James Suckling

Produced in just 6,000 bottles per vintage, Godenza from the vineyard of the same name undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by temperature-controlled maceration in stainless steel tanks. After malolactic fermentation, it then matures for 12 months in cement vats and at least 9 months in the bottle. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, it is characterised by its complex and open bouquet with aromas of small red berries and spices. On the palate, it is firm and clear with a wonderful balance between acidity and ripe flavours and has a very respectable, slightly salty and spicy finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1966, when the Italian wine industry was at a crossroads, Domenico Poggiali took a bold step and acquired the then-neglected estates of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Subsequently, and right up to the present day, this adventure has been turned into a legend by his son-in-law, Giuseppe Mazzocolin, a professor of humanities and friend of Luigi Veronelli. Together with the young OenologistFranco Bernabei, they created the first Berardenga in 1967 – a Sangiovese that embodies the true essence of south-eastern Chianti Classico. The vineyards stretch across the geologically diverse terraces at altitudes between 320 and 420 metres, where quartz-rich sandstone and calcareous Alberese in the higher elevations meet sandstone and loam as one descends towards the Crete Senesi. This "Terra di Confine" – the borderland between Chianti Classico and the Colli Senesi – shapes its unmistakable character.

Puer Apuliae (son of Apulia) is what the De Coratos call their elegant and outstanding quality wine made from 100% Nero di Troia. The flagship in the cellar delights with its balsamic aroma, in which there is room for spices, plums, pickled nuts and black sultanas. The flavour is very concentrated yet juicy, full-bodied and dense, with a long finish and a lovely hint of cranberries and tobacco. SUPERIORE.DE

A Bolgheri Rosso with a distinctive character and a clear sense of origin: the vines used for this blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grow on calcareous, well-drained soils near Castagneto Carducci. A deep ruby colour with violet highlights. Ripe cherry, blackberry, Mediterranean herbs and a hint of cedar characterise the bouquet. Powerful on the palate, with dense fruit, well-integrated acidity and finely textured tannins. The finish is long, spicy and underpinned by mineral freshness. A young Bolgheri Rosso with character, approachability and remarkable depth. Be sure to let it breathe. SUPERIORE.DE

Uccelliera's Rosso di Montalcino slowly comes to life with a beguiling blend of mentholated herbs, pine shavings and dried strawberries. It glides over the palate with a texture of pure silk, caressing everything it touches with ripe red fruits and rosy flowers accompanied by a lively acidity. Structured, powerful and long on the final – as always, it far exceeds its weight class and is a top-class Rosso di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

New world meets old world. Impressive Sauvignon Bianco from higher-lying plots in the Langhe around Treiso and Trezzo Tinella, harvested cool and rigorously selected. The musts are fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel; the wine then remains on the fine lees for several months (with gentle stirring), without malolactic fermentation and without the use of wood – for maximum aromatic precision and a fine, chalky texture.

San Filippo is located in the east of Montalcino – the part of the region known for its particular elegance and longevity. Roberto Giannelli, who acquired the winery in 2003 and has consistently favoured organic cultivation and minimal wood intervention ever since, has developed a style with Oenologist Paolo Caciorgna that shows Sangiovese Grosso in its purest form. Lo Scorno is the opening to the first movement – accessible, direct and full of character.

In Nals, there is a phenomenon that rarely occurs elsewhere with such intensity: the Venti di Caduta – the downdrafts that plunge down from the mountains and can lower the daytime temperature by up to 20 degrees. Hot days, freezing cold nights – all within a matter of hours. For the Sauvignon Blanc, this means maximum ripeness of the fruit during the day and maximum preservation of acidity and aromatics at night. A microclimate that keeps this grape variety on its toes. Added to this is a soil that is unrivalled in terms of depth and composition: a 150-metre-deep alluvial fan, built up over millennia by the Sirmian and Nals streams, consisting of 70 per cent limestone gravel and 30 per cent porphyry debris. Two geological worlds that lend the Sauvignon both mineral rigour and aromatic depth. Facing east-southeast, at an altitude of 330 to 400 metres, this is the heart of the Nals terroirs.

