The Wine Advocate | 95–100 Points

Coste di Rose is a gently curving, east-facing single vineyard above Barolo, famous for its unusually sandy soils from the Sant'Agata formation. Inclusions of limestone and marl are found between the layers of light-coloured, fine sand – a terroir that moulds Nebbiolo here into one of the most fragrant, finesse-rich Barolo styles in the region. The vines are planted at an altitude of around 240 to 270 metres, which, in combination with the airy location, ensures slow maturation and a particularly elegant tannin structure. The top 2021 vintage brought ideal ripening conditions: sunny days, cool nights and a flawless September led to fully ripe grapes with clear fruit and a fine balance of acidity. The grapes were harvested exclusively by hand, parcel by parcel and strictly selectively. After a gentle, long fermentation, the wine was matured organically for around 36 months in large Slavonian oak barrels to preserve its floral elegance and silky texture.

With the 2006 vintage, Monsanto's Vin Santo was released for the first time as "Occhio di Pernice", i.e. it was made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. It is only vinified in the very best years, the grapes are carefully harvested by hand in October and then placed on special racks where they rest until the beginning of the following year. After gentle pressing, the must is sealed and fermented in small oak, cherry and chestnut barrels in the Vinsantaia, where it is exposed to seasonal temperature fluctuations.

A prime example of perfect balance: elegance and structure harmonise perfectly.

The grapes for the estate's classic Barolo come from the vineyards/communes of Ornato, La Serra, Briccolina in Serralunga d'Alba, Gustava and Garretti in Grinzane Cavour, Roncaglie in La Morra, Ravera in Novello and, from the 2015 vintage, also from Mosconi in Monforte d'Alba. It is more of a traditional, classic Barolo with an exciting bouquet of deep, dark fruit and a pretty potpourri of rose petals, spices, smoke and tar. It is full-bodied and firm on the palate, opening up with plenty of dense tannins, very powerful, with pressure and a full bite on the finish, designed for a long life. SUPERIORE.DE

A Barbaresco of exceptional complexity. Rich in tannins and structured thanks to the chalky composition of the soil, it nevertheless retains a characteristic freshness and minerality that makes it a favourite with connoisseurs.

Sandro Chia's remarkable 2020 vintage is taut, forward and downright bold in the glass. On the palate, it impresses with a lot of natural richness and beautiful opulence of fruit, complemented by varietal elements of wild cherry, blue flowers and soft earth. Secondary flavours of tobacco, cedar and cinnamon then quickly surprise, adding complexity and personality to the wine, which is built up in many deep layers. It has wonderful potential for further ageing in the bottle, but it is already an absolute delight and the quality of the fruit and its length make it irresistible. SUPERIORE.DE

As every year, the grapes for Riccardo Campinoti's "white label" come from the scattered vineyards of Le Ragnaie, making the wine a precise and classic snapshot of the diverse Montalcino area and the wonderful 2019 vintage: violets and Mediterranean scrub meet wild strawberries, stones and a fascinating earthiness. It also epitomises the vibrancy of Sangiovese, which initially appears medium-bodied and then gains strength as firm, dusty tannins wrap themselves around a tangy core. The finish is energetic and uplifting - an elegantly moulded Brunello with impeccable symmetry and purity of fruit. As with the estate's single-vineyard bottlings, fermentation is spontaneous, maceration lasts 45 to 50 days and ageing takes place in large Slavonian oak barrels. SUPERIORE.DE

The Vigna del Sorbo vineyard is located directly in front of the winery. The south-west facing vineyard with Galestro soils covers 8 hectares at an altitude of 450 metres. The Riserva was first produced in 1985 and has been labelled Gran Selezione since the 2010 vintage.

Castello di Volpaia made wine history in 1983: In the midst of the Supertuscan revolution, when visionary winegrowers rebelled against the restrictive DOC regulations, Balifico was born – named after the villa of the same name in the heart of the fortified village. What began as Vino da Tavola became the manifesto of a new era that combined international grape varieties with Tuscan soils to create an extraordinary synthesis. The grapes for this exceptional wine thrive at the highest altitudes in Tuscany, at over 600 metres above sea level, where the air is already cool like the Alps and the vines are bathed in sunlight all day long. Sangiovese vines, old Tuscan clones of exceptional purity, are rooted in the same sandstone soils that have been producing great wines since 1172 – while Cabernet Sauvignon, with its international nobility, interprets the mountainous personality of this unique terroir in a new way.

Contrada Feudo is located on the northern slope of Mount Etna at an altitude of around 650 metres, where the vines are rooted in volcanically mixed, sandy and stony soils. Some of the plots with Nerello Mascalese are over 70 years old and deliver concentrated but cool fruit year after year. 2021 was a classic vintage on Etna with a pronounced balance: not too hot, not too humid – ideal conditions for a precise style. The wine is aged for around 16 months in used tonneaux, which emphasises the characteristics of the vineyard and refines the tannin structure.

