Pinot Nero

First-class, ruby-red Pinot Noir with a garnet-red shimmer. Fine fruity bouquet of wild berries and cherries. An elegant red, well-proportioned and never overloaded, but with a clear identity and elegant character. SUPERIORE.DE

Deep ruby red in colour. Pinot Nero Case Via exudes a typical varietal bouquet of wild berries and pipe tobacco, which blends harmoniously with the barrel spice. The soft, characterful flavour is based on the strength of the tannins and the excellent aromatic structure of Pinot Noir. SUPERIORE.DE

A Burgundian soul in the Tuscan terroir: Giovanni Manetti vinifies this single-varietal Pinot Nero from the west-facing Case Via vineyard in the heart of the Conca d'Oro. The hand-picked grapes from 4,000 to 6,000 vines per hectare undergo a two-week spontaneous fermentation in cone-shaped Allier wooden vats with indigenous yeasts and manual racking. Twelve months of ageing in French Troncais barriques give the organically certified Pinot Noir its characteristic elegance.

The strong ruby-red Pinot Nero Schweizer, which is only produced in the best vintages, is a masterpiece. Its bouquet is large, complex and reminiscent of very ripe small wild berries. These special flavours are also found in the mouth, in combination with ripe, candied dark cherry and delicate floral and red berry notes. Juicy, wide-ranging palate, mouth-filling and with delicate, sveltenuances and an inviting and slightly tannic body which, together with the well-proportioned acidity, gives the wine a long life. SUPERIORE.DE

Anrar is the answer to a simple question: what happens when South Tyrol's second most important red grape variety is given time in wood? While the classic Pinot Nero retains its freshness in stainless steel, Anrar takes a different approach. Approx. 12 months in French barriques for malolactic fermentation and further ageing. No wood show, but elegant integration. That makes the difference. But not alone: the best Pinot Nero vineyards around Andriano provide the grapes. Altitudes between 350 and 450 metres, where the calcareous clay soils are interspersed with dolomite rock. The cooler microclimate ensures slow ripening, more acidity and finer tannins. Perfect for a Pinot Nero with Burgundian ambitions.

The South Tyrolean Pinot Noir Riserva Anrar is fresh and light on the palate with wild berries and cassis, followed by dried mint and lavender flavours. This red wine fermented in steel and matured in barriques is silky and smooth, almost without rough edges. Cantina Andriano Kellerei Andrian works with a skilful hand when it comes to Pinot Noir, preserving the nuanced elegance of the grape variety's aromas. SUPERIORE.DE

Bruno Giacosa bought his first winery in 1982. Until then, he had worked exclusively with bought-in grapes for four decades – and yet made wines that are still considered a reference today. The genius of Neive was convinced that it was not the ownership of a vineyard that was decisive, but the ability to get the best out of the fruit. If you recognise the right grapes, you don't need your own hectare. The Spumante is the purest distillate of this philosophy. The Pinot Nero grapes come from Casteggio in the Oltrepò Pavese – the Pinot territory south of Milan that Giacosa has always treasured. Foreign origin, own signature. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, no malolactic fermentation – the freshness remains intact. Then classic bottle fermentation, at least 30 months sur lie. Dosage 3.5 g/litre. Disgorgement only when the wine is ready.

Mazon is known as Italy's Grand Cru of Pinot Nero – warm, brooding, concentrated. What few people realise: The plateau has a downside. At the northernmost tip, where the terrain rises to 430 to 460 metres and the downdraughts become cooler, lies the Vigna Herbsthöfl – the highest and coolest parcel of the entire Barthenau estate. Here, vines from a special selection of the neighbouring Vigna Roccolo grow on calcareous, slightly sandy glacial deposits – a soil that gives the wine a minerality and lightness that the classic Mazon profile does not recognise. The Herbsthöfl was vinified separately for the first time in 2022 – the latest "Vigna" wine in the Hofstätter portfolio. It is no coincidence that Martin Foradori-Hofstätter immediately declared it a Riserva: the parcel has the format, and the vintage provided the quality. Harvested entirely by hand, completely destemmed, fermentation in concrete vats with remontage, followed by barrique, concrete, bottle – the same care as its big brother S. Urbano, but with a different response: fresher, more transparent, finer in texture.

