Sangiovese

In the 12th century, a man named Ugolforte led the rebellion of the citizens of Montalcino against the superior power of Siena. A bandit for some, a freedom fighter for others – his name has survived the centuries in the stories told in the hills. Today it is on the label of a Brunello that carries this indomitable spirit. Tenuta San Giorgio is located in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, in the south-east of Montalcino, just a few kilometres from the thousand-year-old Abbey of Sant'Antimo. Founded in 1982 – in the same year that Grattamacco bottled its first vintage – the winery joined the ColleMassari group of the Tipa-Bertarelli family in 2016. Since then, it has shared the terroir with the legendary Poggio di Sotto: the same slopes, the same winds, the same philosophy. 28 hectares of Sangiovese on south-eastern slopes between 300 and 450 metres, embedded in 110 hectares of forest, which protects biodiversity and shapes the microclimate. The soils read like a geological poem: clay, galestro, tuff, red earth, white biancane, the proud Calanchi – and Monte Amiata, the extinct volcano, watches over everything.

Avvoltore is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Powerful and explosive in the glass, it possesses remarkable intensity in all its dimensions, with great fruit and equally impressive tannins. Dark cherry, leather, smoke, tobacco, liquorice and grilled herbs form a virile, imposing Maremma red wine that will need at least a few years to develop its full expressive power. Once again, Morisfarms has done a great job with its flagship wine. SUPERIORE.DE,

Montepulciano is one of the oldest DOCGs in Italy – since 1966, on a par with Brunello di Montalcino. The fact that the Denominazione is now, after decades, introducing a new top category is not a marketing decision, but the result of long historical research. Twelve Pievi – the rural parishes that have divided the territory since late antiquity – were defined as Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive. Gracciano is one of them. This is no coincidence: the hills south-west of Montepulciano are among the oldest and best-known vineyards in the appellation, and their wine history can be traced back to the early 19th century.

Fanti's Brunello di Montalcino 2020 is delicately flavoured, haunting floral and seductive from the first swirl of the glass. A hint of icing sugar gives way to bright cherries, candied oranges, mint leaves and lavender, creating an extrovert yet delicious picture. In the mouth, it is seamless and silky, with a subtle hint of citrus and vibrant acids introducing ripe red notes of black berries with herbs. Rounded tannins emerge on the finish with hints of liquorice and violets. As always, very well made. SUPERIORE.DE

The year was 1090, the year in which Leif Erikson discovered North America, the Chinese discovered gunpowder and Pope Urban II conquered Jerusalem. On that day, the notary Bellundo recorded a contract in the Siena state archives: two capons, three loaves of bread and six coins of good silver as an annual lease for a vineyard in the divine valley of Dievole. "Dio vuole" – god wants it. This is the etymological root of this name, which has symbolised the special connection between man and nature in this corner of Tuscany for over nine centuries.

Ugolforte was a resistance fighter. In the 12th century, he led the people of Montalcino against the Sienese occupying forces – a local hero whose name lives on to this day: in a Brunello. The most striking contradiction dates back to 2010. That was when Tenuta San Giorgio began officially supplying the Ugolforte to the Pontifical Swiss Guard – that 500-year-old corps which guards the Pope in the Vatican. The shared values, says the estate, and the symbol of St George himself – virtue and courage, good over evil – , guided the decision. The wine of the medieval rebel in the service of Christendom’s oldest army.

Filippo Fanti bottled his first Brunello in 1980. He had taken over the winery in the early 1970s, replanted the vineyards, studied the soil in detail and then waited for the first harvest that he considered worthy – and then waited for the first harvest that he deemed worthy. This first vintage was not a test run. It was a commitment. Since then, Tenuta Fanti has not missed a single vintage. Castelnuovo dell'Abate is the southernmost part of Montalcino – closer to the sea, warmer, more Mediterranean than the northern sites, watched over by the Abbey of Sant'Antimo like a silent witness to centuries of history. Fanti owns 10 hectares of Sangiovese here, spread over various slopes between 350 and 430 metres above sea level. Slate, galestro, clay, tuff – the soils change from plot to plot and give the Brunello the complexity that has always characterised the estate. Elisa Fanti, on board since 2007, has fine-tuned the style: less intrusive wood, clearer fruit, more transparency. 2021 was a year of great harmony in Montalcino: even ripeness, pronounced structure, elegant tannins.

Every year, Istine's Chianti Classico is one of the most racy and authentic representatives of its genre. Its weightlessness and at the same time precision make up a large part of its appeal. A finely knit bouquet of red berries, flowers, chalk and white pepper. Medium-bodied on the palate, its fine fruit, creamy tannins and plenty of personality come to light with further aeration. A red wine that takes hearts by storm with its lively, dancing and extremely fine nerve! SUPERIORE.DE

In the heart of Chianti Classico, where the hills of Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Radda in Chianti meet, lies the historic Castello di Fonterutoli estate. Owned by the Marchesi Mazzei family since 1435, this Chianti Classico represents the epitome of a centuries-old winemaking tradition. The grapes come from 114 individually cultivated plots between 220 and 570 metres above sea level, each with its own microclimate and terroir. Composed mainly of Sangiovese, supplemented by small proportions of Malvasia Nera and Colorino, each parcel is vinified and matured separately in order to preserve the extraordinary diversity of flavours and complexity.

