Organic

In the hallowed halls of Casòn Hirschprunn, where history and innovation meet in the vaults of the 13th century, a red wine is created that epitomises the future of South Tyrolean viticulture. Here, in the middle of the 30 hectares of biodynamic vineyards between 230 and 360 metres above sea level, Alois Lageder ventured a visionary experiment in the 1980s: the cultivation of Tannat, an exotic grape variety from south-west France that proved to be exceptionally suitable for the Alpine future in the face of climate change. "Negli ultimi anni, ci siamo appassionati sempre di più al Tannat" – the Lageder family confesses their growing passion for this exceptional variety, which is immediately recognisable in the vineyard thanks to its characteristic red leaf stalks. What began as an experimental curiosity developed into a philosophy: not to celebrate the typicality of individual grape varieties, but to let the unique terroir of a vineyard speak for itself – a guiding principle based on the great châteaux of the Bordelais.

A summer that Europe remembers as hot – and Montalcino as surprising. The vines of Col d'Orcia, deeply rooted in the calcareous, clay-poor soils of the Orcia hill, showed in 2020 what biodynamic cultivation means in years of stress: resilience. Early bud burst after a mild winter, followed by a balanced spring with well-distributed rainfall. The summer remained warm, but without extreme heat phases – sporadic downpours at the end of August cooled the soil at the last moment and allowed the grapes to develop aromatic compounds instead of simply ripening. In addition, there were pronounced day-night temperature differences in September. Harvest from mid-September, clean and structured. The result has a character that Montalcino connoisseurs describe as "captivante": simultaneously accessible and enigmatic. Maceration for 18 to 20 days, shallow 150-hl steel tanks, gentle extraction. Three years in large barrels, twelve months in the bottle: Col d'Orcia's traditional vinification process – unchanged for decades because it works.

Sometimes a great vintage needs a little scare first. In April 2021, the thermometer dropped to minus seven degrees in parts of Montalcino – late frost, which hit the more sensitive sites and reduced the harvest to around 15 per cent below the previous year. What was a loss for some farms proved to be a gift for quality. Fewer grapes, more concentration. The surviving vines seemed to know what was at stake. The rest of the year followed the textbook pattern of classic Brunello meteorology: regular spring, hot and dry summer – then two decisive rain events in the second half of August, which gave the vineyards water and the grapes their final aromatic complexity. The September nights cooled the Sant'Angelo vineyard in Colle to temperatures that distinguish phenolic ripeness from genuine elegance. Harvest did not start until mid to late September – patiently waited, fully redeemed.

Smells intensely of redcurrants and black cherries, leather, spices and liquorice. Lush and flowing on the palate, all elements merge into a great, striking wine. Great potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Fresh, vibrant and full of energy, Geremia 2019 is highly entertaining and lively. Its flavours are remarkably intense, yet it also has a certain lightness that keeps it balanced and brilliant with every sip. Crushed stones, menthol, liquorice, sage and gravel envelop its core of blue and violet fruits, the tannins are well-built and it convinces not least with its beautiful length. Geremia always has something magical about it and its special personality makes it one of the most remarkable red wines from the Chianti Classico region for us every year. SUPERIORE.DE

Geremia founded the Ricasoli family in the 7th or 8th century – at a time when Chianti was not yet the name of a wine, but a battleground between rival noble families. His descendant, Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, now runs the same estate, on the same land, in Gaiole in Chianti. And he named this wine after his ancestor. This is particularly intriguing given that the Geremia is not a Sangiovese. In 1997, Marco planted Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon across 2.5 hectares of his hillside – deliberately, out of curiosity, and with a clear question in mind: what does this terroir express in a different language? The calcareous-clay soils at altitudes of between 340 and 510 metres, the south-southeast exposure, the microclimate between Florence and Siena – everything that shapes Sangiovese is also available here to the Bordeaux varieties. Hand-harvested in baskets, fermented in temperature-controlled tanks, aged for 24 months in medium-toasted Allier barriques, bottled unfiltered, and aged in bottle for 18 months. Certified organic.

The history of the Campolungo vineyard blends millennia of Tuscan wine-growing culture with a visionary dedication to perfection. These historic terraces, situated at altitudes of between 420 and 580 metres, were already recognised by the Romans as exceptional and have been regarded as one of the cradles of fine Chianti since the 19th century. The 2018 vintage tells the story of a particularly favourable climate: following a hot, dry summer, Lamole's extreme altitude preserved that crystalline freshness which makes Campolungo one of Tuscany's most exceptional single-vineyard sites. A pure Sangiovese made from hand-picked grapes of exceptional aromatic intensity. Following careful hand-harvesting and visual selection of the finest berries, the wine undergoes a two-week fermentation with skin contact in traditional wooden vats. Thirty months' ageing in oak casks, complemented by a small proportion in French barriques, results in a wine of multi-layered complexity and elegance.

