"Tre Bicchieri" Gambero Rosso 2026

The name Rifugio – refuge – tells of underground hiding places where the inhabitants of Salento once protected themselves from danger. Today, an entire area near Veglie bears this name, where particularly high-quality Primitivo grapes thrive on alluvial, clayey soils with limestone deposits. The traditional Conti Zecca winery, owned by the noble family since the 16th century and one of the icons of Apulia with 320 hectares of vineyards, vinifies this single-varietal Primitivo using tried and tested methods: manual harvesting with selection at the sorting table, gentle destemming and pressing, twelve-day maceration at 25 degrees, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Maturation takes place over twelve months in large oak barrels of 30 hectolitres and in resin-sealed concrete tanks, followed by a short period of maturation in the bottle.

The vines are planted where the Piedmont slopes gently at Canelli and the Barbera grape can develop its depth. The name is reminiscent of Cesare Pavese, the great son of these hills – and his most famous work "La Luna e i Falò". Like the novel, this wine also carries a quiet melancholy, paired with expression, maturity and identity. Matured in barriques and large casks for around a year, this is a Barbera full of character and at the same time modern.

Ramitello is unjustly overshadowed by Contado. Yet it is a potential favourite red wine that perfectly embodies the intensity of southern Molise. Made from 80% Montepulciano and 20% Aglianico, Ramitello matures for around 18 months, partly in barriques and partly in stainless steel tanks, followed by around six months of bottle ageing. In the glass, it has a deep ruby colour with violet reflections. The bouquet is brooding and complex: ripe plum and blackberry combine with spicy notes of leather, liquorice, eucalyptus and a hint of coffee. The palate shows excellent balance: dense fruit, structured, grippy tannins and a long, fruit-accentuated finish that is characterised by tension and naturalness. This wine epitomises the authentic power of Molise – unaffected, terroir-precise and at the same time impressively harmonious. SUPERIORE.DE

Only 1.5 kilometres separate the vineyards of Capitel Croce and Foscarino – but geologically they are worlds apart. While Foscarino is rooted in volcanic rock, Croce is enthroned on the pure limestone of the Zoppega hill. "Croce like Calcareo", Roberto likes to say as a mnemonic. Here, in the highest areas of his estate, perhaps his most uncompromising wine has been growing since 1982: 100 per cent Garganega, matured for eight months in old Allier barriques. What makes this wine so exceptional is not just its origin, but Roberto's radical approach: only 45 hectolitres per hectare, late selective harvest with up to twelve passes until only the most perfect berries remain. Fermentation takes place directly in barriques, allowing fruit and wood to merge right from the start.

A Sangiovese cru that demonstrates the philosophy of single-vineyard viticulture to perfection. Sergio Zingarelli and his team recognised early on the extraordinary potential of the clay-dominated soils of Sant'Alfonso – plots with minimal skeleton content, which create the ideal conditions for concentrated, aromatically complex wines. Sangiovese clones were specifically cultivated here, which harmonise with the clay-rich structures and develop the highest phenol concentrations.

At some point in the past, a small metal plate on the roof of the Castagnedi farmstead in the Monti Garbi moved in the wind – like a flag, a "bandina". A landmark for all those who knew these hills. Today, it is the name of the single vineyard that lies at the heart of the Tenuta. Colognola ai Colli, eastern Valpolicella: calcareous sandy soils at around 300 metres. This is the terroir that has belonged to the four Castagnedi brothers since 1995 and which characterises their wines with a characteristic balsamic: liquorice, white mint, graphite, China. Corvina and Corvinone form the backbone with 70%, Rondinella brings freshness, Croatina and Oseleta the flavour. Hand-picked in October, fermentation at a controlled temperature with certified organic yeasts, natural malo. Then aged for 24 months in 25-hectolitre French oak tonneaux – medium roasted, integrated, never dominant.

According to legend, the River Dirillo, near the Dorilli estate, is said to be the site where Aeneas landed on his odyssey from Troy. Whether this is true cannot be proven. What can be proven, however, is that this area, nestled between the southern coast and the Iblean Mountains, has an extraordinary history of winegrowing. Dorilli is the quintessence of Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico – the highest tier of this unique Sicilian DOCG. Planeta vinifies it from carefully selected vines at the estate of the same name in Acate: 70% Nero d'Avola, 30% Frappato di Vittoria, grown on the characteristic loose red sand with a layer of tuff that defines the terroir of Vittoria from within. Organically farmed according to the SOStain protocol.

