The Wine Advocate

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.

For some years now, Riccardo Cotarella's Montiano has been characterised by great freshness and dark, concentrated fruit. In contrast to the vintages of the early 1990s, the wine has become much livelier and more dynamic. And the 2021 vintage brings a new nuance to this characterful Merlot: riper, denser and finer at the same time. The climatic conditions – an early summer temperature rise followed by cooler evening hours – allowed for slow, even ripening with perfect concentration levels. As always, the Montefiascone region delivers mineral-structured fruit and precise floral components.

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

Briccolina is a cru of great complexity that takes its name from its location on the top of the hill. Enrico Serafino's Barolo Riserva is a full-bodied, austere and powerful Barolo that is the result of a sustainable cultivation process. Very complex on the palate, initially rather closed, it then opens up with multi-layered fruit, roasted herbs and a fine menthol note on the finish. It has a rather exotic flavour at first, which makes it particularly exciting and almost incomparable with the other wines from the famous appellation. You have to take your time, but the reward comes with the next sip ... SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Brunate comes from the heart of the appellation in La Morra and is one of the most expressive Barolos in Ceretto's single-vineyard collection. The vines are over 50 years old and the total production of the wine is therefore vanishingly small.

After much anticipation, today we present the second vintage of an exceptional Sangiovese from Querciabella's single vineyard Ruffoli.

A classically composed and perfect introduction to Altare Nebbiolo from its own vineyards in Barolo, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba. With its modern character (use of barriques), the Elio Altare winery has always been one of those producers whose Barolo wines appear less hard and brittle when young and rarely beg for more than 10 years of further ageing in the bottle.

Of all five Le Ragnaies vineyards, Vecchie Vigne is the most classic wine with a pronounced concentration and personality. Like Passo Lume Spento, the grapes for this vinophile gem come from vineyards located 600 metres above sea level. The site is one of the highest in the entire appellation. Its fruit is harvested from old vines that are 60 years old or more. Vecchie Vigne offers a dramatic and pungent bouquet of wild berries, blue flowers, balsamic herbs and crushed stone. The tannins are firm and taut and, given the high altitude, it is not surprising that the wine and its Sangiovese character are particularly crisp and linear. This exceptional Brunello also has an elegant, savoury profile, a silky texture and brilliant acidity that adds juicy depth to the tart red fruits. We recommend ageing the wine for at least another 5 years to reveal its full potential and distinctive character. 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.

The exposed location of the estate on the Fennberg at around 1,000 m above sea level, with late autumn morning dew and high humidity, provides the ideal conditions for the development of noble rot (botrytis cinerea), which naturally leads to an additional concentration of grape sugar. The raisin-like dried grapes are harvested from mid to late December. After gentle pressing of the grapes, alcoholic fermentation takes place in small steel tanks, where the young wine rests on the fine yeast for around six months. The bottled wine matures in the cellar for another five years.

Guidalberto bears the name of a man who shaped the Bolgheri landscape forever in the early 19th century: Guidalberto della Gherardesca, the visionary agricultural pioneer who created the famous cypress avenue – the Viale dei Cipressi – was created. What was initially intended as a practical demarcation between different areas of cultivation became the iconic silhouette of an entire region. 2023 marks a turning point for this exceptional wine. For the first time, Tenuta San Guido is positioning its Guidalberto separately from the legendary Sassicaia – a deliberate move to demonstrate that this is not a "second wine", but an independent interpretation of the Bolgheri terroir. As Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta puts it: "You can't compare them. They are completely different worlds." The 2023 vintage is a synthesis of 55 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 45 per cent Merlot. While the Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure and depth, the Merlot brings the silky texture and accessible sweetness that makes Guidalberto so distinctive. Fifteen months in French and American barriques give the wine its characteristic balance between strength and elegance.

This exceptional Sangiovese comes exclusively from the historic "Palmina" vineyard – the oldest vines that John Dunkley and Palmina Abbagnano found back in 1971 when they acquired the small estate from the neighbouring Badia a Coltibuono monastery. A hillside vineyard with a low yield, as the purchase contract noted at the time. Since 2010, the grapes from this unique hectare at an altitude of 480 metres have been vinified separately. Today, the 60-year-old Sangiovese vines with their extremely low density of just 3x1 metres yield barely more than one kilogram of grapes per vine, but they are of incomparable concentration and purity.

