Organic

Tannenberg – a parcel within the Lieben Aich vineyard that stands alone. While the Lieben Aich represents the entire Tenuta, this Sauvignon concentrates on a specific parcel: the one with the most pronounced mineral structure. South-western slope, 300 metres above sea level, warm and breezy microclimate. The soils of sandy loam over porphyry weathered rock are water-permeable and low in nutrients – conditions that require concentration. 2024 was a challenging vintage: a wet spring, then a hot and dry summer, followed by a golden autumn that allowed for perfect physiological ripeness. In mid-September, the grapes showed ripe fruit, cool character and moderate alcohol – ideal conditions for long-lasting wines with tension. The yield per hectare was 43 hectolitres. Vinification follows Manincor's biodynamic philosophy: the destemmed berries macerate on the press for twelve hours to extract flavour and structure from the skins. Spontaneous fermentation with the grapes' own yeasts takes place in wooden barrels, followed by nine months of ageing on the fine lees. The phases of the moon determine sowing, cultivation and harvesting: Rudolf Steiner's principles, consistently implemented. 11,900 bottles and 217 magnums were filled.

For a biodynamic winegrower, 2024 presented one of the greatest challenges of recent years. The exceptionally wet months of May, June and July brought immense pressure from downy mildew and powdery mildew, which even the normally hardy PIWI varieties struggled to withstand. Only experience and consistent work in the vineyard ensured the vines came through this phase virtually unscathed. Late frost had already significantly reduced the harvest yield – in the end, it stood at a modest 27 hectolitres per hectare. However, the short, hot weeks from mid-July to the end of August, followed by a lovely autumn lasting until the end of September, produced grapes of a quality that exceeded all expectations.

When the joy of experimentation meets biodynamic consistency, wines like this Bronner from Alois Lageder's Kometen series are born. Only 259 bottles were produced – from a single barrique. The Bronner grape variety, a fungus-resistant cross between Märzling and Saint Laurent, is considered a first-generation PIWI variety. While such grape varieties are increasingly being promoted in cultivation, they are still met with reluctance in sales. This wine is impressive proof of their potential.

"Curiosity about the future" – is the motto of this extraordinary comet, which is not just a wine, but a climate change experiment. For many years, Alois Lageder has been working on the question of which grape varieties are suitable for future higher average temperatures and more extreme weather conditions in South Tyrol. The answer: plant grape varieties from southern wine-growing regions of Europe and observe how they behave in cooler environments. The hypothesis was that these varieties would develop higher acidity and moderate sugar levels in South Tyrol. Today, VIO XIII is one of the most successful experiments in this series.

A declaration of love for Tuscany – that is how the Ferragamos describe their purest expression of the variety. The Vigna Polissena vineyard lies on schist soils with perfect drainage, a terroir tailor-made for Sangiovese. James Suckling once compared the wine produced here to the finest Brunellos. The must rests on the skins for twenty-two days before being transferred to Allier barriques – a third of which are new. For eighteen months, the wood shapes the structure without overshadowing the wine's character. A further six months in steel give the wine time to find its feet.

Castiglioni, a hamlet near Radda in Chianti, was first mentioned in 1078, having been founded by the monks of the Badia a Coltibuono. Karl Egger, an entrepreneur from Austria, and his family had been visiting Tuscany for decades and fell in love with this very spot. They restored the village, including its old chapel, and established the Tenuta di Carleone in 2012. The vines are situated in the historic heart of the Chianti Classico region on Alberese and Galestro soils, and the cultivation is certified organic. The 100% Sangiovese ferments in stainless steel, concrete and open vats, without added yeasts and with a maceration period of 40 to 60 days. It is then aged for 18 months in steel and concrete before being bottled.

This wine bears the small print name Viola delle Viole, although its fruit comes from the Bricco delle Viole and Bricco Bertone vineyards, two sites with different soil types, one of which provides structure and the other aromatic purity. Opens with a dark, almost impenetrable appearance. Powerful aromas of blackberry jam and preserved cherries unfold on the nose. You can feel its warmth and richness and there is no way around it. It is a super-sized Barbera that goes one better in terms of extraction and intensity. The finish is almost sweet, followed by good acidity. It shows great aromatic perfection, length and a very accentuated style. SUPERIORE.DE

A limited-edition anniversary release featuring a special label to mark the birthday of the icon of modern Sicilian winemaking: 30 years of Planeta Chardonnay – and to celebrate the anniversary, the label is on fire. Not literally, but almost: "On Fire" is the title of the artwork by Claire Fontaine that adorns the 2024 vintage in a limited edition. The artist collective, founded in Paris in 2004 and based in Palermo since 2017 – whose work "Foreigners Everywhere" gave its name to the 2024 Venice Biennale – has transformed the flame emoji into a light sculpture: extracted from the digital realm, made physical, bewitchingly beautiful. The original hangs in Ulmo's Studiolo, just a few steps away from the Chardonnay vines. The special edition is available in 300 Jeroboams – and only one of the six 0.75-litre bottles per case bears the art label. The proceeds go towards "A Long and Magnificent Walk", a greening project in the archaeological park of Selinunte: a symbolic act against the fires that threaten Sicily every summer. Thus, an anniversary becomes a statement – and a Chardonnay becomes a manifesto.

