James Suckling

The Starderi hill in the municipality of Neive is one of the most famous addresses in Barbaresco. The vines here are rooted in calcareous marl soils interspersed with fine loam – a terroir that lends structure and warmth to the Nebbiolo. The location is sun-drenched, but the altitude of around 270 metres and the open breeze from the Tanaro River ensure freshness and aromatic precision. 2021 is considered a vintage of rare balance in Piedmont: an even growing season with a mild spring, a warm but not extremely hot summer and a long, dry autumn. Traditional mash fermentation, 20 months maturation in new barriques, unfiltered bottling.

High above the Tanaro in the municipality of Treiso lies the Valeirano parcel – one of the most barren and steepest sites in Barbaresco. Calcareous marl soils, interspersed with fine veins of sand, and an exposed south-east exposure give the Nebbiolo here a particularly taut, vertical profile. The 2021 vintage brought ideal conditions: a steady summer, cool nights and a golden autumn ensured perfectly ripe grapes with high aromatic potential. After careful manual harvesting, the wine fermented traditionally on the skins and then matured for around 20 months in new barriques before being bottled unfiltered.

Palafreno 2019 is wonderfully polished and lively. Firm but well-integrated tannins form the backbone for a Merlot that is endowed with considerable energy. Spicy herbs, tobacco and wild flowers add complexity. Very nuanced on the palate, opulent to expressive, then at second glance supple, downright elegant. Almost unbeatable in complexity, depth and richness of finesse, it will reveal more and more of its first-class repertoire in the coming years. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2001, when the Mascheroni Stianti family planted the Casanova vineyard, one of the most visionary projects in the history of Tuscan viticulture began. Between the legendary Coltassala and Balifico vineyards, on the sun-drenched south-south-east flank of Volpaia, a living museum of Sangiovese biodiversity was created – a vineyard that was to become the flagship of an entire philosophy. Il Puro is the pure essence of Chianti Classico: 100 per cent Sangiovese, 100 per cent indigenous clones, 100 per cent organic, 100 per cent Radda.

Cherry accentuated bouquet with hints of violet blossoms, clove, cigar box and a pleasant spicy sweetness. Dense and expressive on the palate, it opens vibrantly and multilayered and then reveals a beautiful load of black cherry, exotic spices and a fine salty vein. The perfectly balanced tannin always provides the necessary balance and gives it a racy, very long finish with its exceedingly refined flavour components. SUPERIORE.DE

Anno Domini 1474: The name Serra della Contessa appears for the first time in a Latin notarial deed: the ridge of the Countess. Over half a millennium later, this place has become the epitome of what is possible on the volcanic soils of Etna: a red wine of timeless elegance that pours the soul of this unique terroir into liquid form. Particella No. 587 is located in the Contrada Monte Serra on the south-eastern slope of the volcano, where the great-grandfather of the current owners Antonio and Salvino Benanti began making wine in the late 19th century. At just 500 metres above sea level, Monte Serra is the lowest of the extinct side craters of Etna – and also the place where the family's story began. Since the first bottling in 1998, the knowledge of this special vineyard matured here until Benanti decided in 2015 to vinify the small parcel with its pre-phylloxera, ungrafted century-old vines separately and to subject it to an extraordinary 60-month ageing programme.

La Gioia is the pure expression of Sangiovese with fruit from the estate's best vineyards. It is a big, expressive wine every year, retaining its crisp, medium-bodied mouthfeel. Tones of cherries, wild berries, violets and spices make for an elegant and very pure bouquet. The finish is characterised by fresh acidity in the typical and very refined Riecine style. SUPERIORE.DE

First bottled in 1967, Roncaglie (formerly Barbaresco Masseria) comes from a vineyard in Bricco di Neive and is essentially vinified and aged like a Barolo. Since the 2018 vintage, it now comes from a small parcel that used to belong to the Socré Barbaresco winery, and it is now deliberately brought to market a year later to ensure greater harmony and balance.

