James Suckling

A white pioneer in Tuscany: in 1987, Avignonesi was the first winery in the region to create a barrique-aged white wine and named it after the stone lion in front of the palazzo in Montepulciano – symbolising wisdom and strength. Today, Virginie Saverys continues this tradition with biodynamic precision and vinifies the Chardonnay from Cortona using the pied-de-cuve method: 81% is matured in French barriques, 19% in cement barrels, in each case for at least five months on the fine lees.

As you know, at Roagna there are no afterthoughts. When Luca Roagna, the fifth generation of this legendary Barbaresco dynasty, makes Dolcetto, it is not as a stopgap between the great Nebbiolos, but as a testament to its substance. The grapes come from 45-year-old vines in the prestigious Pajé and Asili vineyards, where the iconic Barbaresco wines are usually produced. Pajé, with its chalk-rich marl soils and high proportion of active chalk, Asili, with its east-facing clay-limestone soils and distinctive sandy content – these are no ordinary Dolcetto terroirs. The winemaking process follows the Roagna philosophy: ten days' fermentation in large wooden vats with indigenous yeasts, followed by 90 to 100 days' contact with the skins – a maceration period that even many Barolos do not undergo. After approximately ten months' ageing in wooden and concrete vats, the wine is bottled unfiltered.

The family-run Andreola winery in Col San Martino was founded in 1984 by Nazzareno Pola in the heart of the Valdobbiadene wine-growing region. In his honour, a beautiful Prosecco Superiore is produced here every year in small batches, the 2024 vintage has once again received the highest accolade from Gambero Rosso. For Stefano Pola, the "Etichetta del Fondatore" represents the ultimate expression of finesse and olfactory elegance that the Glera grape can offer in the heart of the Prosecco Superiore region – combined with the verticality and juiciness imparted by the soils, without ever losing its lightness and drinkability.

This is where Ampeleia's true masterclass is revealed: the Cabernet Franc from the single vineyard "Vigna dell'Asina" is the centrepiece of the "Monovarietali" project and shows why this grape variety has become the flagship of the winery. What began as a vision in 2003 has developed into one of the most precise expressions of the Tuscan terroir. The vineyard lies at an altitude of 500 metres and combines ideal conditions: Clay-rich soils interspersed with characteristic Galestro limestone rocks and Palombini formations create a unique microclimate. Contrary to the expectation that clay soils produce heavy wines, wines of surprising elegance and purity are produced here – a phenomenon that can only be observed in Roccatederighi. Vinification follows Ampeleia's purist approach: 20% of the grapes undergo carbonic maceration as whole bunches, the rest are destemmed. After two weeks of maceration, the wine matures for nine months in cement tanks – for nine months in cement tanks without the use of wood in order to preserve the varietal characteristics unadulterated.

In 1090, while Leif Erikson was discovering America and the first universities in Europe were being established, two friends of Abbot Rolando paid "two capons, three loaves of bread and six silver denarii from Lucca" for the annual lease of a vineyard in the divine valley of Dievole. Nine hundred (Novecento) years later, in 1990, this wine was created as a reminiscence of the incredible journey through the centuries. The grapes thrive between 300 and 420 metres above sea level on stony soils of marl, limestone and galestro. The vines, which are on average 15 years old and cultivated organically as in the early days of this domain, undergo a 14-day spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in cement vats before maturing for 18 months in large, unroasted French Allier oak barrels.

Francesca Moretti grew up with Bellavista – her father Vittorio's Franciacorta winery, one of Italy's reference addresses for sparkling wine. What she wanted to develop in Suvereto was the opposite: great red wines in the style of Bordeaux, from a terroir that hardly anyone knew. The Potenti is her most personal commitment to this conviction – named after the vineyard in Riotorto from which the grapes come. The soils are clayey, sandy and calcareous, interspersed with coarse skeleton – a foundation that forces the Cabernet Sauvignon to root deeply and bear concentrated fruit. The vineyard lies between the foothills of the Colline Metallifere and the Tyrrhenian coast, in a climate that combines sea breezes with long, sunny autumns. After the harvest in October, the wine ferments in large oak conical barrels and matures for 18 months in French barriques – according to the best Bordelese tradition.

It was Luigi Veronelli, the Italian wine revolutionary of the 60s and 70s, who convinced Francesco Giuntini that exceptional single vineyards deserve their own voice. Of all the old Poderi from the Mezzadria period, Bucerchiale has always been the best – a south-west facing amphitheatre in the cooler heights of Rufina, where Tuscany approaches the last foothills of the Apennines. Francesco took the plunge in 1979. While the law still stipulated Trebbiano in every Chianti and the wine world favoured quantity, he produced defiant resistance from pure Sangiovese. A 100 per cent Sangiovese from a single vineyard – a revolutionary act at the time that marked the beginning of the Tuscan Renaissance. In 2022, Vigneto Bucerchiale celebrates its 43rd year and embodies a perfect vision. Spontaneous fermentation in steel tanks at 30-32°C with 30 days of maceration allows every nuance of the terroir to unfold before the wine matures 50 per cent in French oak barrels of 25 hl and 50 per cent in barriques – only 15 per cent of which is new.

