The Wine Advocate | 95–100 Points

In 2011, Giampaolo Motta created a manifesto of love for both his daughter Carla and that unruly Tuscan diva called Sangiovese. After two attempts that proved unsatisfactory, the breakthrough came in 2011: the birth of a wine that comes exclusively from plot number 6 – a unique terroir of grey slate and sand that rests like a mysterious treasure in the golden Conca d'Oro of Panzano. What Bordeaux romantic Motta and his famous Oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt have achieved here is a completely new interpretation of a single-varietal Sangiovese wine. "This wine is made by the soil, not the vineyard," philosophises Motta – a subtle but crucial distinction between terroir and mere geography.

Barolo Via Nuova is a blend of fruit from different vineyards in several villages of the appellation. Packed with cherry and raspberry flavours, it is both supple and firmly structured. Shows notes of earth, minerals, eucalyptus and aniseed that give it volume and structure, while the muscular tannins still have the upper hand on the finish at first. Deep and rich as it progresses, but never heavy. We find a hint of oak sweetness, but this only adds to the exotic beauty of the wine. Via Nuova 2021 is a wine of exceptional harmony, purity and finesse with an eternally long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The historic Cerretta cru vineyard is located just north of the village of Serralunga d'Alba and is considered one of the most complex parcels in the appellation. The slopes are exposed to the south-west and west, giving the vines both long hours of sunshine and cooling evening breezes. The soils consist of a characteristic mixture of calcareous marl, clay and fine veins of sand – a constellation that gives the Nebbiolo here its unmistakable balance of power, elegance and aromatic depth. The 2021 vintage brought perfect conditions with cool nights, clear autumn days and a harmonious ripening curve. The grapes were harvest exclusively by hand, followed by traditional maceration and around 32 months of ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels, which allow the character of the vineyard to shine through clearly.

The Serra site is located in the heart of Serralunga d'Alba, in the direct neighbourhood of some of the most renowned cru parcels in the municipality. At an altitude of around 360 metres and with a predominantly south-westerly exposure, the vines benefit from optimal sunshine in the afternoon, while the cool downdraughts at night ensure delayed, even ripening. The subsoil of calcareous marl with sandy inclusions gives the wines from the Serra vineyard their fine, almost silky texture. The 2020 vintage showed its balanced side: a moderate summer, a long growing season and a stable autumn ensured flawless grapes with perfect phenolic ripeness. After careful manual harvesting and selection, the grapes were gently pressed and fermented in concrete for a good three weeks. The wine then matured for two years in large oak barrels to preserve its elegance and terroir fidelity.

The Ravera vineyard on the Novello side, where steep hills descend from a castle perched on a beautiful panorama, is one of the best cru sites in the Barolo DOCG. From this vantage point, you can see Novello and the Elvio Cogno winery, which is located halfway up the slope. Valter Fissore's Ravera from the great 2021 vintage benefits from this special location and shows terrific versatility and depth every year.

Some wineries tell their story on display boards. At Fuligni, it hangs on the walls. The palazzo in the centre of Montalcino dates back to the 17th century – the Medici resided here and a Spanish princess left a room that still bears her name today. Underneath, deeper than the palazzo itself, are the cellars: built at the end of the 16th century, with vaulted ceilings in tecnica mista, completely naturally insulated. This is where the Brunello matures in Slavonian oak barrels. It also matured here when Giovanni Maria Fuligni came to Montalcino at the beginning of the 20th century – and it matures here, just as his ancestors made wine in the Maremma before him, without interruption, without abbreviation.

Massimo Piccin is living the dream of giving new expression to Bordeaux growths from Bolgheri and producing wines that combine power, elegance and longevity. And so the Sapaio offers its full, vital and tannin-rich style magnificently and allows plenty of time for the finish. Once again, some of the grapes come from Bibbona, i.e. outside the Bolgheri DOC, so that this great wine can only bear the addition Toscana IGT.

