Organic Red Wine

Deep ruby red colour, as expected from a good traditionally and organically produced wine. A wonderful, elegant and open-hearted aroma spectrum between sour cherry and nutmeg. Clear and savoury on the palate, beautifully balanced and with plenty of youthful freshness and minerality on the long finish. This medium-bodied Riserva is already drinking well today, but also has enough energy to develop positively in the bottle for at least a handful of years. SUPERIORE.DE

Grinzane Cavour, 240 metres above sea level. One of the few parcels in the entire denomination with a full southern exposure. The single vineyard Garretti epitomises the extraordinary harmony that once attracted Giorgio Rivetti when he decided to expand into the Barolo region in 2001. Here, where seventy-year-old Nebbiolo vines are rooted in alluvial soils with a calcareous clay layer, wines of remarkable balance are produced. The site benefits from exceptional ventilation due to its distance from the hill opposite – a microclimatic advantage that ensures exceptional temperature fluctuations and preserves freshness even in the hottest years.

Fossa di Lupo is one of the most impressive contrade in the Vittoria region – an old hillside vineyard with sandy-clay soil over a deep limestone vein. Its north-easterly exposure and the cool downdraughts at night create a microclimate that is conducive to ripening. For Arianna Occhipinti, it is a real place that has accompanied her life as a winemaker since the very beginning. In this historic contrada north-west of Vittoria, her oldest Frappato vines are rooted in sandy soil interspersed with calcareous subsoil. A site with a history that Arianna has always considered to be the centrepiece of her work – powerful and delicate, quiet and expressive at the same time. The wine comes from 100% Frappato, harvested from vines over 60 years old. Fermentation with the vineyard's own yeasts, around 35 days on the skins, no fining, no filtration. Maturation takes place over 22 months in cement – a deliberate decision not to use wood in order to reveal the pure texture and vibrant character of Frappato.

Just 3,500 bottles from the oldest vines of the Salco vineyard are only sold in the best vintages. In the glass, we are delighted by an extremely elegant Sangiovese with a very harmonious texture and very classic, earthy and spicy notes. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1991, Luigi Fabbro and Katia Nussbaum found an abandoned hill southeast of Montalcino: no water, no electricity – but 600-year-old olive trees and soil that had not seen any chemicals for decades. This is exactly what they were looking for. Gigi, a Friulian with experience in biodiversity mapping in the Amazon, and Katia, a London anthropologist, became pioneers of the biodynamic movement in Montalcino. All vintages have been certified organic since 2001. Of the 35 hectares, only four and a half are planted with vines. The rest: forest, wilderness, corridors for animals and insects. "I see every bottle as performance art," says Katia. "Our entire philosophy of life is in the wine." The basic Brunello comes from the northern slopes, on clayey, marly soils. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, matured for three and a half years in large Slavonian barrels.

Cellole Gran Selezione impresses with its usual elegance and sophistication. Its masterfully balanced flavour profile of wild berry and blackberry with cassis, blueberry and candied rose is fantastic. On closer inspection, the wine reveals orange peel, rosemary and iron ore. It is a silky and elegant wine with some firm tannin, lots of bright fruit and a hint of crisp acidity. Undoubtedly a great wine with great potential! SUPERIORE.DE

When Virginie Saverys and Max De Zarobe realised that Montepulciano could only regain its historic reputation by working together, they founded Alleanza Vinum. Six prestigious wineries – salcheto, Poliziano, La Braccesca, Dei, Boscarelli and Avignonesi – joined forces in 2017 with a shared mission: each would create 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 a story spanning millions of years: marine sediments from the Pliocene, interspersed with deep veins of blue sodium clay, rich in silt and limestone – — a terroir that lends the Sangiovese exceptional depth. After 28 days of controlled maceration with natural yeasts selected from the ‘pied-de-cuve’, the wine matures for 24 months in large oak barrels.

