James Suckling

Deep dark ruby red. Full, deep and explosive bouquet reminiscent of dark berries, tobacco and liquorice. Illuminati's single-vineyard classic Zanna, with its elegant, very complex taste and delicate oak spice, leaves nothing to be desired every year. SUPERIORE.DE

Vigorello was created back in 1968 at the beginning of the Super Tuscan movement. It is a powerful yet refined wine that bursts from the glass with unadulterated tones of black fruit, liquorice, rose and dried lavender, Mediterranean herbs and a sweet hint of vanilla. The balance and structure are outstanding and it will develop even more complexity over time. SUPERIORE.DE

Poggio San Polo Brunello is a selection of the best grapes from the estate's various vineyard sites. It opens very engagingly with dark fruit, including plenty of black cherry and dark plum, optimally rounded off by a fine balsamic herbal spice and notes of white pepper. The palate has an almost perfect texture, a suppleness and silkiness that is refreshed and carried by a well-proportioned, refined Sangiovese acidity. Dark berry flavours, long, deep and with a very remarkable, slightly mineral final. SUPERIORE.DE

Brilliant ruby red colour. Lively nose of small, primary fruity red berries, subtle use of wood and impressive race and complexity for the price. Precise and taut on the palate, showing its origins boldly and decisively. Then a harmoniously balanced mix of tobacco, leather, cedar and, of course, cherry and plum. The finely balanced tannins carry this powerful and impressive Riserva into a long final. Impressive! SUPERIORE.DE

In the past, the northern slope of Montalcino was not planted with vines, but was cultivated with cereals, olives and cherries. In this area influenced by the Apennines, the seasons are more pronounced, continental and the north wind significantly lowers the temperature in winter. It is therefore the coldest Brunello region at this time of year, but also the wettest. This northern slope is a gentle hill: a characteristic that is more reminiscent of the Crete Senesi area, right next door, than the two stiffer, steeper and warmer southern slopes of Montalcino.

Light yellow-green colour, very inviting aroma of pear fruit, melon and delicate grapefruit. Juicy and powerful on the palate, the flavours are reminiscent of white fruit, racy acidity, elegant and mineral. SUPERIORE.DE

For two decades, the white indigenous cuvée Biancosesto has represented one of the most original and stylistically distinctive interpretations of the Friulian white wine tradition – a poetic blend of Friulano and Ribolla Gialla from old vineyards around the historic settlement of Sesto al Reghena. The calcareous marl soils (Ponca) and the cool microclimate of the Colli Orientali provide this classic white wine with complexity and finesse every year.

The Fontalloro is a single-varietal Sangiovese that is matured for up to 20 months in new and two-year-old barriques.brilliant ruby colour with a light garnet rim, mineral, woody-fruity aroma of cherry, cedar, blueberry and hazelnut. With aeration, the flavours become increasingly complex and the terroir influence very clear. Compact and very present on the palate with fine-grained tannins and classic proportions. Very high ageing potential and one of the best Sangiovese in central Tuscany every year. SUPERIORE.DE

Poggio Rosso Gran Selezione has an enormous abundance of fruit that is beautifully layered. A very beautiful interpretation of the Sangiovese grape with a dense core and plenty of padding around it. Rich ruby-garnet colour, very fine texture and structure on the palate, which only reveals itself fully with the necessary time in the glass. It is full of tension and power in its youth, the acidity and the well-built tannins are programmed for development, as it will only develop its full elegance and greatness in a few years. SUPERIORE.DE

A Barbera with a closed gaze – as if you were looking into a dark, purple-red depth from which concentrated essences rise. Scarrone Vigna Vecchia comes from vines that are decades old – partly planted around 1918 – in the Scarrone vineyard near Castiglione Falletto. In the cellar, spontaneous fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by around 16 months of ageing in predominantly French barriques (proportion new), where intelligent use of wood subtly helps the terroir. The 2021 vintage brought full maturity, dense fruit and clear acidity – the best prerequisites for an expressive but elegant Barbera with Storage potential.

A white wine from Trinoro? Andrea Franchetti planted Sémillon in 2001 on a tiny sandy plot in the forest, 630 metres above sea level – originally with the vision of creating a sweet wine. But year after year, the harvest yielded dry, concentrated grapes. What followed was a wine that Franchetti initially kept to himself: tasted, analysed and perfected for years. It was not until 2017 that he dared to bottle it commercially for the first time. Today, after more than two decades, Trinoro Bianco is considered one of the most fascinating white wines in Tuscany. Fermented partly in steel tanks, partly in small wooden barrels, matured in concrete tanks – a vinification process that preserves purity and structure in equal measure.

