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A bestseller and classic with a reputation: "Duca Sanfelice" is a flagship for the indigenous Gaglioppo grape variety and demonstrates the expressive wines that can be produced from the sun-kissed hills around Cirò. The Riserva comes from old vines on clayey and calcareous soils, vinified in steel tanks and then matured in stainless steel for 24 months. Deep ruby red in colour. Dark cherry, dried plums, herbs, some liquorice and a hint of tobacco on the nose – spicy and Mediterranean flavours. Dry on the palate, with ripe fruit, pithy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long, powerful and carried by earthy warmth and fine spice.

Elisabetta Geppetti is the woman who put Maremma on the Italian wine map. When she took over the management of Le Pupille in 1985, the area south of Grosseto was a blank spot for connoisseurs – today, her Saffredi is one of the most sought-after red wines in Italy. But what few people realise: She harboured her most passionate dream not for the red, but for a white. The Petit Manseng originally comes from Gascony – the region in the south-west of France where it produces the great sweet wines in Juranção and Pacherenc. Elisabetta Geppetti brought it to the Maremma and planted it on 1.5 hectares in the Vigneto Pian di Fiora near Pereta: tufaceous soil with alabaster and gypsum, north-eastern exposure, 200 to 250 metres, 6,250 plants per hectare. A plot that no one else in the neighbourhood has – and that speaks a language you wouldn't expect here.

The name alone reveals the poetry of this vintage sparkling wine. For decades, Perlé has been considered the essence of Ferrari's art, born from a meticulous selection of the best Chardonnay grapes from the Trentino mountains. The grapes for this Millesimato come from altitudes between 300 and 600 metres. Here, where the vines are bathed in mountain sunshine throughout the day but rest at night in the cool mountain air, the Chardonnay develops the mineral depth and aromatic complexity that makes Perlé so unmistakable. The Lunelli family only selects the very best batches – the grapes that most purely reflect the terroir. Perlé matures for almost five years on the fine yeasts – an exceptionally patient maturation period that gives the sparkling wine its characteristic creaminess and delicate yeast notes that harmonise perfectly with the fruity elegance of the Chardonnay.

There is this one moment when Graziano Merotto stops explaining and simply puts his glass down to observe his counterpart. This wine is that very special moment. Integral: undivided, unmediated, without abbreviation – bone dry.

Owner Leonardo Pinzolo cultivates 52 hectares of biodynamically certified vineyards on his family farms in Popoli and Capestrano. The soils here differ from those in the rest of Abruzzo. Combined with the higher altitude of the vineyards and the proximity to the Gran Sasso mountains, these wines have a decidedly cooler expression than is usually found in Abruzzo. In the winery, fermentations are spontaneous and without temperature control. With the exception of a few single-vineyard wines, most of the wines are matured in stainless steel.

Cerasuolo means cherry red – and the name says it all. What Illuminati vinifies from Montepulciano grapes as rosato has nothing to do with the pale summer rosé that you forget between two deckchairs. Only 15 hours of maceration at a cool temperature – just enough to extract colour, aroma and the characteristic Adriatic salt fingerprint without taking any tannin or heaviness with it. Then fermentation in white, steel, care.

Above Bolzano, where old gravel paths lead through sun-drenched vineyards, lies the legendary Huck am Bach farm, which gives its name to one of the most authentic red wines in South Tyrol. Between 250 and 500 metres above sea level, the Vernatsch and Lagrein vines that have been at the heart of the St. Magdalener tradition for generations thrive here on mineral-rich gravel soils. The harvest harvest produces grapes that mature in large oak barrels into a wine of enchanting elegance.

In 2000, buyers were at the door. The Fucci family had almost given up on the six hectares of vineyards that their grandfather Generoso had acquired at the foot of Monte Vulture in the 1960s – the parents teachers, the children on their way into the world. At the last moment, daughter Elena decided otherwise. Not out of calculation, but out of a feeling that she herself later described as "a stab in the heart": she could not accept that a foreign name would do something great with the oldest vines of the Vulture while she watched.

Delicate straw yellow with a greenish tinge. Fresh citrus fruit, green apple, white flowers and a hint of sage on the nose. Dry, light-footed and pleasantly cool on the palate, with lively acidity, subtle flavour and a clear, mineral finish. Maturation in stainless steel tanks emphasises freshness and varietal typicity. An uncomplicated but characterful white wine from the Marche region that combines Mediterranean lightness with a regional profile – ideal with fish, vegetables or simply on its own on a warm day. Great value! SUPERIORE.DE

Of the 43 classified Rive sites in the Valdobbiadene area, San Pietro di Barbozza is considered one of the most demanding. The hills of morainic origin, steep, difficult to access, with calcareous soils of loam and clay – they lie in the direct neighbourhood of Cartizze, the appellation's most famous Grand Cru. Not a bad neighbour. The demanding manual harvest is carried out exclusively from the highest, sunniest plots – deliberately selected for concentration and flavour. Only the best grapes from each vintage qualify for the limited Rive bottling. Gentle whole-cluster pressing, fermentation at a controlled temperature, second fermentation using the Charmat method – with a residual sugar content of less than 6 g/l = extra brut.

