Limited

Beneath the village of Terlan, on the slopes of the Adige Valley, lies a geological secret. A sub-volcanic rock that differs in composition and character from anything known to the wine world. The porphyry is the foundation – volcanic, millions of years old, interspersed with fine quartz inclusions. The resulting soils are sandy-loamy, slightly acidic, free of lime and poor in nutrients. Highly water-permeable, naturally yield-limiting. A soil that stresses the vine – and forces it to dig deeper, become more concentrated, more mineralised. Since 1893, 143 members of the Cantina Terlan have been cultivating these slopes. What they do here is unique in the world of wine: white wines that last for decades, whose longevity is reminiscent of the Grands Crus of the Côte d'Or. Cellar master Rudi Kofler named the quartz after the rock to which it owes everything. "Delicate like the fine quartz inclusions in the Terlan porphyry – that is our Sauvignon." Fine texture. Depth. Salty finish.

The name says it all – and rarely has a wine deserved its name so consistently. Quartz: a mineral that was formed in fire, has survived for millions of years and is still visible today in Terlan's soils as a fine speckle in the volcanic porphyry rock. 55 to 60 per cent quartz content, slightly acidic pH value, skeleton-rich sandy-loamy structure without carbonate – a soil that allows water to pass through, rations nutrients and puts the vine under controlled stress. This micro-stress is not a deficiency. It is intentional. It forces the plant to produce terroir-specific polyphenols, which give the wine the savoury tension for which Terlan is internationally renowned.

After a year's break (2020 was not produced), one of Italy's rarest Merlots is back at the start: the inviting aroma is almost reminiscent of a Burgundy, with notes of raspberries and, only with time, the typical black forest berries and a delicate peppery spiciness. A generous variety of flavours on the palate, power and depth combined with finesse and elegance. Not at all furry, but harmonious, beautifully rounded by ripe, silky tannins and very long. A real rarity - if only because only around 5,000 bottles were filled and it is therefore hardly ever tasted. SUPERIORE.DE

"Ruby red with bright reflections. The nose delights with a bouquet of floral notes: Mallow, hibiscus and hollyhocks are surrounded by fruity cherries and preserved raspberries and complemented by spicy aromas of black pepper, cedar and juniper berries. The red fruit is accompanied by dark aromas and vegetal notes of blackcurrant and blackberry leaves. The attack is initially subtle until the iron fist is brought out in a velvet glove. The gentle attack calmly builds up immense pressure with great inner tension on the mid-palate. The extract-sweet fruit of cherries and a fine core of sloes mingle with marzipan and noble bitter notes of the ripe tannins, which give it additional length. The exemplary use of wood highlights exactly what characterises a Barbaresco: Concentration combined with lightness and transparency." Sebastian Bordthäuser (Sommelier und Wein-Journalist)

Gallina comes from a steep, sandy vineyard, similar to the Asili site, but with less limestone, which gives it more roundness and fullness. Full bouquet of sweet tobacco, cedar wood, liquorice and dried herbs. A soft, sweet, red fruit combines with the typical Roagna austerity in an exciting way on the palate to create an impressive complexity and length. It will only reveal its true elegance in a few years' time. SUPERIORE.DE

"Vigna Rionda Riserva is for us every year the Barolo from Serralunga at the peak of its potential. It is the wine we are most proud of. Vigna Rionda, protagonist of the history of our winery, is one of the most sought-after and prestigious cru sites in the entire Barolo area. We are not just talking about microclimate and soil here: Something very special happens on this hill in Serralunga d'Alba, and this something gives the Vigna Rionda Riserva its life and makes it a truly unique wine." Franco Massolino

"The Barolo DOCG Parafada is perfect for long ageing and surprising development. Elegant, refined, austere. Vinified in vats, matured in large barrels. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parafada in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

Giuseppe Massolino fell in love with a vineyard in 1956 and put all his eggs in one basket. In order to acquire a small part of the Vigna Rionda, he swapped a plot twice as large. Madness, people said. A stroke of luck, as it turned out. Because Giuseppe knew that Vigna Rionda was no ordinary vineyard. Since 1879, the name has been listed in Giovanni Gagna's book on viticulture in the Langhe – as one of the few places that produces exceptional wines. Before 1340, the land belonged to the Marquis of Saluzzo, then for centuries to the Falletti family. History knows many names for this hill: Vignarionda, Arionda, Rotonda – because of its round shape. But they all mean the same thing: the epitome of Serralunga.

