Organic

The Lageder family has only been cultivating Lagrein on the geologically fascinating Margreider Schuttkegel for around ten years – thus opening up a completely new terroir for this indigenous grape variety. Conus, Latin for cone, refers to this unusual formation of dolomite limestone and gravelly sand between 230 and 320 metres. The biodynamic Demeter cultivation of the site promotes vines of particular stability and depth. After spontaneous fermentation, the Lagrein matures for twelve months, partly in stainless steel and partly in small wooden barrels.

In Campo Rotaliano, this geological treasure trove nestled amongst the peaks of the Dolomites, Elisabetta Foradori has been rewriting the history of Teroldego for four decades. What began in 1960 as a family wine is now the epitome of indigenous excellence. The grapes come from twelve hand-selected plots spanning nine hectares, their roots reaching deep into alluvial sand and dolomite limestone. Fifteen different Teroldego biotypes, developed through years of mass selection, reflect the diversity of this unique terroir. Biodynamic Demeter cultivation, practised since 2002, allows the indigenous grape variety to unfold its original identity. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete tanks, partly using whole bunches, preserves the lively fruitiness. Twelve months' ageing in a combination of concrete and oak gives the wine structure without being overpowering.

A volcanic masterpiece from Sicily’s latest wine revolution: since 2023, Etna winemakers have been permitted for the first time to indicate their specific Contrada on the label – a historic innovation that pays tribute to the region’s centuries-old understanding of terroir. Planeta’s flagship wine from the Contrada Feudo di Mezzo embodies this new era with impressive clarity. The Planeta family, Sicilian wine pioneers since 1694, reached the northern slopes of Etna in 2008 and immediately recognised the extraordinary potential of the volcanic soils. In Feudo di Mezzo, situated at an altitude of 610 metres, wines of unique expressiveness are produced on black lava sands and mineral-rich sediments. The winery was built in 2012 on a lava flow dating from 1566. A symbol of the connection between modern winemaking and geological history.

Tenuta Sansonina is situated in the south of Lake Garda, not far from Sirmione – where the lake breathes across the hills and the soils tell the story of what the last Ice Age left behind: A deep, clayey mixture of chalk and silt that stores water, buffers heat and gives the Turbiana grape that distinctive minerality which sets Lugana apart from everything else. Thirteen hectares, organically farmed, with vines around sixty years old – vines that know just how deep they need to reach. 100 per cent Trebbiano di Lugana, hand-harvested and carefully selected before the grapes reach the winery. The must is first cold-fermented statically, then ferments for around ten to twelve days in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. Six months’ ageing in stainless steel tanks, followed by one month in the bottle: no oak, no interference, just the wine and its terroir.

Between the legendary Bricco Boschis and Monprivato crus lies a small parcel of just 2.25 hectares that epitomises Cavallotto's answer to the question: What does Barolo excellence taste like in Dolcetto format? The Vigna Scot, with its east-north-east exposure, benefits from the same chalky, clayey geology that gives the great Baroli their structure. The grapes undergo traditional vinification with indigenous yeasts and short 3-4 day maceration, followed by six months in 50-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels and a further six months in concrete tanks. This double maturation creates the characteristic texture: structured but smooth.

An expression of old vineyard depth and finesse: Vecchie Vigne comes from vines over 40 years old on clayey soils at altitudes of 250-300 metres above sea level. The result is a white wine that makes balance, structure and terroir tangible. Pale straw yellow in colour with crystalline purity. The bouquet is intense but nuanced, with aromas of almond blossom, white flowers, meadow herbs, lemon and peach, supported by lively minerality and a delicate hint of aniseed. On the palate, the wine impresses with elegant acidity, animating and firm at the same time. The mineral tension ends in a long, salty-fresh final – with structure, depth and plenty of substance. Vecchie Vigne is more than just a pleasure to drink: it is a kind of reference for the ageing potential of Verdicchio. A white wine that carries origin, history and personality in every sip. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1987, there were still 0.5 hectares of Timorasso in the whole of Piedmont. The grape variety, once widespread in the hills south-east of Turin, had almost disappeared due to phylloxera, structural change and lack of interest. Walter Massa rescued it – and brought it back into the dialogue. Giorgio Rivetti from La Spinetta, whose eye for exceptional terroirs has made his company great, recognised the potential and planted in Montemarzino, Montegioco and Monleale. Derthona – the ancient Roman name for Tortona, the capital of these hills – became the name of the wine. 100% Timorasso, south-west and south-east facing vineyards, organic cultivation. Destemming, gentle pressing, fermentation in temperature-controlled small stainless steel tanks. Then seven months on the fine lees – no malolactic fermentation, the acidity remains naturally lively. Four months in the bottle before release.

