James Suckling

"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.

A rare Riesling from Friuli that does not seek grand gestures, but impresses with its precision and subtle tension. The grapes come from higher-lying plots with calcareous flysch soil, which promotes the mineral expression. The 2022 vintage brought ripe, healthy harvestwith a vital acidity structure - ideal conditions for a dry, trenchant Riesling.

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, lies that "El Dorado" of Italian winemaking which the legendary Oenologist André Tchelistcheff once visionarily recognised. Here, on the volcanic soils between an ancient cypress-lined avenue and the Tuscan coast, Le Volte emerges as the accessible 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.

1977 – two years after Sassicaia – pier Mario Melini became only the second person ever to plant vines in Bolgheri. What looked like sheer obstinacy at the time is now known as Grattamacco. The estate lies 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 stainless 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 gave the wine both freshness and structure in equal measure.

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

The name Plenio (derived from the Latin plenus) stands for fullness and expression, and this is precisely what characterises every facet of this Riserva. The grapes come from higher-lying plots near Cupramontana, in the historic centre of the appellation. Calcareous clay soils, cool nights and selective hand-picking create the basis for a Verdicchio with depth and Storage potential. Fermentation is followed by partly reductive, partly oxidative ageing in stainless steel and large wood, followed by extended storage on fine lees and final maturation in the bottle.

When Luciano Sandrone bought his first vineyard in Cannubi Boschis in 1977 – financed with all his savings – and vinified the first bottle in his parents' garage a year later, nobody could have guessed that this humble beginning would grow into one of Barolo's most iconic wineries. After his death in 2024, daughter Barbara, brother Luca as Oenologist and wife Mariuccia continue the legacy today: 27 hectares between Langa and Roero, six wines of uncompromising quality that combine tradition and modernity in equal measure. The Barbera d'Alba, vinified from grapes from various plots in Monforte d'Alba and Novello, is more than just an accompanying wine – it is a statement that Sandrone devotes the same attention to each grape variety as he does to his legendary Barolo.

Le Macchiole is the home of single-varietal wines. Messorio, the pure Merlot. Paleo Rosso, the pure Cabernet Franc. Lo Scrio, the pure Syrah. Three radical choices, three wines that demonstrate what a single grape variety can achieve in Bolgheri. The Bolgheri Rosso takes the exact opposite approach – and is no less compelling. Since 2004, Cinzia Merli, widow of the founder Eugenio Campolmi, has been producing this wine from the estate's young vineyards: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah – all four together, in a blend that draws on the classic Bolgheri tradition of the "Bordolese taglio" whilst adding its own distinctive character. Hand-harvested, 15 days' maceration in stainless steel, followed by ten months' ageing in 70% used barriques and 30% cement tanks. The younger plots lend the wine that fresh, approachable energy which Le Macchiole describes as the estate's "calling card".

Solicchiata, northern slope of Mount Etna, 800 metres. The Faro family has dug deep into the volcano here since 2005 – literally, because the sandy soils of weathered lava rock allow roots to travel far. 100% Nerello Mascalese, Alberello, vines between 50 and 65 years old. Hand-picked, two weeks of maceration, three months in fine-grained oak barrels. Not a wood wine – a classic red volcanic wine.

The label features a delicate illustration of a wild boar hunt: a pack of hounds is attacking, whilst the wild boar stands its ground. Le Difese – is the precise Italian term for the boar’s tusks, those fangs with which it defends itself as a last resort. A fitting image for a wine that is Tenuta San Guido’s most approachable – yet does not compromise on character. Le Difese is the estate’s only wine to feature an indigenous Tuscan variety: Sangiovese from the Chianti-Rufina area, combined with Cabernet Sauvignon from the vineyards of Tenuta San Guido. Two Tuscan souls in a single cuvée – the international variety and the indigenous one. Fermentation in stainless steel, malolactic fermentation in stainless steel, followed by four months in used French and American oak barriques. Six months in bottle. Fresh, direct, approachable.

From the legendary San Guido estate, the cradle of Sassicaia, comes Le Difese, a wine that combines the essence of two worlds: the international class of Cabernet Sauvignon with the Tuscan soul of Sangiovese. Named after the golden boar tusks on the label – a symbol of the wild Maremma –this blend, first created in 2002, embodies the accessible side of an icon. After gentle hand-picking and temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks, Le Difese matures for twelve months in French and American barriques, followed by three months in the bottle.

