Gambero-Rosso

Cartizze covers just over 100 hectares, and right in the middle of it, between Santo Stefano and San Pietro di Barbozza, lies Villa Sandi's La Rivetta vineyard. The slopes are steep and, in places, difficult to access; the vines are tended by hand, just as one would in a garden. The soil dates from the Miocene period; it is sandy, with calcareous sandstone and clay. Behind the estate stands the Polegato family: the grandfather purchased his first vineyards in the early 1920s. In the late 1970s, his grandsons Mario and Giancarlo acquired a villa in Crocetta del Montello, dating from 1622, which had once hosted Napoleon, and were among the first to export Prosecco abroad. The grapes are harvested in mid-September. The whole grapes are fed into the pneumatic press and gently pressed; the must is racked once. The second fermentation takes place at 15 to 16 degrees and is halted by cooling as soon as the alcohol and sugar levels are correct.

In the annals of Sardinian wine history, Angialis marks a turning point – the moment when Antonio Argiolas realised that the island could not only produce great dry wines, but also sweet wines of exceptional complexity. The name Angialis, derived from the mystical angelic figures of Sardinian folklore, refers to the almost supernatural quality of this wine, which is made from late harvested grapes of the autochthonous Nasco and Malvasia di Sardegna grape varieties. The vineyards of Serdiana offer ideal conditions for this delicate vinification: the warm autumn days and cool nights promote the natural concentration of the grapes, while the proximity to the sea provides the necessary humidity that favours the controlled development of botrytis. The grapes ripen here until November, developing the unique balance between sweetness and acidity that characterises Sardinian sweet wines. Vinification is carried out with the utmost care: hand-picked grapes are gently pressed and the must ferments slowly at controlled temperatures. The wine then matures for over two years in small oak barrels, where it develops its characteristic golden colour and complex aromatic structure. This long maturation gives Angialis the depth and elegance that distinguishes it from simple dessert wines.

A great Friulano from small plots: Paolo Meroi vinifies his single-varietal white wine from vines over 40 years old on barren flysch soils around Buttrio and Rosazzo – a terroir that provides depth and precision. The wine is matured traditionally in barriques with long lees contact, which gives the wine structure and subtle maturity. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with golden reflections. The nose is complex and finely interwoven: ripe pear, white peach, candied citrus fruit, lime blossom and a hint of herbal honey. Delicate hints of hazelnut, beeswax and wet stone in the background. Powerful, silky and elegantly textured on the palate. The acidity is well integrated and the salty minerality characterises the long, powerful finish. A Friulano of a special calibre – dense, complex and with an unmistakable character of origin. Paolo Merois' signature is palpable: authentic, precise, fully committed to Friuli. SUPERIORE.DE

1172 – the year in which Volpaia is first mentioned in documents. A small, fortified borgo on a hill north of Radda in Chianti, built as a border fortress between Florence and Siena. Today it is a jewel of peace and beauty and one of the most historic wine villages in Tuscany. Here, where soldiers once stood guard, the Stianti-Mascheroni families now press their grapes within the medieval walls. The bottles mature in the vaults of old churches and almost every cellar contains a tank of organic wine. An entire village dedicated to viticulture. So complete that it becomes poetic again. The Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese from vineyards between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. One of the highest wineries in the region. Up here, where the air is thin and the nights are cool, Sangiovese develops the elegance and minerality that makes Volpaia so distinctive. Sandstone, clay and sandy-loamy soils with a high proportion of skeleton. Manual harvest in the second half of September, temperature-controlled vinification, then 24 months in French and Slovenian oak barrels.

The approx. 35-year-old Pinot Nero vines stand near the village of Rodel-Pianezzi at an altitude of approx. 500 m. Ruby-red wine with aubergine reflections. Frank, clean scent of wild strawberry, raspberry and delicious notes of tobacco. On the palate, a very well-balanced extract-tannin ratio, yet complex, soft and with a spicy-salty vein. The well-dosed use of wood and the finely meshed tannin create a good framework for further development at absolute Riserva level. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2000, buyers were at the door. The Fucci family had almost given up on the six hectares of vineyards that their grandfather Generoso had acquired at the foot of Monte Vulture in the 1960s – the parents teachers, the children on their way into the world. At the last moment, daughter Elena decided otherwise. Not out of calculation, but out of a feeling that she herself later described as "a stab in the heart": she could not accept that a foreign name would do something great with the oldest vines of the Vulture while she watched.

