Organic

Adine slopes steeply southwards, in terraces, over a height of more than 500 metres, below the cellar. The highest terrace is called Punta, and this Sangiovese comes from there; the estate only bottles it in the very best vintages. Beneath the vines lies rock dating from before the Eocene epoch, around 100 million years old: clay-rich limestone, once the seabed, of medium texture, full of stones, deep and loose. It conducts heat well, the light falls perfectly, and the estate regards it as the ideal site for bringing out the elegance, complexity and longevity of the Sangiovese grape. Harvested by hand, fermented in concrete tanks, then aged for 18 months in Austrian oak barrels with a capacity of 2,500 Liters, before being stored for extended bottle ageing. The 2021 vintage was favourable: good rainfall in spring, no water stress in summer, significant temperature variations between day and night in August, and harvesting from the second half of September.

A little marvel, perfectly balanced with complex aromas of tropical fruits, apples and honey. A highly intriguing natural white wine that is far more than just a light-hearted treat, as it offers an exceptionally full-bodied, well-structured flavour. Fermented with the skins using the red wine method. A deep yellow colour with golden highlights. An intense bouquet of dried herbs, incense, candied lemon peel and a hint of bitter orange. On the palate, fresh citrus notes, an exciting acidity profile and a robust structure lead into a very long finish, crowned by a hint of bitter almonds. Highly complex and a wonderful accompaniment to food – be sure to let it breathe! SUPERIORE.DE

More than a hundred years ago, a white bull named Desiderio lived on the Capezzine farm in Avignonesi. He was the largest bull in Tuscany at the time – and what's more, he is one of the recognised ancestors of the Chianina breed, the noble breed of cattle from which the Bistecca Fiorentina is cut. Anyone enjoying a Florentine-style T-bone steak today is likely to have a little bit of Desiderio's DNA on their plate. It was therefore a natural choice for Avignonesi to name its most powerful red wine after him. The label shows him – and changes with every vintage. The sky, lighting mood and details in the illustration tell of the climate of the year: whether hot or cool, dry or balanced. A quiet commentary on the vintage in pictorial form.

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. From the modest farmstead in Castagneto Carducci, under his visionary guidance and with the advice of the renowned OenologistCarlo Ferrini, a 40-hectare vineyard has emerged, which today ranks amongst Bolgheri's most respected estates. Volpolo embodies the pure essence of this exceptional site between the municipalities of Castagneto Carducci and Bibbona; the name pays homage to the ancient Tuscan grape variety Volpola and is also an expression of the estate's deep roots in the Bolgheri terroir. This certified organic cuvée, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, thrives on the estate's 27 different soil types – a mosaic of sand, clay, limestone and sea pebbles that 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 the Bordeaux varieties to ripen here to unprecedented levels of complexity.

La Rosé de Manincor is produced using the traditional saignée method – by drawing off the juice from the estate's finest red wine batches. The grapes come from the Manincor, Seehof, Panholzerhof and Mazzon vineyards, situated at altitudes of between 250 and 500 metres. Rich clay soils, interspersed with limestone gravel and glacial rock deposits, define its character. The composition of the cuvée varies slightly from year to year – in 2025, it consists of 30% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, 20% Pinot Nero, 13% Vernatsch, 4% Tempranillo, 4% Syrah and 4% Petit Verdot. After six to twelve hours of maceration, the must is racked off – that part which makes the red wines more concentrated and gives the rosé its colour, structure and richness of aroma. Fermentation takes place in wooden barrels, partly spontaneously with wild yeasts. The wine then matures on its fine lees for five months, during which time the aromas refine and the creamy texture that characterises La Rosé develops.

In Sicily, "Firraru" is not simply a profession – it is a symbol of artisanal precision and quiet dignity. The blacksmith who, with patience, fire and strength, forges enduring values. Feudo Maccari dedicates its most impressive white wine to this image: a single-varietal Grillo that, like almost no other, brings to life the connection between terroir, patience and depth. The name has been chosen deliberately, for the wine is artisanal, elegant, precise and, at the same time, uncompromisingly Sicilian. The grapes come from a high-altitude plot in the south-east of the island, where the limestone-rich soil and proximity to the sea lend the Grillo structure and a salty edge. Hand-picking, gentle pressing and slow fermentation form the foundation – the wine is then aged for 12 months on the fine lees inLiters French oakLiters, with a portion also matured in concrete eggs.

