Luca Maroni

A radiant entry-level wine from Salento: Luna presents itself in the glass in a light straw yellow colour with a silvery shimmer. The fresh bouquet is reminiscent of sun-ripened citrus fruits - grapefruit, lime - with green apple spice and a hint of Mediterranean herb blossom. Fresh and elegant on the palate: lively acidity, a fruity punch and a pleasantly salty minerality on the finish. Matured in stainless steel tanks, it remains clear and typical of the variety. An uncomplicated white wine that is youthful and authentic - ideal for light dishes, fish or as a lively accompaniment on warm days. SUPERIORE.DE

Dark, almost impenetrable ruby red colour with violet reflections. The aroma combines ripe black cherry, blackberry and cassis with fine notes of liquorice, dark chocolate and a spicy hint of pepper. A gentle smokiness from the ageing in barriques frames the multi-layered bouquet. Full-bodied on the palate, with juicy fruit fullness and velvety embedded tannins. The cuvée of Barbera, Merlot, Nebbiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon combines power and elegance, while the fresh acidity ensures balance. The long, spicy finish makes you want to savour the next sip. A modern Langhe Rosso full of character that skilfully combines international grape varieties with a Piedmontese heart. SUPERIORE.DE

A Catarratto that plays with lightness and clarity: Prio means "joy" in Sicilian – and that is exactly what this single-varietal Bianco conveys. The vines grow in Contessa Entellina on chalky soils, ventilated by warm winds and cool nights – ideal conditions for freshness and aromatic finesse. Straw yellow in colour with greenish reflections in the glass. The bouquet exudes aromas of white peach, citrus fruit, green apple and a hint of broom blossom. Dry, lively and pleasantly clear on the palate with a delicate melting finish. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the freshness and fruitiness. An accessible, lively white wine with a regional profile – ideal for warm evenings, summer cuisine or simply: a moment full of joy! SUPERIORE.DE

Silìneo – a neologism born from the fusion of "sinuoso" (supple) and "lineo" (linear). The name epitomises what this wine is all about: elegance, suppleness, balance and harmony. It is the most classic wine from Fattoria del Cerro and has been the most successful for years. Silìneo is made from 90 per cent Sangiovese (locally called Prugnolo Gentile) and ten per cent Merlot and Colorino, from vineyards in Acquaviva di Montepulciano on soils of marine Pliocene origin with clay and silt between 250 and 400 metres above sea level. After manual harvesting, fermentation takes place with maceration at 24 to 28°C with daily overflow and délestage. The wine then matures for seven months in tonneaux, followed by eleven months in large Slavonian oak barrels.

Mongrana Rosso epitomises Querciabella's visionary approach in the southern Tuscan coastal region - a vibrant, vintage-driven cuvée that has continuously earned international acclaim since its debut vintage in 2005. The Wine Spectator named this wine one of the "Top 100 Wines of the World" back in 2013. The vineyards are located in Alberese near Grosseto, just a few kilometres from the sea and surrounded by the unspoilt nature of the Uccellina Nature Park. Here, on iron-rich soils of sandy silt and gravel at an altitude of 20 to 50 metres, the vines thrive in ideal Mediterranean conditions. The proximity to the sea provides cooling breezes that give the grapes their characteristic freshness and minerality.

A top-class Valpolicella, fine and haunting spicy flavour with a full and fleshy fruit development of blackberries and cherries. Medium to full-bodied with good intensity and a firm tannin structure, with a wonderfully pleasant bitter note on the long finish. The delicious harmony between aroma and flavour is a delight. SUPERIORE.DE