One of the best Merlots in Italy: the inviting aroma is almost reminiscent of a Burgundy, with notes of raspberries and, only with time, the typical black forest berries and a delicate peppery spiciness. A generous variety of flavours on the palate, power and depth combined with finesse and elegance. Not at all furry, but harmonious, beautifully rounded by ripe, silky tannins and very long. A real rarity – if only because only around 5,000 bottles were filled and it is therefore hardly ever tasted. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Rocche di Castiglione comes from a parcel just above the Cascina Pira of Roagna. It offers a captivating blend of supple fruit, soaring flavours and structure. The 2019 is silky and sensual through and through, as wines from this vineyard tend to be. It is transparent, beguiling and mesmerising from the very first sip. SUPERIORE.DE

Talentis Riserva is a barrel selection that is aged for 36 months in a combination of 25 and 20 hectolitre oak barrels and a small amount in tonneaux. Pian di Conte 2019 is a classic, stately wine with lots of dark fruits, dried blackberries, spices, tobacco and mentholated herbs. The palate is polished and elegant with sweet plums, cherries and blackberries on the attack. These sweet fruit nuances are followed by spicy cedar wood and campfire flavours, as well as fine tannins and an almost endless depth. SUPERIORE.DE

If the white Annamaria Clementi is the backbone of the house, then the rosé is the colourful counterpart - a counterpart full of independence, depth and almost aristocratic discipline. The Cuvée Rosé 2015 is a sparkling wine that goes far beyond what is commonly understood by rosé sparkling wine. Pinot Nero in its purest form, vinified according to the Méthode Saignée - one of the most demanding techniques that must harmonise fruit, structure and noblesse. The 2015 vintage in Franciacorta was characterised by ripeness, density and remarkable balance. The Pinot Nero grapes come from high-altitude vineyards with limestone-rich subsoil. After a short maceration, only the free-run must is processed, fermented in small French oak barriques and matured on the fine lees for seven months. This is followed by a second fermentation in the bottle - and then patience: over 8 years on the lees before the wine is disgorged as extra brut, with minimal dosage.

There are moments in the history of Italian viticulture that shine like beacons through time. 1962 was one such moment when Fabrizio Bianchi, driven by a vision and surrounded by the scepticism of his contemporaries, made a decision that would change Chianti Classico forever. He dared to vinify the grapes from a single vineyard separately: Il Poggio. What began as an experiment became a revolution – the first cru of Chianti Classico was born. Il Poggio – "the hill" – lies in the heart of Monsanto like a natural amphitheatre, surrounded by wild cypresses, juniper bushes and strawberry trees. Here, on the characteristic Galestro soils between 280 and 320 metres above sea level, the Sangiovese vines have driven their roots deep into the slate-like rock over the decades. These soils – a gift of geological history – give the wine the mineral depth and structural complexity that have made Il Poggio a living legend.

From the vineyards near the historic villa, where the woods reach the sea, comes a visionary interpretation of Vermentino – a wine that allows the inexhaustible possibilities of this ancient grape variety to shine in a completely new light. Scenario embodies five years of research at Tenuta Argentiera, a meticulous study of the evolutionary potential of Vermentino that culminated in various vinification and ageing experiments between 2020 and 2022. The grapes for this exceptional Bolgheri Bianco ripen high up at 260 metres above sea level, in small plots close to the protective forests where maritime breezes meet centuries-old pine trees. Only 8,000 bottles are produced annually from this carefully curated Vermentino in its purest form – a precious witness to that unique microclimate between the sea and the Mediterranean scrub.

Coming from one of the most historic vineyards in Neive, Albesani is a Barbaresco with a classic character and great precision. The south-western slope with calcareous and clayey soils gives the Nebbiolo here a powerful structure without masking its delicate flavour. Thanks to balanced temperatures and a long growing season, the 2021 vintage produced grapes with optimal phenolic ripeness.

