Matured wines

The name says it all: Riserva del Fondatore is a tribute to the visionary Giulio Ferrari, who dared to dream in his small cellar in Via Belenzani in 1902. Of an Italian sparkling wine that could rival the French greats. The Giulio Ferrari Rosé is the material realisation of this dream in rosé form and with a rarity and class that is second to none. Only around 5,000 bottles of this vintage went on sale. Each one was kept for over twelve years in the Ferrari cellars, where time is the most precious commodity. Pinot Nero and Chardonnay from the highest sites of the Lunelli vineyards, where the Dolomite winds create the drastic day-night temperature fluctuations that make world-class sparkling wines possible in the first place. And all with the finesse and precision that is only possible with decades of experience.

The sibi et paucis project is Luciano's answer to the question of what time does to great Nebbiolo. While other wines are released on the market after the prescribed ageing period, Sandrone keeps some of his Barolo in his own cellar for ten years longer – not out of restraint, but out of the conviction that Nebbiolo only reveals its true nature after years of silent evolution.

Caramel-coloured Vin Santo with intense aromas of toffee and dark chocolate, enriched with acacia honey and Mediterranean herbs. Notes of freesia, candied orange peel and French pastry. On the palate, this fascinating sweet wine reveals a mixture of fig, almond and lemon flavours, followed by roasted coffee beans. The perfect balance between acidity and sweetness leads to a sensual finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The heartfelt project "Archivio Storico Zenato" was brought to life by Nadia Zenato in order to pay special attention to the excellence of an entire region. Just 2,000 0.75-litre bottles and 400 magnums are sold in selected specialist shops.

La Serra 2015 comes from a fairly warm year and here the advantage of the slightly higher and cooler location is clearly evident. As always, the flavours are bright and floral, with a good underpinning of chalky, mineral tones, with remarkable polish and class. Dark red stone fruits, flowers, spices and leather are supported by the characteristic firm tannins, lovely depth in the mid palate and overall a great volume that makes it seem complete and perfect. A great wine and one of the best Barolo of the 2015 vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

Roberto Voerzio is a master of his trade. The crowning glory, however, is his Riserva Case Nere, aged for 10 years in large oak barrels, which he brings to the market just at the beginning of a long (incipient) phase of drinking maturity. Dried autumn leaves, macerated cherries, tobacco, spices and liquorice lend this exceptional Barolo an impressive complexity and deep nuances that only gradually unfold in the glass. Sweet, silky and polished on the palate, already full of balance and harmony. There is something mysterious about this Riserva that is bound to captivate any connoisseur. After some time, the tannins emerge and the wine takes on a much more virile personality and you realise that it will take many more years for this wine to reveal all its secrets ... SUPERIORE.DE

Very individualistic and quite extraordinary cuvée from Colorino, Canaiolo and Sangiovese. The bouquet is full of dark berries and the scent of elderflowers. Dense and powerful on the palate, yet slender, very clear, pithy, polished tannins and a long, full finish. SUPERIORE.DE

There are stories that take time. This Amarone rested for ten years in a single 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrel – a decade of patient ageing, of slow metamorphosis, of quiet perfection. Only 2,500 numbered bottles and 200 magnums were bottled from the 2013 vintage, each in its own wooden crate, a monument to the philosophy that Carla Prospero Zenato formulates as follows: "Ci sono storie che richiedono il loro tempo" – there are stories that demand their time.

There are wines that speak of a place, and there are wines that speak of a decision. The PS Riserva is both. In the early 1970s, Siro Pacenti planted a small plot of one and a half hectares in the northern part of his Pelagrilli slope – on sandy loam, at 350 metres, within sight of Siena. These vines are still standing today. Only in the most exceptional vintages do they produce the PS – the estate's only single-vineyard wine, in a strictly limited edition, unfiltered and produced over time. The bottling process follows the same principle as all of Giancarlo's wines: fermentation in tempered steel, double manual selection before and after destemming, 24 months in customised French barriques. No intervention that is not necessary. No adjustment that is not justified.

Powerful, very attractive wine. Smells of strawberry and cherry, spices and a hint of leather. Tastes juicy, very special and impresses with firm tannin and persistent length. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2022, the Nonino family presented the ÙE Cru Schioppettino "18 anni" Monovitigno Riserva, matured for 18 years under customs seal in Nevers oak barrel no. 405. There are 460 numbered 0.70 litre bottles.

Sibi et paucis – for the few who understand that great wines are not in a hurry. Sandrone retains around 10 per cent of the production from each Aleste vintage and allows these bottles to mature for a full decade longer in his own cellar. What could have been released in September 2019 remains dormant until today – and is becoming something that goes beyond regular Barolo.

Decanted, tested and re-corked at the winery | Ruby red colour with violet reflections and a black core. Dark forest berries such as blackberries and mulberries on the nose, underpinned by warm undergrowth notes. Then ripe blood oranges and subtle cedar notes. On the palate, it is defined by flavours of liquorice, the tannins are close-knit and low-pore, reminiscent of the finest dark chocolate and control the generously juicy fruit with their delicate play. Armed for many years of bottle ageing, we recommend reaching for a carafe in its youthful stage. Then it reveals itself with stimulatingly tart flavours of dark tobacco and enormous pressure, dark, dense and rich with an orchestral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine like a contemporary document: the Selezione Vecchie Vigne 2000 by Emidio pepstands for a unique quality standard - biodynamically produced, matured for decades, then uncorked by hand, checked by Emidio, re-corked and only then released for sale. The result is a rarity that not only bottles history, but brings it back to life. The grapes come from the estate's oldest vines, some of which are ungrafted, cultivated according to biodynamic principles and harvested in a peak vintage with a mild spring, hot summer and small, concentrated harvest. Fermentation took place spontaneously, without temperature control, in glass fibre vats - ageing without wood, without filtration.