When Ferruccio Ferragamo took over the dilapidated Borgo from the Duke of Savoy-Aosta in 1993, it was more than just a property purchase. It was, as he himself put it, "an act of faith". Thirty years on, the house's flagship wine embodies this spirit in every bottle: a commitment to uncompromising elegance. Its creation was preceded by a meticulous geological study. Each grape variety was planted where the soil best brings out its strengths: Merlot for velvety opulence, Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and depth, Syrah for freshness and aromatic lift. Separate vinification, followed by blending – a blend that bears the hallmark of the Valdarno. The wines mature for eighteen months in French oak – the Merlot partly in larger casks to preserve its fruit, the Cabernet and Syrah in first- and second-use barriques. The result is neither a copy nor a rival to Bolgheri or Chianti, but something entirely unique.

Vigna San Marcellino Gran Selezione is both youthfully fresh and ripe and complexly muscular. It contains a healthy dose of the deeply coloured Pugnitello grape, and on the nose liquorice, tarragon and broom mingle with lush plum and subtle roasted aromas that are highly seductive in their complexity. Deep, taut and lively on the palate, loaded with black cherry and rich, velvety tannins. The texture is silky, while subtle chalky notes and a salty minerality give it plenty of energy and lead it into a juicy, refreshing finish. Vigna San Marcellino is a convincing wine with enormous ageing potential every year. SUPERIORE.DE

The Popoli vineyard bears witness to the fact that the Valle Reale plateau has been a wine-growing area since time immemorial. Several rows of this vineyard stretch out in front of the ruins of a cave cellar dating back to 1300. This is where the Benedictine monks from the monastery of San Benedetto in Perillis produced and stored their wine. A small plot of around 1 hectare is dedicated to Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.

For some years now, Matteo Catania has been holding back a few hundred bottles of his wines in the best vintages in order to offer them to his most loyal importers after a few years. From this "private reserve" comes Nerosanloré 2010, which is now - in spring 2023 - offered in small quantities with 9 years of further bottle ageing quasi in Riserva quality.

The Romanesque Pieve di San Marcellino was built in the year 1000. It still stands today – in the middle of the vineyards of Rocca di Montegrossi, seven kilometres south of Gaiole, at the southern tip of the Chianti Classico. The vineyard bears its name. And the vines that surround it are older than most of the appellations that appear on labels today. Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi is a descendant of Baron Bettino Ricasoli – the "Iron Baron" who defined the formula for Chianti Classico in the 19th century. Not as a marketing idea, but as a genetic link to this soil. The vineyard has been certified organic since 2010 and has been planted with Pugnitello alongside Sangiovese since 2006 – an autochthonous Tuscan grape variety that was almost extinct in the 1980s. Pugnitello deepens the colour, thickens the structure and sharpens the profile of the Sangiovese grape. Hand-picked, separate fermentation of both varieties on wild yeasts in upright wooden tanks, 24 months in Allier barriques and tonneau, bottled unfiltered. Only produced in outstanding vintages – the 2020 is one of them.

San Giusto a Rentennano – the name is of Etruscan origin, and it embodies the passage of centuries. This medieval estate lies in the southernmost corner of Chianti Classico, where the region meets the upper reaches of the Arbia and the hills become more remote, quieter and rougher. A Cistercian monastery – San Giusto alle Monache – once stood here. In 1204, the Florentines fortified the site as a border outpost against Siena. The underground vaults dating from that period now serve as the cellars of Martini di Cigala. The family has owned the estate since 1914. Luca, Francesco and Elisabetta now run it guided by the conviction that has defined the estate since the early 1980s: Sangiovese needs no shortcuts. It requires low yields, fully ripe harvestand time. Organically farmed since 2006, with green pruning in July and August reducing yields by 30 to 50 per cent. 95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, harvested by hand.

Poggio San Polo Brunello is a selection of the best grapes from the estate's various vineyard sites. It opens very engagingly with dark fruit, including plenty of black cherry and dark plum, optimally rounded off by a fine balsamic herbal spice and notes of white pepper. The palate has an almost perfect texture, a suppleness and silkiness that is refreshed and carried by a well-proportioned, refined Sangiovese acidity. Dark berry flavours, long, deep and with a very remarkable, slightly mineral final. SUPERIORE.DE

Poggio San Polo Brunello is a selection of the best grapes from the estate's various vineyard sites. It opens very engagingly with dark fruit, including plenty of black cherry and dark plum, optimally rounded off by a fine balsamic herbal spice and notes of white pepper. The palate has an almost perfect texture, a suppleness and silkiness that is refreshed and carried by a well-proportioned, refined Sangiovese acidity. Dark berry flavours, long, deep and with a very remarkable, slightly mineral final. SUPERIORE.DE