"This is our flagship wine, a Barolo recognised the world over, which we have always nourished and cared for with greatest respect. Nothing will change. This is why I will dedicate this special wine to my grandchildren Alessia and Stefano. From now on, it will carry their names." Luciano Sandrone on his intention to rename his world-famous Barolo Cannubi Boschis "Aleste" with the 2013 vintage. This Barolo is a masterpiece from Luciano Sandrone in every respect. Not only a historic product but also the only cru of the house from the renowned Cannubi area in Barolo. Rich ruby colour, balsamic bouquet, ripe and sweet. Great suppleness on the palate, lots of fruit, dense tannins, very persistent final with Burgundian elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1994, whilst Lodovico Antinori was searching for suitable land to expand his Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, he discovered, almost by chance, the hills of Bibbona that were to rewrite his destiny as a winemaker. What he found there was not just land – it was a revelation. The soils – a complex symphony of clay and the legendary Bolgheri conglomerate – the orientation of the slopes, the salty breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea – —all spoke a different language to the familiar Ornellaia terroir. Too different, too wild, too full of character for a simple expansion. And yet too fascinating to let go of.

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

Ornato 2021 comes from the single vineyard of the same name in Serralunga d'Alba, exposed to the south – a cru with a distinctive altitude and calcareous soils that captures the depth and power of the Barolo region like no other. The 2021 vintage was characterised by a cool spring, a stable summer without extreme heat and a long, dry autumn. These conditions allowed the Nebbiolo to ripen slowly and evenly, giving the grapes aromatic complexity with full phenolic ripeness. The wine was fermented traditionally after a long maceration period and then matured for around 30 months in French oak – partly in tonneau and partly in barrique.

In the pantheon of Tuscan winemaking, there are moments of pure alchemy – and Sette from Tenuta Sette Ponti epitomises such a moment. Seven different Merlot vineyards, seven different souls, seven unique terroirs that Antonio Moretti Cuseri has blended into a harmonious symphony. A magnificent tribute to the art of winemaking that shows how diversity can give rise to unity.

This coveted Riserva is only vinified in top vintages and comes from the highest vineyards of the winery. On the nose, the essence of dark cherries, blackberries, flowers, violets, liquorice and spices, which are then carried away on the palate by firm, structured tannins. The Brunello Riserva 2016 impresses with its remarkable fruit and a big, explosive finish. It presents itself fresh and surprisingly lively, yet very focused and balanced. A great wine that is already a real joy to drink. SUPERIORE.DE

The legendary single vineyard Mosconi in Monforte d'Alba: steep, windy slopes on calcareous and ferruginous marl, predominantly south/south-west facing. The story behind it: Pio Boffa, who died far too young, acquired the Mosconi parcel a few years before his death as a strategic addition to the family estate – a late legacy that adds the powerful mineral voice of Mosconi/Monforte to the Barolo identity of the estate. Hand-picked from parcels, fermentation in stainless steel with prolonged maceration and gentle extraction. Maturation predominantly in large Slavonian barrels, finely dosed and flanked by French oak – always for texture, not opulence. The 2019 vintage: Long, balanced growing season, large day-night amplitude and late, highly selective harvest – aromatic precision, taut acidity, fine-grained tannin.

Pònkler is the house's top wine and at the same time the essence of Franz Haas' decades of experience with the undemanding Pinot Nero grape. The vines, planted in 2007, grow on soils of weathered porphyry in a single vineyard at an altitude of 750 metres. The selection of French clones, which have proven to be particularly suitable for high altitudes, the high density of vines and the low yields guarantee a very high quality of grapes.

