James Suckling | 95–100 Points

A top-quality Italian rosé made from selected Montepulciano grapes grown on 45-year-old vines: Spelt Cerasuolo is a rosé with provenance and character – crafted from organically grown Montepulciano grapes from medium-altitude vineyards near Spoltore. In the glass, it is a luminous cherry pink. Aromas of redcurrants, sour cherries, pink grapefruit and a hint of almond blossom. On the palate, it is juicy, powerful and elegant all at once, with a fine texture, well-integrated acidity and a spicy finish. A sophisticated Cerasuolo with depth and style – far more than just a summer wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Margreid lies in the very south of South Tyrol – and is therefore, in terms of climate, a world away from the high Alpine regions near Nals. Warm summers, mild winters, and every afternoon the Ora: the warm southerly wind from Lake Garda that sweeps through the vineyards, aerating the vines and keeping the harvesthealthy. Chardonnay thrives on precisely this. The vineyards, situated on a gentle slope at altitudes between 220 and 350 metres and facing south-southeast, are planted on brooding, white limestone gravel soil with a high humus content – a terroir that fosters both richness and aromatic intensity. Cellar master Harald Schraffl favours a measured approach to vinification: fermentation in 30-hectolitre wooden barrels over three weeks, followed by eight months' ageing on the fine lees. The creaminess comes from the lees, not the wood.

Cortona is only thirty kilometres from Montepulciano – and yet it is a different world. Here, on the high plateau with its dense Pliocene clays and iron oxide soils, around 300 metres above sea level, Merlot grows as if it had never been at home anywhere else. Federico Carletti recognised the potential early on – and In Violas was created in 2006. This was catalysed by his friendship with the Aliotti Tommasi family, owners of the same land. A Merlot that Carletti himself calls "con un'anima toscana". With a Tuscan soul. 100% Merlot, certified organic, 5,600 vines per hectare. Hand-picked, careful selection in the vineyard and in the cellar, fermentation and maceration in conical vats for 18 to 22 days, ageing in large oak barrels.

The Riserva embodies the roots of Fattoria Le Pupille – it is the very first wine the estate produced and marketed. Originally launched in 1978 as "Rosso di Pereta", it became, with the establishment of the Morellino di Scansano appellation regulations, the cornerstone of a terroir that Elisabetta Geppetti led to international recognition with passion and vision. As the first woman to head the Consorzio Morellino di Scansano, she shaped not only the appellation but the entire wine culture of the Maremma. Sangiovese (90%) blended with Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) from the La Carla, Maiano, Bozzino and Vecchie Pupille, at altitudes of 50 to 250 metres. The soils vary from clay-silt to sandy loam with a significant limestone-marl component. After 25 to 30 days of maceration at 26 degrees, the wine is aged for twelve months in Slavonian oak casks with a capacity of 20 to 40 hectolitres.

What Carricante is to white wines, Nerello Mascalese is to reds on Mount Etna: a grape variety shaped more distinctly by this terroir than by any other in the world. Thin-skinned, light in colour, low in tannins – fragile at first glance. At second glance: precise to the very core. The younger Nerello Mascalese vines of Contrada Montedolce form the basis of the Contrade Nuove – direct, approachable, with the freshness that the north-facing slope climate at 730 to 750 metres almost inevitably produces. The warm summer of 2022 gave the wine a little more texture and dark fruit than usual – the timely autumn rain preserved its freshness. Davide Rosso vinifies using a modular approach that is unusual by Etna standards: amphorae for oxygen contact, conical oak barrels and stainless steel. This is Giovanni's deliberate strategy to counteract the Nerello's tendency towards reduction without sacrificing fruit and minerality.

