slow wine

Classic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, emphatically fresh and not too heavy. Small red berries and spices on the nose, harmonious and round on the palate. Great value. SUPERIORE.DE

"Aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries, cloves, sandalwood and seashells. Ash and smoked meat, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with smooth tannins. Some smoky minerality on the finish. Rich, juicy nature to this." James Suckling

Soave Monte Carbonare is a beautifully rich and mineral white wine. Complex aromas of apricot and orange, structured, expansive and generous taste. Good ageing potential and highly drinkable! SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2018 Soave Classico Monte Carbonare is floral yet rich, with notes of dried apricots and nectarine giving way to dusty potpourri and savory spices. There’s a weightiness here that grabs your attention, balanced by saline minerals, as ripe orchard fruits and a hint of young mango develop toward the close. This is like biting into a Granny Smith apple, as it closes off clean and mouthwatering, with a subtle twang of sour citrus that lingers on." Vinous

"Beautiful, glistening yellow-gold color, then enticing aromas of ripe lemons and baked apples with hints of peaches, flowers and wet stones. Tinge of fresh ginger, too. Round and silky palate that's full of bright flavor. Long, intense finish. Super Soave." James Suckling

Apulian top wine from 60 to 70 year old vines! Zinfandel Sinfarosa Terra Nera offers a bouquet of overripe fruit and tobacco with an impressively fresh, but at the same time dense taste with sweet tannin and good persistence. SUPERIORE.DE

"Good full red. Aromas of blueberry, black cherry, steel shavings and blood orange. A creamy-sweet fruit bomb but not at all over the top, offering a remarkably light touch to its flavors of red fruit and herbs. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins and a nicely persistent savory character." Vinous

Vecchie Vigne from over 40-year-old vineyard smells seductively citrus-fruity. On the palate, a lively minerality and a slight hint of anise. The sheer exuberant taste is of fabulous elegance and length. SUPERIORE.DE

"Aromas of green apple, waxed lemon and fresh herbs. It’s medium-bodied with bright acidity. Fresh and focused with a flavorful, herbed and mineral finish." James Suckling

Deep dark Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva with a beguiling scent of dark red cherries and berry fruits, along with earthy notes, tar, spices and liquorice. "A mouthful of wine" in an incredibly appealing style. Spelt has a remarkable concentration and excellent length. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright, shining ruby grenade. In the nose of ripe forest berries and raspberries, elegant fruit, delicate spice, in the aftertaste of bread crust and light leather. Juicy and clear on the palate, spreads elegantly, crisp fruit with tightly woven tannin, appears very young, in the aftertaste again juicy and slightly salty, good and safe ripening potential." Falstaff

"Moderately saturated ruby. Ink, smoke, plum and red berries dominate the inviting nose. Then youthfully chewy but fine-grained, boasting long, clean, savory flavors that bring the aromas to mind. This strapping Montepulciano is relatively light on its feet." Vinous

"Bright lemons and oranges highlight raspberry and strawberry overtones. The medium-bodied palate is finely wound up in tightly buttoned tannins and driven along by vertical acidity and umami undertones." James Suckling

The grapes for this top-class Valpolicella Classico come from rather barren, calcareous and terraced vineyards of the Tenuta Novare above the Ognisanti church. Here, wines of greater complexity, perfect structure and higher concentration than in most other sites of the Valpolicella are produced. Sparkling ruby garnet. Fragrant nose with beautiful overtones of sour cherry, dried flowers and white pepper. Perfectly balanced on the palate with firm tannins and, thanks to the wood finish, wonderful spiciness and fruit depth. A superior, winning wine from the core zone of Valpolicella. SUPERIORE.DE

Strong ruby red, as expected from a good traditionally and organically produced wine. A wonderful, elegant and intense fragrance spectrum between sour cherry and nutmeg. On the palate beautifully balanced and with lots of youthful freshness in the long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright ruby red. Open and inviting nose with floral aromas, rich cherry, raspberry, dried rose petal. Balanced and juicy drink, stretches nicely over the tongue, hearty and clear, great riserva." Falstaff

"Lustrous mid ruby. Lifted cherry with minerally, saline notes and hints of crushed shells. Transparent, medium-bodied palate with fine yet gripping tannins. Fluid, sour-cherry fruit on the finish. Still embryonic, and with lots of potential." Jancis Robinson

"The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Badia a Coltibuono is a very pretty wine with lovely aromatic nuance and plenty of character to match its mid-weight personality. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender, spice and black cherry are all finely knit in this attractive, mid-weight Riserva. Fresh and energetic, the 2016 will drink nicely for many years to come." Vinous

"This is firmly placed in red-fruit territory with frozen strawberries, dried red cherries and fresh herbs. Round and juicy on the medium-to full-bodied palate and succulent on the finish." James Suckling

"Badia a Coltibuono traces its history back to the 11th century when Vallombrosian monks founded the abbey and started planting the area's first vineyards. The Stucchi Prinetti family who now own the property have bottles of Riserva dating back to 1937. Rounded out with a dollop of Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo and Colorino, it is uncluttered by oak nuances. Accented by strawberry, juniper and tarragon, it glides smoothly across the palate with tame, chalky tannins and dusty black cherry on the finish. Accessible now, this has in bones to age gracefully over the next decade. I always appreciate the steadfast, recognisable personality of Coltibuono's elegant Riserva." Decanter