There are wines that make history. Enrico Serafino's Zero is one of them: when the 2004 vintage was launched on the market in 2011, it was the first Pas Dosé in the history of the Alta Langa DOCG – a pioneering achievement that was to shape the self-image of an entire denomination. Three years later, Gambero Rosso named Zero the best Italian sparkling wine of the year. No coincidence, but the logical consequence of an uncompromising philosophy. Zero – the name says it all. Zero grams of dosage, no liqueur d'expédition, no concession to favour. What remains is the pure terroir of the Alta Langa: 100% Pinot Nero from altitudes of over 400 metres, where calcareous soils and alpine influences give the wine its mineral tension. After manual harvesting and whole bunch pressing under nitrogen, the must ferments at a controlled temperature in stainless steel. The wine is aged on the lees for at least 60 months – five years, during which time unfolds its magic. The late sboccatura marks the final act before release.

Matan Pinot Nero Riserva is one of the two red flagships of the family winery, the grapes come from the most valuable Pinot Noir vineyards in Montan. Deep ruby red in colour. The multi-layered and complex bouquet has aromas of dried cherries, lavender, orange zest, porcini mushrooms, cedar wood and cloves. Medium to full-bodied on the palate with supple, grainy tannins and fresh acidity. Concentrated, flavoursome and deliciously spiced, with a beguiling juiciness and plenty of potential. One of the great Pinot Noirs of South Tyrol! SUPERIORE.DE

A successful transformation of a Burgundian Pinot Noir with all the attributes of the ideal altitude of the Langhe. The grapes for this single-varietal Pinot Noir come from the highest slopes of Piedmont, over 500 metres above sea level, whose vines, unlike in Burgundy, grow on sandy, loamy soil. Bright ruby red in colour. Amarena cherry on the nose, rounded off with a hint of gooseberry and mint. Delicate flavour with a balanced and delicate mix of fleshiness, ripe red berries, refinement and elegance. Even when young, it is complex, rounded and has a delicate tannin structure. Giulia Negri demonstrates all her skills and the potential of her top vineyard "La Tartufaia" using the world's most demanding grape variety as an example. Chapeau! SUPERIORE.DE

We are delighted to be one of the few retailers who receive a few cases of this finesse-rich sparkling wine every year. Brilliant pale yellow in colour, this clarity is also immediately apparent on the nose, where delicate fruit and citrus notes combine harmoniously with a refreshing minerality. On the palate, it has a pronounced elegance and finesse, supported by a freshness and precision that gives it great persistence. No dosage, less than 0.5g residual sugar, very convincing! SUPERIORE.DE

The white Zero made history as the first Pas Dosé of the Alta Langa. Its pink-coloured brother goes one step further: here it is the Pinot Nero alone that carries the uncompromising philosophy – 100%, without the Chardonnay as an elegant intermediary. What remains is the pure commitment to one grape variety and one terroir. Saignée – the bloodletting. The method betrays Burgundian roots: after destemming and gentle pressing, the must rests on the skins for two to four hours in a nitrogen atmosphere, just long enough to extract that delicate copper colour that shimmers so seductively in the glass. The yield of blossom must is a maximum of 45% – concentration instead of mass. The grapes come from altitudes between 450 and 550 metres, where the calcareous soils of the Alta Langa give the Pinot Nero mineral tension and aromatic depth.

In 2012, Carlo Franchetti began producing wines from Pinot Noir grapes grown on the hillsides around San Casciano Bagni. The following year saw the creation of Sancaba, the first collaboration with his cousin, which aimed to emphasise the richness, depth and uniqueness of this grape variety in this particular terroir. In 2014, the two cousins merged their wineries and founded Vini Franchetti. Sadly, Andrea Franchetti passed away in 2021, a wine visionary who leaves a big gap. However, his two very different wine projects, one at Tenuta di Trinoro and the other called Passopisciaro on the slopes of Mount Etna, have one thing in common: bringing the characteristics of the vintage, the specificity of the terroir and the full potential of the grape variety into the glass. His wines are intuitive and poetic and always express exactly what his philosophy and vision of wine and life was.