When Lamole di Lamole acquired this two-hectare cru in 2017, they took on more than just vines – they took on a legacy. The Sangiovese vines, planted in 1994, grow here in the archaic "Alberello Lamolese" style – a bush-trained method that generations of winegrowers have fought to preserve in these rugged highlands and which they have never been willing to give up. This natural terrace lies at an altitude of between 540 and 580 metres, facing south, caressed by the wind and bathed in the purest light. The ancient dry stone walls, built of ochre-coloured Macigno Toscano, absorb the sun's heat during the day and release it back to the vines at night – a dialogue between stone and plant that has continued for centuries. As early as 1800, the geographer Emanuele Repetti noted: "Buon vino di Lamole, lodata campagna" – good wine from Lamole, a much-praised landscape. In 2018, the village was declared a Patrimonio Storico d'Italia. The 2020 vintage – only the third from this vineyard – demonstrates the true potential of Gran Selezione. The grapes undergo visual selection, ferment in 50-hectolitre conical vats using "macerazione differita", and mature initially in the same vats, then in 30-hectolitre oak barrels. The result? A wine that the winemakers themselves describe as lyrical and beguiling.

This impressive Sangiovese comes from the single vineyard "Vitticciana", which was specially created for a pure Sangiovese wine by the "Godfather of Carmignano" Ugo Contini Bonacossi due to its perfect orientation. It is only produced in the best years, when it presents itself as a multi-layered wine with fine fruit and fine-grained tannins. After a few years of ageing in the bottle, it can easily hold its own with some of the best Brunello di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

It was in December 1998 when a customer knocked on Giuseppe Bisci's door and asked for "vino d'annata" – a young wine, ready to drink straight away. Yet Bisci, as a matter of principle, only sold his Verdicchio after at least two years' ageing. Giuseppe turned the customer away, but the encounter stayed with him. The high-altitude calcareous clay soils of Matelica, where the Apennines rise majestically into the sky, did not produce simple everyday wines – they were capable of so much more! The continental climate, with sun-drenched days and freezing mountain nights, gave the Verdicchio an intensity, minerality and a backbone of acidity that allowed for decades of ageing – something almost unheard of in Italian white wine. That very same day, Giuseppe turned to his cellar master, Aroldo Bellelli: "Let's make a wine for the next person who asks for a young wine – so that we can tell him: "We make Riserva, and that won't be released for another seven years!""

The first vintage was released in 2001. A wine that had no history yet, only a conviction: that the Maremma, with Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, could express something that Tuscany had not yet heard. Twenty years on, with the 2021 vintage, Brancaia takes stock in silence – and has given this particular release the suffix ‘20 anni’. Over two decades, the vines have driven their roots deep into the sandy loam soil of the Maremma. No artificial water – only what the soil stores in winter and releases in summer. The vines have learnt to cope with the heat. The grapes are becoming more concentrated, the tannins finer, the character more distinctive. This is the promise made in 2001 – and which the 2021 vintage fulfils.

It was in December 1998 when a customer knocked on Giuseppe Bisci's door and asked for "vino d'annata" – young wine, ready to drink straight away. Yet Bisci, as a rule, only sold his Verdicchio after at least two years' ageing. Giuseppe turned the customer away, but the encounter stayed with him. The high-altitude calcareous clay soils of Matelica, where the Apennines rise majestically into the sky, did not produce simple, everyday wines – they were capable of so much more! The continental climate, with sun-drenched days and freezing mountain nights, gave the Verdicchio an intensity, minerality and backbone of acidity that allowed for decades of ageing – something almost unheard of in Italian white wine. That very same day, Giuseppe turned to his cellar master, Aroldo Bellelli: "Let's make a wine for the next person who asks for a young wine – so that we can tell them: we make Riserva, and it's only released after seven years!"

The Krafuss Farm dates back to the Renaissance and has remained unchanged to this day. It belongs to Roland Riz, Alois Lageder's father-in-law, and is nestled amongst vineyards and orchards above St. Michael-Eppan – a historic building that bears witness to the economic importance of viticulture in this area as far back as the Middle Ages. The Lageder family has been making wine here for six generations. In 1991, the vineyard was completely recultivated and replanted exclusively with Pinot Nero, using a close-spaced spalliera training system. A decision made without compromise: no other grape varieties, no mixed cultivation, just this one variety on this one hill. In 2013, the vineyard switched to biodynamic cultivation – and since then, sheep have once again been grazing on the outskirts of Eppan, as was customary centuries ago.

Monika Bär-Bettschart spent her holidays in Castellina as a young girl. She fell in love with this piece of Tuscany – and later with Thomas. After their marriage, the two acquired Gagliole. A Swiss couple, a Tuscan Podere, a very simple conviction: If you really love a piece of land, you have to farm it. La Valletta in Panzano has also been part of the family since 2011 – ten hectares on the north-western edge of the Conca d'Oro, at 450 to 500 metres, exposed to the south-west, on Pietraforte: that compact, limestone-rich sandstone that does not yield to Sangiovese – and therefore demands the best from it.