Solicchiata lies on the northern slope of Mount Etna, where the volcano still bestows everything upon its soils – minerality, warmth, vitality – without imposing the intense ripeness of the southern flank. The Faro family founded Pietradolce here in 2005, on 35 hectares at altitudes between 600 and 900 metres. Their philosophy: exclusively indigenous grape varieties, separate vinification of individual plots, and as little intervention as possible. The Etna Bianco is the gateway to this world – and at the same time an unmistakable statement of intent. 100% Carricante, Alberello, 800 metres above sea level. Sandy, volcanic soils, rich in minerals. Hand-harvested in the second half of October, when the long, cool nights on the north-facing slope have given the acidity its final polish. Gentle pressing, aged exclusively in steel.

A timeless symbol of the region and a tribute to the origins of Franciacorta: '61 Extra Brut is a classic blend comprising approximately 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Nero. It is aged on the fine lees for at least 24 months, which gives it a clear structure, elegance and harmonious fruit intensity. It thus embodies a modern, precise style that is, at the same time, deeply rooted in tradition.

This mature Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso comes from the single vineyard "Zuc di Volpe" – a prime example of the ripening potential and aristocratic depth of this autochthonous variety. 2013 was a classic vintage: a cool spring, a moderate summer and a dry autumn allowed a late harvest of perfectly ripe grapes with a distinctive tannic structure and lively freshness. The wine was matured in large wooden barrels and barriques and then allowed to rest in the bottle for many years. Today it displays a multi-layered bouquet of dark cherry, blackberry, graphite, undergrowth and liquorice. Powerful and focused on the palate, with ripe tannins, savoury spice and a characteristic balsamic freshness that characterises the long finish. A hint of dark chocolate and a touch of iron add depth.

"The Beautiful Threshing Floor". The name evokes the old threshing floor where grain was dried and threshed: a down-to-earth, rural term for a place that has taken on a ganz andere Klang in the modern world of wine. Tenuta Bell’Aja is situated in Bolgheri, in the Località Le Sondraie, near the famous avenue of cypress trees which Giosuè Carducci immortalised in his 1874 poem “Davanti San Guido”. The poet saw his childhood here; San Felice saw a terroir here that was to become his third great playground. The soil of Bolgheri is different from that of Castelnuovo Berardenga: sandy loam, brooding, well-drained – no galestro, no limestone, but rather the alluvial deposits of a coastal climate that lend Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon a suppleness that heavy soils simply do not allow.

Mastrojannis' rich and concentrated Rosso di Montalcino offers a dark, alluring bouquet of sweet herbs, menthol and tobacco, which blend with notes of dried cherries and redcurrants. It soothes with a deep, silky texture, which gives way to tart red berries and piquant spices, underpinned by a lively acidity. It finishes with a balsamic note, featuring a hint of tart citrus and sweet, polished tannins that beautifully round off the experience. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Paesi Tuoi is more than just a designation of origin. The name – borrowed from the novel "Among Peasants" by Cesare Pavese – evokes Piedmont not just as a landscape, but as a cultural space: rural, archaic, full of inner tensions. And so this Barolo is not an expression of a single cru, but a synthesis of the villages, hills and soils that together form the essence of this appellation. The grapes come from different, characterful vineyards around Barolo, Monforte and Serralunga, carefully selected and vinified separately. Long maceration periods, followed by around two years of ageing in traditional, large oak barrels – the result is a classic style with depth.

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 the heart of Alba, nestled within the Roman city walls of ancient Alba Pompeia, lies a winery that has been making history since 1881. Pio Cesare – founded by Cesare Pio, a man who believed in the potential of Nebbiolo when others were still focusing on mass production. Five generations later, Federica Boffa carries on the legacy of her father, Pio Boffa, who sadly passed away far too soon in 2021. Together with her cousin Cesare Benvenuto, she is responsible for one of the last active wineries in Alba's historic centre – a place where time seems to pass more slowly, where large oak casks allow the wines to mature just as they have for over 140 years.