F for Falò – bonfire. The name alludes to the traditional fires lit in Salento at the winter solstice. Cantine San Marzano has dedicated a single-varietal Negroamaro to this custom, which emphasises the dark, intense character of this indigenous grape variety. The grapes are grown on the calcareous, iron-rich soils between San Marzano di San Giuseppe and Sava. Following hand-picking, the wine undergoes extended maceration, followed by twelve months' ageing in Caucasian oak barrels – an unusual choice of wood that lends the wine its own distinctive aromatic signature.

A wine that made history. When the first vintage of La Selvanella Riserva was presented in 1969, it was a revolution in Chianti Classico – the very first cru from a single vineyard in the entire region. Today, over 50 years later, this Sangiovese classic is still regarded as a benchmark for the elegance and purity of the Radda terroirs. The 50 hectares of the La Selvanella vineyard sit at an altitude of 350 to 550 metres above Radda in Chianti in one of the most privileged positions in the entire region. Wines of exceptional structure and lively acidity are produced here. The perfect south-west exposure and the temperate continental climate create ideal conditions for the capricious Sangiovese to develop its full aromatic complexity.

Castello della Sala, located not far from Orvieto at an altitude of 500 metres, produces excellent wines without exception, as the inexpensive "entry-level wine" San Giovanni della Sala proves. The wine is produced in the vineyards of the ancient castle of Castello della Sala from the combination of the indigenous grape varieties Grechetto and Procanico with Pinot Bianco and Viognier and interprets the Orvieto Classico in a new style. Its freshness, richness and balance are remarkable, with notes of yellow flowers, green apple, sage and ginger. On the palate, an incredibly silky texture and juicy acidity guide this juicy white wine into a beautiful, mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

For two decades, the white indigenous cuvée Biancosesto has stood for one of the most original and stylistically distinctive interpretations of the Friulian white wine tradition – a poetic blend of Friulano and Ribolla Gialla from old vineyards around the historic settlement of Sesto al Reghena. The calcareous marl soils (Ponca) and the cool microclimate of the Colli Orientali provide this classic white wine with complexity and finesse every year.

Produced in just 6,000 bottles per vintage, Godenza from the vineyard of the same name undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by temperature-controlled maceration in stainless steel tanks. After malolactic fermentation, it then matures for 12 months in cement vats and at least 9 months in the bottle. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, it is characterised by its complex and open bouquet with aromas of small red berries and spices. On the palate, it is firm and clear with a wonderful balance between acidity and ripe flavours and has a very respectable, slightly salty and spicy finish. SUPERIORE.DE

At some point in the history of Nals Margreid, the Gambero Rosso even declared Sirmian to be the best white wine in Italy. We are not surprised. Above Nals, in the Sirmian district, the slopes lie between 500 and 700 metres above sea level. South-east facing, alpine climate: mild summers, cool autumns, a long growing season that ends in mid-October with the harvest. The soil is a geological archive: Permeable glacial moraine of limestone, gneiss, mica, slate and marble, deposited millions of years ago by glaciers in the Western Alps, resting on porphyry, the volcanic bedrock of the bedrock.

La Grola is the eponymous, historic vineyard where Corvina, the indigenous grape of Valpolicella, is believed to have originated. The replanting of the vineyard by Giovanni Allegrini triggered an agronomic revolution and laid the foundations for the success of this wine-growing region, which today stands for convincing, great red wines from north-east Italy. With the 2022 vintage, La Grola returns to its origins: declared Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC for the first time, it marks a new phase for this iconic wine from Allegrini. The cuvée of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella comes from the limestone terraces of the La Grola hill, exposed to the south-east and consistently selectively harvested. After fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is matured in barriques, some new, some used.

Tramin gave Gewürztraminer its name – and the world has since associated it with lush rose flavours, lychee and a body that likes to be heavy. Martin Foradori-Hofstätter thinks differently. With Vigna Castel Rechtenthal, he shows what this variety can do when the location is right and the winemaker does not stand in its way. The vineyard plot is located on a gravelly hill above Rechtenthal Castle, at the foot of Monte Roen – the highest peak in Tramin at 2,116 metres. The soil is an alluvial cone of dolomite gravel: permeable, cool and mineralised. The Höllentalbach stream intensifies the already fresh downdraughts that blow down from the mountain and significantly lower the temperatures at night. No other Gewürztraminer Tramin grows under such conditions.