At the dizzying heights of Lamole, one of the highest-altitude appellations in Chianti Classico, the Sangiovese grapes for this exceptional Riserva thrive at altitudes of between 470 and 655 metres. The historic terraces, built from local Macigno del Chianti – that characteristic sandstone which stores the sun's heat during the day and releases it again at night – create a unique microclimate for this certified organic wine. Lareale brings together grapes from two of Lamole's finest vineyards: "Il Prato" and "Le Masse". 95% Sangiovese, complemented by five% Canaiolo Nero, results – following visual berry selection and a two-week maceration – in a Chianti Classico of remarkable elegance and austerity. Over two years' ageing in oak barrels lends the wine additional complexity and structure.

There are said to be vineyards in Piedmont that do not like Nebbiolo. The Vigneto Fossati in the highest location in the municipality of Barolo is one of them: gravelly-sandy soil, morning sun exposure, 420 to 450 metres. Aldo Vajra planted it with Riesling in 1985 – out of conviction, which sounded rather provocative at the time. A second vineyard chapter was added: the Cascina Bertoni in Sinio, exposed to the north-east, calcareous and homogeneous. Pétracine, whose name means "Riesling" in Piedmontese, comes from both vineyards – and at the same time sounds like stone and roots. The clonal vines come from the Rhine, the Moselle, the Palatinate and Alsace: austere German minerality meets Alsatian creaminess and Piedmontese terroir. Gentle pressing, short cold clarification, 15 to 20 days fermentation in steel, ageing in stainless steel until spring – no intervention that does not serve the precision of this rare wine.

Contrada 2020 is a monumental Nero d'Avola that tells the story of old vines. Grown in Bastonaca, near Vittoria, these vines are rooted in mineralised red clay soils infused with limestone and silicate – this is the fundamental terroir that COS works out biodynamically with clear standards, as 100% Nero d'Avola from over 50-year-old Alberello vines is cultivated exclusively organically. After spontaneous fermentation, the wine matures in small oak barrels – an ageing process that adds depth and spicy finesse without drowning in wood.

The first vines were planted in 1952 on the ridge that today gives the wine its name. Poggio Lombrone – the hill overlooking the Ombrone Valley. Seventy years later, some of these vines are still standing. Their yield is low, their concentration exceptional. Whoever says cru means exactly that. The vineyard lies at 300 metres, the soils are tufaceous clays and calcareous marl slate – maremma terroir in its wildest and most concentrated form. Long fermentation in open wooden conical fermenters with manual punching down, complete malolactic fermentation, then 18 months in 30-hectolitre oak barrels, followed by at least 24 months in the bottle.

Cilento lies in the shadow of its more famous neighbours in Campania – Irpinia with its Fiano di Avellino DOCG, and Taurasi with its Aglianico. Luigi Maffini is one of the winegrowers who have given this coastal region south of Paestum a voice of its own, with the same high standards for Fiano that the more famous areas claim for themselves. Three hectares, facing west-north-west, trained using the Guyot method with 4,200 vines per hectare. The yield is deliberately kept low: 1.5 kilograms per vine, a level of concentration that many white wine producers would shy away from. Hand-harvested in the second ten-day period of September. The grapes are gently pressed; fermentation takes place directly in new barriques at a controlled temperature of 16°C, followed by around four months' ageing in the same oak.

The olives used to make this Dievole extra virgin olive oil come from three different areas within the Chianti Classico region: Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castellina and Gaiole. The Frantoio, Leccino and Moraiolo varieties form the basis of this distinctive, medium-bodied extra virgin olive oil. The olives are gently mechanically pressed just a few hours after harvesting. The result is an intensely fragrant oil with a complex range of aromas and a grassy, piquant finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The eleven hectares of olive groves at San Giusto a Rentennano are located in the middle of the same hills that give the estate's wines their identity. Organically cultivated, harvested by hand – the same care that the estate has applied to its wines for decades is applied here to the olives. The result: an extra virgin with a clear character. Freshly pressed, unfiltered in the style of the house – intense, with the bite of an early harvested Tuscan olive and a grassy freshness that reveals its origins.

