Pinot Nero

In 1964, Annamaria Clementi Zanella bought a small house on a hill near Erbusco, along with two hectares of land, nestled amongst dense oak and chestnut woodland. The house is called Ca' del Bosc, and it continues to bear the estate's name to this day. From this wooded corner of Franciacorta – a region known primarily for its sparkling wine – comes a red wine that goes against the grain: the Pinéro, a pure Pinot Nero from six vineyards in Erbusco and Corte Franca, averaging 36 years of age. This grape variety is unforgiving; it demands patience in the vineyard and restraint in the cellar. Anyone who cultivates it in a region where sparkling wines are the norm is choosing the harder path – and must prove it in the glass, rather than explain it.

Pinot Noir at high alpine altitudes – a risk that few are willing to take and even fewer manage to master. Markus Prackwieser is one of those rare winemakers who infuses the Burgundian character of this capricious grape variety with South Tyrolean mountain flair. His Renaissance Pinot Nero Riserva is more than just a wine – it is the interplay of soil, microclimate and winemaker, manifested in liquid form. And as with all Renaissance wines, the rule applies: only in exceptional years, when the terroir reveals its greatest character, does this wine, after prolonged ageing in barriques, impress with its very own identity. The grapes come from the highest plots of the Gump Hof, where Pinot Noir grows at altitudes of 500 to 550 metres on calcareous moraines over quartz porphyry. Vinification follows Burgundian principles with Alpine rigour: one week of cold maceration, followed by two weeks of fermentation and contact with the must in stainless-steel tanks – forty% of which is whole-bunch fermentation, that demanding technique which brings out floral notes, spice and silky tannins. This is followed by eighteen months in barriques, half of which are new, with malolactic fermentation. After blending, the wines mature for a further five months in large wooden casks, before at least one year of bottle ageing completes their development.

Mazzon refers to Manincor itself as "Mason" to distinguish it from the larger vineyard of the same name situated above Neumarkt. Four hectares in this unique vineyard are planted with Pinot Nero: a south-facing high plateau at an altitude of 400 to 450 metres, bathed in sunshine and constantly exposed to the wind – ideal conditions for the tightly clustered grapes of this variety. The soil is sandy loam, interspersed with dolomite, porphyry, gneiss and granite, ranging from fine-grained material to fist-sized stones. The highest-altitude plot is home to the oldest vines, from which Manincor crafts this selection in top vintages: a Grand Cru within a Grand Cru. 2022 brought the winemaker great joy: an early year, warm in summer, with sufficient and well-distributed rainfall, cool nights and sunny days in autumn. Physiological ripeness, sugar content and acidity were in perfect balance – ripe fruit, a cool character and moderate alcohol levels characterise this well-balanced vintage. On 22 September, the Pinot Nero was harvested at perfect ripeness, with a yield of 31 hectolitres per hectare.

An exceptional milestone in the art of Franciacorta: Palazzo Lana Extrême is masterfully composed and matured on the lees for 84 months before being bottled without dosage. 100% Pinot Noir from old, optimally exposed parcels, rigorously selected and with historic expressiveness. In the glass, it presents itself with bright gold and amber reflections, supported by a very fine-pored perlage. The bouquet is complex and brooding: candied citrus notes, brioche, almond cream, dried apricot, hay ground and a present salty minerality. The palate shows great Franciacorta style: precise acidity, creamy texture, elegant fruit and cool minerality. The finish is long, spicy and shows flavours of toasted almonds, jasmine and Sicilian sea salt in perfect balance. A solitaire that combines origin, depth and style in timeless harmony – serious, generous and with a lasting effect. SUPERIORE.DE

Forty years. That's how long it took Ferrari to create the perfect Blanc de Noirs. Perlé Nero Riserva is a challenge within a challenge: to vinify a white spumante from 100% Pinot Nero without forcing the colour extraction, without manipulating the body. The result? Pure elegance. 2016 was a year for purists. A cool, precise vintage that gave the capricious Pinot Nero the structure that great Riserva Spumanti need. The Lunelli family knew that this vintage would make history. In fact, the 2012 Perlé Nero later became World Champion and the 2016 follows in the same tradition.

Pinot Noir, which originates from France, has been cultivated in South Tyrol since 1850. The best sites, low yields, meticulous care and perfectionism in the cellar guarantee a fine, extremely sensual Pinot Noir with considerable ageing potential. Brilliant ruby-garnet colour. Delicious aromas of small berries, violets, cloves, smoke and vanilla. With age, the aroma gains interesting notes of porcini mushrooms and truffles. In the glass, the well-structured Pinot Nero Sanct Valentin shines with finesse, balance, spicy smoothness, fine tannins and a subtly integrated woody note. Pure seduction! SUPERIORE.DE

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

In 2007, Franz Haas planted a single vineyard at an altitude of 750 metres, which was intended to encapsulate his understanding of Pinot Nero in the Dolomites. The name "Pònkler" refers to this exceptional parcel, where French clones thrive in extreme planting density on weathered porphyry soil. South-south-west facing, very low yields of between 25 and 30 hectolitres per hectare, only 2,500 to 3,500 bottles per year – these are the sobering facts behind a wine that culminates Franz Haas' three-decade-long obsession with Pinot Nero. Franz has vinified and meticulously documented 592 (!) different Pinot Nero versions in his lifetime. Every clone, every vinification method, every ageing process has been meticulously recorded – the search for the perfect Pinot Nero, which he demanded of himself but never thought he had achieved. Pònkler represents this tirelessness: the altitude gives the wine those ripe notes that only develop in the cool alpine climate, where the grapes have time to develop phenolic ripeness and freshness at the same time.

