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Passopisciaro's Contrada C is an exquisite red with a dark sensual fruit bouquet. Stylistically like a great Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo, of remarkable intensity on the palate until the lingering final. A muscular and weightless wine at the same time. SUPERIORE.DE

Just 9,000 bottles make up the annual production of this boutique winery from Etna. At 950 metres above sea level, the one-and-a-half hectares of vines, divided into eight tiny plots, are gradually bought up by the renowned Oenologist. The area is planted with Nerello Mascalese bush vines, which have been spared the phylloxera vine louse and make their way through the lava-covered terraces.

Dut' un is a full-bodied cuvée of Chardonnay and Sauvignon with generous texture, built high with layers of orchard fruit, lime, apricot, cooked pear, spice, custard and lemon mousse. It is a great wine that relies on its geographical provenance and the vineyard's well-draining limestone-clay soils for its flavour intensity and purity. The 8-month maturation on the lees gives it its creamy character and firm structure. For all its fruitiness and complexity, it has a distinct minerality and freshness that will allow it to mature wonderfully. SUPERIORE.DE

The "61" line stands for the year of birth of the first Franciacorta, which was created in 1961 in the centuries-old Berlucchi vineyards. The grapes come from four vineyards between Corte Franca and Provaglio d'Iseo. Delicate peach-pink colour. Beguiling aroma of cranberry and citrus with a mineral component. On the palate, a fine note of bread and yeast mixed with the strength, acidity and tannin of Pinot Nero, rich foam and a fine, persistent perlage. An aristocratic bittersweet note and graceful creaminess on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Medium ruby red with orange reflections. On the nose, beautiful cherry, raspberry and floral notes, plus some espresso and spice notes. On the palate, a supple texture, exciting depth and multi-layered fruit notes. It presents itself long and medium-weight, its elegance and the focused overall picture make it one of the best of the vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

Light, pale golden yellow colour. Sexy aromas of tangerine, honeysuckle, crystallised ginger, minerals, apple pie and puff pastry. Big, rich and deep with impeccable balance and a very precise, multi-layered quality. The finish is long and luscious. Zitelle Durì (only 1,000 bottles) is a very special expression of a single vineyard. It achieves an impressive balance between aromatic intensity and texture. SUPERIORE.DE

Zitelle Barchetta (only 1,400 bottles) is a Sauvignon Bianco from the micro-vineyard of the same name, which is only produced in very small quantities. It is a rich and exuberant expression of the very aromatic grape variety. Barchetta is fermented in oak and matured in barriques for ten months. The result is a wine that is very atypical for Sauvignon Blanc. Its more oxidative style of vinification leads to a creamy consistency, followed by warm notes of summer peach, roasted almonds and passion fruit. Complex, harmonious and very distinctive! SUPERIORE.DE

Since the 2016 vintage, Livio Felluga's top wine Sossò has been maturing in the bottle for an extra year before being released for sale. This Riserva is a beautiful, rich and comforting red wine that is dense on the palate, imparting pretty cherry and dark fruit flavours with plenty of spice and tobacco. The extremely articulate flavour shoulders a convincing tannin portion and yet steers into an intensely fruity final with terrificlength. The wine simply glides forward with its unique feel and a dynamism that is slow and long-lasting. SUPERIORE.DE

One hundred per cent Sangiovese conjures up a wonderful mineral aroma of dark fruit and a powerful flavour with firm tannins. A spicy, well-structured Rosso on a clear Brunello level! SUPERIORE.DE

Since Guidalberto has been vinified from its own grapes, most of which also grow in the Sassicaia DOC monopoly position, San Guido's "second wine" has grown beyond itself. Spicy, earthy bouquet with hints of tobacco, clove and lavender, dense and juicy on the palate with fresh red and black berry fruit. The tannins are well balanced and the finish is complex with a majestic elegance that will become even more refined with years of ageing in the bottle. SUPERIORE.DE

Her name is Oseleta – and it was almost forgotten. For centuries, it was at home in the vineyards of Valpolicella and Monti Lessini, a grape variety with extreme tannin, high acidity and a colour that tends towards purple like no other. Then came modernity, and with it the standardised varieties. The Oseleta almost completely disappeared – until Celestino Gaspari began to vinify it in purity in 2001. He initially called it "Oz": "O" for Oseleta, round like a berry, and "Z" for Zýmē. It was not until 2008 – when the result lived up to the claim – it was given back its full name. The vineyards are located on calcareous-clay and alluvial soils in Illasi, Lavagno and Parona. Hand-picked at the beginning of October in 300-kilogram bins, destemming, 15 days of fermentation with indigenous yeasts, then at least 36 months in barriques, one year in the bottle.

