Organic Red Wine

"The best of the best - you don't drink this wine every day. It needs attention, time to mature and likes to play the leading role: as the crowning glory of a festive table or even as a proud solitaire." Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg, Weingut Manincor

Cerretto is a fruit-driven wine of virile, explosive power that shows, among other things, how different the wines of Serralunga can be. Black cherry, plum, sage, menthol and liquorice hit the palate in a firm, tannic Barolo that will require some patience, but already presents itself with remarkable freshness, purity and nuance. Cerretta is the embodiment of the richness and structure of Serralunga. SUPERIORE.DE

For three years, the team at Tenuta San Giorgio got to know their vineyards. Not as an end in itself – but because they needed to know which plots had what it takes to produce a Riserva. The Brunello Disciplinare is clear on this point: the Riserva must be the exceptional, not the standard. It was not until 2018, after three years of careful observation and selection, that the answer was clear enough to take the first step: the first vintage of Ugolforte Riserva was put into the barrels. Climatically, 2018 was not an easy year in Montalcino. But in oenology, it is often the case that the most challenging vintages produce the most elegant wines. Selection of the best grapes from the best plots, fermentation in oak vats and concrete tanks with long maceration periods, 30 months in 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels, bottled in November 2021, released in January 2024. A Brunello that was shaped over six years before leaving the estate.

There are words that tell more than entire stories. Sgarzon: In the ancient dialect of Campo Rotaliano, it means "young shoot", "sapling" and embodies the essence of youthful vitality and the impetuous vigour of new beginnings. This name is the programme for a Teroldego that revolutionises conventional ideas about this powerful grape variety. Just one kilometre from the famous Morei vineyard as the crow flies, but completely different in character, is the 2.5-hectare Sgarzon vineyard. Here, the Noce River has deposited sandy sediments over thousands of years, creating a cooler, more open microzone. While other Teroldego vineyards are already harvesting their grapes, the Sgarzon berries ripen a week longer – a decisive difference that gives this wine its exceptional finesse.

Between light and shade, between strength and elegance, sometimes only a few hundred metres decide the character of a wine. Less than ten minutes' walk from Sgarzon, but geologically in a different world, lies Morei, "the dark one" in the old Trentino dialect. Here, on the warmer, rockier terrain of Campo Rotaliano, Elisabetta Foradori has been writing another exciting chapter in the Teroldego story since 1984. The name says it all: where Sgarzon embodies youthful freshness, Morei reveals the deep, mineral soul of this extraordinary grape variety. The 2.5-hectare plot rests on the ancient riverbed of the Noce, where thousands of years of erosion have left behind a mosaic of pebbles, sand and dolomite rock. This stony matrix stores the heat of the dolomite sun and releases it to the vines at night – a natural heat reservoir that gives Teroldego its characteristic depth and concentration.

A debut is followed by confirmation. The second vintage of Ugolforte Riserva shows that 2018 was no fluke – and, at the same time, that every vintage speaks its own language. Whereas the 2018 was fresh and vertical, the 2019 is deeper, spicier and more full-bodied. A different character, the same origin. Castelnuovo dell’Abate, south-east of Montalcino, 250 to 400 metres. Views over the Val d’Orcia. The complex soils – clay, tuff, galestro, red soils – and the temperate Mediterranean climate, cooled by a constant breeze. Organically farmed since the estate’s first certified organic vintage. Hand-harvested with careful selection in the vineyard, fermentation in oak vats and concrete tanks with long maceration periods, followed by 30 months in 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels. The same philosophy: minimal intervention, maximum expression of the terroir.

The legendary Baudana cru vineyard rises like a silent sentinel above Serralunga d'Alba. Its steep slopes, characterised by compact, calcareous marl with veins of clay, have been Nebbiolo territory for centuries – a terroir that produces density, structure and exceptional longevity. 2021 was characterised by an extremely harmonious ripening process, marked by clear temperature differences between day and night. The grapes were carefully harvest by hand to select only perfectly ripe grapes. After gentle destemming and a long, traditional maceration, the wine matured for around 32 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, which emphasise its natural depth without masking the precision of the fruit.

Chiara's Barolo from the Mosconi single vineyard of the same name is powerful, muscular and full of opulence. Rich, bright ruby red colour. Rich aromas of eucalyptus, wild rosemary, plum and black cherry. Deep and powerful on the palate with beautiful spicy accents, dense tannins and a very juicy structure. For us, this Barolo belongs in the top class of the appellation, it always carries its great weight with maximum elegance and is highly authentic, completely in the style of Chiara Boschis, who has once again delivered something really great here. Please leave it in the cellar for a few more years! SUPERIORE.DE

The historic Cerretta cru vineyard is located just north of the village of Serralunga d'Alba and is considered one of the most complex parcels in the appellation. The slopes are exposed to the south-west and west, giving the vines both long hours of sunshine and cooling evening breezes. The soils consist of a characteristic mixture of calcareous marl, clay and fine veins of sand – a constellation that gives the Nebbiolo here its unmistakable balance of power, elegance and aromatic depth. The 2021 vintage brought perfect conditions with cool nights, clear autumn days and a harmonious ripening curve. The grapes were harvest exclusively by hand, followed by traditional maceration and around 32 months of ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels, which allow the character of the vineyard to shine through clearly.

Barolo Via Nuova is a blend of fruit from different vineyards in several villages of the appellation. Packed with cherry and raspberry flavours, it is both supple and firmly structured. Shows notes of earth, minerals, eucalyptus and aniseed that give it volume and structure, while the muscular tannins still have the upper hand on the finish at first. Deep and rich as it progresses, but never heavy. We find a hint of oak sweetness, but this only adds to the exotic beauty of the wine. Via Nuova 2021 is a wine of exceptional harmony, purity and finesse with an eternally long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

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.

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

"The new road". This was once a small vineyard on the edge of the historic centre of Barolo, named after the road that connected Barolo with Novello and was actually new at the time. Today, all that remains of this path is a narrow footpath through the vineyards. When the cru vineyard was incorporated into the larger Terlo subzone in 2010, Chiara Boschis could have simply abandoned the name. Instead, she turned it into an idea: Via Nuova was rethought – as an assemblage of six parcels that represent the entire Barolo region in one wine.

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."

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

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.

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

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