Organic

In the heart of the Valdarno Superiore, where the ancient Via dei Setteponti inspired Leonardo da Vinci to create his immortal landscape studies, lies Tenuta Sette Ponti – named after the seven bridges that have linked Arezzo and Florence since Etruscan times. Here, on 300 hectares where history meets modernity, Dr Antonio Moretti Cuseri realised a visionary idea in 1999: to create a Tuscan Bordeaux-style wine that combines international elegance with the soul of Tuscany. Oreno – named after the small river that flows through the estate in that clay-rich area where the Merlot vines put down their deepest roots – was born out of a passion for Bordeaux finesse. Fascinated by his travels to Bordeaux, Moretti Cuseri had existing vineyards grafted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Whilst the Merlot thrives in the clay-rich soils, the Cabernet vines find their home in gravelly terraces that offer perfect drainage and natural temperature regulation. The Petit Verdot rounds off the cuvée with spicy notes and intense flavour.

Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia is a dark, powerful wine. Black cherry, smoke, liquorice, incense, mocha, menthol, lavender and leather give this virile, brooding Riserva plenty of character. The palate is very aromatic with sweet red cherries, cedar wood and nuances of blood orange, yet very powerful and multi-layered with terrific depth and structure. A dream for Sangiovese lovers. SUPERIORE.DE

Rose petals, spices and red-coloured fruit float in the glass, supported by fine, racy tannins. On the palate, the typical, medium-bodied characteristics of Bricco delle Viole are evident, while the contours are soft and the wine's personality demands the next sip. Vajra fans should give it a few more years to mature, despite its current accessibility. SUPERIORE.DE

Monica Raspi remembers: "I took my first steps as a winemaker in the Omino vineyard. The grapes grown here produce the wine that is the absolute benchmark for my very personal interpretation of the Sangiovese grape."

This Riserva is only made available each year in very small quantities to hand-picked specialist retailers and top restaurants. Brilliant ruby red colour. Fine raspberry and floral notes dominate the spicy nose. Very juicy on the palate, tannins and acidity are well integrated. Riecines Riserva has length and suppleness right through to the long fruity finish. The elegance and fine melting texture are impressive. Once again, this is Sangiovese at the top level that Riecine is known for! SUPERIORE.DE

1172 – the year in which Volpaia is first mentioned in documents. A small, fortified borgo on a hill north of Radda in Chianti, built as a border fortress between Florence and Siena. Today it is a jewel of peace and beauty and one of the most historic wine villages in Tuscany. Here, where soldiers once stood guard, the Stianti-Mascheroni families now press their grapes within the medieval walls. The bottles mature in the vaults of old churches and almost every cellar contains a tank of organic wine. An entire village dedicated to viticulture. So complete that it becomes poetic again. The Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese from vineyards between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. One of the highest wineries in the region. Up here, where the air is thin and the nights are cool, Sangiovese develops the elegance and minerality that makes Volpaia so distinctive. Sandstone, clay and sandy-loamy soils with a high proportion of skeleton. Manual harvest in the second half of September, temperature-controlled vinification, then 24 months in French and Slovenian oak barrels.

Two vineyards, two roles. The Cabernet Franc comes from the highest vineyard on the Manincor hill, the Langegeben, where the cooler location lends the vines a delicate, precise fruitiness and elegant spice. The small proportion of Merlot comes from the heart of the Tatzenschroat, a warm south-east-facing slope at 250 metres, planted with the estate's oldest Merlot vines – they give the wine the extra depth, body and smoothness that the Cabernet Franc alone could not provide. 2023 demanded everything a biodynamic winegrower could muster in terms of diligence and meticulous attention to detail. A wet spring, a hot, dry summer – the vines coped well with both, and a golden autumn brought them to perfect ripeness.

Massimo Piccin is living the dream of giving new expression to Bordeaux growths from Bolgheri and producing wines that combine power, elegance and longevity. And so the Sapaio offers its full, vital and tannin-rich style magnificently and allows plenty of time for the finish. Once again, some of the grapes come from Bibbona, i.e. outside the Bolgheri DOC, so that this great wine can only bear the addition Toscana IGT.

It was 1988 when Bruno and Brigitte Widmer ventured a bold dream that would change the Tuscan wine world forever. Their Il Blu – named after the timeless blue label with orange capsule – became the icon of an entire generation of Supertuscans, a manifesto of modernity in the midst of centuries-old traditions. Today, after more than three decades of perfection, the organically certified Il Blu 2022 epitomises Barbara Widmer's visionary continuity. What once began as a Sangiovese-dominated cuvée has developed into an 80% Merlot blend with 10% each of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon thanks to the ever-growing complexity of the Merlot vines from Radda, now over thirty years old. Only the finest, hand-picked grapes for this exceptional wine come from the two Chianti estates in Castellina and Radda. The clay and galestro soils at an altitude of 230 to 400 metres, characterised by a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters, give the grapes their characteristic intensity. The vinification follows a ritual of precision: each parcel, each grape variety matures individually for 18 months in French barriques – two thirds new, one third used barrels. Only then is the final blend made, followed by three months of refinement in uncoated concrete tanks and at least one year of ageing in the bottle.

