Gambero-Rosso

In 2010, Marco Cirese, grandson of Noelia Ricci, started a project within Tenuta Pandolfa: nine hectares of the best plots, a radical focus on Sangiovese, back to the origins. The label is adorned with a wasp – the insect that lives in the vineyard like no other. The vines are planted at an altitude of 250 to 300 metres, on ochre-coloured clay soils with limestone marl, in 2002. Spontaneous fermentation, 18 days of maceration, then six months in stainless steel – without clarification, without filtration. Purism as a principle.

Top Italian rosé made from selected Montepulciano grapes from 45-year-old vines: Spelt Cerasuolo is a rosé with origin and character – obtained from organically grown Montepulciano in medium-high vineyards near Spoltore. The 2024 vintage was characterised by balanced ripeness and cool nights, which gives the wine freshness and clarity. After a short maceration period, the wine is matured in stainless steel tanks.

Re Manfredi is a masterpiece made from the indigenous Aglianico grape variety. Its label is emblazoned with the coat of arms of the ruling house of Emperor Frederick the Hohenstaufen, who was at home here. Deep ruby red in colour, fragrant, intense and multi-layered bouquet, rich fruit, robust structure, fine tannins and clean, pleasant bitter tones in harmony, very dense, elegant, spicy and complex with a subtle woody note. A wonderful, characteristic red! SUPERIORE.DE

Mozart knew what he was doing. In the second act of Don Giovanni, his hero calls for wine – and it is the Marzemino that he desires: "Eccellente Marzemino!" It was to be his last indulgence before his just punishment. The variety, which is related to Refosco and Teroldego, has lost little of its seductive power since then. Maculan cultivates it in Fara Vicentino, on a vineyard called Cornorotto – volcanic tuff hills, mineral-rich soil. The grapes are lightly dried for a week before being placed in steel tanks – a quiet trick that brings concentration and depth without heaviness.

A wine that shows at first sip: Sardinia not only has sunshine, but also depth. Iselis is a tribute to the indigenous Monica grape variety from a carefully selected vineyard near Serdiana. The vines are rooted in calcareous clay soils, warm winds and Mediterranean sunshine. After controlled mash fermentation, the wine matures for around a year in barriques before being bottled, powerful and elegant at the same time.

Mario Schiopetto was born in 1930, he grew up in the family-owned Osteria ai Pompieri and had his first professional experiences as a fireman and later as a truck driver. In 1963, guided only by his taste and love of wine, he began to devote himself to wine production in his parents' farm and produced the first pure Tocai in 1965. The historic label at the time included the drawing of his fire engine, which he also used to deliver the wine to customers. With the 2019 vintage, the winery recalled these historical roots and resumed the cute drawing on part of its wine labels.

Trentanni was first produced for Falesco's 30th anniversary and combines equal parts Merlot and Sangiovese from the high altitudes around Montecchio and Orvieto. The mild climate and chalky soils give the cuvée elegance and structure. Intense ruby red colour in the glass. Ripe plum, dark cherry and blackcurrant on the nose, accompanied by Mediterranean herbs and a hint of vanilla from the six months of ageing in barriques. Balanced and juicy on the palate, with a fine tannin structure, lively acidity and clear fruit. The finish is long, savoury and subtly mineral. A wine with character and harmony that convincingly combines tradition and modern drinking pleasure. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Galea Vernatsch come from old vines that grow on gravel and porphyry soils. Bright ruby colour, vinous aromas and an appetisingly fresh scent of red cherries. Juicy and fruity on the palate, with velvety tannins, harmonious with fine minerality and good length. SUPERIORE.DE

For over three decades, this Salice Salentino Riserva has been the undisputed flagship of Cantine Due Palme – and a wine that proves year after year that greatness and a co-operative structure need not be a contradiction in terms. The Tre Bicchieri of the Gambero Rosso? For Selvarossa, this has long been a subscription. No other Apulian red wine has won this top award so consistently, and at a price-pleasure ratio that even cuvées four times more expensive regularly fail to achieve. The story of Selvarossa begins shortly after the turn of the millennium, when Angelo Maci – fourth generation of an old winemaking family and founder of Due Palme – realised his vision of uncompromising quality production. What began in 1989 with fifteen members now unites over a thousand winegrowers who together cultivate 2,500 hectares of vineyards in the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto. The name Selvarossa – "red forest" – refers to the characteristic red-coloured, clayey soils around Cellino San Marco, rich in minerals, graphite and iron oxides, which give the terroir its unmistakable character.

The grapes for this single-varietal Pinot Bianco come from altitudes of up to 700 metres around the municipality of Montan. Delicate greenish-yellow in colour, with a fine bouquet of green apple, lemon, chalk and some crushed rock. Fine texture on the palate, with good structure and excellent depth. The spicy, fruity finish is characterised by precise, linear acidity and notes of pear and apple. Great and very balanced! SUPERIORE.DE

Only 1.5 kilometres separate the vineyards of Capitel Croce and Foscarino – but geologically they are worlds apart. While Foscarino is rooted in volcanic rock, Croce is enthroned on the pure limestone of the Zoppega hill. "Croce like Calcareo", Roberto likes to say as a mnemonic. Here, in the highest areas of his estate, perhaps his most uncompromising wine has been growing since 1982: 100 per cent Garganega, matured for eight months in old Allier barriques. What makes this wine so exceptional is not just its origin, but Roberto's radical approach: only 45 hectolitres per hectare, late selective harvest with up to twelve passes until only the most perfect berries remain. Fermentation takes place directly in barriques, allowing fruit and wood to merge right from the start.

