Italian red wine

In the top "San Clemente" line, Zaccagnini takes Montepulciano from Abruzzo to a new level - towards origin, depth and maturity. The 2019 Riserva comes from the Terre di Casauria DOC area, one of the most characterful zones in the region, located between the Majella massif and the Adriatic coast. The vineyards there are located on calcareous and clayey slopes with good drainage and ideal exposure - a terroir that gives the Montepulciano structure, density and balance. The 2019 vintage was selectively harvested, fermented on the skins at a controlled temperature and then matured for around 24 months in a combination of barriques and large wooden barrels. The use of wood remains discreet, accompanying but not dominating.

A Bolgheri-Rosso with a strong character and a clear origin: the vines for this cuvée of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grow on chalky, well-drained soils near Castagneto Carducci. Rich ruby colour with violet reflections. Ripe cherry, blackberry, Mediterranean herbs and a hint of cedar characterise the bouquet. Powerful on the palate, with dense fruit, well-integrated acidity and fine tannins. The finish is long, spicy and characterised by mineral freshness. A young Bolgheri-Rosso with profile, accessibility and remarkable depth. Be sure to aerate. SUPERIORE.DE

Cristina Geminiani is one of the leading figures behind the revitalisation of Romagna DOC. In 1985, she began making wine on her grandfather's estate, Fattoria Zerbina. Her wines have personality and technical precision. The vineyards are planted as bush vines in the Marzeno subzone. The Pietramora has an elegant, restrained nose of dark plums, black cherries, dried roses, cocoa and tobacco. On the palate, it displays rich and intense fruit with grippy tannins balanced by zesty acidity, with a lingering, savoury finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Uccelliera's Rosso di Montalcino slowly comes to life with a beguiling blend of mentholated herbs, pine shavings and dried strawberries. It glides over the palate with a texture of pure silk, caressing everything it touches with ripe red fruits and rosy flowers accompanied by a lively acidity. Structured, powerful and long on the final – as always, it far exceeds its weight class and is a top-class Rosso di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

What Andrea Sottimano declares here as Langhe Nebbiolo is in fact a Barbaresco (except for the name). The grapes come 100% from the prestigious Cru Basarin, a historic vineyard on the border between Neive and Treiso, whose altitude gives the Nebbiolo exceptional complexity and structure. The 20-year-old vines in the "Vigna del Parroco", the priest's vineyard, yield grapes of remarkable concentration, which are vinified in steel tanks with spontaneous fermentation. The impressively long maceration period of 35 days gives the wine its characteristic depth before it matures for over 12 months in barrique and tonneau – unfiltered and unfined, in keeping with the Sottimano philosophy of minimal intervention.

Barolo Paesi Tuoi is more than just a designation of origin. The name – borrowed from the novel "Among Peasants" by Cesare Pavese – evokes Piedmont not just as a landscape, but as a cultural space: rural, archaic, full of inner tensions. And so this Barolo is not an expression of a single cru, but a synthesis of the villages, hills and soils that together form the essence of this appellation. The grapes come from different, characterful vineyards around Barolo, Monforte and Serralunga, carefully selected and vinified separately. Long maceration periods, followed by around two years of ageing in traditional, large oak barrels – the result is a classic style with depth.

Over the years, Marzieno has developed its own personality and, above all, its own credibility, making it, according to critics, one of the few red wines from the Ravenna region that can compete with the best Italian red wines of its kind. It presents itself as a multi-layered and fresh Sangiovese with small amounts of Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot, which give it depth. In its dynamic flavour with a long finish, it relies above all on the substance of its abundant, elegant tannins and very serious fruit. SUPERIORE.DE

San Filippo is located in the east of Montalcino – the part of the region known for its particular elegance and longevity. Roberto Giannelli, who acquired the winery in 2003 and has consistently favoured organic cultivation and minimal wood intervention ever since, has developed a style with Oenologist Paolo Caciorgna that shows Sangiovese Grosso in its purest form. Lo Scorno is the opening to the first movement – accessible, direct and full of character.

Gioia del Colle is an Italian municipality near Bari and probably the most famous DOC for Primitivo wines. The wines from this appellation embody a straightforward, fresh style and are far removed from the usual jammy suspects. The vines here grow at altitudes of up to 450 metres above sea level, the nights are cooler here than elsewhere in Apulia and the wines have a racier, tighter style and more structure than their namesakes.

This mature Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso comes from the single vineyard "Zuc di Volpe" – a prime example of the ripening potential and aristocratic depth of this autochthonous variety. 2013 was a classic vintage: a cool spring, a moderate summer and a dry autumn allowed a late harvest of perfectly ripe grapes with a distinctive tannic structure and lively freshness. The wine was matured in large wooden barrels and barriques and then allowed to rest in the bottle for many years. Today it displays a multi-layered bouquet of dark cherry, blackberry, graphite, undergrowth and liquorice. Powerful and focused on the palate, with ripe tannins, savoury spice and a characteristic balsamic freshness that characterises the long finish. A hint of dark chocolate and a touch of iron add depth.

A wine that inspires with the utmost precision and emotional depth: Libenter (Latin: with pleasure) is the consistent pinnacle of the red line from Tavignano. The cuvée of Montepulciano, Sangiovese and a discreet proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon develops a remarkable complexity after 14–18 months in small oak barrels, it develops a remarkable complexity. Each vine contributes to the intense structure, each grape to the harmonious whole.