The vineyards of the Löwengang estate in Margreid have been owned by the Lageder family since 1934. Here, on the rubble cone of ancient dolomite rock below steep cliffs, grape varieties such as Carménère and Cabernet find ideal conditions in the mild climate of the valley.

Between Sassicaia on the left and Ornellaia on the right, on the Strada del Vino of Bolgheri, lies a vineyard that has rewritten the definition of "perfect location". When Antonio Moretti Cuseri drove through the thick Maremma fog in October 2004 and suddenly emerged into the glistening sunlight of this coastal landscape, he knew: this is where he would make the Orma – his footprint. The third generation of the Moretti Cuseri family had already proven with Oreno at Tenuta Sette Ponti that their passion for Bordeaux cuvées can become an obsession. In Bolgheri, this love of Merlot and Cabernet was to find a new interpretation. On just 5.5 hectares of vines rooted deep in gravel and clay, organically farmed grapes are used to produce the wine that has been delighting international wine critics since its debut in 2005. The 2023 vintage combines half Merlot with 30 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 20 per cent Cabernet Franc – an assemblage that combines the Mediterranean climate of the Tuscan coast with the finesse of great Bordeaux growths.

The name is history. Sapaio – an old Tuscan grape variety, long forgotten, but not its memory. When Massimo Piccin founded his winery in 1999, he chose this name as a sign of his deep connection to the terroir. A tribute to what was and a promise of what was to come. The vineyards extend over the municipalities of Bibbona and Castagneto Carducci, 40 hectares on quaternary deposits, from loose, coarse-grained sand deposits to alluvial soils with calcareous subsoil. Just ten kilometres from the sea, a microclimate that brings Bordeaux varieties to life. Since 2015, Piccin has been going his own way: instead of the prestigious Bolgheri Superiore DOCG, he deliberately chooses the free IGT Toscana, just to be able to add the handful of grapes from Bibbona that make Sapaio what it is today. Sometimes greatness means renouncing titles and regulations.

This strictly limited-edition Riserva is bottled only in the finest vintages. The bouquet is perfect and brooding, with notes of dried fruit, blackberries, white smoke and crushed stone. On the palate, it is wonderfully structured with precise balance and an almost weightless elegance, making it one of the finest red wines from southern Italy. Still intensely youthful, it has plenty of time ahead of it.  SUPERIORE.DE

Countess Sophie Goëss-Enzenberg, who runs the estate together with her husband Michael, gave her name to this Chardonnay. A wine that combines elegance with determination, finesse with power. Half the grapes come from one of two contrasting worlds: Terlan Lieben Aich at 300 metres, facing west, where loamy sandy soil on volcanic porphyry nourishes Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. And Kaltern Mazzon – Manincor's steepest vineyard, the 'Leiten' with gradients of up to 100 per cent. Here, Chardonnay and Viognier are rooted at altitudes of between 350 and 400 metres in calcareous loess-loam, facing south-west towards the light. Two soils, two microclimates, one vision. The destemmed berries macerate for four hours in the press – longer than for the Eichhorn, shorter than for the Sauvignons. Finesse is the guiding principle; the pressing process is slow and meticulous. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts takes place in wooden barrels of various sizes, followed by nine months' ageing on the fine lees. Here, the aroma and structure develop into the density that characterises Sophie.

Querciabella's Riserva, with an annual production of 10,000 bottles, is a selection of the best lots. It blends fruit from Greve, where the vineyards lie between 350 and 550 metres above sea level, with grapes from the stony high altitudes of Radda and the chalky soils of Gaiole. Tantalising aromas of spring flowers, cranberries and potting soil are accompanied by vanilla and smoke. On the palate, it is polished and pure, with a delicious, tangy acidity and sinewy tannins. As every year, one of the most refined wines of the appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

Now in its 30th vintage, it has long been an icon of modern Sicilian winemaking: Planeta's Chardonnay combines the French tradition of grape varieties with the sun-drenched terroir of the south, producing, year after year, one of Italy's most distinctive white wines. The grapes come from two different altitudes: Ulmo at 250 m and Maroccoli at 415 m above sea level. In the glass, it is a radiant golden yellow with slightly greenish highlights. The nose is intense and refined: yellow tropical fruits, toasted almonds, citrus blossom, vanilla, wet stone and a hint of salty butter. On the palate, it is dense and full-bodied, with ripe fruit, a perfect balance between freshness and creaminess, subtle spice and a long, elegant finish. A cult wine that combines Mediterranean richness with Burgundian nobility. Ideal with lobster, pan-fried fish, poultry in butter sauce, or even on its own as a great white wine with real character. SUPERIORE.DE

