Luca Maroni

62 years after the cooperative was founded in 1962 – this explains the name of this Riserva, which surpasses the Sessantanni in terms of ageing time and quality. The grapes come from the oldest plots of the cooperative, bush vines in Alberello training on the characteristic red clay soils of Salento. The grapes are harvested by hand, followed by prolonged maceration to maximise extraction. Then aged for 18 months in small oak barrels – six months longer than the Sessantanni –followed by further ageing in the bottle before release.

"A quei tempi era sempre festa" – back then there was always a party. Thus begins Cesare Pavese's novel "La bella estate", written in 1940 and awarded the Premio Strega in 1950, a tale about those fleeting summers of youth when anything seems possible. It is no coincidence that Vite Colte named its Moscato Passito after this work: the Barolo cooperative has dedicated several of its wines to Piedmontese Liters– "La Luna e i Falò", also a Pavese title, adorns their award-winning Barbera d'Asti. It is a nod to their homeland, to the landscape of hills and mist that Pavese described so unmistakably.

Tasting the Riserva from Fattoria del Cerro takes you stylistically to those higher vineyard sites where fossil-rich soils full of pebbles and ancient shell remains lend the Prugnolo Gentile a special mineral depth. The crowning glory of the Montepulciano hierarchy is created from these favoured plots – a wine that requires time and patience to reveal its multi-layered nature. After careful selection, the wine undergoes 18 months of refinement, combining tradition and innovation: Eight months in French barriques and tonneaux, followed by a further twelve to sixteen months in large wooden barrels. This combination creates a character of remarkable elegance and the wood integrates seamlessly without overshadowing the varietal fruit. A final twelve months of maturation in the bottle completes the harmonious development.

Donnafugata's impressive declaration of love to Etna, currently the hottest wine hotspot, began with the Sul Vulcano line. Light ruby red in colour, with a bouquet of wild strawberry and delicate hints of black cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg. The corresponding, fresh flavour and subtle elegance lead to a harmonious and energetic finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Sul Vulcano Rosato come from the northern slopes of Mount Etna, where Nerello Mascalese thrives on volcanic soils in a cool, high-altitude climate. The grapes are harvested early, gently pressed and matured exclusively in stainless steel tanks to emphasise the freshness and finesse of the variety. Pale pink in the glass with a salmon-coloured shimmer – stylish and precise. The nose smells of white cherry, wild strawberry, some citrus and a fine hint of wild herbs and flint. Straightforward, cool and silky on the palate with clear fruit, gripping freshness and minerality. The volcanic origin is evident in the salty depth, which lingers for a long time. A sophisticated rosato with a cool alpine profile and subtle energy – ideal with refined seafood dishes, grilled vegetables or sophisticated summer cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE

"ColMatìss" is truly no ordinary Sauvignon: it comes from one of the most renowned single vineyards in Tunella in the municipality of Ipplis and owes its name to the barren, limestone-rich marl soil, known as "ponca" in Friuli. The yields are deliberately kept low, the harvest selectively and the wine is matured carefully. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. The bouquet is deep and complex, with fine notes of elderflower, salted lemon, ripe gooseberry, a hint of white pepper and wet stone – a Sauvignon with mineral depth and an expressive profile.

The name means "motherland" – and the Tedeschi family has indeed found a special spot of land with the 84-hectare vineyard between Tregnago and Mezzane di Sotto, which they acquired in 2006. Extensive soil mapping identified real crus here, including the Impervio vineyard – named after its impassable steep slope at an altitude of 400 metres. White and yellow limestone marl of moraine origin characterise the terroir and give the wine its characteristic freshness. Corvina (40%), Corvinone (30%) and Rondinella (30%) are harvested overripe in mid to late October and fermented as whole bunches – a conscious decision for structure and depth of flavour. After 20 days of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in Slavonian oak and a further six months in the bottle.

Garofoli was the first winery in the Marche region to venture the experiment of creating a Metodo Classico exclusively from Montepulciano grapes – a daring innovation that is now considered the jewel in the crown of the winery. Originating from the hills around Castelfidardo, the hand-picked Montepulciano grapes undergo careful vinification according to the classic method. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle, where the spumante matures on the yeasts for between 24 and 30 months – a period of silent transformation that gives it its characteristic creaminess and complexity. This limited production reflects Garofoli's commitment to quality over quantity.

On the Costa degli Etruschi, where the Maestrale blows in from the Tyrrhenian Sea and the waves crash just ten kilometres away, Massimo Piccin has been realising his dream of the perfect Bordeaux blend since 1999. Under his visionary hand and the advice of the renowned OenologistCarlo Ferrini, the modest farm in Castagneto Carducci has grown into a 40-hectare vineyard that is now one of Bolgheri's most respected addresses. Volpolo embodies the pure essence of this exceptional location between the municipalities of Castagneto Carducci and Bibbona; the name is a tribute to the ancient Tuscan grape variety Volpola and at the same time an expression of the deep roots in the Bolgheri terroir. This organically certified cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot thrives on the estate's 27 different soil types – a mosaic of sand, clay, limestone and sea pebbles, which owes its mineral richness to the former marshlands. The proximity to the sea provides the vines with the constant ventilation and intense light that allow Bordeaux varieties to mature to unimagined complexity.