In 1985, Giovanni Manetti made a momentous and ingenious decision: the best plots of the Vigna del Sorbo, those south-west-facing slopes in front of the winery at 450 metres above sea level, were to be given their own voice. Here, where slate and the characteristic Galestro slopes above the clay characterise the geological signature of the Conca d'Oro, the estate's oldest Sangiovese vines have been rooted since 1963. What began as a Riserva with ten per cent Cabernet Sauvignon has become a monument to the art of pure Sangiovese over the years.

Anyone looking for the truth in Sangiovese will find it here: Laura Brunelli's Montalcino has been a stunning wine full of vitality, life and energy for years. It displays an almost outrageous degree of clarity and openness. It unfolds brightly and radiantly with lasting purity, elegance and length. This Brunello shows extreme precision and focus, both on the nose and in the mouthfeel. Wild berries, blue flowers and liquorice come together in perfection, and it is impossible to surpass this quality at this price. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Barbaresco come mainly from the top vineyards Pora, Ovello, Montestefano, Muncagota and Rio Sordo. Deep, lively ruby to garnet red colour. A broad bouquet of red fruit and biscuits with a hint of minerality. The palate is characterised by a rich, solid structure and a continuous development that ends in a long, fragrant final. Every year, the leading Italian winegrowers' cooperative shows what it and its members are capable of with its basic Barbaresco. SUPERIORE.DE

An elegant, complex and supple Barbaresco. Shy in its youth, it develops its intense personality over the years.

Directly in front of the cantina, at an altitude of 450 metres and facing south-west, lies the vineyard that has defined Fontodi's claim to Sangiovese since 1985. Three plots, planted between 1963 and 1973, are united by a special geological feature: slaty Galestro soils that break up into characteristic platelets on the surface. Giovanni Manetti recognised early on that this soil structure gives the Sangiovese the dark fruit and volume on the mid-palate that distinguishes it from the limestone-dominated sites. The name "Sorbo" refers to a local Tuscan fruit – dry, tannic, almost like grapes themselves. What began as a Riserva in 1985 was elevated to Gran Selezione in the 2011 vintage, when the new classification was introduced in Chianti Classico. Since 2012, 100% Sangiovese, previously blended with small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Giuseppe Russo cultivates part of the 12-hectare San Lorenzo vineyard at an altitude of around 750 metres on the slopes of Mount Etna near Randazzo. The lava flows of recent decades have created a porous soil here, rich in volcanic rock and therefore providing excellent drainage.

Bright ruby red colour. Refined raspberry and red cherry on the nose, with notes of quinine and flowers that develop with further aeration. Fresh flavours of red berries and smoked beef, with hints of violets and orange zest. Almost exotic on the palate with plenty of luscious extract sweetness and fine tannins and a fresh, mineral, dry finish. An exceptional red wine with a terrificarc of tension! SUPERIORE.DE

Around 2,000 bottles of this single-vineyard wine are sold each year. Extremely complex bouquet of blackberry, blackcurrant and sour cherry, with perfectly integrated notes of Mediterranean herbs. Broad and elegant on the palate, supported by a delicate acid wire that makes it fresh and lively. A great wine with excellent structure and remarkable persistence and depth of flavour. SUPERIORE.DE

A journey through time on five hectares: Giovanni Manetti is a man who knows how to unravel historical secrets. When he discovered drawings from the 15th century in the archives of the University of Florence that showed that the hill of San Leolino was once completely planted with vines, this was the key to an extraordinary revitalisation project. Where for centuries there had only been olive trees – with the exception of a small plot from the 1970s –the Terrazze di San Leolino were created anew. The terroir tells a different story to the famous Vigna del Sorbo: here, at an altitude of 450 metres, it is not the slatey Galestro that dominates, but the calcareous Alberese soil. This geological peculiarity gives San Leolino its unmistakable character – mineral, salty, with a freshness that immediately reminds the nose of crushed stones and earthy notes.

The world-famous Caiarossa is an extremely exciting blend of the Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese and Grenache varieties, with the rich, dark fruit flavours of the Cabernet grapes taking centre stage. On the nose, a beautiful first wave of dark fruits that never appear too ripe, which greatly benefits the elegance of the wine. The palate is very balanced and focussed with blackberries, cassis and slight hints of salty or rusty minerals. Caiarossa displays a good degree of elegance, not least due to its fine and taut tannins, and despite its density and complexity never comes across as opulent or even overloaded. SUPERIORE.DE

San Leolino was already considered a cru site 200 years ago. Above the thousand-year-old Pieve, the Romanesque chapel that has been documented since 982, terraces run through the upper part of the Conca d'Oro. In the 15th century, Giovanni Manetti found drawings in the University of Florence that proved that this slope was once completely planted with vines. What followed was a rebirth: the terraces were renewed, 4.5 hectares at an altitude of 450 to 500 metres, on Alberese limestone. These soils are fundamentally different from the slatey Galestro of the Vigna del Sorbo – here, hard limestone dominates, giving freshness, brightness and mineral precision. The pandemic years gave Giovanni the leisure to walk through his vineyards, to reflect. He realised that this parcel has its own identity, a terroir that calls for separate vinification. The first vintage was 2019, the fourth now 2022. Production remains small: only 5,000 bottles.