Dark cherry red. Complex nose with aromas of wild berries, fine spices and dried meat, combined with cedar wood and earthy notes. In the drink then powerfully after black cherry, blackberry, plum, red rose blossoms and a tender toast note. Wonderful in the long finish with hints of pepper and exotic spices. A great Riserva from a great vintage with cult potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Colonnello. The name recalls a French colonel from Napoleon's time who settled up here, directly above the large Bussia amphitheatre. Only three producers own plots in this single vineyard: Aldo Conterno, Prunotto and Bussia Soprana. One hectare of exclusive terrain, where 35 to 45-year-old vines at an altitude of up to 400 metres face west and south-west. The microclimate is cooler than down in the Bussia. And the soil? Predominantly sand, magnesium, clay – similar to La Morra. The result: wines with a brisker, more floral, more playful character than the powerful Bussia from lower vineyards. Fermentation in steel tanks with wild yeasts, then 30 months in 25-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels, followed by almost a year in steel for natural clarification. Unfiltered bottling – the Conterno method for generations.

In 1991, Turriga was one of the first bottled wines ever to be exported from the island. Turriga has a 100% Sardinian soul - the famous blend of four red autochthonous grape varieties was once created by the famous OenologistGiacomo Tachis and is continued today by his "heir" Mariano Murru, technical director and Oenologist at Argiolas. The DNA of this exceptional wine sounds as simple as it is perfect: its sophisticated blend of grape varieties gives it its unique structure, roundness, fullness, fruit and a perfectly balanced portion of tannins.

The single vineyard Serradenari is currently the highest in the Barolo area and is also the historic site of the appellation (MGA - Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva). The cool and mountainous climate with its clay and marl soils gives rise to a Nebbiolo that makes few words - it is precise, clear and unambiguous.

Cicala is the most masculine vineyard in the Conterno portfolio. Anyone familiar with the elegant, floral Colonnello from the same Bussia hilltop will be surprised here. Less sand, more clay. Less playfulness, more pressure. The calcareous clay soil is enriched with iron and limestone – minerals that give the wine the structural strength that distinguishes it from its siblings. The vines are 40 to 45 years old, facing south to south-west, and what grows here is mainly Nebbiolo Lampia on Rupestris du Lot rootstock. Only three producers own plots in this part of Bussia: Conterno, Prunotto and Bussia Soprana. Six hectares in total, around 800 crates per vintage. A rarity. Fermentation in steel tanks at 28°C, five to six weeks of maceration, then 29 months in 25-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels – no barrique, never. Aldo Conterno once said: "Vanilla, toast and spice do not belong in Barolo." The barrels are scraped every two years and used for a maximum of eight years. After ageing, the wine spends a few months in steel before being bottled unfiltered.

"For the Barolo DOCG Parussi, we left the confines of Serralunga and opted for a vineyard in Castiglione Falletto. Thanks to the characteristics of Nebbiolo, which is perfectly capable of capturing the differences in microclimate and soil composition and translating them into sensations, the result amazed us. Structured, important, austere. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parussi in Castiglione Falletto." Franco Massolino

"The Barolo DOCG Margheria comes from the calcareous soil with a slightly higher proportion of sand than in our other sub-areas, which has a strong influence on its character. It was produced for the first time in 1985 and has great ageing potential. The grapes come from our vineyard in the MGA Margheria in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

Scrio is Tuscan and means: pure, sincere, whole. Since 1994, this wine has been Cinzia Merli's vision of a single-varietal Syrah that is neither French nor Californian, but Mediterranean and Tuscan at the same time. Produced in minimal quantities, this wine quickly became the reference in Bolgheri for a grape variety that is not actually native to the region. The 2021 marks a turning point: 50% of the grapes now come from new hillside vineyards, which gives the wine an elegance and delicacy that is almost reminiscent of Pinot Noir. After 20 days of fermentation and maceration in concrete tanks and earthenware amphorae, the Scrio matures for 14 months in neutral French oak, clayvers and earthenware amphorae – an ageing process that emphasises the lively fruit.