Bionzo is a hamlet near Costigliole d'Asti, around 15 kilometres south-east of Alba – not a famous name, not a long headline. But here, on five hectares of calcareous clay and marl soils with a southern exposure, 250 metres above sea level, are Barbera vines that have been rooting through the same soil for more than six decades. La Spinetta has been vinifying one of the most characterful representatives of this denomination since 1998. Giorgio Rivetta's conviction that 90 per cent of the quality comes from the vineyard is evident here: no herbicides, no artificial fertilisers, horses instead of tractors to keep the soil alive. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled tanks for 14 to 15 days, malolactic fermentation and subsequent ageing take place in French oak barrels – 20 per cent new, the rest second fermentation. Then bottle ageing. Certified organic.

Pinot Nero from Etna has long been the dream of the Planeta family. And the experiment has been a success: Eruzione 1614 offers many positive surprises, starting with a strong varietal identity: the natural characteristics of the grape variety surpass the obvious intensity and energy of this volcanic region. It is probably one of the most Burgundian interpretations of the grape variety in Italy (alongside Alto Adige). The purity and freshness of the wine, with its many aromatic details such as cassis, wild berries, lilac and violets, is rounded off at the end by interesting notes of crushed volcanic rock. Die-hard fans of Pinot Nero will be delighted. SUPERIORE.DE

While Santo Spirito unfolds its floral elegance at an altitude of 700 to 800 metres, Calderara Sottana is rooted in a completely different world. Only a few kilometres away, yet geologically different, this contrada lies at an altitude of 620 to 670 metres directly next to the winery – and here the extraordinary complexity of the Etna terroir is revealed. Marc de Grazia discovered one of Sicily's rarest treasures in Calderara Sottana: pure elliptical terroir, formed 60,000 years ago by volcanic eruptions. Of the hundreds of contrade on Etna, only three have this pristine geological fingerprint and Calderara is one of them. While the Santo Spirito impresses with its crystalline minerality and maritime freshness, the Calderara Sottana is more opulent, creamy and warmer.

The name honours Giuseppe "Pin" Rivetti, the driving force behind this family and founder of La Spinetta. His Rosso Monferrato is more than just a cuvée – it is a personal legacy comprising 65% Nebbiolo (from old vines in Castagnole Lanze/Neive) and 35% Barbera d"Asti (Bionzo plot). Each grape variety was vinified separately with around 7–8 days of maceration in rotary fermenters at a controlled temperature, followed by malolactic fermentation in French oak. Ageing took place over 16–18 months in used, medium-toasted barriques, before the two components were transferred to stainless-steel tanks to mature for a further two months, followed by 15 months of bottle ageing without filtration.

Montalcino is Brunello country. Anyone who has anything to do with wine knows that. This makes the decision that Conte Alberto Marone Cinzano made in the early 1980s all the more remarkable: he planted Cabernet Sauvignon in the hills above Sant'Angelo in Colle – in a region that has belonged to Sangiovese for centuries. Not an experiment, not a whim, but out of conviction: That the exceptional terroir of Montalcino can give this grape variety what it cannot find elsewhere. The vineyard bears the name of the Elm grove that accompanies it – olmaia. The denomination has changed over the decades: what once appeared under Sant'Antimo DOC is now labelled Toscana IGT. The wine has remained the same. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, organically grown on 140 hectares of the estate, on soils of galestro and clay, which give the Cabernet the concentrated minerality that has always characterised Col d'Orcia. The grapes ripen slowly, under the dry heat of summer, surrounded by maquis, olive trees and the silence of the hill.

Le Baròncole Riserva impresses with its juicy fruit and stone fruit flavours on the nose and continues this beautiful impression on the palate. Cherry, sour cherries, blackberry, very juicy and powerful in appearance, completely fills the palate, but always remains lively and elegant. Silky, fine-grained tannins and a long, balsamic finish whet the appetite for the next glass. Good substance. Good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Montalcino and Cabernet Sauvignon – at first sounds like a marriage against nature. Sangiovese reigns here, Brunello grows here, the grape variety has found its expression here for centuries. The fact that Count Alberto Marone Cinzano nevertheless planted Cabernet Sauvignon on the hills of his estate in the early 1980s was neither a coincidence nor an experiment – it was a conviction. The conviction that this terroir, these soils, this altitude are capable of more than just one wine. Today, Olmaia is a monument to this vision. The vineyard – 365 metres above sea level, planted in 2005 – bears his name. The DOC Sant'Antimo, founded in 1996, created the legal framework for just such wines: international grape varieties, grown in Montalcino's chalky soil, with the ambition not to imitate, but to interpret.

