Organic Red Wine

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

The Krafuss farm, whose history dates back to the Renaissance, is owned by Roland Riz, Alois Lageder's father-in-law. This historic estate near Magreid has existed since the Renaissance and gives the wine its name. In 1991, the Pinot Noir vineyards on the San Michele hill at an altitude of 430-450 metres were completely replanted – with selected Burgundy clones in dense plantings for cordon training. The 21-year-old vines thrive on loamy, rocky moraine soils with limestone content, cultivated according to Demeter-certified biodynamic methods since 2013. Malolactic fermentation takes place after 18 days of maceration in stainless steel tanks. The wine then matures for twelve months in French barriques of various sizes, which gives it structure and complexity.

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.

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.

Marc de Grazia made history on Mount Etna when he rediscovered the forgotten volcanic slopes over two decades ago. His Etna Rosso – is the estate’s ‘calling card’ – now blends grapes from various plots at altitudes between 600 and 900 metres, where Nerello Mascalese grows on ancient volcanic soils. The vines are situated on the cool northern slopes of Mount Etna, surrounded by black pumice and lava rock – — a terroir that lends every sip its unmistakable mineral character.

Poggio San Polo's 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, rounded off by aromas of undergrowth, rose petals, new leather and wild mint. Pleasing texture, suppleness and silkiness on the palate, refreshed and carried by a well-presented, refined Sangiovese acidity. Dark berry flavours, long, deep and with a slightly mineral final. SUPERIORE.DE

Montalcino is not a homogeneous terroir – it is a mosaic of microclimates, altitudes and soil types that produces completely different interpretations of Sangiovese within a very small area. San Polo lies in the south-east, on the Podernovi hill, where the extinct volcano Monte Amiata shields the vineyards from hot sirocco winds and has left behind pyroclastic deposits that lend the Sangiovese a mineral character found in very few other vineyards. At an altitude of 450 metres, the estate is one of the cooler areas within the appellation – ; large temperature variations between day and night enhance the aromatics and acidity, whilst the dry summer conditions concentrate the berries without stressing them.

Ilatro – is the Tuscan name for the wild olive tree (Phillyrea latifolia), which grows in the maquis surrounding the Brancaia estate in the Maremma. An unassuming plant that nobody plants and nobody tends – that is simply there, part of the landscape, part of the scent of this coastal region in hot weather and with the sea breeze. The Ilatraia takes its name because it comes from this place. Not from a vineyard that could have been anywhere. But from here. 40% Petit Verdot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc on sandy loam soils, without irrigation, beneath the Tuscan coastal sky.

The heart of the Lageder revolution beats on the spectacular steep slope of the Römigberg, where Lake Kaltern stretches like a mirror at the foot of the vines. Here, on the plot of land that has always borne the name Herz – latin "Cor" – alois Lageder dared to do the impossible in 1986: In an unprecedented act of courage, he planted the first large vineyard in South Tyrol in dense planting on a wire frame, radically breaking with the centuries-old pergola tradition. What began as a scandal became a legend. Working with winegrowers from all over the world – the legendary Robert Mondavi from California and several chateau owners from Bordeaux – inspired Lageder to make this visionary decision. He recognised that the steep south-southeast-facing slopes between 250 and 330 metres, characterised by stony, gravelly dolomite limestone over ancient moraine deposits from the third ice age, had the potential for world-class wines. Here, where warm Mediterranean influences meet Alpine coolness and intense sunshine meets millions of years of geological history, conditions of unique complexity are created.

The crown jewel of Le Cinciole bears a name that reveals its origins: Petresco, derived from the stony soils of this special single vineyard that Valeria Viganò and Luca Orsini planted over twenty years ago at an altitude of 470 metres. Here, where the Sangiovese vines are optimally positioned above the Panzano valley, one of the region's most exceptional Supertuscans is produced year after year. The 2019 epitomises the estate's uncompromising philosophy: only the very best grapes, hand-picked and carefully selected, find their way into this masterpiece. Spontaneous fermentation in cement tanks at a maximum temperature of 28 degrees preserves the original power of the Sangiovese before the wine completes its malolactic fermentation in French oak barriques. The Petresco rests for twenty-four months in a sophisticated combination of large barrels and barriques – a balanced blend that gives the wine depth without masking its original elegance. A further year in cement vats and at least twelve months of ageing in the bottle complete the development of this exceptional Sangiovese.