The Foscarino label features two faces – studies by the English architect Inigo Jones (1573–1652), the first proponent of Palladian-inspired classicism in England. "The sacred and the profane," says Inama. A hint that this wine offers more than just a very special flavour. Monte Foscarino is the heart of Soave Classico – visible from the plain in every direction – the very reference point for the entire appellation. The volcanic rock here was formed around 30 million years ago. The so-called ‘red horizon’ of the Foscarino vineyards – a play of colours – black, green, red and orange – in the basalt – reveals the varying degrees of iron oxidation in this unique rock. On this soil, Garganega vines – between 10 and 75 years old – grow using the Pergola Veronese training system, at altitudes of 100 to 200 metres, on a semi-fan-shaped slope running from north-east to south-west.

Exciting, balsamic, white cuvée from Vermentino, Trebbiano and Malvasia - with a handful of Traminer and Riesling. Initially reductive on the nose, then dark yellow fruit, some smoke. Very direct, straightforward and grippingly mineral on the palate, with crisp acidity, citrus zest and fine juicy yellow fruit. Lingers on the palate for a long time and, with its race and alpine freshness, makes you briefly forget that this linear and very concise white wine comes from Tuscany. SUPERIORE.DE

In Bolgheri, less than four kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea, lies that "El Dorado" of Italian viticulture which the legendary Oenologist André Tchelistcheff once visionary recognised. Here, on the volcanic soils between an ancient cypress-lined avenue and the Tuscan coast, Le Volte emerges as the approachable calling card of a winery whose name is synonymous worldwide with uncompromising quality. The cuvée, comprising 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, is vinified separately by grape variety in small stainless-steel tanks to preserve the individual characteristics of each. Following malolactic fermentation, the wine matures for ten months, partly in used Ornellaia barriques and partly in concrete tanks – a deliberate balance between structure and fruit expression.

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 viticultural pioneer who, together with Thomas Jefferson, laid the foundations for viticulture 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, drawing on 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.

Beneath the vineyard lie the old tunnels of the Miniere di Novare. What was once a mining site is now terroir: The 4-hectare vineyard, spread across two south-west-facing terraces above the tunnel system in Arbizzano di Negrar, forms one of the two cru selections with which Bertani has been redefining the original elegance of Valpolicella Classico since 1857. No appassimento, no ripasso, no oak ageing. Just the grape varieties of this area, the soil and time. Six to nine months in concrete tanks: a vessel that preserves freshness and imparts texture without influencing the final result. At least six months in bottle.

Six kilometres southwest of Montalcino, on calcareous clay soil at an altitude of around 130 metres, lies the Tenuta Pian delle Vigne – has been owned by the Marchesi Antinori since 1995 and has been their personal interpretation of one of Tuscany's biggest names ever since. The 2023 vintage came with a wet spring and a warm, dry summer – a season that demanded patience and rewarded fruit. Harvested from 11 September, by hand, healthy and aromatic. Pure Sangiovese, fermented in stainless steel, matured for twelve months in large wooden barrels: this is intentional, not a compromise. The wine should remain fresh, mineral and easy to drink. And it succeeds very well.

A Syrah from 750 metres above sea level - only a few can achieve this. In the cool mountain air of the upper Aosta Valley, La Tour matures in south-east exposure on sandy moraine soils. Hand-picking, meticulous selection and ageing in barriques give the wine finesse and depth. Dense ruby colour with a purple core in the glass. Black olive, blueberry, dark pepper, a hint of violet and toasted wood on the nose. Cool and structured on the palate, with firm tannins, noble spice and a fine mineral length. Not an overloaded power wine, but a precise, Alpine Syrah with fresh character and tension - a real statement from Italy's highest wine region. SUPERIORE.DE