The organically certified Sangiovese grapes for this Chianti Classico are grown in the legendary Conca d'Oro south of Panzano, that amphitheatrical Golden Valley with its unique microclimate of warm days and cool nights. Giovanni Manetti, president of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, vinifies exclusively hand-picked grapes in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts on the chalky Galestro soils of his 170-hectare Tenuta. After three weeks of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in French oak barrels of various sizes.

A wine of great personality that embodies the entire philosophy of Poggio Bonelli. Poggiassai is the Supertuscan of the house – a modern interpretation of Tuscan winemaking that masterfully combines tradition and innovation. It demonstrates the expertise of a winery that has been honoured over the centuries by the most important noble families in Siena. The vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills around Castelnuovo Berardenga with a perfect south-west exposure. The carefully hand-picked grapes thrive in ideal conditions on these special soils, where sandy subsoils ensure optimum drainage. Strict selection limits the yield to just 50 centners per hectare - a commitment to uncompromising quality.

Mattia Vezzola's top wine demonstrates the heights that the indigenous Groppello grape variety can reach. Sweet dark cherries, herbs, liquorice and tar are just some of the nuances that emerge from this plush, deep red wine. Maim impresses with its extraordinary intensity and richness - from the first sip to the end of the bottle. And it is not only because of its exceptionally fine texture and almost endless finish that it is without question a jewel of a wine and a flagship of the appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

Don Luigi Riserva is the distinctive flagship of Di Majo Norante – named after the patriarch of the winery and an expression of deep respect for origin, tradition and passion. Only the ripest Montepulciano grapes are selected from the Contrada Camarda near Ramitello, around 100 - 150 metres above sea level on soils rich in limestone and clay. The wine is produced after a long maceration period and then matures for 12–18 months in French barriques, followed by several months of rest in the bottle – a process that produces both concentration and this impressive harmony.

Oudeis – nobody. When the cunning Odysseus outwitted the Cyclops Polyphemus, he gave it this name. Enrico Serafino's Alta Langa bears this name out of humility: no one is responsible for the complexity of this wine – only the terroir. A philosophical bow to the high altitudes of the Alta Langa, the Piedmontese plateau that Enrico Serafino has pioneered the Metodo Classico since 1991. The grapes – 85% Pinot Nero, 15% Chardonnay – come from vineyards between 300 and 550 metres above sea level in the municipalities of Mango, Trezza Tinella, Loazzolo, San Giorgio and Bubbio. After manual harvesting and gentle whole-cluster pressing, the must ferments in stainless steel, followed by six months of bâtonnage. The second fermentation and ageing on the lees takes place over 36 months in the historic underground cellars – protected from light, temperature-controlled, timeless.

Pale pink with orange reflections. Elegant, fine aroma of flowers and roses, small red berries and herbs and the typical bread and yeast flavour. Very supple on the palate, fresh and forward, the acidity is agile and the mousse is soft and fine. A mouthful of red berries and a very broad range of herb and spice flavours are wonderfully enveloped by a fresh acidity that finishes this very long wine with a fruity, tart and salty note. SUPERIORE.DE

The Pecorari family's passion for single-varietal wines is best represented by the Pinot Grigio Gris, which is matured for 11 months on the fine lees with bâtonnage. This Pinot Grigio fermented in oak offers an exciting and complex bouquet of white peach, citrus, flint, crushed oyster shells, white rose petals and notes of acacia honey. The well-proportioned acidity, the fresh flavour and the wonderful depth and tension make it easy to see that the Pinot Grigio at Lis Neris occupies an absolutely special position every year. SUPERIORE.DE"Firm, somewhat nutty, planty to herbaceous and hints of mushroomy aromas of yellow fruit with slightly smoky and vanilla wood notes and nuances reminiscent of mussel shells. Polished, firm fruit with melting and some light wood notes, fine acidity, has a grip of ripe tannin, good substance and persistence, certain depth, salty minerality, tobacco, butter and hints of crab meat in the background, very good, animating finish with bite." Wein-Plus"Bright straw yellow colour. Fine reduction on the nose, subtle flint, precious wood and stone fruit. Full-bodied and radiant on the palate, with great juiciness and salinity, powerful, savoury, lingers for a long time, great Pinot Grigio!" Falstaff"It is fresh and mineral with notes of white peaches, flowers and stones. Crisp and juicy with a medium body and a polished, mineral backbone. Tasty finish." James Suckling"The 2021 Pinot Grigio Gris tantalises the senses with an opulent blend of vanilla pods, sweet spices and whole butter complementing ripe apples and pears. It is pleasantly round and silky in flavour, with a core of juicy acidity that balances it out and ripe fruit that plays around it. The balance on the inside is fantastic. The 2021 rejuvenates with a saline mineral note and sour citrus, leaving a youthful inner tension. The oak will need to be integrated a little over the coming years, but I expect that with a little patience an absolutely stunning interpretation will develop." Vinous