Chardonnay without wood, Zenato favours pure fruit with Santa Cristina. The grapes come from the single vineyard Podere Massoni south of Lake Garda, where 30-year-old vines are rooted in moraine soil. Harvested at the beginning of September, fermented at 16–18°C in stainless steel, then matured on the fine lees for four to five months. Straw yellow in colour with green reflections. Yellow fruit on the nose – apricot, ripe apple – accompanied by a subtle hint of hazelnut and flint. Full-bodied on the palate, but not heavy, with juicy fruit and fresh acidity. The finish has a fine mineral note reminiscent of the glacial soils. Versatile with freshwater fish, poultry or creamy pasta. Serve at 9–10°C. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1850, Count Augusto Giorgi di Vistarino travelled through Burgundy. He recognised what he saw: those chalky, clayey soils, those temperature fluctuations, that stillness between the hills – the same promise, just three hundred kilometres further east, south of Pavia. He brought the first Pinot Nero grape seedlings directly from France and planted them in Rocca de' Giorgi. An act of conviction that changed Oltrepò Pavese forever. Today, the Vistarino family is the fifth generation to carry on this legacy – ottavia Giorgi di Vistarino replanted with Burgundian clones, selecting for low yields and aromatic depth. The Costa del Nero is Pinot Nero from a single, dedicated ridge. Hand-picked into 20-kilogram boxes, cold storage overnight, 48 hours of cold maceration at 10°C – all designed for freshness and flavour. Fermentation in steel, partial ageing in wood: subtle, structural.

Trentasei means thirty-six. This Lambrusco spends at least this many months on the lees – in the bottle, at a constant 12°C, according to the Metodo Classico. Christian Bellei is not a winemaker who takes the easy way out. The idea of vinifying Lambrusco di Sorbara according to the Metodo Classico is a conscious commitment: that this grape variety should be – delicate, acidic, with a structural elegance that makes it unique among Lambrusco clones – has the potential to deal with Champagne methodology. 100% Sorbara from the alluvial soils of Secchia, hand-picked in 15-kilogram boxes, gentle pressing, first fermentation in steel, then at least six months waiting time before bottle fermentation. Rémuage, dégorgement, dosage: 5 g/litre. Everything as in Épernay – except that the grapes come from Bomporto.

In 1973, Graziano Merotto bought plot 86 in the Rive di Col San Martino – an overgrown piece of hillside, still covered with forest. He cleared it with his own hands, planted Glera and began to shape the vineyard that would one day become his most important. Over fifty years later, this wine bears his name. The Cuvée del Fondatore is made exclusively from that historic plot – 230 metres, south-facing, clay and sand, vines over 40 years old. What Graziano Merotto decides in the cellar is unusual: mash contact before pressing – a step that most producers skip – the must then goes directly into the autoclave, undergoes a second fermentation for 60 days and then matures on its own yeasts for a further 180 days. Almost nine months from must to bottle, a comparatively long time for a Prosecco Superiore. 33,000 bottles, 670 magnum bottles, 10 Jéroboams.

The Greeks knew two types of time. Chronos: the measurable, constant, inexorable one. And kairós: the right moment – the moment that cannot be forced, but must be recognised. Celestino Gaspari has dedicated his wine to this concept – and chose the name carefully: Kairós is created in those years when Gaspari decides that the moment is not ripe for his great Harlequin. No second choice – another decision.

Villa Grazianella – a 17th century villa surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and orchards on the hills of Acquaviva – stands at the heart of the Fattoria del Cerro, the largest private producer of Nobile di Montepulciano. The new wine name is both a tribute and an indication of origin. The Rosso di Montepulciano is made from Prugnolo Gentile – the local Sangiovese clone that has adapted to the climate and soil of the Colli Senesi over the centuries. Fermentation at a controlled temperature with daily pumping over, followed by maturation in the cellar for at least four months.

The Medici family has been growing Lambrusco in Montecchio Emilia for over a hundred years. Not because it sells well at the moment – but because they know no other way and want no other way. Four generations, one obsession: to make the best Reggiano DOC that these hills have to offer. Harvests far below the maximum authorised yield, soils made of heavy clay, care taken down to the last detail of vinification. Assolo is their most accessible wine – and it is not a compromise. 51% Ancellotta for colour and fruit, Lambrusco Salamino for acidity and bite. Fermentation in steel at a controlled temperature, second fermentation according to the Martinotti method in a closed pressurised chamber.