"Triusco" comes from the estate's oldest plots in the classic DOC zone around Manduria. The Primitivo vines are deeply rooted in red sand/clay soil on a limestone base - ideal conditions for density and aromatic ripeness. The 2022 vintage produced low yields but very concentrated grapes. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine matures for six months in barriques and a further four months in stainless steel. Dark ruby red in the glass with a violet tinge. Aromas of ripe blackberry, black cherry, some plum, cinnamon and tobacco. Soft, dense and spicy on the palate, with rich fruit, supple tannins and a warm, lingering final. An expressive Primitivo with structure, elegance and depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Serrocielo is the elegant cru version of Falanghina – vinified from selected parcels around Benevento, whose altitude and limestone-clay soils give the grape variety expression and finesse. Pale straw yellow in colour with silvery reflections. Precise aromas of lime zest, white peach, herbs and a hint of wet chalk on the nose. Straightforward and delicately flavoured on the palate, with mineral tension, well-integrated acidity and a delicate melting finish. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the purity, while the selective hand-picking ensures depth. A Falanghina full of character with cool elegance – interpreted in a modern way without denying its southern Italian soul. SUPERIORE.DE

Intense ruby red, persistent, fruity bouquet with notes of wild berries, violets, cloves and cinnamon as well as sweet tobacco flavours. Rich and velvety on the palate, with an abundance of ripe red fruit and tactile mineral tones, complemented by a hint of sage. The lively acidity provides balance. On the finish, the spicy tones merge with a pleasant fruity flavour. An unbeatable wine every year at a very attractive price! SUPERIORE.DE

A Pinot Grigio with substance and origin: the grapes for this classic white wine come from the chalky flysch soils of the Colli Orientali, where cooler nights and good aeration ensure aromatic clarity and freshness. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. The aroma is typical of the variety and delicate: yellow apple, pear, white flowers and a hint of lemon zest. Dry, lively and straightforward on the palate, with fine fruit, subtle minerality and balanced acidity. An elegant representative of its grape variety, not focussing on superficial fruit, but on balance and drinking flow. SUPERIORE.DE

A red wine with character – irresistible in its depth and yet with supple elegance. Noras comes from 90% Cannonau (Grenache) and 10% Carignano and is harvested from old vines rooted in sandy-granitic soils deep in the Sulcis terroir. After late manual harvesting, the must ferments at a controlled 22-24 °C for 12 days in stainless steel tanks, accompanied by regular pumping over to optimise extraction. Malolactic fermentation takes place early and spontaneously, followed by around six months of maturation in used French barriques. Before it is released for sale, Noras matures for a further six months in the bottle – a maturation and ageing process that gives it depth and elegance.

"Sogni al Campo" – dreams in the field. A name that reveals what drives this co-operative: 180 Piedmontese winegrowers who work together to cultivate around 300 hectares in the best vineyards in the region and make wine in the ultra-modern winery in Barolo. What unites them is the belief that co-operation does not have to mean compromise, but concentration on the essentials. This Langhe Nebbiolo shows how cleverly Piedmont handles its grape varieties: 85 per cent Nebbiolo provides structure and those typical aromas of cherry, violet and a hint of tar. But the 15 per cent Barbera is the secret – they bring juiciness and a lively acidity that makes the Nebbiolo more accessible in its youth without taking away its soul. After traditional fermentation, the wine matures for twelve months in barriques, which give it a subtle spiciness and finely polished tannins.

If any wine has made an appellation world-famous, it is this one: Santa Cristina comes from the Vigneto Massoni, Zenato's oldest and most historic vineyard, which is regarded as the greatest site in the entire Lugana region. Here, on the calcareous and clayey moraine soils south of Lake Garda, Trebbiano di Lugana reaches its most elegant expression. The vines at Podere Massoni benefit from an ideal southern exposure: optimal sunshine during the day and cool nights from the lake. After gentle pressing, the must ferments for 15–20 days at a controlled 16–18°C, followed by five months of ageing in stainless steel and further bottle ageing.