An Etna Rosso with a clear vision: Ghiaia Nera is the introduction to the volcanic world of Tenuta Tascante – straightforward, elegant and characterised by the dramatic tension of the volcano. The grapes come from various locations on the north side of Mount Etna, around Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia. Volcanic sand, high altitude and large temperature differences characterise the style. It is traditionally matured in large wooden barrels. Brilliant ruby red colour with garnet hues in the glass. The nose opens with ripe cherry, dried raspberry, some orange zest and fine herbal notes. Juicy on the palate, with fresh acidity and a fine-grained tannin reminiscent of black tea. A wine with precision and cool noblesse, not a powerhouse, but a finely drawn red wine that clearly emphasises its origins. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2009, the Belgian entrepreneur Virginie Saverys took over Tenuta Avignonesi – and transformed it into one of Tuscany’s most ambitious biodynamic estates. Biodyvin-certified, organic, vegan, B Corp: at Avignonesi, wine is understood as an expression of living soils – and Montepulciano as a place that reflects this with exceptional clarity. The Vino Nobile comes from vineyards on sedimentary soils of marine origin – calcareous, with varying proportions of clay and sand from the Pleistocene and Pliocene periods, planted between 1995 and 2017 at altitudes of 270 to 375 metres. Fermentation takes place using yeasts from the estate’s own ‘pied de cuve’: the first batch of grapes is harvested in advance to select the naturally occurring yeasts on the skins. A process that deepens the connection between the wine and the vineyard and anchors the sense of place. 20 to 25 days’ maceration, followed by 18 months in large casks and tonneaux.

Brilliant ruby red with a light-coloured rim. Very precise bouquet of blackberry, raspberry and spices. The palate is light and lively, with an elegant and deep fruit component accompanied by a delicate bitter note and fine spice. A very elegant and juicy Pinot Nero with good Storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Before purchasing his first plot of land on Mount Etna in 2004, Alberto Graci worked as an investment banker in Milan – a life he left behind following the death of his grandfather, who made wine in central Sicily. Since then, his work has been entirely devoted to the volcano's indigenous grape varieties, foremost among them Nerello Mascalese. The grapes come from the Contrada Feudo di Mezzo, situated at an altitude of between 600 and 700 metres on dark brown volcanic soil, rich in iron and well-drained. After ten days' maceration in vertical wooden vats, the wine matures for 18 months in large wooden barrels and concrete tanks, undergoing spontaneous malolactic fermentation.

Schiopetto has been producing Pinot Grigio since 1968 – long before it became (unfortunately, in some other regions) Italy's best-selling mass-market white wine – and the Rotolo family has never forgotten what it truly excels at: depth, juiciness and mineral vigour. On the Ponca hills of Capriva del Friuli, in marly soils of Eocene origin, the variety finds a terroir that leaves no room for mediocrity. Gentle pressing, brief sulphur-free decanting, fermentation in stainless steel at a controlled temperature – followed by eight months' ageing on the lees. No oak, no detours, everything focused on the Ponca.

Probably the most precise expression of Sauvignon Bianco, which Volpe Pasini vinifies year after year, comes from the privileged single vineyard Zuc di Volpe. At high altitude near Togliano, on marl and calcareous flysch soils, the grape variety achieves a rare balance of aromatic richness, vibrant freshness and elegant texture. 2023 was a challenging but ultimately harmonious vintage: a cool spring and changeable weather until July demanded a great deal of sensitivity, but the stable, mild late summer produced concentrated, expressive grapes with a perfect acid structure. The wine is aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks and matures for several months on the fine lees, which gives it additional depth and balance.

Grave di Stecca is Nino Franco's exposed single vineyard on the slopes of the Prealpi. The south-facing vineyard is planted exclusively with the Prosecco grape Glera. Brilliantly shining white gold, gently developing perlage, a bouquet of sage with fresh fruit flavours. Very pleasantly dry flavour, silky and long – the indisputably great top-quality wine from the renowned Prosecco producer. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1977 – two years after Sassicaia – Pier Mario Melini became only the second person ever to plant vines in Bolgheri. What seemed like obstinacy at the time is now known as Grattamacco. The estate is situated on one of the appellation's few hills, 100 to 200 metres above sea level, on quartz-rich sandstone, white clay and calcareous marl flysch – soils that counter the Mediterranean climate with a continental freshness. The Bolgheri Rosso 2024 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese and a hint of Petit Verdot – vinified in steel, then aged for six months in neutral barriques. The damp spring and hot summer of 2024 were broken by refreshing rainfall in early August: a classic, slow ripening process that endowed the wine with both freshness and structure.