This impressive Sangiovese comes from the single vineyard "Vitticciana", which was specially created for a pure Sangiovese wine by the "Godfather of Carmignano" Ugo Contini Bonacossi due to its perfect orientation. It is only produced in the best years, when it presents itself as a multi-layered wine with fine fruit and fine-grained tannins. After a few years of ageing in the bottle, it can easily hold its own with some of the best Brunello di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

There are vintages that you can already feel in the vineyard. 2021 was one of them: April frosts reduced the harvest volumes by up to a third; what remained ripened slowly and completely under a long, hot, dry summer. No rain in September, no rush during the harvest – a luxury that this vintage afforded and that is rare in Montalcino. For Giancarlo Pacenti and his northern vineyards of Pelagrilli, this meant ideal conditions for a Brunello of classic elegance.

A little bit of everything, but never too much of a good thing. One of the most complex Nobiles we have ever tasted. Delicate red fruit with a pinch of sweetness and floral aromas, underpinned by a little tobacco and raspberry. Clear cherry flavour on the palate, plus a wonderful spiciness with that subtle sweetness in the background again. A finesse-rich and harmonious final whets the appetite for the next glass. Very successful and full of precision! SUPERIORE.DE

The Krafuss farm, whose history dates back to the Renaissance, is owned by Roland Riz, Alois Lageder's father-in-law. This historic estate near Magreid has existed since the Renaissance and gives the wine its name. In 1991, the Pinot Noir vineyards on the San Michele hill at an altitude of 430-450 metres were completely replanted – with selected Burgundy clones in dense plantings for cordon training. The 21-year-old vines thrive on loamy, rocky moraine soils with limestone content, cultivated according to Demeter-certified biodynamic methods since 2013. Malolactic fermentation takes place after 18 days of maceration in stainless steel tanks. The wine then matures for twelve months in French barriques of various sizes, which gives it structure and complexity.

From the Contrada Arcuria in Passopisciaro on the north side of Mount Etna at an altitude of 600-700 metres, this 100% Carricante is vinified partly in cement tanks and partly in large oak barrels. The result is a fresh white wine from old vines with an invigorating citrus scent and notes of mint, rich in tropical fruit, taut and firm, with an elegant mineral note on the palate, with a fine finish and high complexity. 4,000 bottles are bottled per vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

Production at the Pertimali estate was down 20% due to the spring frost, and the decision was made to pour all the juice normally destined for the Riserva into the pure Brunello, resulting in one of the top wines of the vintage.

Oro di Caiarossa is a 100% Petit Manseng, the grapes are harvested by hand at the end of October. Dark golden yellow, almost amber-coloured in the glass. Flavours of passion fruit, mango and honey are softened by citrus fruits and floral elements. Subtly sweet on the palate with graceful flavours of candied citrus and tropical fruit. A fine hint of tannin and a reasonable length on the finish. This already fascinating dessert wine has both warmth and freshness and will gain in concentration as it matures. SUPERIORE.DE

With "Capo Martino", Silvio Jermann not only pays tribute to the vineyard of the same name in the municipality of Dolegna del Collio, but also to his father Angelo – and thus to the origins of the family winery. It is a white wine of great cultural depth, a cuvée of indigenous varieties such as Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana, Picolit and Friulano, complemented by smaller proportions of other traditional varieties. The 2022 vintage was characterised by stable weather conditions with plenty of sunshine, which gave the grapes ripeness and expression – but without losing the typical freshness of the hills around Capo Martino. After the harvest, the grapes are destemmed, gently pressed and fermented spontaneously. Maturation takes place for around a year in large wooden barrels on the fine lees, with each component maturing separately before finally being blended into a cuvée. The result is a wine of quiet complexity and timeless elegance.

The annual production of this boutique winery on Etna is just 9,000 bottles. At an altitude of 950 metres above sea level, the one and a half hectares of vines are divided into eight tiny plots and have been gradually bought up by the well-known Oenologist. The area is planted with Nerello Mascalese bush vines, which have been spared the phylloxera phylloxera and make their way through the lava-covered terraces.

As always, Vietti's outrageously priced "entry-level" Barolo (formerly Castiglione) is based mainly on grapes from Ravera, with smaller portions from Ginestra, Mosconi, Bricco Ravera (in Monforte), Le Coste, Costabelle, Meriame, Briccolina and Codana. Ruby red colour of medium intensity. The nose is explosive, opulent, persuasive and immediate. Notes of plum, red and ripe black cherry, black cherry, rose petals and tobacco are perceptible. The palate is classic, rich, powerful, with notes of alpine herbs and a leathery finish. The tannin is already well integrated. Especially in the peak year 2021, this wine is an absolute insider tip in the winery's incredibly terrificBarolo line-up every year, and not just because of its price. SUPERIORE.DE

Produced in small quantities, Vallocchio clearly stands out from pure Brunello di Montalcino. Darker, deeper and more mystical, it shows notes of ripe blackberries and plums, complemented by exotic brown spices and a hint of lemon confit. Its texture is like velvet stretching across the palate, black-fruited and ripe, underpinned by minerals and cooling herbal notes. It is youthfully monolithic and dense, revealing its austere tannin core only towards the end, where notes of black tea, liquorice and a hint of cocoa emerge. SUPERIORE.DE