Deep, bright ruby red colour. Stunning aromas of floral dark berries, flint and attractive aromatic spices. Then fresh and juicy, but with a creeping concentration of blue and black fruit flavours, lifted by a zesty minerality and lively, harmonious acidity. The spicy, long finish is reminiscent of cloves, black pepper and coriander. A great wine, and we know now at the latest: The Catania family has a real knack for Cerasuolo di Vittoria. SUPERIORE.DE

Eichhorn Vineyard – the name evokes South Tyrol, with its centuries-old vines rooted in sandy loam soils on weathered volcanic porphyry. As with the Sauvignon, this plot is also situated within the Tenuta Lieben Aich estate in Terlan, 300 metres above sea level, facing south-west towards the mild air currents. But whilst Tannenberg aims for maximum minerality, the Eichhorn seeks a balance between alpine clarity and Mediterranean richness. Here, Pinot Bianco – or "Weißburgunder", as the South Tyroleans call it – matures into a variety that oscillates between restraint and expression.

The organically grown Etna Rosso Reseca is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese from a 1.5 hectare vineyard located at 800 metres above sea level on the blackened cone of the volcano. The wine offers both power and grace, the two contrasting qualities that characterise the great wines of Etna.

As always, the Cerviolo is excellent: concentrated, with the aroma of red cherry, sweet tobacco, walnut and wild mushroom. Silky and multi-layered on the palate, with balsamic and spicy notes, dense and soft, with absolutely harmonious tannins. A marvellous wine! SUPERIORE.DE

In 1988, Lucia Bazzocchi Sanjust, together with the OenologistGiulio Gambelli, set the course for Petrolos' modern era with the "Torrione" – the estate's first wine produced without regard to volume. Almost forty years later, the family has given the name to a second wine: a single-varietal Trebbiano, the grape variety that was delivered from the Valdarno to the popes in Rome as far back as the 14th century. Torrione Trebbiano deliberately eschews a vintage: each bottling bears a batch number and combines base wines from several years (in this case: 2023/2024), selected with the precision of the benchmark Trebbiano, Bòggina B. Hand-harvested and fermented spontaneously in tonneaux, it matures on the fine lees for over 15 months, with bâtonnage carried out regularly at first and then gradually reduced, and without racking prior to bottling.

As usual, the grapes come from a selection of old vines in the Mosconi, Gabutti and Ravera plots, whose limestone- and clay-rich soils lend the wines a delicate minerality and structure. The wine is aged separately by vineyard for around 12 months in used barriques before the cuvée is blended. A deep ruby red with a purple core – a glance into the glass already reveals the depth of this vintage. The bouquet unfolds into a complex interplay of aromas of ripe cherry, plum and dark berries, accompanied by hints of violet, liquorice and a touch of dried herbs. On the palate, it is juicy and focused, with lively acidity, ripe fruit and supple tannins. The 2023 vintage currently appears a touch fresher and more youthful than its predecessor, yet retains the balance between regional roots and the finely nuanced style for which Chiara Boschis is renowned. SUPERIORE.DE

In the treasure troves of time, where ancient wisdom meets modern vision, Petruna Anfora is born – a tribute to the origins of viticulture and at the same time a revolutionary expression of pure Sangiovese. The hand-picked grapes for this extraordinary experiment in clay and time come from the unique single vineyard Casa al Coltro, where slate soils at an altitude of 350 metres force the vines to achieve the utmost concentration.

Cultus is Latin for "cultivation, care and veneration". The name says it all: this wine honours tradition by reinterpreting it. Where the house's classic Riserva relies on tried and tested structures, Cultus dares to take a longer breath. Forty days of maceration instead of the usual three weeks, Sangiovese supplemented by the historical companions Colorino, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo – all from massalselection of the estate's oldest vines. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 250 to 330 metres, on clayey loam over limestone, organically farmed since 1995 and certified since 2003. The 2019 vintage brought ideal conditions: early budding in the warm spring, balancing rainfall into the summer, then perfect ripeness.

A wine like a manifesto: Della Bastonaca is the quintessence of the COS philosophy, grown on the historic estate in Bastonaca near Vittoria – where up to 75-year-old Alberello vines of Nero d'Avola and Frappato stand on calcareous red clay, criss-crossed by quartz veins and the constant presence of Mediterranean air. Biodynamics is not a statement here, but a lived practice – for decades, each vintage has been vinified in harmony with nature at the right rhythm. The 2020 vintage brought the best conditions: A spring with sufficient moisture, a warm but not overheated summer and cool nights during the ripening period created the ideal balance of vigour, freshness and aromatic precision. Selective hand-picking, spontaneous fermentation on the skins and careful ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months – these are conscious decisions that together result in a wine of quiet greatness.