It was the wine journalist Francesco Arrigoni who managed to extract a promise from Franz Haas. He had seen the beauty of these high-altitude vineyards, surrounded by meadows and woods in the municipality of Aldein, where only wild game roams, and recognised the quality that grew from this one plot: the Pònkler. Arrigoni's request was that it should be bottled separately. A promise the estate kept – even though, at first, it was impossible to know how the wine from the grapes of such a young vineyard would develop.

Pònkler is the house's top wine and at the same time the essence of Franz Haas' decades of experience with the undemanding Pinot Nero grape. The vines, planted in 2007, grow on soils of weathered porphyry in a single vineyard at an altitude of 750 metres. The selection of French clones, which have proven to be particularly suitable for high altitudes, the high density of vines and the low yields guarantee a very high quality of grapes.

A Grand Cru of Franciacorta – from a single, high-altitude Pinot Nero parcel, selected and vinified with the utmost precision. The 2013 matured on the lees for more than seven years and was disgorged without dosage in order to reveal the pure character of the vineyard. In the glass, it shines in a rich gold colour with copper reflections, interspersed with an ultra-fine, persistent perlage. The nose is deep and multi-faceted: ripe apricot, candied orange peel, rosehip, fine brioche notes, hazelnut and a hint of smoke. Powerful and focussed on the palate, carried by taut, crystal-clear acidity and a silky texture. The fruit remains subtle, while salty minerality and fine toasted notes create great inner tension. The final is long, cool and complex, with hints of dried herbs and citrus zest. A Franciacorta of rare depth and nobility – uncompromising, clear and of impressive longevity. SUPERIORE.DE

Pinot Noir, which originates from France, has been cultivated in South Tyrol since 1850. The best sites, low yields, meticulous care and perfectionism in the cellar guarantee a fine, extremely sensual Pinot Noir with considerable ageing potential. In his constant search for perfection, cellar master Hans Terzer presents the fourth edition of the Pinot Noir Riserva "The Wine Collection" this year.

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.

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

With the Pinot Nero Riserva Vigna Das Langefeld, the Pfitscher family has undoubtedly created an elegant top wine that perfectly reflects the identity of the terroir.

Dreams sometimes have a very precise address. The Pfitscher family's is: Glen, above Montan, 500 metres above sea level, west-facing, clay and limestone underfoot. In 1984, when Klaus was – then 24 years old – planted this west-facing slope with Burgundian Pinot Noir clones, he knew what he was doing. Not as a calculation, but out of conviction: Something great would be created here one day. Three decades later, the time was ripe. In 2013, the family decided to vinify the parcel separately and give it a name – one that sounds like a promise: "Das Langefeld".

Mazzon refers to Manincor itself as "Mason" to distinguish it from the larger vineyard of the same name situated above Neumarkt. Four hectares in this unique vineyard are planted with Pinot Nero: a south-facing high plateau at an altitude of 400 to 450 metres, bathed in sunshine and constantly exposed to the wind – ideal conditions for the tightly clustered grapes of this variety. The soil is sandy loam, interspersed with dolomite, porphyry, gneiss and granite, ranging from fine-grained material to fist-sized stones. The highest-altitude plot is home to the oldest vines, from which Manincor crafts this selection in top vintages: a Grand Cru within a Grand Cru. 2022 brought the winemaker great joy: an early year, warm in summer, with sufficient and well-distributed rainfall, cool nights and sunny days in autumn. Physiological ripeness, sugar content and acidity were in perfect balance – ripe fruit, a cool character and moderate alcohol levels characterise this well-balanced vintage. On 22 September, the Pinot Nero was harvested at perfect ripeness, with a yield of 31 hectolitres per hectare.

At the end of the 19th century, Ludwig Barth, a university professor with a love of wine, built the estate of the same name in Mazon and planted the Pinot Noir grape there for the first time, with success, as it turned out. The year 2016 was very good for Pinot Noir and for the Roccolo vineyard at Ansitz Barthenau on the Mazon plateau. Particularly rich grapes from vines that are more than 70 years old and tend to grow on the traditional pergola were to be reserved for a new top wine. They were harvested separately, pressed separately and matured in small oak barrels and are only made into the single-vineyard wine "Roccolo" in the best vintages.

At the end of the 19th century, Ludwig Barth, a university professor with a love of wine, built the estate of the same name in Mazon and planted the Pinot Noir grape there for the first time, with success, as it turned out. The year 2016 was very good for Pinot Noir and for the Roccolo vineyard at Ansitz Barthenau on the Mazon plateau. Particularly rich grapes from vines that are more than 70 years old and tend on the traditional pergola were to be reserved for a new top wine. They were harvested separately, pressed separately and matured in small oak barrels and are only made into the single-vineyard wine "Roccolo" in the best vintages.

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.

It was the wine journalist Francesco Arrigoni who managed to extract a promise from Franz Haas. He had seen the beauty of these high-altitude vineyards, surrounded by meadows and woods in the municipality of Aldein, where only wild game roams, and recognised the quality that grew from this one plot: the Pònkler. Arrigoni's request was that it should be bottled separately. A promise the estate kept – even though, at first, it was impossible to know how the wine from the grapes of such a young vineyard would develop.

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.

With the Pinot Nero Riserva Vigna Das Langefeld, the Pfitscher family has undoubtedly created an elegant top wine that perfectly reflects the identity of the terroir.