The Riviera Ligure di Ponente is not an easy landscape. There is little space between the sea and the Alps – the vineyards climb up terraces of dry stone walls, the slopes are steep, the paths winding, the harvest almost exclusively by hand. It was in this solitude that Riccardo Bruna began bottling his family's Pigato in 1970 – a bold decision at the time for a grape variety that hardly anyone knew. Majé is Bruna's most accessible Pigato: from the iron-rich, argillaceous soils around Ortovero and Ranzo, 200 to 300 metres above sea level, just 20 kilometres from the coast. Gentle pressing, fermentation and ageing in steel – the result is the character of this terroir in its most direct form.

In 1991, Luca and Valeria Orsini gave up their work in Milan to produce wine in Tuscany. Their winery comprises 10 hectares of south-east facing vineyards in Panzano and the wines have been certified organic since 2000. This outstanding Annata opens discreetly on the nose with subtle scents of cherry blossom, heather and roses. On the palate, it is decidedly red-fruited with redcurrants and raspberries, embraced by finely structured, powdery and persistent tannins. It has a lovely energy and above all lets the true charm of Sangiovese shine through. A real high-flyer in terms of authenticity every year! SUPERIORE.DE

From the 25 hectares of organically cultivated olive groves of the Castello di Camigliano – nestled in the gently rolling hills south-west of Montalcino, where the mild climate of the Ombrone Valley creates ideal ripening conditions. Four classic Tuscan varieties characterise the oil: Leccino, Frantoio, Moraiolo and Correggiolo, harvested by hand and cold-pressed at a controlled temperature immediately after harvesting. Bright green-gold in the glass, fruity aroma of fresh herbs and green almonds, subtle spiciness on the palate and that fine, bitter aftertaste that characterises the best oils from the Terre di Siena. Certified organic – a beautiful piece of Montalcino beyond the wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Delicate, elegant Nerello Mascalese with fine aromas of red fruits and raspberries, enveloped in a pleasant citrus freshness. As the wine progresses, it develops a smoky note associated with the strong lava rock component that characterises the volcanic soil of Etna. Lively, harmonious and full of flavour on the palate – a resolutely versatile wine that goes perfectly with a variety of fish dishes, shellfish and white meat. SUPERIORE.DE

A small marvel, perfectly harmonised with multi-layered aromas of tropical fruits, apples and honey. A highly interesting white natural wine that is far more than just a casual pleasure, as it offers an extremely full, well-structured flavour. Fermented with the skins using the red wine method. Strong yellow colour with golden reflections. Intense aroma of dried herbs, incense, candied lemon peel and a hint of bitter orange. Fresh citrus notes on the palate, an exciting acidity and a powerful structure lead into a very long finish, crowned by a hint of bitter almonds. Very complex and a wonderful accompaniment to food – be sure to aerate! SUPERIORE.DE

Riserva does not simply mean more time in Gracciano. It means different soil. The Maramai and Podere Rovisci crus provide the grape material for this wine – and Rovisci is the core of the whole: heavy clay content, brooding, water-retaining, with a ripening dynamic that elicits the densest, most concentrated side of the Prugnolo Gentile. Vines, some of which have been planted since 1970. 300 to 350 metres, south to south-east exposure, 30 hectolitres per hectare – consistently limited yields. Only in the best vintages does the della Seta Ferrari Corbelli Greco family decide to bottle a Riserva. 2021 was such a year. Prugnolo Gentile 90%, Merlot 10%. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts, 20 to 25 days of maceration in steel. Then aged for 24 months: the first twelve in French tonneaux of 3.5 and 5 hectolitres, the second twelve in large Slavonian oak barrels. Subsequent maturation in the bottle for at least six months.