The 2001 was also held back at the winery for decades, only to be opened by hand, tested, re-corked and only released when fully ripe, according to Emidio peptried and tested ritual. It is this unique combination of artisanal care, patient maturation and uncompromising authenticity that makes Vecchie Vigne a vinological event. The year 2001 was somewhat more balanced in Abruzzo than 2000: a cooler spring followed by a warm, well-ventilated summer - perfect conditions for structured, finely differentiated wines with staying power. The grapes come from ancient Montepulciano vines, fermented spontaneously in glass fibre vats, without temperature control, matured in glass fibre and cement vats and in the bottle.

Rare vertical in a gift box of 6 - an exclusive and strictly limited selection of the wonderful 2016, 2017 and 2018 vintages of the single-vineyard "San Marcellino" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione:

What begins with a seductive bouquet of delicate plums and a hint of mint gains volume and depth as grilled sage and rum-soaked blackcurrants mingle with sweet tobacco and allspice. Its texture is silky and fleshy, accompanied by a nervous acidity, while ripe black cherries and a hint of cranberry sauce create a sweet and sour tension on the palate. The concentration is astonishing, yet the energy remains incredibly high, even if the grippy tannins increase towards the end. Notes of sour citrus fruits, savoury herbs and tart wild berries linger incredibly long in the structured yet remarkably fresh final. Only around 3,000 bottles of this cru are produced and it is a real must-have for all Aglianico lovers! SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that need time. And then there is the Occhio di Pernice – a wine that is time. What began as a hand harvest in September 2011, carefully selected, loose Sangiovese bunches in small baskets covered with vine leaves, has spent more than a decade in a world that has changed outside without him knowing it. The harvested grapes were immediately spread out on bamboo mats in the appassitoio – the drying room where air and time do the real work. Months of slow concentration: water evaporates, sugar, flavours and extract remain. Pressing began on 1 January. The must was transferred to the Caratelli – the small oak barrels of 50 to 60 Litersfor which Avignonesi is famous. And then: the madre. A yeast strain that has been passed down from generation to generation for more than a hundred years, never completely used up, always nourished anew – a living heritage that gives Occhio di Pernice a character that no other yeast in the world can replicate. For ten years, this fermentation worked in the barrels, silently and slowly, while more than half of the precious wine escaped into the air through the pores of the wood. What remained was the concentrate.

Deep, dark yellow colour. Rich, almost opulent impressions of candied apricots, orange zest and traces of fine yellow flowers on the nose. Fabulously viscous texture on the palate, multi-layered, very concentrated flavour of candied fruit with a wonderfully polished sweetness. One of Italy's greatest Vin Santo with a long, persistent finish and made to last. SUPERIORE.DE

Intense, partly impenetrable ruby red. On the nose, warm, powerful notes that reflect the climate of the vintage and yet a delicate freshness. On the palate, ripe red fruit and spice, accompanied by deep floral notes, characterise the complex structure. Flattering, rich, enveloping and sweet thanks to the presence of ripe, dense and soft tannins. The balanced acidity contributes to the expressive taste and the long and extremely pleasant persistence. High seductive potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Three years after the Annata, Romano and his sons launch a small edition of the same vintage in large formats. As every year, the secret star of the house gives the Dominator in Dal Forno style. Dark and dense, it reveals an intense bouquet with marmalade-like aromas of red and dark fruits, alongside which spices and wood, tobacco and chocolate echo. At the same time, the youthful and stormy taste is an overwhelming demonstration of power. SUPERIORE.DE

Three years after the Annata, Romano and his sons launch a small edition of the same vintage in large formats. Dark and dense, it reveals an intense bouquet with marmalade-like aromas of red and dark fruits, alongside which spices and wood, tobacco and chocolate echo. At the same time, the youthful, stormy taste is an overwhelming demonstration of power. SUPERIORE.DE

In the exceptional year of 2016, Filippo Chia decided to vinify a Riserva for the first time. The Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta Riserva comes from a unique vineyard site characterised by a greater presence of slate or slate-like shards in the soils. These conditions contribute to the very typical, sharp and concentrated aromas that are offered here on a silver platter. One automatically thinks of pencil shavings and granite rock. However, the wine is equally impressive when it comes to its rich fruit and floral profile, and there is enough spice and soft leather or tobacco to bring it all together in one happy package. A magnificent masterpiece! SUPERIORE.DE

The cult wine Antinoris, harvested and vinified on the Tignanello estate, shows the unmistakable Tuscan identity. A very intense, highly complex red wine that expresses the character of its grape varieties in a wonderfully balanced way. Its irresistible softness on the palate is the result of perfectly ripe grapes, with notes of coffee, chocolate, peppermint and liquorice as it progresses. A complex wine of great structure, finesse and elegance with supple, velvety tannins. A classic for lovers and collectors with potential! SUPERIORE.DE