James Suckling

This Montepulciano from the hills of Abruzzo has a classic style and is aged in large oak barrels. Deep ruby red colour with a purple rim. Dark cherries, stewed plums, dried herbs, a hint of leather and fine spice on the nose. Round on the palate, with ripe fruit, polished tannins, well-integrated acidity and a harmonious, spicy finish. A wine full of character and at the same time accessible with a beautiful regional expression – down-to-earth, honest and wonderfully compatible. SUPERIORE.DE

The vineyards extend between 350 and 800 metres above sea level, where cool nights and four additional hours of sunshine per day create optimal conditions. Deep soils of eroded material from the Dolomites, rich in clay and loam, give the Pinot Grigio its mineral foundation and characteristic freshness. For generations, Franz Haas has developed a special flair for high altitudes – what works here with the red wines also shows its strength with Pinot Grigio. The grapes ripen in south-south-west facing Guyot vines and, after careful hand-picking, are fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel (and a small proportion in barriques). Around four months of ageing on the fine lees give the wine additional complexity and a fuller texture. The characteristic screw cap is not a matter of cost, but a promise of quality: the wine stays fresh for longer and develops optimally in the bottle.

Intense, bright ruby red colour. The full and tantalising bouquet seduces the senses with a potpourri of ripe red fruits, plums, cherries and a hint of spices. The palate is rich, fruity and smooth with subtle notes of liquorice, vanilla and fine wood. This red wine combines the character of the region with the appeal of international varieties. SUPERIORE.DE

Intense ruby red cuvée with an aromatic nose of dried red fruits, walnuts and lively spices. On the palate, notes of elderberry, red berries and wood as well as the fine Ripasso sweetness. Fine, balanced, with a certain spiciness and juiciness. A rarity in this attractive price range. SUPERIORE.DE

Pure Sangiovese-Rosato, with fine floral nuances, strawberry and violet notes on the nose. Fresh on the palate, well-structured and with clear, red berry flavours through to the delicate, salty, spicy finish. SUPERIORE.DE

A rosé that draws its strength from Aglianico – elegant, juicy and resolute in style. Terre Cerase shows its freshness in a bright salmon pink colour with a silky sheen. The bouquet already reveals aromas of ripe wild berries, sour cherry and floral nuances, underpinned by a subtle peppery spiciness. On the palate, the wine impresses with its round structure, pleasant volume and precise acidity. The fruit remains persistently present, while the dry finish leads into a delicate minerality. Despite its substantial texture, the Rosato is surprisingly light-footed and easy to drink. Ideal as an aperitif, with seafood, buffalo mozzarella or pizza – a rosato with its own personality, which is the result of uncompromising loyalty to the grape variety: an intense Aglianico in a charming guise. SUPERIORE.DE

Here comes plenty of backbone and maturity: Montetinello comes from older vines on slopes near Monteprandone. Montepulciano and Sangiovese are vinified separately and matured for several months in large wooden barrels – a step that adds structure and complexity. Deep ruby red in the glass with a slight garnet hue. Dark cherry, wild berries, tobacco, laurel and a hint of cedar on the nose. Juicy on the palate, with ripe fruit, a noticeable, well-integrated tannin structure and a fine spicy finish. Balanced, warm and well-structured – a classic Rosso Piceno Superiore with sophistication and depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Fresh wine with a Piedmontese soul: This Dolcetto develops a deep ruby red colour with a violet shimmer in the glass. The nose reveals inviting violet flowers and a fruity cherry flavour. Full-bodied and smooth on the palate, with fresh acidity and a slightly bitter almond note on the finish – typical of Dolcetto and interpreted in a very classic way here. The wine matured for twelve months in stainless steel tanks, which gives it freshness and a clear fruit structure. An everyday wine with a strong character and a regional profile – charming, present and very pleasant to drink. SUPERIORE.DE

Pale straw yellow in colour. Jasmine and lavender on the nose, a fine note of nutmeg and elderberry and a hint of apple and lemon. Precise, dry and fresh on the palate, with good acidity, flanked by citrus notes and the flavour of light peaches and green apple. This is how piquant and aromatic Sicily tastes, expressive and mineral-fresh! SUPERIORE.DE

Elisabetta Geppetti is more than just a winemaker – she is the "Signora del Morellino", the energetic woman who took over the reins of the family winery at the age of just 20 and helped the Maremma region to achieve international renown. When she pressed the first Morellino in 1985, she laid the foundations for a success story that continues to this day. This wine is the quantitative and qualitative calling card of Le Pupille – a constant, authentic expression of the terroir between Pereta and Magliano in Tuscany. The Morellino combines Sangiovese (90%) with Alicante and the autochthonous Ciliegiolo (5% each) from vineyards exposed to the south-west at an altitude of 50 to 250 metres. The vines, some of which are over 40 years old, are rooted in skeleton-rich, clayey and ferrous soils, cooled by sea breezes and strengthened by pronounced day-night temperature differences. After the harvest at the end of September, the must ferments on the skins for 15 days and matures for eight months, mainly in stainless steel tanks with a small proportion in used barriques.