A farewell and a new beginning at the same time. Cepparello 2021 marks Paolo De Marchi's final vintage as master of his life's work before the winery was transferred to the French EPI Group. After more than four decades of tireless work, the maestro from Piedmont completed his testament with this wine – a Sangiovese of paradoxical brilliance that retains an astonishing freshness and elegance despite its powerful fifteen per cent alcohol. The name Cepparello, which originates from the small stream at the highest point of the vineyards, has carried the revolutionary vision of one hundred per cent Sangiovese since 1980. What began as a rebellion against the Chianti Classico regulations – the absurd rule of adding white grapes – developed into an icon of pure Sangiovese expression.

The Piero selection was created as a tribute to the work of Pierluigi Talenti, who has selected and worked the Sangiovese with passion over the years. A 1.95 hectare vineyard near the centre of the winery, with unique pedoclimatic characteristics, is distinguished from all other vineyards by its consistent quality. The gently sloping terrain is surrounded by woods rich in marl, with a south-eastern exposure at an altitude of 410 metres above sea level, where Pierluigi followed and cultivated his personal clonal selection in the 1970s. It is a wine with intense and persistent character, ruby colour, fine and elegant tannins. After ageing in tonneaux for at least 24 months, it is bottled until it is released to the market. SUPERIORE.DE

Ceretto's single-vineyard Barbaresco Bernadot plays up its elegance and graceful personality. From the fruit of a 4.8-hectare, organically and biodynamically farmed site in Treiso, planted at an altitude of 400 metres above sea level, this pretty Barbaresco unfolds very specific aromas of wild berries, spices, liquorice and iron rust. These aromas are also essential components of its classic Nebbiolo game on the palate, as is its light and silky texture. Barbaresco Bernadot is very straightforward, finely spiced and with a supple personality. SUPERIORE.DE

Five hectares at around 200 metres above sea level. Tortonian soils of limestone, marl and sand, rich in magnesium and manganese. A south-west to south-east exposure that gives the Bric Turot its amphitheatrical shape – and the Nebbiolo all directions at the same time. 2019 was not a favourable vintage. A mild winter caused the vegetation to awaken early – then damp, cold weather from April to the end of May slowed down flowering, reduced fruit set and limited yields from the outset. The summer brought warmth and drought, interrupted by rainfall from mid-July. August with cool nights, September rains, then clarity and slow, patient ripening until well into October. Harvest from 12 to 19 October. A year that Nebbiolo has worked hard for.

Pinot Noir, which originates from France, has been cultivated in South Tyrol since 1850. The best sites, low yields, meticulous care and perfectionism in the cellar guarantee a fine, extremely sensual Pinot Noir with considerable ageing potential. In his constant search for perfection, cellar master Hans Terzer presents the fourth edition of the Pinot Noir Riserva "The Wine Collection" this year.

When Eugenio Palumbo, cellar master at Vietti, described the summer of 2022, he found a phrase that has echoed through the Langhe ever since: "Barolo grapes are usually harvested in wellies, not Crocs." A hot, dry year – the grapes were harvested 15 days earlier than usual, and the decisions made in the vineyard made all the difference. As in every year, grapes from around twenty different parcels flow into the Barolo – those portions that remain after selection for the single-vineyard wines. In 2022, a rare twist was added: this time, the Brunate, Cerequio and Villero vineyards were not released as independent MGA wines. Not the second selection, but their entire harvest was therefore channelled into this wine. Palumbo himself calls the result "a kind of super single vineyard" – and he is right.

Rocca Rubia is an archetypal Carignano del Sulcis – powerful, Mediterranean and at the same time of astonishing elegance. The grapes come from old, partly ungrafted vines in the sandy, coastal vineyards of the lower Sulcis region in south-west Sardinia. Fermentation took place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks and the wine was matured for around 10 months in French oak barriques with a successful balance of wood character and fruit expression.

It is reported that the hermit Alemanno chose the hill of Rosazzo as his spiritual retreat in the year 800. Around 200 years later, the Augustinians taught the local population the principles of agriculture here. The Pignolo grape variety can also be traced back to this place until the end of the 18th century. Sensitive and low-yielding, it had almost disappeared by the end of the 19th century and was rediscovered and re-cultivated in Rosazzo.