Tunella's Friulano is an archetype straight out of a picture book – authentic, balanced and with fine depth. The vines grow on the typical Ponca soils of the Colli Orientali, whose limestone-marl structure gives the wine mineral tension. White-fleshed fruit, almond blossom, ripe apple and a delicate hint of hay on the nose. Fresh yet gentle on the palate, with a soft texture, moderate acidity and a slightly almondy final typical of the variety. The 2024 vintage brings clarity, harmony and freshness to the glass – a characterful all-rounder with a strong regional identity. SUPERIORE.DE

Mozart knew what he was doing. In the second act of Don Giovanni, his hero calls for wine – and it is the Marzemino that he desires: "Eccellente Marzemino!" It was to be his last indulgence before his just punishment. The variety, which is related to Refosco and Teroldego, has lost little of its seductive power since then. Maculan cultivates it in Fara Vicentino, on a vineyard called Cornorotto – volcanic tuff hills, mineral-rich soil. The grapes are lightly dried for a week before being placed in steel tanks – a quiet trick that brings concentration and depth without heaviness.

"We want this land to say: Barbera. We've always thought that, ever since the first vineyards that grandfather Giuseppe left to his father Giacomo, where grapes were grown for La Monella. Then the ones between Rocchetta and Belveglio (the vineyards of Bricco dell'Uccellone), which mother Anna brought as a dowry, and the vineyards of Montebruna, which we bought and merged - and which we still look at with great pride." Familie Bologna

In the gently undulating hills of Contessa Entellina in western Sicily, where Mediterranean winds meet calcareous clay soils, a Chardonnay with an unmistakable island character is produced year after year: La Fuga. The vines grow at medium altitudes between 200 and 600 metres above sea level, benefit from strong temperature differences between day and night and develop an expressive spectrum of aromas – far removed from the opulent style of many international representatives of the variety.

The grapes for the Galea Vernatsch come from old vines that grow on gravel and porphyry soils. Bright ruby colour, vinous aromas and an appetisingly fresh scent of red cherries. Juicy and fruity on the palate, with velvety tannins, harmonious with fine minerality and good length. SUPERIORE.DE

For over three decades, this Salice Salentino Riserva has been the undisputed flagship of Cantine Due Palme – and a wine that proves year after year that greatness and a co-operative structure need not be a contradiction in terms. The Tre Bicchieri of the Gambero Rosso? For Selvarossa, this has long been a subscription. No other Apulian red wine has won this top award so consistently, and at a price-pleasure ratio that even cuvées four times more expensive regularly fail to achieve. The story of Selvarossa begins shortly after the turn of the millennium, when Angelo Maci – fourth generation of an old winemaking family and founder of Due Palme – realised his vision of uncompromising quality production. What began in 1989 with fifteen members now unites over a thousand winegrowers who together cultivate 2,500 hectares of vineyards in the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto. The name Selvarossa – "red forest" – refers to the characteristic red-coloured, clayey soils around Cellino San Marco, rich in minerals, graphite and iron oxides, which give the terroir its unmistakable character.

Maurizio Castelli does not like fancy names. That's why he took a simple but original approach to naming the estate and its top wine: 414 – which is the number of the vineyard in the region's land register. His Morellino has become a true Italian classic with a modern interpretation. The grapes come from biodynamically farmed hills around Scansano with deep-rooted Sangiovese. The 2023 vintage was characterised by warm, sunny weather and moderate ripeness, ideal for aromatic clarity and balance. Temperature control during maceration and a subsequent maturation phase of around 12 months in large wooden barrels characterise this wine.

Where the salty breezes of the Tyrrhenian Sea meet the last foothills of the Colline Metallifere, the Mediterranean character of this exceptional red wine unfolds in all its splendour. The name Mediterra says it all: it embodies the flavours of the Tuscan maquis and that enticing saltiness that only wines from the immediate vicinity of the sea are capable of developing.

Soente – a name that comes from the abbreviation of "sovente" (often), open and bright in sound. This pure Viognier comes from the Tenuta Montiano in the heart of Lazio, where the Cotarella family has been experimenting for years with international grape varieties that have adapted perfectly to the climate and soils of this area. Five hectares at an altitude of three hundred metres, loose, skeleton-rich soils – ideal conditions for a Viognier with freshness and aromatic depth.