In 2000, buyers were at the door. The Fucci family had almost given up on the six hectares of vineyards that their grandfather Generoso had acquired at the foot of Monte Vulture in the 1960s – the parents teachers, the children on their way into the world. At the last moment, daughter Elena decided otherwise. Not out of calculation, but out of a feeling that she herself later described as "a stab in the heart": she could not accept that a foreign name would do something great with the oldest vines of the Vulture while she watched.

There are wines that define an appellation. And there are wines that show where an appellation can go. The Gran Selezione from Lilliano belongs to the second category. When the Chianti Classico producers created the new top of the quality pyramid in 2010, there was a great deal of scepticism: is there really a need for another category above the Riserva? Lilliano answered this question with deeds rather than words. While other estates defined their Gran Selezione with an international use of wood and concentrated opulence, Lilliano remained true to its line: tradition, terroir, typicity. The Gran Selezione comes exclusively from the two best single vineyards of the Tenuta – piagge and Casina, both situated at an altitude of around 300 metres, both characterised by the calcareous Alberese soils that make Castellina in Chianti one of the most mineral terroirs in the entire appellation. Piagge is south-facing, fully exposed to the sun, and produces Sangiovese of concentration and vigour. Casina, on the other hand, exposed to the east-south-east, produces Colorino and Sangiovese of elegance and aromatic finesse. Together they produce a cuvée of 90% Sangiovese and 5% each of Colorino and Merlot – an assemblage that seeks perfection within the rules rather than innovation.

Conte Vistarino's Pinot Nero Pernice, which is great every year, comes from the single vineyard of the same name and fascinates with its fine fragrance and elegance. Intense ruby red colour with garnet reflections. The bouquet is complex and rich with notes of violets and small red fruits, some roasted coffee and cocoa. Elegant, full-bodied on the palate, with present fruit, very balanced with a pleasant minerality and a long, spicy finish. The harmonious tannins make this wine elegant and give it a good backbone from start to finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The Popoli vineyard bears witness to the fact that the Valle Reale plateau has been a wine-growing area since time immemorial. Several rows of this vineyard stretch out in front of the ruins of a cave cellar dating back to 1300. This is where the Benedictine monks from the monastery of San Benedetto in Perillis produced and stored their wine. The larger part of this very old site, where Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is cultivated, extends southwards towards the entrance to the valley.

The strong ruby-red Pinot Nero Schweizer, which is only produced in the best vintages, is a masterpiece. Its bouquet is large, complex and reminiscent of very ripe small wild berries. These special flavours are also found in the mouth, in combination with ripe, candied dark cherry and delicate floral and red berry notes. Juicy, wide-ranging palate, mouth-filling and with delicate, sveltenuances and an inviting and slightly tannic body which, together with the well-proportioned acidity, gives the wine a long life. SUPERIORE.DE

Trefiano was created in 1979 based on an idea by Vittorio Contini Bonacossi, with the aim of showcasing the full complexity and longevity of which Carmignano is capable. Named after the historic hamlet of Trefiano, where a magnificent 16th-century villa is surrounded by two exquisite vineyards, this Riserva represents the very pinnacle of what the Tenuta di Capezzana has to offer. With just over 5,000 bottles produced each year, Trefiano is one of the rarest and most sought-after Tuscan Riservas – a wine that not only celebrates the present but was created for the future.

More than two centuries ago, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Princess of Piombino, had something planted on the ferruginous hills above Suvereto that would change this landscape forever: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon – grape varieties from the Bordelais. The Maremma, still rough and wild at the time, became the testing ground for a woman with a feel for terroir. Francesca Moretti, daughter of Bellavista founder Vittorio, deliberately picks up on this thread with Petra. The name says it all. Petra. Stone. Consistency. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, hand-picked from the Vigneto di Petra in San Lorenzo Alto. Limestone soils with the right balance of clay and skeleton, 10 to 15 per cent slope. Fermentation with natural yeasts in large oak vats, ageing for at least 15 months in French barriques – 25 per cent new – followed by at least 17 months in the bottle. The cellar, a structure by Mario Botta, works with gravity: no pumping, no stress.