wine fulfils – something noctilucent, cool, unreal and clear.

The Brunate vineyard, located between La Morra and Barolo, is considered one of the region's great Grand Cru. The combination of calcareous marl soils, optimal south to south-east exposure and the altitude gives the wine a fine interplay of ripe fruit, spicy depth and silky-textured tannin structure. The 2016 vintage produced wines of rare harmony in the Barolo region: a cool spring, balanced summer weeks and a long, golden autumn created conditions in which Nebbiolo could mature slowly. The result is wines of precision, depth and longevity.

The vineyard on the western side of the Montalcino hills is so secluded that you can enjoy the starry sky to the full without being disturbed. It is therefore not surprising that this supple, very classic Brunello bears the name "Sky of Ulysses". As is well known, Odysseus had the ability to navigate the seas without a compass and by simply orientating himself by the stars.

A rare and very limited wine that is more than just a Barbera: it is a living monument. The vines come from a tiny plot in the hamlet of Berri near La Morra, which was planted before the phylloxera catastrophe (prefilossera) and survived it – the vines are ungrafted, without rootstocks, a rare treasure that is almost unique in Italy today. The sandy, chalky soils and southern exposure give these grapes an intensity and clarity that is incomparable to any younger vineyard. The 2022 vintage brought sunny, warm days in which the old vines used their deep roots to tap into water reserves. harvest was strictly selective and in small crates to preserve the delicate structure of the berries.

Renaissance – the name says it all. Markus Prackwieser leaves it to historians to decide whether Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli or Michelangelo were wine lovers. But their universal genius inspires him: only in the very best years, when all the factors are in perfect harmony, does he create these artistic wines – masterpieces that shine with versatility and finesse. The Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Renaissance represents this philosophy in its purest form. The grapes grow on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres, where Mediterranean warmth prevails during the day and cool Dolomite winds provide crystalline freshness at night. After a short maceration and gentle pressing, the wine ferments completely in tonneau. Then comes the decisive step: twelve months of ageing in large oak barrels on the first lees, followed by a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees. This patient maturation gives the wine that extra mellowness and finesse that sets it apart from all others.

Elegance is the hallmark of the Prestige Cuvée Rosé, which is unfortunately strictly limited each year. The 45th edition consists of 80% Pinot Noir from the 2020 harvest year and 20% Chardonnay in equal parts from the 2019 and 2020 harvest years. Brilliant, bright pink colour. Delicate apricot colour, very light bouquet of peaches, light fruits and sultanas. The persistent flavour is soft and fruity with subtle notes of fresh toast. SUPERIORE.DE

Manfro's bouquet combines dark ripe fruits, sweet spices, some mocha with spicy herbs and violet flowers. Silky, full-bodied and energetic on the palate with cooling acidity and minerals that play superbly around the ripe black cherries. Finishes on an elegant bitter note, fresh with violet flowers and wild berries. SUPERIORE.DE

"Per Bacco!" – by the Bacchus! – is what people shout in Italy when something extraordinary happens. And that's exactly what happens in this glass: a Nebbiolo that carries the DNA of fifteen Barolo Grand Cru vineyards, complemented by selected Barbaresco parcels, vinified like a great Barolo – but accessible, lively and affordable. Each individual vineyard is vinified separately, matured for two years in large oak barrels and then selected for blending.

Pinot Blanc – the supreme discipline of South Tyrol. The grape variety is considered the "number one white wine in South Tyrol" for good reason, and Markus Prackwieser's Renaissance Pinot Blanc Riserva elevates it to a level that few can match. Once again, it is the philosophy of the great Renaissance masters that is the inspiration here: universal expertise, perfection in detail, timeless beauty. Only in the very best years, when the terroir is at its most expressive, is this wine created – a work of art that needs two years to mature to perfection. The grapes come from the steepest plots of the Gump Hof, where calcareous moraines lie on solid quartz porphyry and the vines are exposed to the winds at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres. After gentle pressing, the must ferments completely in the large tonneau. Then comes the time that sets this wine apart from all others: twelve months in large wooden barrels on the first lees, a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees, followed by at least one year of bottle ageing before release. This patient ageing, which lasts over two years, gives the wine that extra mellowness, depth and finesse that distinguishes greatness from greatness.

This impressive red comes from the single vineyard "Vitticciana", which was created by the "Godfather of Carmignano" Ugo Contini Bonacossi especially for a pure Sangiovese wine due to its perfect orientation. It is only produced in the best years, when it presents itself as a multi-layered wine with fine fruit and fine-grained tannins. After a few years of ageing in the bottle, it can easily hold its own with some of the best Brunello di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

Francesco Illy came to Montalcino as a nature photographer – and stayed. What began as a personal project in 1997 is now one of the most exciting biodynamic wineries in the denomination. Demeter-certified, run by a young team, with a philosophy that does not see perfection and joie de vivre as a contradiction. The "Cielo d'Ulisse" – the sky of Ulysses – comes from the western parcels of Montalcino, near Camigliano. Clayey-sandy soils with Galestro influence, evening sun, cool forest climate: a combination that gives Sangiovese freshness and elegance rather than power. Fermentation takes place spontaneously, ageing lasts three years in large used Slavonian oak barrels.