This exceptional Cabernet is dedicated to one of the Mazzei family's most illustrious ancestors: Philip Mazzei (1730–1816), a visionary thinker, American patriot and wine-growing pioneer who, together with Thomas Jefferson, laid the foundations for wine-growing in Virginia. As a close friend of Jefferson's, Mazzei inspired the famous doctrine "All men are created equal" in the American Declaration of Independence. Philip embodies the quintessence of Tuscany from two renowned estates: Cabernet Sauvignon from Castello di Fonterutoli in Chianti Classico and from Tenuta Belguardo in the Maremma. This unique fusion of different terroirs creates aromatic complexity and depth – the limestone soils of Fonterutoli lend minerality and elegance, whilst the sandstone soils of the Maremma contribute structure and power.

On the northern slope of Mount Etna, black is not a mood but the finest "building material": the terraces of the Contrada Santo Spirito near Passopisciaro are laid out in layers of lava stone, at an altitude of 700 metres. Animaetnea is the Etna project run by Antonio Moretti, who also manages the Tuscan estate Tenuta Sette Ponti, and the project's guiding principle is: a wine does not have to be perfect; it must be authentic. The lava soil, altitude and wind have largely kept phylloxera and mildew at bay here; as a result, almost all the vines are grown on their own roots, trained as bush vines. The wine's name evokes the glow of a flowing lava flow. Carricante, blended with Minnella, is fermented at a controlled temperature and aged for only a short time, followed by a few months' bottle ageing.

Between the hills of Gaiole and Radda in Chianti, at an altitude of 460 to 525 metres, lies one of the most extraordinary wine estates in Tuscany. Since 1982, Marco Pallanti and Lorenza Sebasti have shaped the fortunes of Castello di Ama – a winemaking couple who have helped Chianti Classico achieve worldwide recognition. "Ama" was created in 2010 with the introduction of the Gran Selezione as an independent line and represents the essence of the estate's younger Sangiovese clones. Made from 96% Sangiovese and 4% Merlot, the wine comes from densely planted vineyards on chalky, clayey soils. The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand, fermented spontaneously with natural yeasts and matured for twelve months in second-use barriques.

At some point in the history of Nals Margreid, the Gambero Rosso even declared Sirmian to be the best white wine in Italy. We are not surprised. Above Nals, in the Sirmian district, the slopes lie between 500 and 700 metres above sea level. South-east facing, alpine climate: mild summers, cool autumns, a long growing season that ends in mid-October with the harvest. The soil is a geological archive: Permeable glacial moraine of limestone, gneiss, mica, slate and marble, deposited millions of years ago by glaciers in the Western Alps, resting on porphyry, the volcanic bedrock of the bedrock.

A declaration of love for Tuscany – that is how the Ferragamos describe their purest expression of the variety. The Vigna Polissena vineyard lies on schist soils with perfect drainage, a terroir tailor-made for Sangiovese. James Suckling once compared the wine produced here to the finest Brunellos. The must rests on the skins for twenty-two days before being transferred to Allier barriques – a third of which are new. For eighteen months, the wood shapes the structure without overshadowing the wine's character. A further six months in steel give the wine time to find its feet.

At the dizzying heights of Lamole, one of the highest-altitude appellations in Chianti Classico, the Sangiovese grapes for this exceptional Riserva thrive at altitudes of between 470 and 655 metres. The historic terraces, built from local Macigno del Chianti – that characteristic sandstone which stores the sun's heat during the day and releases it again at night – create a unique microclimate for this certified organic wine. Lareale brings together grapes from two of Lamole's finest vineyards: "Il Prato" and "Le Masse". 95% Sangiovese, complemented by five% Canaiolo Nero, results – following visual berry selection and a two-week maceration – in a Chianti Classico of remarkable elegance and austerity. Over two years' ageing in oak barrels lends the wine additional complexity and structure.

