Italian red wine

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.

Barolo Lazzarito 2019, which obtains its fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, is built like a pyramid. It stands on a thick base of robust fruit and power and rises in intensity thanks to its wonderfully elevated bouquet. It shows direct and solid lines with blackberries, plums, spices, tar, liquorice, candied orange peel and truffle-infused earth. A second wave of flavours offers dark minerals, iron ore and rust. Baroli from Serralunga d'Alba are often in a category of their own thanks to their richness and sheer abundance of fruit. With additional aeration, the Lazzarito, certified organic for the first time in this vintage, delivers mint and fine balsamic herbs and will fully inspire with further maturation in the bottle. SUPERIORE.DE

Approximately 60% of the grapes for the Monvigliero are not destemmed, this enhances the aromatic nuances of the wine. Youthful notes of raspberry and blueberry are flanked by black pepper, gentian, china and black olives. The palate has a beguilingly soft texture, fine and creamy, underpinned by wonderful laurel and floral aromas. Monvigliero impresses with its purity, its serenity and its class. Excellent. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Cerequio comes from vines over 35 years old and is characterised by exuberant aromas and bright, red-coloured fruit. The bouquet is enormously opulent with ripe fruit flavours ranging from wild cherry to redcurrant. There are also original notes of jam, plum and a hint of ragout. The palate is nuanced and very deep, with enormous complexity, volume and plenty of character. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Brunate is a powerful and vertical wine, endowed with enormous explosive energy and intensity. Crushed flowers, mint, spices and dried flowers open up in the glass, but it is the energy of the wine that really lifts it into the stratosphere. In the glass, the 2019 is dark, almost sombre, and full of the sepia-coloured nuances that are so typical of this great Barolo vineyard. 2019 is an outstanding vintage for Brunate and the first with organic certification. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Scrio comes from a Tuscan expression for "pure, sincere, unadulterated" – qualities that Eugenio Campolmi's (†2002) favourite Syrah has embodied since 1994. The 2019 vintage tells of a year of slow ripening without extreme heat. A dry winter with a late cold snap at the end of March was followed by a cool, rainy May, which slowed down the vegetation. The intensive foliage work in summer finally led to a late but excellent harvest between the second and third week of September. The glass reveals a deep black Syrah with a Mediterranean richness that clearly stands out from its French counterparts. 25 days of maceration in steel and concrete, followed by 18 months in tonneau and conical wooden barrels with a proportion of ceramic vessels, result in a wine of exceptional purity and depth. A rare treasure from only a few thousand bottles. SUPERIORE.DE

Scrio – the Tuscan word for "people with a pure heart" – carries Eugenio Campolmi's (†2002) vision of a perfect Syrah. Since the debut vintage in 1994 from the Puntone and Madonnina vineyards, this 100% Syrah has been regarded as Bolgheri's hidden treasure, produced in extremely limited quantities with the most rigorous yield reductions. The 2020 vintage comes from a year that particularly emphasises the Mediterranean identity of this exceptional terroir. The exceptionally low production quantity – often less than 3,000 bottles – makes each vintage a rarity. In the wine cellar, the hand-picked grapes undergo a 25-day maceration in stainless steel tanks before the wine matures for 16 months in a carefully composed blend of new oak barrels (75%) and second fill (25%). An additional 21 months of bottle ageing before release completes this masterpiece.

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the winery's 6 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, which is divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all the grapes are harvested at the perfect point of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

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

Giacomo Neri's Pietradonice is Cabernet Sauvignon at the highest level and has become a legend, as there is hardly a wine in Montalcino that can even come close to it. Monumental and very concentrated, with hints of sour cherries and a fine cedar and liquorice note. The exciting thing: Pietradonice is clearly recognisable as a Montalcino growth and yet, with its herbaceous spiciness, it is just as typical of Neri as it is of the grape variety and thus again as if from another larger world. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the winery's 6 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, which is divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all the grapes are harvested at the perfect point of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

Barolo Ravera comes from a single vineyard with vines that are almost 50 years old. In the glass, it impresses with a strong, aromatic opening flavour. Bright, precise and finely chiselled, the Ravera captures everything good that the vintage has to offer. Cherry, sweet mint, candy and expressive floral notes are given an extra kick of inner sweetness by Ravera's natural energy. There is so much to look forward to as the wine develops over the next few years! SUPERIORE.DE

Named after the founder of the estate, Maurizio Zanella Rosso is much more than just a name wine - it is a personal commitment to the idea of modern Italian red wine. Bordeaux grape varieties on Lombardy soil, French vinification techniques and Italian intuition: a cuvée that has been proving since the 1980s that great red wines are not bound by borders. The 2021 vintage is in the tradition of cooler, structured years - with crystal-clear fruit, lively freshness and excellent ageing potential. The blend consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, from single vineyards with poor, chalky soils and natural yield stress. The grapes are harvest strictly and selectively by hand. After fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, the wine matures for around 13 months in small French barriques - around two thirds of which are new. It is then bottled, unfiltered, without fining.

When Paolo Panerai realised his vision of a great Tuscan red wine made exclusively from indigenous grape varieties at the end of the 1970s, hardly anyone suspected that this wine would make history. As early as 1988, the Wine Spectator catapulted it into the international wine elite with sixth place in its first Top 100 – a triumph for a Supertuscan that deliberately eschewed Cabernet and Merlot in favour of the genetic purity of Tuscan vines. The name itself tells of the terroir: "Sodi" is what Tuscan winegrowers call those hard, stony soils that were too heavy for teams of oxen and had to be laboriously worked by hand. Here, on calcareous Galestro soils between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, around the medieval church of San Niccolò, the vines fight for every drop of water – 85 per cent Sangioveto, the original, small-berried form of Sangiovese, and 15 per cent Malvasia Nera, an almost forgotten grape variety – an almost forgotten grape variety that was abandoned in many places due to its low yields – result in a cuvée of unnerving power and unmistakable race. The 2021 vintage perfectly embodies this philosophy: After 18 to 25 days of maceration in steel tanks, the wine matures for up to 30 months in barriques, two thirds of which in new wood, before resting for a further twelve months in the bottle.