Düsseldorf, ProWein, 1997: Two men meet between the trade fair stands and tasting zones: Stefano Inama, who has given Garganega white wines a new dignity in Soave, and Sabatino Di Properzio, who is in the process of leading Fattoria La Valentina out of the shadow of Abruzzese mass production. What begins as an industry skirmish turns into a friendship – and an idea that Inama formulates with a joke: "Montepulciano is the Barolo of the south. We should do something together." Sabatino's answer, without hesitation: "Facciamo." Three years later, the two buy a vineyard in San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore at a forced sale that nobody wants. 4.2 hectares at an altitude of 350 metres, completely south-facing, at the foot of the Majella National Park – and planted with an ancient Montepulciano clone that was abandoned long ago due to its low yields. The grapes form two-lobed panicles reminiscent of the silhouette of the African continent: the "Clone Africa". Small-berried, thick-skinned, with a concentration that more modern clones cannot match. The vines, now over fifty years old, are rooted in loamy mid-mountain soil under the traditional Abruzzese pergola – and yield just 45 quintals per hectare.

Selvarossa is a tribute to the autochthonous grape varieties of Salento: the Negroamaro – "niuru maru" in the dialect, "black bitter" – has been rooted in this soil for three thousand years and provides the dark, almost black depth of colour, the solid tannins and the bitter spiciness that justify its name. The Malvasia Nera provides a counterpoint of elegance and soft, velvety fruit. Both grape varieties are cultivated using the traditional Alberello system, the archaic bush training method without wire frames, which offers the vines protection from the scorching heat and naturally limits the yield. The grapes for the Selvarossa come from the oldest, most select plots and are harvested by hand in small crates when perfectly ripe, some even slightly overripe – some even slightly overripe to maximise concentration and sugar content.

"Le Merle" is named after the Merlot-loving blackbirds that compete with the harvest workers during the grape harvest. Eleonora and Elena Charrère made a conscious decision to cultivate a variety of international origin, Merlot, which is very rare in the region, in order to challenge the terroir and create a wine of great consistency and richness.

Like a precious legacy, this wine is steeped in the history of the Serristori patrician family, who acquired the Donoratico estate in 1512 and built the magnificent villa in 1660. From the shadow of these historic walls springs a wine that embodies the soul of the Tuscan Maremma – where the salty murmur of the Tyrrhenian Sea meets the warm hills of Bolgheri. In the vineyards of Argentiera – the estate within the Bolgheri DOC that lies closest to the coast and is also the highest in elevation – the grapes ripen amidst Mediterranean scrub and the endless blue of the archipelago. Here, on just twelve hectares of the Villa Donoratico vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot take root in sandy and rocky soils, whilst the subsoil is permeated by marine flysch rock – a geological memory of seas long past.

There are wines that define an appellation. And there are wines that show where an appellation can go. The Gran Selezione from Lilliano belongs to the second category. When the Chianti Classico producers created the new top of the quality pyramid in 2010, there was a great deal of scepticism: is there really a need for another category above the Riserva? Lilliano answered this question with deeds rather than words. While other estates defined their Gran Selezione with an international use of wood and concentrated opulence, Lilliano remained true to its line: tradition, terroir, typicity. The Gran Selezione comes exclusively from the two best single vineyards of the Tenuta – piagge and Casina, both situated at an altitude of around 300 metres, both characterised by the calcareous Alberese soils that make Castellina in Chianti one of the most mineral terroirs in the entire appellation. Piagge is south-facing, fully exposed to the sun, and produces Sangiovese of concentration and vigour. Casina, on the other hand, exposed to the east-south-east, produces Colorino and Sangiovese of elegance and aromatic finesse. Together they produce a cuvée of 90% Sangiovese and 5% each of Colorino and Merlot – an assemblage that seeks perfection within the rules rather than innovation.

Pas Dosé – here, the dosage that is normally added is omitted; this dosage, applied after disgorging, determines not only the sugar content but also the style of the sparkling wine that has fermented in the bottle. Instead, the volume naturally lost during the years of bottle ageing is replaced by other wines from the estate, which do not, however, further affect the sugar content. The result is an extremely dry sparkling wine that is by no means lacking in body, character or finely nuanced flavours.

"La Firma" – "The Signing". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are a nod to his father's career as a notary. La Firma is a single-varietal Aglianico, aged in natural caves formed from volcanic tuff, Karat and French oak barrels. A beautiful ruby red with bright violet highlights. A complex bouquet with aromas of small black berries, liquorice and hay. Powerful and very harmonious on the palate, characterised by velvety tannins and a long, balsamic finish. Excellent ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Above the cellar walls of Passopisciaro lives a woman whose stories are older than the centuries-old vines she can see from her window every day. Nerina Russo, mother of Giuseppe and widow of the late Girolamo, is more than just the namesake of this extraordinary white wine – she is the living heart of a family that has given Etna all its devotion. At harvest time, when their famous dishes mingle the flavours of the kitchen with those of the fermenting grapes, it becomes clear that wines are made here out of love, not just passion. Giuseppe has created a monument to his father with the winery, but has dedicated the wine that perhaps best expresses the essence of his family to his mother. Nerina embodies the soul of the Sicilian white wine tradition – a harmonious union of all the autochthonous grape varieties of Etna, which once thrived together in the mixed vineyards of the Contrade. Seventy per cent Carricante forms the backbone, while thirty per cent Catarratto, Inzolia, Grecanico, Minnella and Coda di Volpe provide the multi-layered complexity that can only come from centuries-old winemaking wisdom.