"Showing beautiful results in an excellent vintage, the 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva is a graceful and elegantly tempered red wine. It makes good on all the basic promises of traditional Sangiovese: the complexity and elegance of the grape and that fresh acidity. It opens to a mid-weight style, making this a perfect wine for roast chicken and roast potatoes. Pretty mineral notes appear on the close, and the tannin is beautifully integrated." Robert Parker

Bright ruby red. The fragrance is dominated by red and black berry aromas. With a little air, cherries and sour cherries become more and more distinct and something spicy that cannot be immediately assigned. Somehow fresh and yet Mediterranean, but not like Chianti or Brunello. Is it that little bit of Syrah? Or is it this unique terroir? Wherever this spice comes from, in combination with this distinctive fruit it smells simply wonderful. On the palate it is full-bodied, very juicy and again this unique combination of fruit and spice, which makes the wine simply exciting and special. Juicy, finely structured, perfectly balanced, with character and animating acid bite. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright, rich ruby. Very spicy, dark fruity nose of ripe Amarena cherries, ripe plums, rich forest berries, some black truffle, in the aftertaste of undergrowth. On the palate also spicy, very hearty with tight tannin, polished, spreads wonderfully over the tongue, with pressure, rich in the final." Falstaff

Charming Etna Rosso with a balsamic spicy bouquet and a balanced, yet very characterful, juicy, long taste. Fine fruit, good acidity, firm tannin. Perfectly reflects the terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

"Underbrush, woodland berries and balsamic whiffs of eucalyptus lift out of the glass. Juicy and accessible, the smooth, full-bodied palate doles out succulent Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry and star anise alongside lithe tannins." Wine Enthusiast

"Sleek tannins firm this medium-bodied red, well-knit with the lightly mouthwatering range of crushed black cherry, candied violet, graphite and Earl Grey tea leaf." Wine Spectator

"Another rich, layered Etna red with dark berries, chocolate with some hazelnut and a pleasant bitterness. Medium body. Juicy fruit. Flavorful finish." James Suckling

Dark ruby red, in the Bouquet aromas of ripe, red fruits and a fine wood spice. Elegant, soft, complex and fresh, the taste is exuberant and very flattering. A masterpiece from the Basilicata! SUPERIORE.DE

"Here's another great vintage from Elena Fucci, the ascending star of a rising wine region in the deep south of Italy. The 2015 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo shows a dark garnet color and robust appearance. Very characteristic of this extreme territory, this is a dark and penetrating wine with etched mineral notes behind blackberry, plum and savory spice. This vintage presents an even darker quality of fruit. In the mouth, you get iron, blood and dark mineral nuances that are absolutely typical of these darkened volcanic soils." Robert Parker

"Fresh and well-meshed, this is a medium- to full-bodied red, with creamy tannins and a rich note of smoke-tinged mineral underscoring the lovely range of ripe black cherry, dried thyme and fig cake flavors and hints of ground cumin and white pepper. This is round and finely balanced, with a long, lingering finish that echoes the spice and mineral detail." Wine Spectator

"Elena Fucci crafts one single wine. The piercing and focused Titolo exudes incense, violet, dark earth and black cherry. Volcanic soil translates with vibrant energy. Muscular rather than plump and built to last." Decanter

Benanti's new red wine comes 100% from the Monte Serra site (Contrada) and from Nerello Mascalese vines about 12 years old. The maximum production per year is just 6,000 bottles. It inspires with its lively taste, enormous energy and terrific minerality and ends in a wonderfully long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright, medium-density garnet red. Smells like cherries and rhubarb in the nose. On the palate smooth, fine tannin, juicy cherry fruit." Falstaff

Tasca was involved in Etna at an early stage and the latest result of this many years of experience are four new single vineyard wines from the Tascante winery: Contrada Rampante, Pianodario, Sciaranuova and Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia (V.V.). The wines are filigree and profound, and despite their strength, acidity and tight tannin very elegant, rich in finesse and light-footed on the palate. Each of the four plots brings a slightly different style and personality to the wine due to the altitude, soil and morphology of the historical lava flows. A high annual rainfall secures all water reserves for the soil, and the temperature fluctuations between day and night support the variety of aromas of the grapes and ultimately the ripening potential.

The Pianodario plot is situated at an average altitude of 775 metres above sea level between the hamlet of Montelaguardia and Randazzo. It covers an area of about 8 hectares of vineyards. The soils are of volcanic origin and up to 40,000 years old. SUPERIORE.DE

"One of three new single-vineyard wines introduced by Tasca's Tascante, the 2016 Etna Rosso Contrada Pianodario comes from the western-most parcel located between Montelaguardia and Randazzo. These are relatively new vines, planted in 2010, in soils representing various lava flows, the oldest in 1646 and the newest in 1981. This is a bright and accessible wine with pretty tones of wild berry and dried pomegranate followed by candied orange and pressed violets. It will no doubt be exciting to follow this wine as those vines get, proverbially speaking, older and wiser. Some 5,000 bottles were made." Robert Parker