Some wines are born from a dream. Arianna Occhipinti, who has long since become an icon of Sicilian natural wine, spent years searching for that one vineyard that could translate the limestone soul of the Monti Iblei into liquid. In 2016, she found it: a forgotten piece of land at the foot of Chiaramonte Gulfi, 490 metres above sea level, nestled between pine forests, gnarled oaks and ancient olive groves. The soil tells the story of the earth. Sandy, calcareous marl alternates with yellowish-white calcarenite – marine sediments from the Pleistocene, evidence of a sea that has long since disappeared. Four parcels with their own identity: Costa Sud and Costa Nord, grown in traditional single vines, give the wine its salty signature; Terrazza and Trefile, planted as Alberello on limestone, provide the vibrant freshness. The Grillo – native to western Sicily, known here in the east as "Riddu" – ferments spontaneously in concrete and Austrian oak, maturing for twelve months in the same containers.

A historic Barolo from the estate (first produced in 1905!), composed from Nebbiolo parcels in the heart of the appellation. The grapes are selectively harvested by hand, the lots are carefully destemmed and fermented; maceration takes around eight days at moderate temperatures and malolactic fermentation is completed before the onset of winter. The wine then matures for at least 18 months in large oak barrels of various sizes – an ageing process that preserves balance, transparency and expression of origin. The 2021 vintage began with a mild winter and abundant rainfall, which created valuable water reserves. A light frost in mid-April reduced the yields, but without affecting the quality. This was followed by a long, stable summer without heat peaks; scattered thunderstorms in June/July and pronounced day/night amplitudes during the ripening phase ensured a precise harvest from 6 to 15 October. The grapes achieved excellent phenolic ripeness with bright acidity.

Terlaner Cuvée (formerly Terlaner Classico) is the wine that best embodies the identity and personality of this iconic agricultural co-operative in South Tyrol. Since its founding in 1893, it has been closely linked to the history of the winery like no other wine. Since the 2013 vintage, its grapes have come from selected vineyards in the Vorberg, Kreuth and Winkl sites. Aromas of tropical and passion fruit, peach, pear and sweet almonds are surrounded by a salty, mineral vein and give this wonderfully juicy white wine finesse and the pure character typical of Terlan. SUPERIORE.DE

Rich, dark ruby colour with a slight garnet sheen, very dense bouquet, clear, concentrated and inviting, of fine dark chocolate, lots of blackberry, flowers and liquorice. Intense dark berry fruit flavours on the palate, fine-grained tannins, subtle mineral tones. A great, smooth and very characterful Merlot from the Cortona region with a long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In the 1970s, seventy vines still existed. Seventy, scattered across eastern Friuli, forgotten in overgrown vineyards. What was once one of the most prized red wines in the region – first mentioned in 1282 – was on the verge of disappearing. Worse still: in 1976, the regional government banned its cultivation. A variety that was not on the official register was not allowed to exist. The rebels won. Paolo Rapuzzi collected the last vines, defied the authorities and an earthquake, and brought the first legal Schioppettino onto the market in 1977. Today, the variety is once again recognised as one of Italy's most important indigenous reds – also thanks to winegrowers like Christian Patat, who have given it a home in Rosazzo. The name? Presumably from the Friulian "scopp" – to crack, to burst. Some say because of the thick, crispy berry skin under the teeth. Others say because young wines continue to ferment in the bottle and the corks pop out. Both explanations fit a wine that has nothing quiet about it. Ronco del Gnemiz cultivates less than one hectare in two parcels: One has been bearing fruit for over sixty years, the other was planted in 2001. Christian Patat vinifies them together, with partial whole-cluster fermentation and ageing in neutral barriques. Nine months, unfiltered.

Bucine, Valdarno di Sopra – where the Arno meanders through gentle hills between Arezzo and Florence, Fattoria Petrolo lies between 250 and 500 metres above sea level. In 1988, Lucia Bazzocchi Sanjust wanted a wine that told the true identity of this terroir: the "Château" of Petrolo, a tribute to the centuries-old Tuscan tradition of combining French varieties with Sangiovese. As early as 1834, Giorgio Perrin, agronomist of Swiss origin and owner of Petrolo, reported in the "Giornale Agrario Toscano" that it was customary in Chianti to blend "uve francese" with Sangiovese, not to change the quality, but because the terroir won out over the grape varieties.