Ceretto's entry-level Barbaresco comes from different sites, mostly younger vines from Asili (35%) and the lower part of Bernadot (65%). Bright, elegant ruby red. It has full energy and vivacity and offers excellent persistence and remarkable balance. On the nose, sweet red cherry, mint, pine, liquorice and candied orange peel. Taut and ferruginous on the palate, very juicy, salty, stretches precisely across the tongue, with some pressure, considerable juicy-long finish. After good aeration already impressively accessible when young. SUPERIORE.DE

Wonderful, deep aroma of dark wild cherries, crushed raspberries, pomegranate, roses and peppery herbs. Dense but not heavy on the palate, long and pure with multi-layered subtle fruit flavours. Salty minerals and violet blossom emerge on the finish, along with nuanced tannins that create a classically dry feel on the elegant finish. This wine is already an absolute pleasure to drink, and although it tastes great now, it will continue to refine in the bottle for several years. A sensual and enjoyable wine, 60 per cent Nero d'Avola from oak barrels and 40 per cent Frappato matured in a vitrified cement vat. SUPERIORE.DE

Riecine's Chianti Classico can be described without exaggeration as an archetype of the Gaiole terroir: Bright in the glass with wild fruits, blackberries and white pepper. These slightly wilder flavours are very specific to Gaiole in Chianti, particularly this corner of the sub-zone near the village after which it was named. This cool location produces a sharp and elegant Sangiovese with tension and crispness, savoury tannins, the return of small black fruits and a respectable finish. Riecine has been producing one of the most subtle Chianti Classico wines for years - a marvellous wine. SUPERIORE.DE

When Virginie Saverys and Max De Zarobe realised that Montepulciano could only regain its historical reputation by working together, they created the Alleanza Vinum. Six prestigious wineries – salcheto, Poliziano, La Braccesca, Dei, Boscarelli and Avignonesi – joined forces in 2017 on a mission: each creates its own 100 per cent Sangiovese cru every year, embodying the rediscovery of Vino Nobile. Avignonesi's contribution comes from the legendary Caprile vineyard, planted in 1978 at an altitude of 300 metres. The soil tells of millions of years: Marine sediments from the Pliocene, criss-crossed by deep veins of blue sodium clay, rich in silt and limestone – a terroir that gives the Sangiovese exceptional depth. After 28 days of controlled maceration with natural yeasts from the Pied-de-Cuve selection, the wine matures for 24 months in large oak barrels.

Katia and Luigi's Brunello di Montalcino opens with dark fruits, cherries, forest herbs and dried plums. This is accompanied by a fine fruity sweetness, framed by notes of tar, smoke and exotic spices. The dark and ripe intensity of the fruit is closely interwoven with the flavours of oak and the stately proportions of the wine. The long and well-structured finish is characterised by liquorice and mint, flanked by a layer of fine tannins. What we particularly like about this Brunello is that it is already full of finesse and class and is already showing its beauty at a young age. SUPERIORE.DE

The bouquet shows a phenomenal blend of pure fruit with wild berries and herbs, before further depths of floral undergrowth and smoky nuances are added. The palate is full, silky smooth, with polished red and black fruits, then savoury spices and hints of sour citrus as it progresses. A hint of liquorice and mint lingers together with a layer of ultra-fine tannins on the long and lightly structured finish. For us, the San Polino Brunello is a prime example of finesse and elegance every year and a beauty on all levels. SUPERIORE.DE

The latest addition to Vajra's Barolo line-up comes from a 1.5-hectare plot in Coste di Rose, a small MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive) in the Barolo region. This is a steep slope at 310 metres above sea level with a high proportion of sandy soils with good drainage, whose vines and soils are cultivated close to nature. This very accessible Barolo is straightforward, forward and impresses even at a young age with its refreshing candour. A very precise bouquet of cherry, plum, liquorice, spices and menthol, followed by a broad and multi-layered fruity palate with plenty of juice and power, supportive tannins and a full, long, mineral and minty finish. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that change a grape variety forever. Granato is one of them. The legendary Teroldego that has been convincing the wine world since 1987 that Italy's Alpine heights can produce red wines of international calibre. Its name is both programme and poetry: Granato – the pomegranate, the ancient Mediterranean fruit that, like the vine, came to Italy thousands of years ago and whose ruby-coloured seeds remind Elisabetta Foradori of the essence of perfect grapes. In the historic Noval, Regin and Pedot vineyards of Campo Rotaliano, where Teroldego vines over seventy years old sink their roots deep into the Dolomite soil, a wine of monumental proportions is created. Here, on the alluvial sediments of prehistoric times, these ancient vines have grown in complexity decade after decade. Elisabetta's biodynamic philosophy reaches its purest form with these Methuselah vines: Not to intervene, but to guide nature to its peak.

Gulfi's top Pinò is a pure expression of Pinot Nero from Etna. When the Etna appellation began its rise about ten years ago, many producers committed themselves to growing the Burgundian grape variety on the charred slopes of this mighty volcano. Significant plantings of Pinot Nero never occurred, however, as many winemakers opted instead for the autochthonous Nerello Mascalese grape variety. Gulfi remains faithful to Pinot Nero on Etna, the grapes for Pinò come from 800 metres above sea level on the northern slope of the volcano.

Pettineo is more than just a contrada, it is a place of remembrance. Old Frappato vines, some of which are over 60 years old, take root here on sandy, slightly ferrous soil with a limestone base. The vines grow like bushes as Alberello, densely planted, deeply rooted – they yield little, but the essentials. For Arianna Occhipinti, this location is a key to the soul of Frappato: a wine that does not shine in its fruit, but in its quiet, almost floating intensity. The harvest by hand and fermented spontaneously with natural yeasts in cement tanks for around 30 days on the skins – gently, without mechanical intervention. The wine is matured traditionally and with restraint for around 20 months in cement tanks.