Organic

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Chiaro di Bolle epitomises Il Borro's bold answer to the question of what Sangiovese is capable of as a sparkling wine – a Tuscan Metodo Classico that redefines the traditional boundaries of the grape variety. As a Blanc de Noir made from 100% Sangiovese, this exceptional sparkling wine fits perfectly into the winery's many years of experimentation with the queen of Tuscan grape varieties and impressively demonstrates the versatility of this terroir-influenced Sangiovese. Vinified according to the classic metodo tradizionale, Chiaro di Bolle undergoes traditional bottle fermentation, which gives Sangiovese a completely new dimension. The organically farmed grapes from Valdarno di Sopra bring their characteristic minerality and freshness, while the careful cellar work transforms the natural elegance of the grape variety into a sparkling lightness.

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.

Kyè – Piedmontese for "chi è?", who is that? The question says it all. Freisa was once one of Piedmont's most important grape varieties, but then it fell into obscurity, supplanted by Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto. It is no coincidence that Aldo Vajra, of all people, took it seriously again in 1980: in 2004, genetic research confirmed what the old winegrowers had long suspected – Freisa is Nebbiolo's closest relative, and is thought to be one of its parent varieties. The Vajras have been bottling a dry Freisa since 1989, thereby sparking a renaissance that is now setting a precedent. The grapes for the Kyè come from Aldo's own selezione massal dating from 1980, planted in San Ponzio at the lower edge of the legendary Bricco delle Viole – the vineyard closest to the estate. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, after which the wine matures for 26 months in large Slavonian oak barrels.

The Ghezzi family has been cultivating the extensive estate on the south-western slope of Montalcino since 1957 – 530 hectares in total, 50 of which are planted with Sangiovese Grosso alone, on clayey-limestone soils with silt and fossil inclusions. A Brunello that combines the power of the south with the elegance of careful clonal selection comes from this sunny, warm location on the Ombrone. 20 to 30 days of maceration, fermentation at 26–28 °C, followed by 24 months in oak barrels and a full year of ageing in the bottle. The 2021 vintage is considered a classic great Annata: late frost in April noticeably reduced the yields, a warm but never overheated summer and two saving August rains brought the grapes to full, slow phenolic ripeness.

The vineyard is called Racciano. Armando Castagno, Italy's leading Vernaccia expert, has carried out thorough research: the name can be traced back to "Fundus Rasianus" – land of the Rasini, a people of Etruscan origin. 2.5 hectares, east-facing, planted exclusively with Vernaccia. The Racciano plot is the sole source of L'Albereta – gran Riserva, the highest expression permitted by the Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG. The brothers Giampiero and Stefano, together with their father Mario, who still oversees the work in the vineyard today, have nevertheless decided to treat this wine differently from all the others there. And there aren't many of them.

The name tells a story: Barco Reale means "royal enclosure" and refers to the historic Medici hunting reserve, which was established in 1626 – a ring of walls over 50 kilometres long surrounded the area where Sangiovese, Cabernet and Canaiolo thrive today. Barco Reale Rosso is the younger, more accessible version of Carmignano DOCG, was awarded its own DOC status in 1994 and epitomises the elegance of this small but important Tuscan appellation. Tenuta di Capezzana has been run by the Contini Bonacossi family for five generations and represents over seventy per cent of the entire Carmignano production. The first documented mention of Capezzana dates back to 804, and as early as the 16th century, Caterina de' Medici had Cabernet cuttings brought to Carmignano from Bordeaux – centuries before the Super Tuscans discovered this idea for themselves. The winery has been certified organic since 2009.

When Brigitte and Bruno Widmer bought the abandoned Brancaia estate near Castellina in Chianti in 1981, nobody could have guessed that this would become one of the defining wineries of modern Tuscany. The very first vintage in 1983 took first place in a blind tasting – the beginning of a success story that daughter Barbara Widmer is continuing today as a qualified Oenologist. The entire winery has been certified organic since 2019, a consistent development of the philosophy that has always applied here: no compromises. The Riserva combines the best Sangiovese lots from both Chianti Classico estates – brancaia in Castellina and Poppi in Radda – supplemented by twenty per cent Merlot. The sites between 230 and 400 metres above sea level bring together different soil structures: Clay in Castellina, sandy loam with a stony skeleton in Radda.

Swiss precision meets Tuscan elegance in this characterful Super Tuscan, which has embodied the Widmer family's DNA for over four decades. The name has a dual meaning: three grape varieties and three terroirs, which Barbara Widmer blends with inimitable finesse to create a harmonious cuvée. This blend, comprising 70% Sangiovese, is sourced from the vineyards of Castellina in Chianti, Radda in Chianti and the Maremma, and is refined with 15% each of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The continental Chianti vineyards, situated at altitudes of 230–400 metres with their soils interspersed with clay and galestro, meet the Mediterranean Maremma terroir with its sandy loam soils, which lend the wine its characteristic depth. 

COS makes sparkling wine in small batches. That sounds like a surprise – and it is. But anyone who knows the company immediately understands the logic: not because Sicily needs sparkling wine, but because COS wants to get everything out of Frappato that this grape variety has to say. And Frappato has a lot to say. The base wine is pressed directly, fermented spontaneously in terracotta amphorae and then stabilised in concrete vats. What follows is the most unusual: neither sugar nor pure yeast is added for the bottle fermentation. Instead, fresh must from the following vintage – the most natural form of tirage available in the Metodo Classico. Matured for 20 months on the lees in the bottle, disgorged in June 2025, no dosage. What comes into the glass is exclusively Frappato, a hint of yeast and time.