A fascinating Pinot Nero with the structure of a Nebbiolo. Fine cherry flavour with well-dosed extract sweetness, plus rose petals, mint and some Asian herbal spice. The wine prances on the palate with elegant restraint, revealing its finesse and structure on the third sip at the latest and with a medium-bodied finish. This is a wine for Pinot fans as well as lovers of subtle, subtle styles - and clearly love at second sight. SUPERIORE.DE

Buried in the volcanic sandy soils of Passopisciaro lies a story that runs deeper than the roots of the centuries-old Nerello vines. À Rina – "sand" in the Sicilian dialect – bears not only the name of this unique soil, but also the longing of a son who wished to honour his father's memory. When Giuseppe Russo founded the winery in 2005 and dedicated it to Girolamo, he did so with the painful realisation: "My father was not fortunate enough to witness this transformation and see his name on a wine." What followed was no ordinary wine story, but the metamorphosis of a pianist into a poet of the volcano. Giuseppe, who once studied Liters, returned to the vineyards of his childhood – not out of a sense of duty, but from a deep realisation: These ancient Alberello vines, growing at altitudes between 650 and 780 metres, carry the memory of his family. Here, where black lava scoria and sand compose a symphony of minerality, he understood his true calling.

The Donna Lisa vineyard is located in the heart of Salice Salentino. The Negroamaro vines are planted in the Pugliese Alberello – the old bush vine training style, which forces each vine to stand on its own. Around 7,000 vines per hectare, on average fifty years old. Those who have been standing in the Salento soil for so long have learnt to make a lot out of a little. Hand-picked at the end of September, maceration at a controlled temperature for at least 13 days, malolactic fermentation, then transferred to French barriques in spring – maturation for around 18 months, followed by at least six months in the bottle.

From the white earth of Noto, between stone walls, olive trees and orange blossom, rises Doppiozeta, a wine that doesn't illustrate south-eastern Sicily, but condenses it. It is one of the two flagships of the Mazzei family's Zisola project - a deep, finely constructed red that gives Nero d'Avola a voice that is rarely heard: concentrated, serious, supple. The vines grow on calcareous soil on a gentle slope just a few kilometres from the sea. Nero d'Avola is clearly in the foreground here, complemented by Syrah and Cabernet Franc - a precisely placed tension between fruit, flavour and structure. The grapes are harvested by hand with the utmost care, fermented in conical stainless steel tanks, after which the wine matures for around 16 months in French oak, with a small proportion in new wood.

A white rarity from the heart of Chianti Classico: Il Bianco 30 anni by Gagliole is a remarkable exception in a terroir dominated by red wine. The white grape varieties of this exceptional cuvée have thrived for over 45 years on the historic dry-stone terraces of Castellina in Chianti, which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. The blend of 60 per cent Procanico (a local Trebbiano clone), 30 per cent Viognier and 10 per cent Malvasia Bianca embodies the visionary signature of the Swiss Bär-Bettschart family. These grapes ripen particularly slowly on the Galestro-rich soils at an altitude of 420 metres, between fragrant roses and centuries-old olive trees – they are among the last to be harvested and develop exceptionally thick skins, which give the wine its intense flavour. Vinification is carried out separately for each grape variety: Procanico and Malvasia mature for seven months sur lies in French oak barrels, while the Viognier retains its fresh fruitiness in steel tanks. After blending, a further three months of ageing in the bottle follows in a climate-controlled cellar.

A wine that breaks all conventions. Tramonto d'Oca (Goose Dawn) is Poggio Bonelli's most extraordinary creation and at the same time an oenological venture of rare audacity. As one of the few single-varietal Petit Verdot wines in Italy, it embodies the courage to innovate that characterised the historic noble families of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Petit Verdot, the mysterious "little green grape variety" from the French south-west, has found a new home in the warm, sun-kissed hills of southern Tuscany. Here, at an altitude of 280 metres with perfect southern exposure, this late-ripening, capricious variety thrives under ideal conditions. The strictly limited yield of just 50 centners per hectare and meticulous hand-picking guarantee grapes of exceptional concentration and ripeness.

Essenza is a classic Valtellina Superiore that draws its fruit from the terraced high mountain vineyards in one of the northernmost corners of Italy. Ruby red with garnet-coloured inclusions. Wonderful aromas of dried strawberries, mushrooms and flowers that open up into pure fruit. It is medium-bodied on the palate with appealing depth and intensity. The fine and complex tannins are polished and flattering. Essenza magically balances power and elegance, gaining much of its straightforwardness and focus from the lingering mineral notes of crushed slate or granite that add salty notes to the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Cavolo Amarone is a selection of the best grapes from all the estate's vineyards. It opens with aromas of raspberry jam, dried cherries dusted with cinnamon and cocoa, and wafting notes of cedar and tobacco. The flavours of tart plums and fresh blackberries combine with bay leaf, chia spice, liquorice root and white pepper. Elegant on the palate, with fine tannins and a lively acidity that gives the wine a good basis for ageing. SUPERIORE.DE