On 11 September 2001 – the day that changed the world – luca Sanjust planted 5,000 Cabernet Sauvignon vines on half a hectare of natural terraces, directly below the medieval watchtower of Galatrona. "Campo Lusso" – the luxury field – is what the local farmers have called this place at an altitude of 450 to 500 metres, surrounded by the pristine forests of the Chianti hills. A place of such beauty and favourable climate that it really was a luxury. Here, where calcareous slate mixes with marl and sandstone, Cabernet Sauvignon finds the mineral complexity that distinguishes it from the usual interpretations of this Bordeaux grape variety. The Gobelet cultivation – that ancient bush form – forces the vines to reach the lowest concentrations, while the forests protect them from the cool down winds and the morning sun dries everything quickly.

Some wines embody the history of an entire movement. Camartina is one of that handful of Tuscan icons that changed everything in the early 1980s – those rebellious Super Tuscans that paid no heed to the strict rules of Chianti Classico and instead pursued their own vision of greatness. 1981 saw the birth of Camartina, and with this wine, Querciabella not only laid the foundations for its own success but also made Italian wine history. The name itself says it all: a fusion of "Casaocci" – the first office on the first hectare of vineyard – and "Martina", the younger daughter of Giuseppe Castiglioni, the visionary founder. What began as a Sangiovese-dominated blend has undergone a fascinating evolution over the decades. Today, Cabernet Sauvignon is the clear protagonist, accounting for seventy per cent, whilst Sangiovese, at thirty per cent, contributes that elegant Tuscan linearity which sets Camartina apart from other Super Tuscans. The reason lies in the vineyards of Ruffoli near Greve in Chianti, where Cabernet has found a home on the arid sandstone soils that lend it an unusual finesse – lighter, more refined and sophisticated than elsewhere.

The small vineyard is located 500 metres above the Galatrona Tower and offers the best conditions for growing the French Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety. Due to the limestone subsoil, this site is also known as a luxury site (campo lusso). Intense and generous bouquet of dark fruit, leather and chocolate. Complex and deep on the palate, very focussed and, with aeration, very elegant and aristocratic. A complete red that will not only delight Cabernet lovers. Only around 1,300 bottles of this spectacular wine can be produced per vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

Monforte d'Alba lies in the southern Barolo region, where the soils become heavier, richer in clay and higher in iron content. Those who grow Nebbiolo here produce a different wine to that made to the north and east – one that is more structured, darker and possesses a density that takes time to develop. In 2009, Chiara Boschis purchased a plot in the MGA Mosconi – the most recent addition to the estate's portfolio, and the one with the most intense character. 1.9 hectares at an altitude of 370 to 400 metres, south-facing. The soils are of Helvetic origin – calcareous clay-marl layers in a characteristic grey to slightly warm pink hue, depending on where calcium carbonate and iron shift the composition. In some places, these layers take on a reddish hue, tinged with iron and interspersed with pebbles. It is a soil that lends substance to the Nebbiolo, demands long ageing and produces a kind of vinous power that does not arise in this way in lighter soils. Chiara Boschis was the first Oenologist to obtain organic certification in Barolo. Today she works alongside her brother Giorgio – and the Mosconi bears the hallmark of both.

The grapes for Istine's cult Riserva come exclusively from the estate's own vineyards Istine (Radda), Casanova dell'Aia (Radda) and Cavarchione (Gaiole). Only 4,000 bottles of this breathtaking wine, which matures for 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, are bottled each year.

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.

Grattamacco was the second winery in Bolgheri in 1982 and is still a firm favourite for great, terroir-driven wines with an independent character. The Rosso Superiore comes from high, coastal hillside vineyards with an excellent microclimate and matures for almost two years in French barriques after spontaneous fermentation. The cuvée deliberately does not follow the classic Bordeaux pattern: in addition to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Sangiovese also characterises the wine as an indigenous soul – a sign of identity, not convention.

Thomas Bär was dreaming out loud. He spoke openly about the fact that he regarded wines such as Solaia from Antinori or Le Pin from Pomerol as a benchmark – not out of arrogance, but out of conviction: That the Pietraforte soils of the Conca d'Oro at 450 to 500 metres in Panzano have the terroir to bear something extraordinary. The Balisca was his most personal answer to this question. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, exclusively from the estate's own Panzano vineyards – a decision that is still unusual in the Chianti Classico zone. 1,200 bottles.