Lamole. Giovanni Manetti has long regarded this zone as one of the most distinctive in Chianti Classico. At an altitude of 620 metres, far from the heart of the region, a few plots of old Sangiovese vines survived the wave of deforestation in the 1970s. Giovanni took cuttings from these Alberello vines from the 1920s to grow his own vines in Panzano: the foundation for Fontodi's quality. This wine is made from seven hectares of Macigno sandstone, whose loose, permeable structure ensures elegance and finesse. Cool nights, long growing season, south-south-west exposure. The sandy soils give the Sangiovese a lightness that is clearly different from the powerful wines from Panzano. Vinification in concrete, certified organic.

Villa di Capezzana has been the Tenuta's flagship since 1925 and is a living testimony to Tuscan wine culture. This Carmignano DOCG epitomises the vision of the Contini Bonacossi family, who for five generations have been cultivating the heritage of a wine estate whose first documented mention dates back to 804. In 1975, Carmignano was the first Tuscan DOC zone ever to officially include Cabernet Sauvignon in the assemblage – centuries before the Super Tuscans discovered this idea for themselves. The tradition goes back to the 16th century, when Caterina de' Medici had Cabernet cuttings brought to Carmignano from Bordeaux.

Gioia del Colle is an Italian municipality near Bari and probably the most famous DOC for Primitivo wines. The wines from this appellation embody a straightforward, fresh style and are far removed from the usual jammy suspects. The vines here grow at altitudes of up to 450 metres above sea level, the nights are cooler here than elsewhere in Apulia and the wines have a racier, tighter style and more structure than their namesakes.

A Pinot Nero from Franz Haas is a textbook expression every year and a benchmark throughout South Tyrol, with bright aromas of blueberries, violets and lavender rising gracefully from the bouquet. This is pure cool climate in the glass. On the palate, it is taut and silky and always beautifully polished and streamlined in a positive sense. This is a beautiful, complex and exceptionally exciting Pinot Nero from a master hand. SUPERIORE.DE

When a winery uses the same label for its Riserva for over sixty years, it is not a lack of imagination – it is a philosophy. Castello di Monsanto's Riserva is considered one of Italy's oldest labels still in continuous production. The label was around even before Chianti Classico became an appellation. It has survived decades and changing fashions – and it encapsulates what Monsanto stands for: a commitment to Sangiovese. The estate is situated in San Donato in Poggio, the westernmost sub-region of Chianti Classico, at an altitude of 280 to 320 metres. Galestro – a slate-rich, barren and mineral-rich soil – is the terrain in which the Sangiovese vines from four vineyards take root.

In the local dialect, ‘Giatl’ means ‘small plot of land’ – and this name is steeped in history. The ten-hectare single vineyard in the valley floor of Kurtinig a.d.W. is one of the most exceptional terroirs for Pinot Grigio in the South Tyrolean Unterland. On sandy alluvial soils with calcareous gravel, vines grafted onto low-vigor rootstocks thrive here under ideal conditions, trained using the Guyot system. The unique microclimate of this sun-drenched spot is shaped by two contrasting wind systems: the warm ‘Ora’ blows northwards from Lake Garda in the afternoons, tempering the daytime heat, whilst at night cool downdrafts from the Dolomites provide relief. These extreme temperature fluctuations allow for long, slow ripening phases whilst perfectly preserving acidity and concentrating the aromas. Following hand-harvesting and destemming, a short cold maceration takes place to emphasise the fruitiness. The gently pressed grapes are clarified by natural sedimentation before alcoholic fermentation takes place in small and large French oak barrels (12 months) and in stainless steel tanks (6 months). Yeast ageing lends the wine valuable complexity and depth, whilst further months of bottle ageing round off its profile.

The delicious Salealto consists of Insolia, Zibibbo and Grillo and was matured for approx. 10 months on the fine lees in stainless steel. Deep golden yellow in colour with green reflections. Open nose with hints of beeswax, yellow flowers, acacia, red apple and green pepper. Very refreshing on the palate, low acidity, a fine saline note and wonderful fruit flavours. Herbal spice and expansive fruit with beautiful freshness on the deep finish - be sure to aerate. SUPERIORE.DE