In 2012, Carlo Franchetti began producing wines from Pinot Noir grapes grown on the hillsides around San Casciano Bagni. The following year saw the creation of Sancaba, the first collaboration with his cousin, which aimed to emphasise the richness, depth and uniqueness of this grape variety in this particular terroir. In 2014, the two cousins merged their wineries and founded Vini Franchetti. Sadly, Andrea Franchetti passed away in 2021, a wine visionary who leaves a big gap. However, his two very different wine projects, one at Tenuta di Trinoro and the other called Passopisciaro on the slopes of Mount Etna, have one thing in common: bringing the characteristics of the vintage, the specificity of the terroir and the full potential of the grape variety into the glass. His wines are intuitive and poetic and always emphasise exactly what his philosophy and vision of wine and life was.

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 name says it all: '61 commemorates the birth year of the very first Franciacorta and the first rosé Metodo Classico in Italy, which also came from Berlucchi. This line embodies the legacy of the pioneers Guido Berlucchi and Franco Ziliani in its purist form: Millesimato, Dosaggio Zero, without any compromise. The 2018 rosé comes from 100% Pinot Nero from the company's own vineyards Ragnoli, Quindicipiò and Gaspa in Corte Franca – all with a high planting density of 10,000 vines per hectare. The strict selection results in only 6,000 kg of grapes per hectare with a must yield of only 33%, which corresponds to 2,640 bottles. To achieve the characteristic rosé colour, some of the grapes are cold macerated for around 24 hours, while the rest is vinified as Blanc de Noirs. After fermentation in stainless steel, the base wines mature for six months on the lees, partly in barriques. This is followed by a second fermentation in the bottle and maturation on the lees for at least 60 months – five years, during which the wine develops its remarkable depth.

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.

In 1987, Paolo Foradori coined a term that changed South Tyrol's wine world: "Vigna". Not as a marketing idea, but as a conviction – that a wine only shows its true character when it comes from a single, clearly defined vineyard. Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano was the first South Tyrolean winery to put this philosophy on its label. Today, a generation later, Martin Foradori-Hofstätter continues to pursue this idea with the same rigour and the term "Vigna" has found its way throughout South Tyrol. Mazon is the absolute cru location for South Tyrolean Pinot Nero – a gentle high plateau on the cooler eastern side of the Adige Valley, at 450 metres, where clay-limestone soils lie above the so-called Werfen formation: heterogeneous sedimentary rocks that give the soil a mineral depth that is unmistakably evident in the wine. The vines at Vigna San Urbano are over 65 years old – roots that reach deep enough to keep calm even in difficult years.

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.

Mazon is not silent. If you listen carefully, you can hear something different in every vintage – sometimes warmth, sometimes coolness, sometimes the Alpine downdraughts that sweep across the plateau in the evening and sharpen the flavours of the grapes. The 2020 is a vintage that listens and responds: fresh, transparent, with a precision in the fruit that only emerges in calm conditions. The Barthenau estate, built 150 years ago by Ludwig Barth von Barthenau, has belonged to the Foradori-Hofstätter family for decades. The single vineyard Vigna San Urbano – south Tyrol's first officially classified single-vineyard wine, declared a "Vigna" by Paolo Foradori in 1987 – lies at the heart of this estate. Clay-limestone over the Werfen formation, vines over 65 years old, a site that gives the Pinot Nero what it needs: mineral subsoil, cool nights and the time it deserves. Harvested entirely by hand, completely destemmed. Fermentation in concrete vats, ten days of skin contact with remontage. Then twelve months in barrique, eight months in large cask, eight months in bottle – always in the cellars of Barthenau, where the temperature remains constant and the wine finds its own peace.

Pinot Nero in Lombardy is a quiet discipline - difficult to master, easy to underestimate. With Pinéro, Ca' del Bosco has been proving for decades that this grape variety can also achieve expression and elegance on the edge of the Alps. The 2019 vintage was characterised by balanced vegetation, with cool nights at harvest time - a blessing for finesse, freshness and structure. The grapes come from high-altitude vineyards in the Sebino area with calcareous, clayey soils and good air circulation. After manual harvesting in small crates and strict selection, fermentation takes place in large, open oak vats - a traditional process that preserves structure and aromatic finesse. The wine then matures for 11 months in French barriques - one part new, the other used. Everything is done with care: no excess, no forced concentration, but rather the development of fine depth.

Pure Pinot Nero that is only produced in the best years. Fine, very elegant bouquet of redcurrant, blueberry and sweet spicy notes. Cool and lean on the palate, with Burgundian finesse and structure, the fruit discreetly underpinned by fine spice and wonderfully polished tannins. Long and complex with aristocratic restraint and blessed with great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE