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From 1546 to 1800, Villa Cigliano was the family seat of the Antinori family in the province of Florence, the place where they first planted vineyards and pressed wine. The estate was then sold. Piero Antinori bought it back in 2011. What sounds like a sentimental gesture was actually a strategic decision: Villa Cigliano is located in the San Casciano UGA, the northernmost part of the Chianti Classico region, right on the outskirts of Florence. A terroir that gives the Sangiovese an accessibility and expressiveness that distinguishes it from the more structured sites to the south. In 2014, Antinori returned to the Chianti Classico consortium after almost four decades. Villa Cigliano is one of the most visible proofs of this commitment: 100% Sangiovese from a site that the family chose over five centuries ago as the first vineyard in the history of the house. Gran Selezione – the highest category of the appellation. 5,000 to 6,000 bottles.

The name "The Whale" refers to the Tyrrhenian Sea, which can be seen from the hills of Suvereto and whose breeze sweeps daily over the San Lorenzo vineyard in the single vineyard of the same name. What is produced here carries this sea within it. 50% Vermentino, 50% Viognier – a meeting of two Mediterranean characters on loamy-sandy, slightly chalky soil, 18-year-old vines, Guyot. Three months on the fine lees. What ends up in the bottle is one of those white wines that you don't analyse, but simply drink.

Merus – the Latin word for pure, genuine, unmixed. The Tiefenbrunner family has given its entry-level line a name that says it all: no distractions, no overlaying – just the character of the grape variety and the place. Chardonnay Merus comes from two very different sites that complement each other: Penon, Hofstatt and Rain at 400 to 650 metres, on calcareous dolomite soils with south-southeast exposure, stand for freshness and minerality. Margreid, Punggl and Kurtinig at the bottom of the valley at 210 to 220 metres, on sandy-limestone alluvial soils, stand for fullness and fruit. Vinified in concrete vats.

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.

Pinot Bianco arrived in South Tyrol as early as 1850 – and the Schulthaus site, above Castel Moos in Appiano Monte, is probably the most historic Pinot Bianco site in the entire municipality. The Schulthauser has been bottled as an independent wine since 1982 – and since then it has become one of the best-known expressions of this grape variety in South Tyrol. The vineyards lie at an altitude of 540 to 620 metres, exposed to the south-east, on limestone gravel soils with a light clay content – high enough for the evening downdraughts from the Mendel Mountains to have a daily cooling effect. Hand-picked at the end of September. In the cellar: 85% fermentation in steel, 15% in large wooden barrels with malolactic fermentation. Blending in February to create a wine that combines creamy softness and pronounced acidity in rare harmony.

Pale yellow with a greenish tinge – olli already looks like a Sicilian summer breeze in the glass. The pure Grillo comes from organic cultivation near Noto, where the vines are rooted in chalky soil and cooled by the sea breeze. Citrus, white peach, a little sage and a hint of salty sea air – the bouquet is fresh and charming. The palate is dry, lively and with animating fruit, accompanied by delicate minerality and a pleasant length. The ageing in stainless steel tanks gives it freshness and drinkability. An energetic wine with vigour and expressiveness right to the finish, this clear and balanced white from the trendy Sicilian Grillo variety offers exemplary value. SUPERIORE.DE

The Valtellina Superiore DOCG has five subzones – maroggia, Sassella, Grumello, Valgella and Inferno. The name of the fifth says it all: Inferno – hell. Not as a threat, but as a description. Because here, on the steepest and sunniest terraces in the entire Valle, there is a microclimate that is unrivalled in northern Italy. Rocky outcrops of light-coloured quartz rock protrude from the ground, reflecting the sun's rays during the day and releasing the stored heat during the cool nights. The steep slope allows the light to hit the ground vertically – maximum sunlight, maximum ripeness, maximum expression of the polyphenols in Nebbiolo. By the way: Nebbiolo is called Chiavennasca here – the local name for a grape variety that has developed independently in Valtellina over the centuries. Vineyards at 350 to 550 metres, southern exposure, strenuous manual harvesting on inhospitable terraces. In the cellar: fermentation at controlled temperatures, maturation in small oak barrels.

What began in 2004 as an anniversary wine for the 50th harvest of Salice Salentino – leone de Castris has been producing this Apulian classic since 1954 – has become a firm tradition due to its resounding success. Since then, a new edition of the "50° Vendemmia" has been released every year. A Riserva that shows how Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera find their powerful yet elegant expression on the red soils of Salento. After selective harvest, the blend of 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera di Lecce undergoes an 8 to 12-day maceration at a controlled temperature of 20 to 22 degrees before the wine matures for twelve months in 30-hectolitre oak barrels. A further six months of bottle ageing round off the process.

"Place of the snakes". The name Serpara sounds menacing, but is actually a tribute: snakes seek warmth, sunshine and mild temperatures, even in the coldest months. And this is exactly what describes the single vineyard Serpara in the municipality of Maschito – a vineyard with a sunny exposure that never really knows winter, even in winter. At 550 metres above sea level, on a volcanic hillside, lie 6 hectares, half of which are planted with Aglianico vines over 40 years old. The black imperial eagle of the Swabians adorns the label – a legacy of the imperial claim that once shaped this land.

Altesino has undoubtedly helped write the history of Brunello. The house was the first to introduce the cru concept in Montalcino, the first to introduce barrique ageing for IGT wines – and was the first to offer its Brunello for subscription. And yet the Annata Brunello is the most honest proof of what Altesino stands for: a style that aims for elegance and finesse, not power for its own sake. Four parcels – altesino, Castelnuovo dell'Abate, Macina and Pianezzine – give the wine its foundation: 100% Sangiovese Grosso from older vines on pliocenic, clay-sandy soils in the eastern hills of Montalcino, at 220 to 280 metres.

The name Dolcetto does not mean sugar, but softness. The grape variety is the Piedmontese everyday red par excellence: easy-drinking, fruity, with that characteristic slight bitterness in the final that sets it apart from all others. Neive, in the heart of the Barbaresco appellation, gives the Dolcetto its special depth: calcareous clay soil at 300 metres, temperate climate, 30 to 35-year-old vines – a root mass that ensures concentration and character. Aldo Pola and his family vinify traditionally: fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature, no wood. The result is Dolcetto in its most honest form.

If only it were true. Angelo Gaja's Tuscan masterpiece Magari bears this Italian expression full of longing and hope in its name, and it tells the story of a dream that became reality. When the Piedmontese patriarch first explored the Maremma coast in the 1990s, he saw the potential for something extraordinary in the gentle hills of Bolgheri. Eighteen rounds of negotiations were necessary to acquire the Ca' Marcanda estate – "the house of endless negotiations", as it has been known ever since.

Roccaleoni comes from old Falanghina vines on volcanic soils of ash and black pumice in the Rocca dei Leoni zone near Benevento. The vineyards are located at an altitude of around 400 metres and benefit from good ventilation and cool nights – perfect conditions for aromatic precision and freshness. Pale straw yellow in the glass with greenish reflections. Ripe apple, yellow peach, tropical fruit, elderflower and fine herbal notes on the nose. Juicy and clear on the palate, with lively acidity, ripe fruit and a subtle mineral vein. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the varietal character and light-hearted elegance. A harmonious Falanghina full of character that perfectly combines freshness and regional identity. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2021, the DOCG Montalcino delivered a vintage of rare transparency. Cooler nights, pronounced temperature fluctuations, slow and even ripening until well into October – conditions that allow the Sangiovese Grosso to show what lies behind the fruit: Minerality, structure, the fine geological layers of a vineyard that has been producing wine since the Middle Ages.

"Fruit that bears richly" ... the meaning of the name. Sciala evokes images of golden grapes in the warm light of the Gallura autumn. Here, millennia-old memories and modern precision come together to create a Vermentino that is considered the style-defining work (not only) of Surrau. The grapes come from the estate's best plots: historic soils with granite subsoil, perfect drainage, constant wind, the grapes rigorously selected to maximise the potential of all components. After only brief skin contact, gentle fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by around six months of maturation on the fine lees, balanced and clear in style.

A Cannonau that harmonises origin and structure – that's how Costera feels in the glass. The grapes come from the old sand and limestone hills of the south-east facing vineyard of the same name, where the intense sun and cool sea breeze combine to ensure aromatic ripeness and multi-faceted minerality. After controlled fermentation, the wine matures for around five months in barriques and cement tanks.

Filippo, Elisa and Elena Fanti live and work in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the village below the Romanesque abbey of Sant'Antimo, in southern Montalcino, where the family has been rooted for generations. Their Brunello is one of the most reliable addresses in the appellation. Their Rosso is what a Rosso di Montalcino should be: the same care, the same terroir, more accessible in its timing. 15 hectares of Sangiovese, registered for the Rosso, vines between 15 and 20 years old. Hand-picked in September and October, depending on location and exposure. Three sorting tables – grapes and individual berries are selected separately. Temperature-controlled fermentation and mash contact in stainless steel tanks with regular pumping over, malolactic fermentation before ageing in wood. Around 12 months partly in French barriques, partly in medium-sized barrels.

