The Wine Advocate

20-year-old Ilatraia: opulent nose of red berries, pleasant smoky notes and fine herbal spices. Opulent and round on the palate, the fine tannins give the wine a delicate but firm structure and the necessary seriousness through to the long, soft finish. The well-integrated wood and the fruit of the Cabernet grape find an exciting symbiosis here in a very harmonious way with the rather strict and taut Petit Verdot style. SUPERIORE.DE

In Valdarno di Sopra, where Tuscan hills meet the foothills of the Apennines and time itself seems to pause, one of the most fascinating love stories in wine is born. Carnasciale is more than just a wine – it is the legacy of a vision that began in Berlin in 1963, when Bettina Schnabel and Wolf Rogosky met. Their love led them via New York to Mercatale Valdarno, where they bought an abandoned estate in 1972 and realised a dream: to create the most unique wine in the world. The secret lies in Caberlot, an enigmatic grape variety that agronomist Remigio Bordini discovered in the late 1960s in an overgrown vineyard near Padua – a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Merlot that is not cultivated anywhere else in the world. When a devastating frost destroyed the olive trees in 1985, Wolf Rogosky saw his chance: in their place, he planted the first Caberlot vineyard with a revolutionary 10,000 vines per hectare. Superstitiously, he buried a bottle of Sassicaia under the first vine – a ritual that was to point the way to future success.

Barolo Garretti is a wine from the slopes of the La Spinetta estate in Grinzane Cavour. These grapes were previously used in Barolo Campé. It is bold, racy and super-expressive. Juicy dark cherry, lavender, spices, menthol, red flowers, liquorice and French oak come together in this creamy, racy wine from La Spinetta. Garretti captures all the richness and pedigree of the vintage in a forward, juicy style that is sure to find many admirers. This is a particularly strong vintage for this wine, even if it needs another year in the bottle to soften the powerful tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

Pianrosso: the red field. The name tells of iron-rich soils that give the Sangiovese that mineral depth that no cellar in the world can imitate. 11.7 hectares on the south-eastern edge of Montalcino, between 240 and 360 metres above sea level, where ancient marine material meets Galestro slate. Giuseppe Bianchini had the vineyard replanted in the 1980s, knowing that the heart of the winery lies dormant here. Pianrosso is only bottled in superior years, a strict selection of the best grapes, a whole year longer in Slavonian vats than the classic Brunello. 36 months in large wood, then further rest in the bottle. The result is not a wine for quick enjoyment, but a document of patience. In 2021, Montalcino produced one of those vintages that you never forget: bright September days, cool nights, perfect phenolic ripeness.

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

Contrada Rampante grows on the highest vineyard of Passopisciaro. The soils have a higher sand content and the harvest takes place later here. On the nose, dark red cherries, flowers, mint and liquorice. Rampante is an elegant, energetic and dynamic red with clear fruit and silky tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

Ruby garnet colour, fine violet and rose notes and many spices in the bouquet. Dense and compact with taut tannin and sweet fruit melt. Given time, this captivating red is at the beginning of a long, promising development. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Manna evokes biblical associations, but the true story is even more beautiful: Franz Haas dedicated this extraordinary wine to his wife Maria Luisa Manna in 1995 – a token of love in bottle form that unites the philosophy of the winery in a single cuvée. What began as an assemblage of Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc was expanded to include Kerner from 2013 onwards – five grape varieties, five personalities that merge into a harmonious symbiosis. The vineyards are located between 350 and 800 metres above sea level in a south-westerly direction on geologically highly diverse soils: dolomite, porphyry, sand and marl give each plot its own character. The grapes ripen at different times and are harvested and vinified separately – chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc ferment in barriques, while Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Kerner ferment in stainless steel tanks. After fermentation, the young wines are blended and left to rest on the fine lees for around ten months, followed by further months of bottle ageing. This patient approach results in a wine of exceptional complexity.

Castelnuovo dell'Abate is located in the south-easternmost tip of the denominazione – further away from the cool northern slopes of Montalcino, closer to Monte Amiata, the extinct volcano that moderates the climate of the area. When Gabriele Mastrojanni bought the Poderi Loreto and San Pio in 1975, there was hardly anyone here. The land was barren, the soil poor in clay and rich in sandstone, tuff and pebbles. That was precisely the reason. Today, Andrea Machetti as CEO and Oenologist Maurizio Castelli continue to run the winery in the spirit of the founder – with a consistency that knows no compromise: no herbicides, no chemical interventions since November 2022, fermentation in concrete cement with wild yeasts, long ageing in large Allier oak barrels between 16 and 54 hectolitres. Brunello is the result of the interaction between different plots of land – different exposures, altitudes between 180 and 420 metres, different vine ages – and from this it gains its complexity.

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.