The grapes come from family-owned plots in Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, Grinzane Cavour, Monforte and Mosconi. Each vineyard is harvested separately by hand and fermented in stainless steel; long maceration times with gentle remontages ensure a fine, complete extraction. For ageing, the winery predominantly uses large Slavonian oak barrels (botti), supplemented by a smaller proportion of French oak, which adds lustre to the texture without masking the origin. Thanks to a stable summer and cool nights in autumn, 2020 produced ripe, healthy harvestwith a clear acidity line and precise aromas.

Back in 2007, the winery embarked on the cru project with the aim of emphasising the natural elegance and vitality of Sangiovese and the essential value of what the Latins call the "genius loci". What began as an experiment and a challenge evolved into years of constant but calculated work to identify the best vineyards in Chianti Classico. The best winemaking and ageing methods were then applied to enhance the particular influence of the origin on the texture, flavour and character of the wine.

One of the best Merlots in Italy: the inviting aroma is almost reminiscent of a Burgundy, with notes of raspberries and, only with time, the typical black forest berries and a delicate peppery spiciness. A generous variety of flavours on the palate, power and depth combined with finesse and elegance. Not at all furry, but harmonious, beautifully rounded by ripe, silky tannins and very long. A real rarity – if only because only around 5,000 bottles were filled and it is therefore hardly ever tasted. SUPERIORE.DE

Until the regulations were changed in 2016, 600 metres was the upper limit for Brunello di Montalcino. The grapes for Passo del Lume Spento come from a single vineyard located on a sandstone plateau at 621 metres above sea level. It displays fresh aromas of lavender and fennel with warm, fragrant earth and a subtle smoky note. The medium-bodied, crisp and sinewy wine tastes of red berries pressed from rocky earth, accompanied by tangy acidity and remarkable freshness. The finish is still primary and mineral, with crisp tannins that give this single-vineyard cru a remarkable bite and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Ceretto's Barolo Bussia comes from one of the most famous cru sites bordering the municipalities of Monforte d'Alba and Barolo, it draws its Nebbiolo fruit from a 7,000 sqm parcel in Bussia Soprana in Monforte d'Alba. Just 3,500 1/1 bottles and 200 magnums are bottled.

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

A Brunello Riserva that is only born in years that the winery considers exceptional. Not every great harvest produces a Caterina and certainly not a Riserva. It is the promise that Giuseppe Bianchini made to himself when he unexpectedly inherited an entire vineyard in 1985: he would create a wine that would be a monument to its terroir. The name has something sacred about it, a silent reference to the spiritual tradition of this landscape between the Abbey of Sant'Antimo and the hills of Castelnuovo dell'Abate. Santa Caterina d'Oro – the golden Catherine – as if to provide the wine with a patron saint, a protector of its long journey through time.

You have to earn the nickname. They call Montestefano the "Barolo of Barbaresco" – and anyone who has had a good vintage in their hands will understand why. The site is just a few metres away from Montefico, shares its southern exposure and the calcareous subsoil, but clearly towers above it in terms of steepness. Excellent drainage, late harvest, a warmer microclimate thanks to the protection from northerly winds: these are the conditions under which the Nebbiolo develops maximum ripeness here – almost smoky darkness, full power. The Produttori del Barbaresco have been vinifying Montestefano as a single vineyard since 1974; the craft has remained unchanged for decades: 28 days of maceration at 30 degrees, then at least thirty months in large Slavonian wooden barrels.

Tasca d'Almerita recalls the first vintage of their legendary Rosso del Conte from the San Lucio vineyard with this lush Riserva del Conte. Ruby red, the aromas of berries, cherries and spices have wonderfully taken the wood into their midst. A lively taste, dense tannins and an endless finish complete the perfect picture. 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.

Caparzo's La Casa vineyard, located in an enviable position on the hill of Montosoli, has been vinified separately since 1977 and is one of the first single-vineyard bottlings in Montalcino. Like the normal Brunello, La Casa has a surprising underlying acidity that gives the wine brightness and focus, and the northern exposure of the parcel has certainly played a role in this.