Verdeluce – green light – is the name of this wine that the Famiglia Cotarella dedicates to the hills around Orvieto, the area on the border between Lazio and Umbria that has always been synonymous with quality white wines. Riccardo and Renzo Cotarella, two of Italy's most influential Oenologist, founded Falesco in 1979 with the aim of revitalising forgotten grape varieties. Today, cousins Dominga, Marta and Enrica continue the legacy – with a modern style and an international outlook, without losing their roots in the territory.

Bucine, Valdarno di Sopra – where the Arno meanders through gentle hills between Arezzo and Florence, Fattoria Petrolo lies between 250 and 500 metres above sea level. In 1988, Lucia Bazzocchi Sanjust wanted a wine that told the true identity of this terroir: the "Château" of Petrolo, a tribute to the centuries-old Tuscan tradition of combining French varieties with Sangiovese. As early as 1834, Giorgio Perrin, agronomist of Swiss origin and owner of Petrolo, reported in the "Giornale Agrario Toscano" that it was customary in Chianti to blend "uve francese" with Sangiovese, not to change the quality, but because the terroir won out over the grape varieties.

Classic Etna Rosso from Nerello Mascalese with a small proportion of Nerello Cappuccio – grown at an altitude of over 700 metres in various contrade on the northern flank of the volcano, where ash, lava rock and the alpine microclimate form an unmistakable style. Medium ruby red in colour with a garnet-red rim. On the nose, fragrant sour cherry, redcurrant, humming berry, a metallic hint, floral notes and subtle spice. Precise on the palate, with cool fruit, lively acidity and fine-grained tannins. The ageing in used wooden barrels and cement tanks maintains the balance and expression of origin. An authentic, elegant Etna Rosso with good drinkability. SUPERIORE.DE

Crognolo is a wonderfully balanced wine that offers the tangy freshness and acidity of Sangiovese, which is balanced and softened by the small proportion of Merlot. The wine smells of cherry, blackberry and plum. Its primary intensity is bright and cheerful. The juicy finish shows a nice density, extraction and well-integrated tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all: Badilante honours those workers who, with their spades – the "badili" – for generations to drain and reclaim the marshland of the Maremma. Simone Castelli, son of the legendary OenologistMaurizio, vinifies this single-varietal Sangiovese on the organically farmed Podere 414 vineyard near Scansano. The grapes grow at an altitude of 230 metres in clayey, loamy soils with a high proportion of skeleton. Spontaneous fermentation in cement, 15–18 days maceration with délestage and remontage, followed by maturation partly in cement and partly in wood.

In 1886, Carlo Campagnola founded his winery in the Marano Valley, in the heart of Valpolicella Classico. In 1907, he won the first gold medal for the best Recioto at the Verona Wine Fair – since then, the family, now in its fifth generation, has continued what began as a small farm. The vineyards for this Amarone are located on calcareous slopes between 200 and 350 metres above sea level, where Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella are harvested by hand at the end of September. The traditional appassimento drying process takes around 100 days until the grapes have lost 35–40% of their weight. Gentle pressing in December, 30 days of maceration, then ageing: 60% matures for 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, 40% for 18 months in new Allier oak barriques.

Macrina shines in the glass in a clear straw yellow colour with a subtle green hue. The bouquet exudes enchanting notes of fresh white flowers and green apple, carried by an elegant, persistent freshness. On the palate, the wine displays lively acidity, a juicy fruit structure and a distinctive mineral note that stylishly accompanies the floral and fruity accents. The transparent, clear ageing in stainless steel emphasises the pure varietal and origin presence. A juicy Verdicchio with elegant finesse and a drinkable balance. SUPERIORE.DE

The blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah combines the aristocratic depth of Cabernet with the seductive flavour of Syrah - both grape varieties that find Mediterranean ripeness in the chalky, sun-drenched soils around Noto. Cultivated organically, this wine conveys the sunshine of Sicily with a down-to-earth character and structure. The wine was originally only intended for private occasions – a heartfelt project that today celebrates with its name the connection to people and moments that are more than mere consumption. The grapes for it (label: "only the best grapes") come from strictly selected plots around Noto, where chalky soils, salt winds and intense sunlight characterise the aroma and structure.

Named after the "Seggio" stream, the largest watercourse in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci, this elegant Bordeaux blend epitomises the accessibility and finesse of Bolgheri DOC. The historic watercourse rises in the Etruscan Colline Metallifere near Sassetta and flows through the entire Bolgheri area, its alluvial deposits enriching the characteristic clay soils with valuable pebbles. This harmonious cuvée comes from the privileged vineyards of Le Sondraie and Via Bolgherese. The vines, which are around 19 years old, thrive on well-drained, skeleton-rich soils with a clay layer and a high magnesium and iron content – ideal conditions for the international grape variety assemblage.

For two decades, the white indigenous cuvée Biancosesto has stood for 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.