Beautifully balanced on the nose with dried roses, blackcurrants, earth and balsamic herbs. The Brunello di Montalcino La Pieve, with its tannins and strong, primary fruity core on the palate, shows a somewhat greater firmness and power than the Annata. This wine is so youthful yet full of balanced components; salty minerals, liquorice and tart blackberries linger incredibly long under a hint of purple flowers. It needs a little more bottle ageing before it begins to shine. With this single-vineyard Brunello from Castelnuovo dell'Abate, La Gerla succeeds in bringing out the purity of Sangiovese in a remarkable way. SUPERIORE.DE

As the Tuscan sun rises over the San Lorenzo Valley, it casts its golden light on the eighteen-year-old Pianigiani and Ricucci villas – the historic walls that gave this extraordinary Gran Selezione its name. It is a moment of silence before the story of a wine begins, which carries the quintessence of four legendary vineyards: Bellavista, Casuccia, San Lorenzo and Montebuoni. The 2021 vintage was a gift from nature to the winemakers of Chianti Classico. A rainy spring, which gave the vines the moisture they needed, was followed by a warm but not scorching summer. These climatic conditions gave the grapes a fullness and fleshiness that would later reveal itself in the glass as velvety opulence. Marco Pallanti, the driving force behind Castello di Ama since 1982 and former president of the Chianti Classico consortium, immediately recognised the extraordinary potential of this vintage.

As a result of extensive soil research, Francesco Ricasoli was able to identify three microlocations, which will be vinified separately from the 2015 vintage onwards. The range of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione now includes, in addition to the famous Castello di Brolio, three cru sites (Colledilà, Roncicone and Ceniprimo), all of which are 100% planted with Sangiovese. They differ in structure and taste in close correspondence with their terroir and impressively demonstrate the complexity of the Chanti Classico region.

As a result of extensive soil research, Francesco Ricasoli was able to identify three microlocations, which will be vinified separately from the 2015 vintage onwards. The range of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione now includes, in addition to the famous Castello di Brolio, three cru sites (Colledilà, Roncicone and Ceniprimo), all of which are 100% planted with Sangiovese. They differ in structure and taste in close correspondence with their terroir and impressively demonstrate the complexity of the Chanti Classico region.

When Luciano Sandrone bought his first vineyard in Cannubi Boschis in 1977 – financed with all his savings – and vinified the first bottle in his parents' garage a year later, nobody could have guessed that this humble beginning would grow into one of Barolo's most iconic wineries. After his death in 2024, daughter Barbara, brother Luca as Oenologist and wife Mariuccia continue the legacy today: 27 hectares between Langa and Roero, six wines of uncompromising quality that combine tradition and modernity in equal measure. The Barbera d'Alba, vinified from grapes from various plots in Monforte d'Alba and Novello, is more than just an accompanying wine – it is a statement that Sandrone devotes the same attention to each grape variety as he does to his legendary Barolo.

Every year, Fratta is a groundbreaking blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that you can't help but love. Fratta proved the Veneto's potential for winemaking when it was first produced in 1977, the year Angela Maculan (a second daughter) was born. Deep, complex fruit bouquet, rounded off with fine sweet spices, tobacco and coffee. On the palate, beautiful lines and a sharp focus with dry mineral tones framing dark fruits, dried cherries and exotic spices. Fratta is a bold and big wine and there is no doubting the broodingelegance of this highly personalised expression. SUPERIORE.DE

Gulfi's top Pinò is a pure expression of Pinot Nero from Etna. When the Etna appellation began its rise about ten years ago, many producers committed themselves to growing the Burgundian grape variety on the charred slopes of this mighty volcano. Significant plantings of Pinot Nero never occurred, however, as many winemakers opted instead for the autochthonous Nerello Mascalese grape variety. Gulfi remains faithful to Pinot Nero on Etna, the grapes for Pinò come from 800 metres above sea level on the northern slope of the volcano.

This visionary wine comes from the legendary Conca d'Oro in Panzano and epitomises Giampaolo Motta's radical break with the traditions of Chianti Classico. The Neapolitan, who lost his heart to the Tuscan soil, took the courageous step of declassifying in 2002 – out of a burning desire for absolute oenological freedom. The cuvée combines Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to create a Burgundian-Bordelaise dialogue that captures the mineral power of the Galestro and Alberese soils on a south-westerly slope. The wine is carefully vinified in French barriques for ten months "sur lie" with regular bâtonnage, giving the wine a wonderfully silky structure.

Passorosso is a single-varietal Nerello Mascalese that shows fine garnet-red reflections in its bright ruby red. Proud and fascinating, it presents an intense bouquet of red berries, coffee and olives. Its engaging taste convinces with clear, well-defined fruit and pronounced minerality. Graceful and special. SUPERIORE.DE

Argiano recently caused an international sensation with its Brunello 2018, when the renowned Wine Spectator ranked it as the 8th best wine in the world in 2023. It is fermented in cement tanks and matured slowly in oak wood; its fruit comes from a 22-hectare vineyard with limestone marl soils. Now comes the follow-up vintage, and it is not only very promising because it already perfectly reflects the extraordinary Montalcino year 2019 in its own unique way.

Poggio Landis Brunello Riserva from the dream vintage 2016 is rich in fascinating floral notes. This wine is a statement of elegance and sensory freshness. Elderflower, geranium, noble magnolia and camphor on the nose. Full-bodied, powerful and lively on the palate, it is bursting with vigour and healthy tension with fine-grained, velvety tannins and a long, ethereal finish. SUPERIORE.DE