Salcheto's sparkling garnet-red Vino Nobile delights us with its fragrant aroma of dried plum and a hint of cinnamon and clove. Lots of present fruit on the palate, with a fine, sweet melting flavour and a long finish. An authentic and pleasantly elegant organic wine from the heart of the Montepulciano region that is ready to drink when young. SUPERIORE.DE

The A in the name of Boggina stands for the natural wine aged for around 6 months in 400-600 Liters terracotta amphorae, which is bottled in a run of just 5,000 bottles without the addition of sulphites. Light, bright garnet red in colour. The bouquet is ethereal, very delicate and nuanced, with a very precise interpretation of the fragrance of the Sangiovese grape. Medium-bodied on the palate, with an exceptionally beautiful structure and authentic Sangiovese fruit with a salty vein. The finish is highly drinkable, with silky tannins and beguiling length. A masterpiece of beauty and elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Tenuta Il Poggione is located on the south-west side of the Montalcino hill, in Sant'Angelo in Colle – one of the most historically significant areas of the appellation. Lavinio Franceschi laid the foundations here at the end of the 19th century as a founding member of the Brunello consortium and one of the first to market this wine under its current name. Today, his descendants Leopoldo and Livia cultivate 140 hectares of vines, with vines up to 60 years old and a cellar philosophy of classic rigour: natural yeasts, large French oak barrels, time.

In the treasure troves of time, where ancient wisdom meets modern vision, Petruna Anfora is born – a tribute to the origins of viticulture and at the same time a revolutionary expression of pure Sangiovese. The hand-picked grapes for this extraordinary experiment in clay and time come from the unique single vineyard Casa al Coltro, where slate soils at an altitude of 350 metres force the vines to achieve the utmost concentration.

The strictly selected grapes come from the vineyard "Il Corno" of approx. 400 m altitude with ideal southern exposure. Bright, sparkling ruby red. Well structured nose of blackberries, cassis, some cedar and shoe polish. Medium ripe, quite fresh fruit on the palate, yet supple and well balanced with all the volume. In the rest of the drink with great finesse, coolness and liveliness, the finish is long with well integrated wood, red fruitiness, with a slightly salty vein and lots of spice. A harmonious and well-proportioned top wine of the house, which can rightly bear the highest quality level Gran Selezione. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1985, estate manager Giuseppe Bianchini inherited the estate from the childless Countess Elda Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona – a vote of confidence that is renewed every year. Today, his children Paolo and Lucia continue the legacy, 55 hectares in the privileged area of Castelnuovo dell'Abate, in the shadow of the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo. The 2021 vintage is considered one of the most brilliant of the last decade: bright September days and cool nights gave the Sangiovese that rare balance of aromatic precision and tannic finesse. 24 months in large Slavonian barrels, then further rest in the bottle.

It was a dream that engineer Gastone Bazzocchi planted in the Tuscan soil in 1947 – five hectares of Sangiovese on a hill he called Bòggina. Luca Sanjust, his grandson and former painter, now thinks of Paul Klee's "Angelus Novus" and Walter Benjamin's interpretation of this angel, who "looks to the past" while "a storm blows from paradise". This is Bòggina: a wine with its eyes turned to the past and yet mercilessly pushed into the future. Since 2011, Petrolo has been experimenting with the vinification of a special lot from the best grapes from this historic vineyard in terracotta amphorae from Impruneta – the pottery that has characterised Tuscan culture since the Etruscans. Fermentation takes place for two weeks in 300 and Liters litre amphorae with indigenous yeasts before the vessels are hermetically sealed. The wine macerates on the skins for eight months, protected by natural skin contact without the addition of sulphites.

The classic from the heart of Chianti Classico: Brolio combines the excellent drinkability of a young Chianti Classico with a complex, complete structure. The vineyards grow on the historic Castello di Brolio between 280 and 480 metres above sea level on five representative soil types – from sandstone to galestro and marine sediments. Intense ruby red colour. Fresh, floral nose with notes of chinotto, violets and mimosa, leading to fruity nuances of black cherries and sweet mint. Velvety and complex on the palate with great harmony, elegant structure and a long, mineral final. A textbook Chianti Classico from a historic terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

Piancornello's Brunello di Montalcino 2019 is initially elegantly restrained with rosy flowers, nuances of cherry and worn leather, contrasted by a hint of sour citrus fruit. It then impresses on the palate with a silky texture and cool radiance, while the lively acidity brings out ripe red berries and minerals. The finish is structured, very savoury with notes of plum and liquorice that linger incredibly long under a hint of violet-tinged flowers. A beautiful, taut and firm Brunello from an equally beautiful vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.

Dark and seductive with a blend of crushed plums, brown spices, cedar and a hint of cocoa. Its textures are like pure silk bordering on velvet, with a gentle blend of ripe cherries and redcurrants, underlined by salty minerals, while notes of citrus contrast towards the end. A web of fine tannin runs through the final, creating a gentle textural pull that balances balsamic herbs and a hint of mocha as blue and violet-coloured flowers slowly fade away. SUPERIORE.DE

Our pure enthusiasm for this authentic and wonderfully traditional Chianti Classico, which the likeable Monica Raspi and her family have been presenting to us for years: bright ruby red, finely spiced, with refined fruit depth, well-proportioned flavour, powerful, crisp structure, classic acidity and Sangiovese style, racy and mineral final. SUPERIORE.DE

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.