Intense violet colour in the glass. The bouquet of smoke, spices with traces of liquorice. Taut on the palate, then opening up and a mouthful of wine with everything the wine lover's heart desires when thinking of Puglia: harmony, fresh fruit and animating acidity, plus fine extract sweetness and well-worked tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

The name sounds familiar, but Araja opens a new chapter in Sardinian red wine culture: a fruity, focussed expression of Sulcis. The cuvée consists of 85% Carignano and 15% Sangiovese (!) and is produced on the red, sandy soils around the coastal area of Porto Pino. Here, the salty sea air characterises the grapes, while the chalky terraces provide structure. After careful fermentation, the wine matures in temperature-controlled stainless steel to preserve its expressiveness.

The Lohsa estate is located in Magliano in Toscana – deep in the Maremma, less than 30 kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Federico Carletti bought it in the 1990s and replanted the vineyards: Sangiovese as the heart, Ciliegiolo as the Tuscan companion. The soils here are Galestro and marl, skeleton-rich, well-drained, at an altitude of around 100 metres – the sea is close enough to moderate the ripeness without taking away the structure. Morellino di Scansano is Sangiovese in Maremma guise: sunnier, softer, more accessible than its big siblings in the north – but with its own character. Fermentation in stainless steel, followed by partial ageing in wood: the wine remains fresh and loses none of its Mediterranean directness.

The name Rifugio – refuge – tells of underground hiding places where the inhabitants of Salento once protected themselves from danger. Today, an entire area near Veglie bears this name, where particularly high-quality Primitivo grapes thrive on alluvial, clayey soils with limestone deposits. The traditional Conti Zecca winery, owned by the noble family since the 16th century and one of the icons of Apulia with 320 hectares of vineyards, vinifies this single-varietal Primitivo using tried and tested methods: manual harvesting with selection at the sorting table, gentle destemming and pressing, twelve-day maceration at 25 degrees, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Maturation takes place over twelve months in large oak barrels of 30 hectolitres and in resin-sealed concrete tanks, followed by a short period of maturation in the bottle.

As an entry into the world of Vino Nobile, Federico Carletti's Rosso reveals all its directness without false modesty. Eighty per cent Sangiovese – here honourably called "Prugnolo Gentile" – are combined with twenty per cent Merlot to create a cuvée that expresses the character of the galestro-rich clay soils unfiltered. This organically produced composition matures only briefly in historic barriques, emphasising the youthful freshness of the Sangiovese grape. Intense ruby-coloured tones reveal the power of the Tuscan sun, while a seductive interplay of sour cherries and dark forest fruits with herbal and floral nuances unfolds on the nose. On the palate, this Rosso presents itself with the typical Poliziano balance: velvety, elegantly structured, with a subtle tannin structure that never dominates, but harmoniously envelops the fruity core. An authentic ambassador of its terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

The country dance (controdanza) is a typical dance in which man and woman face each other and unite in graceful movements - depending on their gender, the dancers interpret the music in their own way. This wine is exactly the same: Nero d'Aola and Merlot - opposites attract and, with the right sensitivity, can harmonise and contrast wonderfully.

A light straw yellow colour with a greenish tinge in the glass, "Grivò" visually signals freshness and lightness. The nose has a straightforward, delicately fruity aroma of Williams pear, green apple, white peach skin and a hint of bread. Juicy and lean on the palate with a clear texture, fine acidity and a subtle flinty finish. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the purity of the variety and emphasises the typical Friulian straightforwardness. An uncomplicated, but by no means banal Pinot Grigio with a signature style – charming, accessible and stylish at the same time. A crowd favourite with provenance, a perfect companion for light meals and convivial evenings. SUPERIORE.DE

"Il Preliminare" - "The Preliminary Remarks". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary.

Since the 2021 vintage, the grapes for this classic wine have been sourced exclusively from the hills of the Valpolicella core zone of Valpantena: fresh flowers, sweet red berries, mint and a hint of cinnamon escape from the glass. Absolutely delicious and vinous on the palate, the style is exuberant and cheerful. Valpolicella could only be so delicate, fresh and precise. SUPERIORE.DE