Only one wine at a time bears the estate's name – and there is a reason for this. The Montecucco Rosso Riserva is the centrepiece of the estate's production: the wine that most directly expresses the estate's philosophy. Italian passion meets Swiss precision – that is how the Tipa Bertarelli family themselves describe their approach. In the glass, it impresses anew every year. 80% Sangiovese, 10% Ciliegiolo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon – grapes from vineyards on sandstone, marl and clay at an altitude of 300 metres. Spontaneous fermentation on natural yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, followed by 16 months' ageing: the Sangiovese in 40-hectolitre oak barrels, the Ciliegiolo and Cabernet inLiters French oakLiters.

Confini can justifiably be described as one of Friuli's best white wines. This crescendo is an exciting blend of Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio and Riesling, with the strong flavours of Traminer clearly leading the way. Medium-bodied on the palate, with a creamy fullness and silky intensity, with hints of tropical fruit, gingerbread and exotic flowers. In the final third, the palate is then again wide-ranging, full of freshness, juicy acidity and grace - and with the lasting, deep impression that more than does justice to a top wine from this appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

Essence Noir is the prestigious top of the Essence line – an Extra Brut made from 100% Pinot Nero, carefully vinified in white using the classic method with perfect dosage. Around 48 months on the lees give it depth, texture and savoury sophistication. On the nose, aromas of yellow citrus fruit, grapefruit, brioche, toasted almond and a hint of dried herbs. On the palate, it is complex and focussed – an ultra-fine perlage carries a dense, yet linear texture. The acidity is precise, the body powerful, yet compact and with terrificinterplay of fruit, flavour and minerality. The long, salty-mineral final is clear and persistent – with a moderate dosage that never overwhelms but leaves an original tension. Essence Noir is a masterpiece of balance. SUPERIORE.DE

The "Sassorosso" vineyard is located on a rocky promontory that is separated from the rest of the mountain and has been almost completely eroded by the glacier over the centuries. It is visually characterised by the unmistakable red colour of the ferrous inclusions in the rock. The overlying shallow soil layer consists of clay and sand and lies on friable, metamorphic rock into which the roots can penetrate. The unmistakably elegant and mineral character of the terroir is therefore particularly evident in this Nebbiolo.

Piano di Montevergine is not solely a vineyard. Hazelnut and olive trees have always stood amongst the rows of vines – a traditional Irpinian mixed-cropping system, as was customary in this region before monocultures became the norm. It is precisely from this iconic vineyard belonging to Feudi di San Gregorio that the Taurasi Riserva is produced. Taurasi is regarded as Campania's most demanding red wine appellation, holding DOCG status since 1993, grown on volcanic soils in the shadow of the Montevergine massif. The Aglianico, used here in its entirety, demands patience: 24 months in barrique, followed by at least a further 30 months in the bottle before the wine leaves the estate – more than four years from vineyard to release.

Poggio Landi comprises 75 hectares of vineyards, stretching from the historic vineyards in the north of Montalcino to the distinctive southern terraces. This expanse encompasses variations in soil, aspect and altitude – from 300 to 500 metres – providing the winemaker with a wealth of biodiversity that he utilises as if it were an instrument. The soils consist of Pliocene clays with marl, a geological composition that lends the Sangiovese structure and depth. 2019 played its part. A regular climate with no adverse conditions, a bountiful harvest of healthy, ripe grapes: what sounds so simple here is rare in Montalcino. Two weeks of spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by 38 months in large French oak barrels of 30 and 54 hectolitres, and at least 6 months' bottle ageing.

A wine that takes its name from the estate's last noble family – and thus from a man who left his mark far beyond the world of wine. Count Guido Chigi Saracini, born in Siena in 1880, was not only the lord of Poggio Bonelli, but also a passionate patron of the arts. In 1932, he founded the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, which remains one of the world's most renowned centres for musical education to this day. He spent the milder seasons at his estate in Castelnuovo Berardenga – where the grapes for this Gran Selezione ripen today. It represents the pinnacle of the Chianti Classico hierarchy: exclusively Sangiovese from the finest south-facing slopes at altitudes of between 280 and 360 metres, where sun and wind ensure consistent ripening and aromatic complexity. Strictly limited yields of 50 quintals per hectare, twelve days of temperature-controlled fermentation, followed by a further ten days of maceration on the skins. Then patience: at least 24 months in French oak, followed by ageing in the bottle.

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.

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