It was 1988 when Bruno and Brigitte Widmer ventured a bold dream that would change the Tuscan wine world forever. Their Il Blu – named after the timeless blue label with orange capsule – became the icon of an entire generation of Supertuscans, a manifesto of modernity in the midst of centuries-old traditions. Today, after more than three decades of perfection, the organically certified Il Blu 2022 epitomises Barbara Widmer's visionary continuity. What once began as a Sangiovese-dominated cuvée has developed into an 80% Merlot blend with 10% each of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon thanks to the ever-growing complexity of the Merlot vines from Radda, now over thirty years old. Only the finest, hand-picked grapes for this exceptional wine come from the two Chianti estates in Castellina and Radda. The clay and galestro soils at an altitude of 230 to 400 metres, characterised by a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters, give the grapes their characteristic intensity. The vinification follows a ritual of precision: each parcel, each grape variety matures individually for 18 months in French barriques – two thirds new, one third used barrels. Only then is the final blend made, followed by three months of refinement in uncoated concrete tanks and at least one year of ageing in the bottle.

The Rosso di Montalcino comes from slightly younger Brunello vines and is matured for 12 months in large oak barrels. It undoubtedly bears the signature of the top winery Biondi Santi: delicately sweet, open flavours of red berries, flowers and cloves. Like all of the winery's other wines, the Rosso is classic and firm in style, with a bombastic structure and a brilliant, long finish. True to the house, it also has a long ageing and maturation potential and can compete with some of the Brunello wines of the appellation today and in the future. SUPERIORE.DE

Within the walls of history. The Castello di Bolgheri, built in 1796 and thus the oldest winery in Bolgheri, sits enthroned in the heart of the medieval village like a stone witness to great wine culture. While the world of wine underwent its revolutionary transformation around the Castello – sassicaia and Ornellaia wrote their legendary stories –a treasure lay dormant here that only awoke to its true destiny under Count Federico Zileri Dal Verme. The blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot not only represents the art of blending, but also the philosophy of the house: finesse over power, elegance over opulence. While the best parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon underwent an exceptionally long maceration of 30 days – only possible in exceptional vintages –the wine matured for 20 months in traditional Italian vats and Liters barrels. This choice of large wooden barrels, a deliberate departure from the small barriques of its neighbours, gives the wine the crystalline purity and mineral depth that makes the Castello the "Château Margaux of Bolgheri".

The name is history. Sapaio – an old Tuscan grape variety, long forgotten, but not its memory. When Massimo Piccin founded his winery in 1999, he chose this name as a sign of his deep connection to the terroir. A tribute to what was and a promise of what was to come. The vineyards extend over the municipalities of Bibbona and Castagneto Carducci, 40 hectares on quaternary deposits, from loose, coarse-grained sand deposits to alluvial soils with calcareous subsoil. Just ten kilometres from the sea, a microclimate that brings Bordeaux varieties to life. Since 2015, Piccin has been going his own way: instead of the prestigious Bolgheri Superiore DOCG, he deliberately chooses the free IGT Toscana, just to be able to add the handful of grapes from Bibbona that make Sapaio what it is today. Sometimes greatness means renouncing titles and regulations.

Deep, dark ruby red colour. Floral nose with lots of red, warm fruit and delicate herbal notes. Smooth and elegant on the palate with wonderful depth and complexity with notes of black cherry, herbs, violets, plums and a hint of tar and leather. Saffredi literally sneaks up on you until it fades into a very long and harmonious finish with an impressive presence and finesse. One of Italy's great wines, full of elegance! SUPERIORE.DE

The small vineyard is located at an altitude of 500 m above the Galatrona Tower and offers the best conditions for growing the French grape variety Cabernet Sauvignon. Due to the limestone subsoil, this site is also called a luxury site (campo lusso). Intense and generous bouquet of dark fruits, leather and chocolate. Complex and deep on the palate, very focused and with increasing aeration very elegant and aristocratic. A complete red that will delight not only Cabernet lovers. Only about 1,300 bottles of this spectacular drop can be produced per vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

This is the top wine from Il Poggione, and it is a must for anyone who collects wines from this famous vineyard. The estate's oldest parcel, Vigna Paganelli, is a 12-hectare vineyard that was planted back in 1964. It boasts a rich variety of old Sangiovese clones, which are used for the newer plantings.