Deep dark ruby-purple colour. On the nose, cassis, blackcurrants and a strong herbal spice with a good dose of pipe tobacco, tar and crushed gravel. On the palate, dark berries, chocolate and a cornucopia of herbs define the full-bodied palate. This juicy wine monument has precisely integrated tannins, an enormous silkiness and an almost endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"This is our flagship wine, a Barolo recognised the world over, which we have always nourished and cared for with greatest respect. Nothing will change. This is why I will dedicate this special wine to my grandchildren Alessia and Stefano. From now on, it will carry their names." Luciano Sandrone on his intention to rename his world-famous Barolo Cannubi Boschis "Aleste" with the 2013 vintage. This Barolo is a masterpiece from Luciano Sandrone in every respect. Not only a historic product but also the only cru of the house from the renowned Cannubi area in Barolo. Rich ruby colour, balsamic bouquet, ripe and sweet. Great suppleness on the palate, lots of fruit, dense tannins, very persistent final with Burgundian elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Messorio has been one of Italy's best and rarest Merlots for over a decade. Soft, rich, elegant, refined and never overdone. On the nose, ripe fruit, coffee, graphite and French oak. Structured and balanced, Messorio fascinates the international wine world every year with a clarity and length that is second to none. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Darmagi – which means "what a disgrace" in Piedmontese – stems from a family anecdote: Gaja's father Giovanni uttered this exclamation when Angelo had Cabernet Sauvignon planted instead of Nebbiolo. Today, this experiment is considered a masterpiece for Gaja, subtly redefining the region. In the glass, Darmagi is a deep purple colour, almost black, with a shiny violet rim. A luxuriously dense aroma unfolds on the nose: blackcurrants, espresso, roasted herbs and smoky, woody notes interweave with cassis and foliage. On the palate, this Langhe Rosso is brooding and velvety: softly flowing tannins, fine acidity and mineral precision lend elegance and presence at the same time. The overall impression is rich, clear and seductively comprehensive.

Madonna del Piano is a top wine from a top vintage, what more could you want? We are deeply impressed by its energetic tension and complexity, plus a harmony only imagined in the wildest dreams. Focused and racy bouquet of dark cherries, herbs, smoke and mineral hints. Very animating in the drink, the acidity plays around the primary fruit, then the polished tannins set in and glide this beautiful red into its almost endless finish. An extremely characterful and polished wine that is already one of the most beautiful of its appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

"Darmagi!" – the word echoed through the vineyards of Barbaresco like a curse in 1978. Giovanni Gaja, the tradition-conscious patriarch, could not believe his eyes: His son Angelo had actually dared to do it. Cabernet Sauvignon vines had been planted on the best Nebbiolo terrain, directly below the village of Barbaresco. French grapes! On sacred Piedmontese soil! "Che peccato!" – what a shame, what a pity, exclaimed the father in the local dialect. Darmagi, after all.

Rocche di Castiglione is prized for its pure white, chalky soils, which produce wines of exceptional finesse and a wide range of flavours. For lovers of timeless Nebbiolo, it is a real hit. The vines are located not far from the winery, which blends into the stone walls and urban fabric of the village of Castiglione Falletto. The vineyard is about one hectare in size. Rocche di Castiglione is a curiously shaped and elongated MGA with a unique south-east exposure along a steep ravine, with Bussia to the west and Perno to the east. This site is characterised by freshness, extreme precision, straightforwardness, structure and balanced freshness. This naturally concentrated vintage also displays a juicy quality that is simply outstanding. Pretty mineral notes contribute to the balance and elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Baroli from Serralunga d'Alba are often in a category of their own thanks to their richness and sheer abundance of fruit. Lazzarito stands on an impressive base of robust fruit and vigour, rising in intensity thanks to its wonderfully elevated bouquet. It shows direct and solid lines with blackberries, plums, spices, tar, liquorice, candied orange peel and truffle-infused earth. A second wave of flavours offers dark minerals, iron ore and rust. With additional aeration, it delivers mint and fine balsamic herbs and will fully delight with further bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Ravera is a wine of great impact and power, and it is also a wine of the future. This is because Ravera (in the municipality of Novello) is one of the best vineyards that never ceases to surprise and impress, despite the changing climate. Thanks to the high altitude and the open view of the snow-capped mountains, the microclimate is well ventilated but protected at the same time. On the nose, freshly cut flowers, white pepper and mint, shy at first but very energetic and straightforward as the wine progresses. On the palate, preserved dark cherries, lavender, mint, crushed stones and hints of sage. All in all, a powerful, breathtaking and deep Barolo, endowed with great purity and beautiful transparency. A stunning wine! SUPERIORE.DE

Around 60% of the grapes for the Monvigliero are not destemmed, which enhances the aromatic nuances of the wine. Youthful notes of raspberry and blueberry are flanked by black pepper, gentian, porcelain and black olives. On the palate, it has a beguilingly soft texture, fine and creamy, accompanied by wonderful flavours of laurel and flowers. Monvigliero from Verduno impresses with its purity, its sheer serenity and its class. Excellent every year and unfortunately very rare. SUPERIORE.DE