The grapes for Batasiolo's Barbaresco come from the gently rolling hills around the village of the same name, where Nebbiolo has found its unmistakable expression for centuries. The year 2020 brought moderate temperatures and a balanced interplay of sun and rain – ideal conditions to maintain the balance between finesse and structure. In the glass, it glows a clear garnet red with a brick-coloured rim – an indication of its youth and the journey that still lies ahead. The nose opens with ripe cherry, dried raspberry and a hint of rose petals, framed by tobacco, sweet spices and a hint of undergrowth. Taut yet supple on the palate, with fine-grained tannins that give the wine backbone and a fresh, precise acidity that carries its inner tension. Ageing in large wooden barrels allows the fruit to shine, while subtle balsamic and earthy notes develop. The finish is long, clear and elegant, carried by a subtle mineral vein. A Barbaresco that epitomises the classic school of Piedmont – noble, long-lasting and with a depth that will continue to develop for several years. Very good value. SUPERIORE.DE

Ginestrino comes from younger Nebbiolo vines in Barolo vineyards around Monforte d'Alba, whose calcareous marl soils with clayey and sandy veins give the wine a precise structure and fine minerality. Bright garnet red with ruby-coloured reflections. Red cherry, raspberry and rosehip on the nose, accompanied by hints of violets, dried herbs and a delicate spiciness. Fresh and straightforward on the palate, with clear fruit, well-integrated acidity and fine-grained tannins that give the young Nebbiolo contour and length. After fermentation, it matures for around nine months in used French barriques, which rounds off its structure and gives it fine, harmonious wood notes. An authentic expression of great Barolo terroirs in youthful form. SUPERIORE.DE

Bolgheri Rosso 2023 conveys a powerful image with Mediterranean gravitas. The grapes come from the windy slopes between Castagneto Carducci and Bolgheri – an ancient region that Grattamacco characterised in 1977 as one of the first important addresses alongside Sassicaia. Brilliant ruby colour with a sparkling rim in the glass. The nose opens with dark fruits such as sour cherry and plum, along with delicately bitter-sweet spices, leather notes and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. Velvety and full-bodied on the palate, with juicy fruit, subtle tobacco notes and a lively, fresh acidity. Fine-grained tannins provide tension and respectable length. The mineral-influenced, gripping finish bears the unmistakable signature of the Bolgheri coast. A cleverly crafted, very inviting red wine with beautiful fidelity to its origins. SUPERIORE.DE

Even older than the Bianco: Ca' del Bosco first vinified this red wine, known in the local tradition as "burdonsì magher", back in 1975 – a testimony to Franciacorta's ancient vocation for red grapes, long before the Spumanti came to characterise the region. The name travelled from Franciacorta Rosso DOC to Terre di Franciacorta and Curtefranca Rosso until it became Corte del Lupo in 2016: The farm and the wolf as a symbol of terroir and quality. The cuvée combines 49% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Carménère and 9% Cabernet Franc from eight certified organic vineyards. After the harvest, each individual grape is washed and gently dried – the famous "Metodo Ca' del Bosco" – before fermentation takes place entirely in small oak barrels.

"Palistorti" means "crooked stakes" in Italian - and the name is no coincidence. At the beginning of their winemaking career, Laura and Moreno found many limestone boulders in the vineyards, which caused the freshly driven stakes to become crooked and crooked when planted. And that's how this exciting second wine got its name, the estate owners reveal in conversation.

The grapes for this graceful Valpolicella Classico come from the Miniere vineyard on the Bertani Villa Novare estate, a south-west-facing site covering just 4 hectares and consisting of two terraces. Bright ruby red in colour, with a very clear nose of fresh fruit, cherry and wild berries, with elegant notes of white pepper. Spicy, juicy and flavoursome on the palate, with remarkable persistence, straightforwardness and great length! SUPERIORE.DE

In the hills of Bibbona, where the vineyards of the Alta Maremma overlook the Tyrrhenian Sea, this characterful cuvée is the result of the Antinori brothers' ambitious project. The name Insoglio is a poetic reference to the places where wild boar burrow in the ground – a symbol of the wild, unspoilt nature of the Maremma landscape. Composed mainly of Syrah, supplemented by Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is an intense purple-red colour with violet reflections.

Multi-layered aroma, lots of dark cherry fruit, delicate herbal spice and cedar flavours. Juicy dark wild cherries on the palate, ripe, perfectly integrated tannins, elegant and delicate, fine mineral spice, surprisingly full-bodied and animating. A representative of the appellation that opens up beautifully and hits the right notes, like something out of a picture book! SUPERIORE.DE

A name that tells stories: Grign is Cavallatto's affectionate abbreviation for Grignolino – the enigmatic grape variety whose name is derived from the Piedmontese "grignole" and means "many seeds". This thin-skinned grape actually has four to seven seeds per berry instead of the usual two, which gives the wine its characteristic tannin structure. Native to the Monferrato hills since the 13th century, Grignolino was once considered as precious as Barolo – until the fashion for heavier wines pushed it into the shadows. This 2024 comes from a parcel in the middle of the Bricco Boschis, which matures for twelve months in stainless steel tanks after a five-day skin maceration with indigenous yeasts. This careful treatment preserves Grignolino's fragile elegance and tames its wild nature to aristocratic finesse.

This successful blend of Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc opens with dark concentration and great density. Fornace offers impressive juiciness and rich flavours of red cherries, blackberries, spices and grilled herbs. Its full body, restrained acidity and silky tannins are perfectly balanced, with balsamic hints accompanying this attractive Supertuscan into a supple and long finish. SUPERIORE.DE