On the hill of Riparbella, which smells of the sea and the forest, one principle holds true: what is done by hand in the vineyard at the right time of year determines what can be created in the cellar. Luca D'Attoma's work in the vines sets the stage for everything that follows. The clay soils with their pronounced salinity, the limestone gravel, the sea breezes, the constant temperature range – the terroir of Duemani is characterised by a tranquillity that carries over into the glass. Altrovino follows the same approach as it always has: Merlot and Cabernet Franc fermented spontaneously, separately, in concrete, with 20 days' maceration. Part of the Cabernet Franc is aged in terracotta amphorae, which lend volume to the fruit and allow the floral notes to unfold. Then comes the blending, followed by eight months in oak vats. No fining, no filtration.

On the classic bouquet, ripe cherry, tobacco and some damp earth. On the palate, first the pure Sangiovese feeling: beautiful small red berries, wild cherry, lively acidity. Then an impenetrable mesh of red and black fruits, which together with a fine web of tannins and minerals reveal more and more of themselves. Compressed and with each sip more open and present, the beautifully diversified taste components present themselves until they then lead into an aristocratically long and fresh finish with a hint of liquorice. SUPERIORE.DE

The small 2-hectare Sant'Eusanio vineyard is located approximately 500 metres above sea level in the highest zone of the entire Valle-Reale area. What distinguishes this vineyard from the others in Popoli is its northern exposure and the temperature differences between day and night, which can reach the lowest temperatures in the valley. These factors lead to extreme microclimatic conditions under which the grapes of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Sant'Eusanio ripen, making it a unique wine. It is an uncompromising expression of Montepulciano from the mountains and speaks a dynamic language of acidity and freshness that contrasts sharply with the body and structure of the wines grown in the coastal zone of the region.

When we discovered this winery by chance at the beginning of the 2000s, we were immediately impressed by the modesty and purism of the Biliorsi winemaking family. This is still the case today, they remain true to themselves and their philosophy and in good years, they produce just 10,000 bottles of a "slightly different" Brunello in the cellar.

Lezér means "light" and so it is – in the most delicate sense. Light ruby red in colour, red berries and an interesting hint of violets on the nose. Smoke, freshly cut wood and a fine creaminess on the palate. A thoroughly fresh red wine right through to the finish, which goes well with warm weather and uncomplicated Mediterranean cuisine, especially when slightly chilled. The ageing in different containers such as amphora, cement tank and wooden barrel gives it an additional appeal and an unmistakable profile. SUPERIORE.DE

Monprà combines equal parts Barbera and Nebbiolo from vines in Monforte d'Alba, some of which are over 50 years old, at an altitude of 300-400 metres, from sites with clayey-limestone marl soils interspersed with sandy veins. Fermentation is temperature-controlled and takes place separately for each grape variety in stainless steel, while malolactic fermentation and 18 months of ageing take place separately in French oak. Only then are the batches blended – a precise, elegant blend that combines the fullness of Barbera with the noblesse of Nebbiolo.

Pliocene clays retain moisture. In a dry, hot year like 2020, this is not merely an agricultural detail, but a survival strategy. The clay soils of Poggio Landi, situated 300 to 500 metres above Torrenieri, provided a natural buffer against the summer drought that put large parts of Montalcino under strain that year. The organically farmed vines, with their deeper, more active root systems, played their part. The result is a Brunello full of concentration and character. Herbal and spicy notes on the nose – wild herbs, fennel and oregano – followed by sweet cherry and tamarind. Two weeks of spontaneous fermentation, 38 months in large French oak barrels, and 6 months in bottle.

Strong ruby red. Pinot Nero Case Via exudes a varietal bouquet of wild berries and pipe tobacco, which combines harmoniously with the barrel spice. The soft, characterful taste is based on the strength of the tannin and the excellent aroma structure of the Pinot Pinot Noir. SUPERIORE.DE

The Raggiolo – called Correggiolo in Tuscany – is one of the oldest and most widespread olive varieties in the region. A variety with character, it bears small, slightly asymmetrical fruit and ripens late, making harvest time a test of patience. Felsina's oldest trees have been standing since the 1960s, while the youngest were planted in the 1980s – all in the three groves of Fèlsina, Pagliarese and Boschi, which together form the estate's terroir mosaic. Like all Felsina monocultivar oils, the Correggiolo is harvested separately when the variety has reached its optimum ripeness. Within four hours, the olives are taken to the in-house mill, pitted and pressed from the pulp only (denocciolato) – at a constant 25 degrees. The oil is then stored under exclusion of air in stainless steel tanks and is only vacuum-bottled when ordered: it couldn't be fresher.

The Moraiolo is the soul of Chianti oil. A variety with compact growth and modest vigour, it produces roundish olives with a strikingly large stone – and therefore benefits particularly from pit removal. Because without the bitter stone, the pure flesh of the fruit comes into its own, and in the Moraiolo this is of remarkable complexity. Felsina's oldest trees have been standing since the 1960s. The variety ripens medium-early, earlier than the Correggiolo, and is harvested when the polyphenol content is at its peak. The olives reach the mill within four hours, are pitted (denocciolato) and pressed at 25 degrees. The oil is stored under nitrogen, vacuum bottled only when ordered.