For almost thirty years, Karmis has been the flagship wine of Cantina Contini in Cabras – and it celebrates its anniversary in 2026. Created in the 1990s as an attempt to take Vernaccia di Oristano out of its niche and present it in a modern, more accessible guise, it has since become an icon of the company: a wine that combines tradition and the present in one glass. The grapes come from three different sites on the Sinis peninsula and its surroundings: the alluvial, sandy-clayey alluvial soil of the Valle del Tirso, the coastal sandy soils of the Sinis and the volcanic soils of the Terre di Ossidiana on Monte Arci – up to 200 metres above sea level. Vernaccia di Oristano and Vermentino, Spalliera and Alberello, Mediterranean climate with hot, windy summers and little rainfall. Gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation in steel, periodic bâtonnage – then the bottle. A wine that can handle time well.

It was Luigi Veronelli, the Italian wine revolutionary of the 60s and 70s, who convinced Francesco Giuntini that exceptional single vineyards deserve their own voice. Of all the old Poderi from the Mezzadria period, Bucerchiale has always been the best – a south-west facing amphitheatre in the cooler heights of Rufina, where Tuscany approaches the last foothills of the Apennines. Francesco took the plunge in 1979. While the law still stipulated Trebbiano in every Chianti and the wine world favoured quantity, he produced defiant resistance from pure Sangiovese. A 100 per cent Sangiovese from a single vineyard – a revolutionary act at the time that marked the beginning of the Tuscan Renaissance. In 2022, Vigneto Bucerchiale celebrates its 43rd year and embodies a perfect vision. Spontaneous fermentation in steel tanks at 30-32°C with 30 days of maceration allows every nuance of the terroir to unfold before the wine matures 50 per cent in French oak barrels of 25 hl and 50 per cent in barriques – only 15 per cent of which is new.

Sur Sur is a fresh Grillo, named after the little cricket whose gentle chirping symbolises lightness and new beginnings – a loving reminder of the playful, unforced life of the Sibyllines that blossoms on Sicilian soil. The vines grow in the west of Sicily around Contessa Entellina, on clayey-loamy soils with a chalky structure, which lend the wine a lively freshness and aromatic purity.

A photo from 1955 adorns the bottle: Elliott Erwitt's "California Kiss", two lovers in the mirror of a car. When Trudie Styler tasted the first sip of this Vermentino, she spontaneously found the name – "like a kiss on the lips". The fact that the wine was released in March 2021, when the world was hungry for closeness, lends it additional poetry. Incidentally, it is the first white wine that Riccardo Cotarella vinified for Il Palagio – a tribute to Trudie's love of elegant Bianchi. The hand-picked Vermentino grapes ferment at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, and a short maturation period preserves the vibrant freshness.

This organic Rosato by Umani Ronchi was born at the Centovie winery in Roseto degli Abruzzi. A project defined after several years of experimentation, with the aim of producing a wine that combines the expressive power of the Montepulciano grape with a soft and delicate vinification to emphasise its fresh and fruity nuances. Delicate pink colour with shiny reflections. Floral and fresh on the nose with delicate citrus notes, crisp on the palate with beautiful acidity and notes of red cherry, strawberry, blood orange and pink grapefruit. Complex and long on the finish – a serious wine with a great drinking flow! SUPERIORE.DE

The vines are planted where the Piedmont slopes gently at Canelli and the Barbera grape can develop its depth. The name is reminiscent of Cesare Pavese, the great son of these hills – and his most famous work "La Luna e i Falò". Like the novel, this wine also carries a quiet melancholy, paired with expression, maturity and identity. Matured in barriques and large casks for around a year, this is a Barbera full of character and at the same time modern.

A wine like an ecosystem: Misto Mare is no ordinary white wine, but a polyphonic poem of nature from Alois Lageder. The blend combines grapes from over 14 white and red grape varieties from organically or biodynamically cultivated vineyards that are still in the process of conversion to organic certification. The grapes come from a wide range of altitudes in South Tyrol – a reflection of regional diversity, captured in a single wine. The name refers to the geological past: Around 200 million years ago, South Tyrol was covered by a primordial sea. Today, vines grow there on what was once seabed, their complexity reminiscent of the former depths and the complex balance of marine habitats.