Hardly any Brunello is as authentic as the wines from Le Potazzine - they reveal the whole truth of the Sangiovese grape. The result is neither completely polished, nor is it boring or predictable. The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino achieves a degree of extreme authenticity and originality that you don't find on every corner in the appellation. It is a wine full of understatement and equally great personality, for which one must take time and leisure to discover every last nuance. On the nose, it reveals a subtle and well-composed bouquet of red roses, spices, earth and wild mushrooms. As always with Le Potazzine, there is also a wild hint of rusticity. On the palate, this Brunello reveals its powerful fruit and perfectly integrated tannins. Like a friend you can rely on, this Brunello is both a role model and a lovable buddy. SUPERIORE.DE

On 11 September 2001 – the day that changed the world – luca Sanjust planted 5,000 Cabernet Sauvignon vines on half a hectare of natural terraces, directly below the medieval watchtower of Galatrona. "Campo Lusso" – the luxury field – is what the local farmers have called this place at an altitude of 450 to 500 metres, surrounded by the pristine forests of the Chianti hills. A place of such beauty and favourable climate that it really was a luxury. Here, where calcareous slate mixes with marl and sandstone, Cabernet Sauvignon finds the mineral complexity that distinguishes it from the usual interpretations of this Bordeaux grape variety. The Gobelet cultivation – that ancient bush form – forces the vines to reach the lowest concentrations, while the forests protect them from the cool down winds and the morning sun dries everything quickly.

Troy is no ordinary Chardonnay. Rather, it is the archetype of a Chardonnay, as Wolfgang Klotz, managing director of what is probably the most successful winegrowers' cooperative in South Tyrol, sees it. The grapes come from two selected vineyards in Söll, near Tramin. The climate there is not only Mediterranean, but the vegetation is also characterised by rather cold downdraughts at night. Both factors guarantee optimal development of the plants and fruit. The berries are hand-picked one by one, so it is clear to any wine connoisseur that this is an absolutely prestigious project for the co-operative. It is therefore not surprising that only 3,000 bottles of this grape variety are sold in selected specialist shops and top restaurants.

In 1969, Rino Sottimano acquired a vineyard that was to become the foundation of his winery: The Cru Cottà, 2.8 hectares located between the municipalities of Neive and Barbaresco, where south-westerly exposures and sandy soils give the Nebbiolo the fullness and structure that make this Barbaresco so special. The vines, now 80 years old, are spaced unusually far apart, a relic from times when vegetables and artichokes were still cultivated between the rows of vines. A historical planting method that gives the roots room to penetrate deep into the calcareous clay soil. Cottà has always been the most fruit-orientated of the five Sottimano crus, a wine of concentrated power that combines the fleshy polyphenols of the Neive vineyards with the distinctive tannin structure of Barbaresco.

Pajana - most modern wine of the entire Clerico range - presents itself closed, compressed and with great potential. Rich ruby with a light garnet rim. Compact nose, showing rich notes of blackberry, dark cherries, a little cinchona bark in the background. Explodes literally on the palate, lots of ripe, present fruit, then opens up with lots of fine-meshed tannin, salty depth, rich pressure. SUPERIORE.DE

Deep in the south-east of Monforte d'Alba is the historic Mosconi vineyard, whose reputation was already recognised by experts in the 19th century. It is one of the oldest known cru parcels in the Barolo region and was noted in early vineyard maps of the region as being particularly suitable for long-lasting, full-bodied wines. Its steep, south-west facing slopes have always been known for concentrated, powerful Nebbiolo wines. On a subsoil of compact, calcareous marl, criss-crossed by iron-rich veins, the vines are deeply rooted – a terroir that gives the grapes structure, warmth and distinctive flavour. The 2021 vintage showed its best face here: sunny days and cool nights ensured slow, complete ripening, while a dry autumn made hand-picking possible under ideal conditions. The grapes arrived in the cellar in perfect health, where they were vinified with respect for their origin. Around 24 months of ageing in French oak polished the structure without overshadowing the clear fruit character.

Tasca got involved in Etna early on and the latest result of these years of experience are four new single vineyard wines from the Tascante estate: Contrada Rampante, Pianodario, Sciaranuova and Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia (V.V.). The wines are delicate and profound, and despite their power, acidity and taut tannin, very elegant, finesse-rich 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 composition and morphology of the historic lava flows. A high annual rainfall ensures that the soil has all the water it needs, and the temperature fluctuations between day and night support the aromatic diversity of the grapes and ultimately the ripening potential.