A classic Franciacorta from the Montenisa vineyards around Calino near Brescia, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and a small proportion of Pinot Bianco. Gently fermented in stainless steel tanks and then matured on the fine lees for around 24 months, it gains elegance and aromatic finesse. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a fine, persistent perlage. Fresh citrus fruits, white peaches, fine brioche notes and a hint of roasted almonds on the nose. Lively and harmonious on the palate, with a creamy texture, fine acidity and a subtle mineral freshness that leads to an elegant, balanced final. A versatile sparkling wine from the Antinori family that shows its class from an aperitif to a refined meal. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that have changed the history of their country. Not by chance, not by fashion – but through a single, well-founded provocation. In 1971, Piero Antinori had the label of his new wine designed by one of the most important Italian graphic designers of his time: Silvio Coppola, known for book covers and designer furniture, for rigour and reduction. The label was minimalist – but the wine behind it was a revolution. No Trebbiano, no Malvasia. No white grapes in the red wine, as prescribed by the Chianti rules since Ricasoli. Instead: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc. Barrique instead of large barrel. A wine that thus automatically fell out of the DOC – and came onto the market as a simple Vino da Tavola. Piero Antinori signed the label with the name of his father Niccolò: a gesture of gratitude for the trust that had allowed him to be so bold in the first place.

Tenuta San Leonardo is a name that stands for red wine. For generations, the Guerrieri Gonzaga family in Avio, in southern Trentino, has been cultivating a Bordeaux blend that is considered by connoisseurs to be among the best wines in Italy. The fact that the house also makes white wine (and rosato) – and with the same precision – far fewer people know. Vette di San Leonardo owes its name to the peaks that surround the vineyards. Vette – summits, peaks – is the image San Leonardo has chosen for this Sauvignon Blanc: high, clear, unmistakable. The grapes come from Roveré della Luna, a village on the border between Trentino and Alto Adige, which is one of the best Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in northern Italy. The Dolomites as a backdrop, cool nights, a long ripening process on the vine. Hand-picked in September. Only steel, no wood. Five months sur lie on the fine lees – for texture and depth without external ageing.

A Pinot Grigio with character that can only come from the Collio and neighbouring areas of Friuli. The grapes come from high-altitude plots with poor marl and sandstone soil, which reduces the yield and intensifies the flavour. Pale straw yellow in the glass with silvery reflections. On the nose, the wine is complex and elegant: green pear, fresh apple skin, some white melon and a fine hint of lemon balm. The palate is precise and animating with lively acidity, cool minerality and a dry, juicy finish. Not an opulent charmer, but a straightforward, stylish Pinot Grigio with a regional character and subtle depth – in the spirit of Silvio Jermann's quality philosophy. SUPERIORE.DE

Elena Fucci is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the winery in 2025 with this rare special edition Titolo from the 2021 vintage. 2021 was the last harvest that her grandfather was able to experience before his death. The grapes come from a vineyard plot that is over 80 years old. Unlike the famous Titolo Classico, it was refined for 24 months in a conical oak barrel and then matured for a further 12 months in the bottle.

Lagrein and Gries belong together like Nebbiolo and Barolo. The Bolzano district of Gries is the ancestral home of this indigenous South Tyrolean grape variety – first mentioned in writing in 1379, since then hardly anywhere else as convincing as here. Rudi Kofler puts it in a nutshell: "The alluvial soils of Gries are ideal for Lagrein. Because the Gries terroir is unlike anything else in Terlan. No steep slopes, no porphyry rock – but flat, post-glacial alluvial soil in the sunny Bolzano valley basin, where the Adige, Eisack and Talfer rivers meet and summer temperatures of up to 40 degrees are not uncommon. Loamy-sandy soils, lime-free, brooding. A terroir that gives Lagrein warmth and ripeness without taking away its tension. Hand-picked, destemming, slow maceration in steel, malolactic fermentation – then 12 months of ageing: half in large wooden barrels and half in barriques, one third of which is new. Precision meets depth.

In 1984, Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti bought a dilapidated farmstead near Suvereto. No wine background, no generations of tradition – just a conviction: that the Colline Metallifere terroir can do more than it seemed at the time. The metal-rich, ferruginous clays of these hills between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Apuan Alps bear a fingerprint that no other growing region in Tuscany can replicate: mineral, salty, with a depth reminiscent of both earth and sea. Tierre is Tua Rita's 100 per cent Merlot expression of this terroir – more accessible than the legendary Redigaffi, but with the same soils, the same hands, the same attitude.