At 618 metres above sea level, where the air already carries the coolness of the mountains and the view sweeps over the entire Chianti Valley, lies one of the most venerable vineyards in Tuscany: Coltassala – once born as a rebellious Supertuscan, today ennobled as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from the UGA Radda, embodies the revolution and evolution of Tuscan viticulture like no other wine. In 1980, Federica Mascheroni Stianti's family took the plunge: when the DOC system was still forcing Trebbiano and Malvasia into Chianti, they pressed a pure Sangiovese wine up here in small barriques based on the French model instead of the traditional large Slavonia barrels. What was then still misjudged as Vino da Tavola heralded a new era. Today, with the new UGA rules of Chianti Classico (Unita Geografiche Aggiunte, in Germany one would say Lage, in France Cru), Coltassala is finally finding its well-deserved home – as a Gran Selezione from the Radda geographical unit, which stands for the most extreme and elegant expressions of Chianti Classico. The altitude gives the 2021 vintage that characteristic freshness that makes Radda so unique – despite the warm weather, the wine retains its crystalline acidity and vibrancy.

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.

What begins with a seductive bouquet of delicate plums and a hint of mint gains volume and depth as grilled sage and rum-soaked blackcurrants mingle with sweet tobacco and allspice. Its texture is silky and fleshy, accompanied by a nervous acidity, while ripe black cherries and a hint of cranberry sauce create a sweet and sour tension on the palate. The concentration is astonishing, yet the energy remains incredibly high, even if the grippy tannins increase towards the end. Notes of sour citrus fruits, savoury herbs and tart wild berries linger incredibly long in the structured yet remarkably fresh final. Only around 3,000 bottles of this cru are produced and it is a real must-have for all Aglianico lovers! SUPERIORE.DE

Nastagio (also known as Nastasio) is the name of an ancient farmhouse of the Fattoria di Sant'Angelo, which was already recorded in the maps of Grand Duke Leopold. Brunello Nastagio is released on the market five years after the harvest, as if it were a Riserva, and is the result of the many years of experience that Col d'Orcia has gained in the development and cultivation of the Sangiovese vineyard. It is also the result of the many research chapters that Col d'Orcia has been carrying out with the University of Florence for more than twenty years. The ageing in tonneaux (500 Liters) oak barrels and then in the traditional large "botti" represent an ideal combination between tradition and modernity, while maintaining the essential aspect of longevity.

Ceretto's 2019 Barolo combines the power of the vintage with the subtle signature of the house. The grapes come from various organically farmed cru sites in La Morra, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba – a composition that emphasises diversity and balance. On the nose, a precise, deep bouquet of dark cherry, ripe raspberry, dried rose and subtle hints of tobacco, liquorice and spicy undergrowth.

Bombolieri lies high up on a limestone plateau north of Vittoria. It is the place where the sand becomes flatter and the white rocks of the Iblei emerge to the surface. It is a barren, light-coloured landscape, swept by the wind, which has always fascinated Arianna Occhipinti. Her plot in Contrada Bombolieri lies exactly where three geological zones meet – a place of tension, depth and distinctive character. And from this site comes a Frappato that uncompromisingly expresses its origins. Spontaneously fermented, spending around 30 days on the skins. It is aged for 22 months in concrete tanks – a deliberate choice to ensure purity, texture and authenticity. Like all wines in this range, the BB remains unfiltered and unclarified.

Maestro di Cava is a Bolgheri Rosso Superiore and a great example of Cabernet Franc, an expression of the volcanic soils and ageing in large barrels. Intense ruby red colour. The nose is clean, elegant and typical of the variety, characterised by a very intense bouquet of aromas with hints of red fruit, tobacco and leather. The palate is savoury, with great freshness. Excellent tannins, natural and perfectly integrated with the body of the wine. Persistent finish with mineral notes. SUPERIORE.DE

Gentle balsamic notes with rosemary and lavender scents on the nose. When it opens in the glass, you can get a clear picture of the dark fruit at its centre and the delicate particles of chalk dust that frame the bouquet. The fruit for this wine comes from a five-hectare plot with alkaline soils that are rich in numerous mineral components. The complexity of the soils is reflected in the attractive bouquet, and this outstanding Riserva vintage offers a rich structure, velvety tannins and persistent intensity. SUPERIORE.DE

Grotte Alte is more than just a wine, it is a very serene and precise tribute to its homeland. Arianna Occhipinti names it after the white limestone caves above Vittoria, where her oldest vineyards are situated: broodingred soils over limestone, permeated by Mediterranean herbs and the wind. It is here that the grapes from which she crafts her most personal wine are grown – a Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico that impressively expresses the identity of this landscape. The cuvée, made from Frappato di Vittoria and Nero d'Avola, is vinified separately. Following spontaneous fermentation with long maceration periods, both batches mature for around 48 months in large oak casks before being blended and bottled. No fining, no filtration – just time, patience and respect for the terroir.