The name refers to an ancient coin of the Genoese lords who once owned the vineyards around Gavi. Today, the Cortese grapes come from the heart of the appellation: the Comune di Gavi itself, where calcareous marl soils and pronounced day-night differences give the wine its characteristic freshness and floral aromas. After being harvested by hand, the grapes are cooled with carbon dioxide snow and pressed particularly gently. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, followed by three months of bottle ageing.

Valpolicella Superiore Case Vecie is made mainly from Corvina and Corvinone grapes. It takes its name from the vineyard of the same name in Grezzana, where the ripening of the grapes is subject to strong temperature fluctuations between day and night: a climatic peculiarity that gives the wine a special spiciness on the nose and a completely unique polyphenol profile. Bright ruby red in colour with notes of cherries, vanilla and spices. Beautiful fruit and acidity on the palate, wonderfully balanced body. Juicy and long. SUPERIORE.DE

Erse Etna Rosso has a lively and spicy bouquet of sour cherries, dried roses, cloves and a hint of fresh mint. Round and juicy on the palate, yet pure, with mineral red berries that saturate, while the lively acidity retains a fantastic freshness. A subtle coating of fine tannins and a saline note define the final as it tapers gently and grippingly under a hint of red flowers. Wonderful value. SUPERIORE.DE

An Aglianico from the south of Apulia – unusual in its origin, convincing in its expression. Dark wild berries, black cherry, a little dark chocolate and a hint of tar on the nose, accompanied by spicy nuances and Mediterranean herbs. Structured and powerful on the palate, with firm tannins, well-integrated acidity and a fine mineral vein. The ageing in barriques rounds off the texture without smoothing out the originality. Terra shows how much character Aglianico can also develop outside of its classic homeland: an independent, exciting wine with depth and regional character. SUPERIORE.DE

A Sangiovese cru that demonstrates the philosophy of single-vineyard viticulture to perfection. Sergio Zingarelli and his team recognised early on the extraordinary potential of the clay-dominated soils of Sant'Alfonso – plots with minimal skeleton content, which create the ideal conditions for concentrated, aromatically complex wines. Sangiovese clones were specifically cultivated here, which harmonise with the clay-rich structures and develop the highest phenol concentrations.

Calabria showed its sunniest side in the warm, dry year of 2023. The single-varietal Magliocco from the "Megonio" vineyard benefited from this constellation with deeply ripe grapes, concentrated fruit and healthy berry skins. The vinification process was classic: temperature-controlled mash fermentation, followed by ageing in barriques for around a year – enough to create structure without masking the authenticity of the variety.

Here is one of the most beautiful interpretations of the white Carricante grape variety, matured for six months on the fine lees. Alta Mora Bianco comes from vineyards on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, where Carricante vines thrive at an altitude of 600 to 900 metres – directly on volcanic rock that is rich in minerals and ash. The cool altitude, combined with intense sunlight and strong day-night fluctuations, characterises this wine with an unmistakable freshness, structure and salty tension. The wine is vinified purely in stainless steel in order to bring the purity of the grape variety and the terroir unadulterated into the glass.

Rocca Rubia is an archetypal Carignano del Sulcis – powerful, Mediterranean and at the same time of astonishing elegance. The grapes come from old, partly ungrafted vines in the sandy, coastal vineyards of the lower Sulcis region in south-west Sardinia. Fermentation took place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks and the wine was matured for around 10 months in French oak barriques with a successful balance of wood character and fruit expression.

At some point in the past, a small metal plate on the roof of the Castagnedi farmstead in the Monti Garbi moved in the wind – like a flag, a "bandina". A landmark for all those who knew these hills. Today, it is the name of the single vineyard that lies at the heart of the Tenuta. Colognola ai Colli, eastern Valpolicella: calcareous sandy soils at around 300 metres. This is the terroir that has belonged to the four Castagnedi brothers since 1995 and which characterises their wines with a characteristic balsamic: liquorice, white mint, graphite, China. Corvina and Corvinone form the backbone with 70%, Rondinella brings freshness, Croatina and Oseleta the flavour. Hand-picked in October, fermentation at a controlled temperature with certified organic yeasts, natural malo. Then aged for 24 months in 25-hectolitre French oak tonneaux – medium roasted, integrated, never dominant.

A real rarity: Ebnerhof is home to the southernmost Grüner-Veltliner vineyards in South Tyrol. What is mainstream in Austria is exclusive in the Isarco Valley – the grape variety has felt at home here for generations, but only a few winegrowers dare to try their hand at it. The Unterthiner family cultivates this Austrian legend on mineral-rich, gravelly soils at an altitude of 500 to 550 metres, where the special soil conditions give the wine its unmistakable signature. After gentle processing, the must ferments at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, after which the wine matures on the fine lees – partly in small wooden barrels –which gives it additional depth.

Rosa Mara is undoubtedly one of the favourite wines of Mattia Vezzola, who is dedicated to reinterpreting a historic vinification method that has been practised in this region since the 18th century. This Chiaretto is produced using the traditional "a lacrima" method, in which the grapes are pressed gently and carefully so that they begin to "cry". To achieve the perfect colour, the tone of the rosato is constantly monitored during production. Speaking of perfect: with this wine, Mattia proves how masterfully he has mastered this process and brought it to absolute perfection.