Cherry accentuated bouquet with hints of violet blossoms, clove, cigar box and a pleasant spicy sweetness. Dense and expressive on the palate, it opens vibrantly and multilayered and then reveals a beautiful load of black cherry, exotic spices and a fine salty vein. The perfectly balanced tannin always provides the necessary balance and gives it a racy, very long finish with its exceedingly refined flavour components. SUPERIORE.DE

Clear, relatively cool, polished and deep nose with fine berry tones, a little dry herbs, pepper, hints of tobacco, ash and floral nuances. Taut, tart, fresh and precise fruit with noticeable acidity and present, fine tannins. Dense and persistent on the palate, smoky traces, some dry herbs, salt in the background, very good depth. For all its power, elegant style with a hint of bitter chocolate, very good, taut, tangy finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Medium ruby colour with a delicate purple rim. Fresh red fruits open up on the nose – raspberry, cherry, redcurrant – accompanied by violets, white pepper and a hint of undergrowth. On the palate, the 2022 is open and supple without losing any depth. The tannins are silky, the acidity harmoniously integrated and a fine minerality keeps the wine taut. The single vineyard contributes its signature here: aromatic clarity and elegant length. SUPERIORE.DE

Sauvignon Bianco Casa Rossa is pleasantly floral with nuances of camomile and freshly cut pear. Its soft texture is balanced by a zesty acidity, while candied ginger balances green apples and a hint of nectarine. The finish is long, structured and floral, with a hint of candied lime and salty minerals that linger to the smoky final. Casa Rossa is a pleasure bomb, but perfectly balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

Treat yourself to a large glass, or even better: decant the wild and racy Il Guercio, then a dark berry mix with black cherries and a hint of dark chocolate will be in the air. Equally juicy Sangiovese fruit on the palate, full-bodied with fine silky tannins, elegant and finely structured, with animating acidity, very precise and animating in the long finish. Potential for many years in the cellar. Not at all loud, but a highly impressive wine full of elegance and the winery's masterpiece. SUPERIORE.DE

Some say that this wine is the most typical example of Arianna Occhipinti's pure yet impressive style. Its intensity and purity are also unmistakable in this current edition. Grotte Alte is bursting with fresh cherry, raspberry, wild rose, balsam herb and a hint of iron ore or rusty nails. The fruit blend is equal parts Nero d'Avola and Frappato and the result shows impeccable balance and graceful composure. On the palate, the wine is pleasantly lean, but there is still enough texture and richness to allow for a long, silky finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The Frappato Vino di Contrada FL (from Contrada Fossa di Lupo) shows a slightly looser texture than the other two Contrada wines that have been part of Arianna Occhipinti's portfolio for 4 vintages. The Contrada Fossa di Lupo provides much of the fruit used for the entire Occhipinti line. It consists of sandy limestone with red and dark brown clay veins. The wine shows aromas of red fruits, including plums and blackberries. Slight hints of exotic spices only emerge after the Frappato has had time to really unpack in the glass. This wine is perhaps the most open of the three. Only 2,700 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE

The Frappato Vino di Contrada BB from the single vineyard Bombolieri is the darkest and most saturated of the three Frappato wines. This vineyard lies high on a promontory with white limestone soils. The expression is open and accessible like the other wines, but in this wine there is an added layer of earth or potting soil to the bright red and black fruits one perceives on the nose. This wine also seems to have extra layering and textural richness. All this fruit is topped with a fresh acidity that plays a big role and makes this wine a nice partner for creamy fettuccine. Only 2,400 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE

"Unlike anything you know: this single-varietal Sauvignon Blanc is wild and unspoilt. A special experience for wine lovers." Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg, Weingut Manincor

Silvia Imparato's noble Montevetrano is one of Riccardo Cotarella's first creations and certainly one of his most important to this day. Deep ruby red with violet reflections. Rich aromas of dark plums, blackcurrants, cedar, graphite and minerals on the captivating nose. Clean, fresh, juicy on the palate with an engaging, refined texture. There are liquorice and violet aromas on the long, graceful and layered finish. A very promising, still young Montevetrano with a great future! SUPERIORE.DE

The Frappato Vino di Contrada PT (with fruit from the Contrada Pettineo) is a shade lower in colour intensity than the BB. This wine is similar to the FL in terms of accessibility and the very silky and delicate nature of its fruit. Arianna Occhipinti has achieved something marvellous for our collective understanding of the Frappato grape with the fermentation of these contrasting wines. Pettineo has sandy soils, and the Alberello vines (later converted to trellises) are over 60 years old. It is definitely on the right track, as you get a better understanding of the range of the grape variety. This expression shows bright freshness, wild berries, wild roses and hints of sweet almonds. Around 2,700 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE

Here is one of the most classic Brunello of the 2018 vintage: the dose of primary fruit such as cherry and blackberry is marvellous and rich, flanked by well-dosed hints of oak, wild herbs, cinnamon and dark smoke. This Brunello maintains its high tempo from start to finish, it is generous, concentrated, firm and fleshy on the palate and leads into a multi-layered, phenomenal final. This red will unfold its full bloom over the next few years; it is undisputedly one of the greats of this vintage! SUPERIORE.DE

The second vintage of the red counterpart to Didacus Chardonnay impressively reflects the Planeta family's vision: elegance and tradition, family and future. This 100% Cabernet Franc comes from vines over 20 years old, planted by Diego Planeta, and is simply stunning, delicious and unforgettable. Outstanding aromas of sensual dark fruits, some leather and tobacco. Explosive, penetrating and powerful on the palate, but at the same time seamless and silky smooth. The tannin management is excellent. This is a wine to keep in the cellar - provided you have a certain amount of self-control. SUPERIORE.DE