This red classic from Montepulciano already bears its claim in its name: nobile. No other wine in Italy has this adjective written into its specifications – and hardly any other producer has honoured it as consistently in recent decades as Federico Carletti and his Poliziano winery. Founded in 1961 by father Dino, today under Federico's leadership and long since anchored in the next generation – with Francesco and Maria Stella, who have been helping to shape the future since 2019 and 2021. Poliziano has been certified organic since the 2021 harvest – not a marketing decision, but the logical conclusion of decades of work without chemical weedkillers and insecticides. Prugnolo Gentile, the local variety of Sangiovese, grows on clay and limestone soils between 300 and 450 metres above sea level. Hand-picked, careful selection in the vineyard and in the cellar, fermentation with indigenous yeasts in conical concrete vats – minimum intervention, maximum expression. Maturation in large barrels and tonneaux: the wood frames, it does not dominate.

Multi-layered aroma, lots of dark cherry fruit, delicate herbal spice and cedar flavours. Juicy dark wild cherries on the palate, ripe, perfectly integrated tannins, elegant and delicate, fine mineral spice, surprisingly full-bodied and animating. A representative of the appellation that opens up beautifully and hits the right notes, like something out of a picture book! SUPERIORE.DE

San Giusto a Rentennano – the name is of Etruscan origin and carries the centuries within it. The medieval estate is located in the southernmost tip of the Chianti Classico, where the area meets the upper reaches of the Arbia and the hills become wider, quieter and rougher. A Cistercian monastery once stood here – san Giusto alle Monache. In 1204, the Florentines fortified the area as a border post to Siena. The underground vaults from that time are now the storage cellars of the Martini di Cigala. The family has owned the estate since 1914 and Luca, Francesco and Elisabetta now run it with the conviction that has defined the house since the early 1980s: Sangiovese needs no shortcuts. It needs low yields, ripe harvestand time. Organically farmed since 2006, green pruning in July and August by 30 to 50 per cent. 95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo harvested by hand.

Dievole's new Chianti Classico Casanova, just released with the debut 2020 vintage, is the result of a quest to highlight the identity characteristics of particularly suitable vineyards, leading to ever more precise expressions of Sangiovese. The Casanova grapes come from a vineyard at an altitude of about 400 metres, with an ideal south-west to south-east exposure and composed mainly of sandstone rocks Macigno del Chianti. The result is a Chianti Classico that is very immediate and direct, with a beautiful acidity to boot. It has the elegance and freshness and the bright, radiant fruit of Chianti Classico "as it used to be".

A wine with history, personality and depth of character: Centovie is the centrepiece of a long-term project at the organically farmed Tenuta Centovie near Roseto degli Abruzzi. The 35 hectares of vineyards on the southern slope near Montipagano, with a view of the Gran Sasso, produce elegant Montepulciano, among other things – equipped with traditional training systems (pergola in long tendone and short cordon training) and an optimal microclimate.

Dievoles Chianti Classico Petrignano is the result of a commitment to highlighting the distinctive characteristics of particularly well-suited vineyards, leading to ever more precise expressions of the Sangiovese grape. Petrignano is the name given to a distinctive area characterised by mineral- and stone-rich soil. At an altitude of approximately 330 metres, rocks protrude from the ground, typical of the geological formation of Monte Morello. The abundance of stones, the depth of the roots and the compact growth of the vines result in an expressive and opulent wine from this distinctive and authentic cru site.

Centovie is coming together. After the Pecorino kicked things off, the Rosato followed – and finally, in 2015, the Montepulciano. The Bernetti family describes it as "a wine that did not exist before and which seeks no imitation". A personal, bespoke interpretation of a grape variety and a landscape. The estate lies 200 metres above Roseto degli Abruzzi, facing south-east, between the Gran Sasso and the Adriatic Sea. Clay-sandy limestone soil with an alluvial skeleton, organically farmed from day one. The Montepulciano is grown using two training systems: "Tendone" with long pruning and "Filare" with short spurs, at a density of 1,600 to 5,000 vines per hectare.

Three thousand years of wine-growing history are encapsulated in a single road name: the Strada Provinciale 68 near Vittoria, the route along which generations of Sicilian farmers carried their amphorae – and later their barrels – to market. Arianna Occhipinti, a pioneer of Sicilian natural wine, has created a liquid tribute to this country road. Albanello and Zibibbo, two indigenous Sicilian varieties, grow here on red sand over limestone. The grapes ferment together with wild yeasts in concrete vats; two weeks' maceration give the Bianco its characteristic texture. Bottled unfiltered, it retains its lively cloudiness.