This exceptional Sangiovese comes exclusively from the historic "Palmina" vineyard – the oldest vines that John Dunkley and Palmina Abbagnano found back in 1971 when they acquired the small estate from the neighbouring Badia a Coltibuono monastery. A hillside vineyard with a low yield, as the purchase contract noted at the time. Since 2010, the grapes from this unique hectare at an altitude of 480 metres have been vinified separately. Today, the 60-year-old Sangiovese vines with their extremely low density of just 3x1 metres yield barely more than one kilogram of grapes per vine, but they are of incomparable concentration and purity.

Santa Cecilia is Planeta's Nero d'Avola icon – born in the barren, sun-baked cultural landscape of Noto, on white limestone soils that give the variety depth, elegance and saltiness. A dense ruby red colour with a purple core in the glass. The bouquet opens with ripe black cherry, plum and mulberry, flanked by balsamic herbs, black tea, some liquorice and a fine graphite note. Powerful on the palate, but never overpowering: dense, ripe fruit meets a firm tannin structure that is well integrated and lends length. The acidity is precisely set, the finish is long and carried by a salty nuance that reflects the terroir of Contrada Buonivini. An expressive, high-class Nero d'Avola with a profile of origin, character and an ageing process that enhances rather than masks the variety. For Planeta, it has been a reference and expression of a new, confident Sicily for years. SUPERIORE.DE

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 pledged to grow the Burgundian grape variety on the charred slopes of this mighty volcano. However, significant plantings of Pinot Nero never materialised, as many winegrowers opted instead for the indigenous Nerello Mascalese grape variety. Gulfi remains faithful to Pinot Nero on Etna, with the grapes for Pinò coming from 800 metres above sea level on the northern slope of the volcano.

As usual, the grapes come from a selection of old vines from the Mosconi, Gabutti and Ravera parcels, whose chalky and clayey soils lend the wines fine minerality and structure. The wines are matured separately by vineyard for around 12 months in used barriques before the cuvée is blended. Dense ruby red colour with a purple core – a glance into the glass already reveals the depth of this vintage. The bouquet reveals a multi-layered aroma of ripe cherry, plum and dark berries, accompanied by hints of violet, liquorice and a touch of dried herbs. Juicy and focussed on the palate, with lively acidity, ripe fruit and supple tannins. The 2023 appears a touch fresher and more youthful than its predecessor, but retains the balance of regional roots and the finely nuanced style for which Chiara Boschis is known. SUPERIORE.DE

L'Alberello is a beautiful Rosso made primarily from Cabernet. The wine comes from a two-hectare plot planted entirely with long rows of Alberello vines planted at an altitude of 30 metres above sea level on predominantly clayey soils. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel and the wine matures for 18 months in barriques. Starts fresh and vehement with warm, dark fruit flavours, then opens up further with a bouquet of herbs, coffee and a pinch of pepper. Remarkably polished and juicy on the palate, everything is in balance, silky and very charismatic on the long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2004, Grattamacco did something that nobody in Bolgheri thought necessary: converting two hectares of vineyards to the Alberello training system – the traditional, bushy training system that has been practised in Sicily and Sardinia for centuries, but which simply did not exist in Bolgheri. This was not a nostalgic look back, nor a romanticisation. It was a response to an increasingly pressing reality: heat and drought. The Alberello training system makes the vines more resilient. Their low, spreading growth shades the ground, reduces water evaporation and forces the roots to grow deeper. The vines were planted according to the so-called ‘settonce’ pattern – a hexagonal system in which each vine is exactly the same distance from all its surrounding neighbours. An arrangement that combines maximum space with minimal competition.

Dievoles Chianti Classico Petrignano is the result of the endeavour to highlight the identity characteristics of particularly suitable vineyards, leading to ever more precise expressions of Sangiovese. Petrignano is the name of a characteristic area with a soil rich in minerals and stones. At an altitude of around 330 metres, rocks protrude from the ground that are typical of the geological formation of Monte Morello. The abundance of stones, the depth of the roots and the low growth of the vines result in an expressive and lush wine from this characteristic and authentic cru site.