In 1988, Lucia Bazzocchi Sanjust, together with the OenologistGiulio Gambelli, set the course for Petrolos' modern era with the "Torrione" – the estate's first wine produced without regard to volume. Almost forty years later, the family has given the name to a second wine: a single-varietal Trebbiano, the grape variety that was delivered from the Valdarno to the popes in Rome as far back as the 14th century. Torrione Trebbiano deliberately eschews a vintage: each bottling bears a batch number and combines base wines from several years (in this case: 2023/2024), selected with the precision of the benchmark Trebbiano, Bòggina B. Hand-harvested and fermented spontaneously in tonneaux, it matures on the fine lees for over 15 months, with bâtonnage carried out regularly at first and then gradually reduced, and without racking prior to bottling.

In 1970, Caparzo produced its first Brunello, at a time when there were just thirteen wineries in Montalcino – one of the appellation's historic estates. What continues to set Caparzo's Brunello apart to this day is the provenance of its Sangiovese grapes: The estate is one of the few in Montalcino to own vineyards spread across various geographical zones throughout the entire appellation. Rather than drawing from a single terroir, this Brunello combines the microclimates of four vineyards into a complex whole: "Caparzo" itself in the north at 220 metres, sandy-clay Pliocene sediments; "La Caduta" in the south-west at 300 metres, loose, stony sandstone-schist; "Il Cassero" in the south at 270 metres, Pliocene sediments with a sandy, stony and schistose matrix; and "San Piero-Caselle" in the east at 250 metres, sandy-clayey.

Whilst Virgilio Bisti tends to the reds – Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah – Rita Tua has focused on the whites. Lodano Bianco is her wine, her conviction: that in this climate and on the mineral-rich soils of the Colline Metallifere, a white wine with a character all of its own can be produced – from a blend that nobody in the Maremma would have expected. Traminer, Riesling and Chardonnay. Three grape varieties, three stories of origin, one terroir. The vineyards near Suvereto lie on loamy, mineral-rich soils, twelve kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Mistral wind from the Piombino Channel keeps temperatures in balance, preserves the aromas and gives the white wine that freshness which is not a given at this latitude. Gentle pressing, fermentation in wooden tanks, followed by ageing in barriques.

Oberkerschbaum – the upper cherry orchard. The name encapsulates the everyday nature of mountain life: a farmstead named after the trees that lined its perimeter. What sets this plot apart from the ordinary, however, is its location. The vineyard is situated in Pochi di Salorno, in the Buchholz UGA, on the southernmost border of South Tyrol – where the province meets Trentino. At an altitude of 770 to 800 metres, facing south-west, on purely volcanic porphyry without any limestone content. No other Vigna vineyard belonging to the estate lies at such a high altitude; none has such consistently volcanic geology. The Sauvignon Bianco thrives here under extreme yet precise conditions: an exceptional amount of sunshine, amplified by the altitude; cool nights that slow down ripening and preserve freshness; and soil that transfers the volcano's minerality directly into the grapes. The "Vigna" classification, first introduced for Alto Adige by Paolo Foradori, denotes a plot that is in a class of its own. The "Riserva" designation of the 2023 vintage confirms the extended ageing process.

In 1996, Elisabetta Geppetti bought a hillside near Pereta. She named it Poggio Valente – the capable hill, the brave hill. A name that says it all. The vineyard lies at 280 metres, facing south-west, on sandy soils over sandstone bedrock with clay interlayers – a terroir that lends the Sangiovese precision and elegance rather than weight and power. Elisabetta wanted something different here: a single-varietal Sangiovese cru in the Burgundian tradition, a wine that speaks of its vineyard and nothing else. In 2014, she took a decisive step: Poggio Valente left the Morellino appellation and has since been classified as Toscana IGT. This is no step backwards – quite the opposite. It is a statement. This wine transcends its designation of origin, and Elisabetta did not want the lack of international recognition associated with an appellation to limit her ambition.