Veronelli

The grapes for the Cortazo are grown in the hot Brenntal vineyard in Kurtatsch, which is ideal for ensuring the Cabernet Sauvignon reaches the required level of ripeness. A deep ruby red colour. A harmonious bouquet of violets and wild berries. On the palate, it is full-bodied and complex, with a lovely core of fruit and subtle extract sweetness, velvety tannins and a long finish. Excellent Storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Guardiola is a name with weight on Etna. One of the highest and steepest cru sites in Sicily, between 800 and 1,000 metres above sea level, exposed to the harsh sun, cool winds and the contrasts of a volcanic climate, which shapes not only the landscape but also the character of the wine. The vines – predominantly Nerello Mascalese – are deeply rooted in lava rock and volcanic ash, the soil is lean, black and mineralised, a barren terroir that combines strength and elegance rather than playing them off against each other. The vintage brought ideal conditions for a wine with a firm but accessible structure: after a cool spring, the grapes ripened under consistently warm summer sunshine, accompanied by pronounced day-night differences. The grapes were harvest late, by hand, in small crates – a decisive moment for precision and balance. After spontaneous fermentation, the wine was matured in French oak barrels – not to dominate the wine, but to give it contour.

A summer that Europe remembers as hot – and Montalcino as surprising. The vines of Col d'Orcia, deeply rooted in the calcareous, clay-poor soils of the Orcia hill, showed in 2020 what biodynamic cultivation means in years of stress: resilience. Early bud burst after a mild winter, followed by a balanced spring with well-distributed rainfall. The summer remained warm, but without extreme heat phases – sporadic downpours at the end of August cooled the soil at the last moment and allowed the grapes to develop aromatic compounds instead of simply ripening. In addition, there were pronounced day-night temperature differences in September. Harvest from mid-September, clean and structured. The result has a character that Montalcino connoisseurs describe as "captivante": simultaneously accessible and enigmatic. Maceration for 18 to 20 days, shallow 150-hl steel tanks, gentle extraction. Three years in large barrels, twelve months in the bottle: Col d'Orcia's traditional vinification process – unchanged for decades because it works.

Piaggia Riserva is pure elegance in a bottle: clear ruby red colour, almost impenetrable, very consistent. Raspberry compote, dried orange peel, roses, exotic spices and a hint of cocoa on the broodingbouquet. Silky and refined on the palate, with notes of violets, ripe red and black fruits in rapid succession. Its lively acidity retains exceptional finesse, although the primary fruit slowly asserts itself. Finishes long with a layer of sweet tannins and balsamic cherry flavours. Its finesse and balance are already astonishing at a young age, and the best will only come in a few years. SUPERIORE.DE

Traditionally vinified Barolo from the estate's best vineyards. Brilliant ruby red colour. Complex, spicy bouquet of liquorice, tobacco, dried flowers, violets and damp leaves. Very emphatic, firm and full-bodied on the palate. Its racy and forward style is flanked by tangible, robust tannins. Finishes with a fine sweetness, elegant and long. The already undisputed high level will continue to develop in full beauty over the next few years. SUPERIORE.DE

Juvelo is the crown jewel of Andrian. A wine that only comes into being when nature plays its part. December in South Tyrol – while others have long since harvested their grapes, here a few Gewürztraminer vines are still waiting for the perfect moment. The grapes hang on the vine until they are clearly covered in noble mould. Botrytis cinerea, the "noble rot", perforates the grape skin and allows the water to evaporate. What remains is pure concentration. The harvest are picked by hand, berry by berry. There is no rush. The grapes are gently pressed, then fermentation begins in small oak barrels. This is followed by 11 months of ageing in barriques, time that this wine needs to develop its complexity.

In the amphitheatre of the Tuscan hills of Castellina lies a single vineyard site called Il Poggiale, whose history dates back to 1968, when Paolo Panerai united four historic Poderi into a visionary project. Here, on the limestone soils between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, only Sangioveto thrives – the noblest local variety of Sangiovese – supplemented by only a few per cent of the autochthonous Canaiolo and Colorino varieties.

Sotto Casa – in the truest sense of the word: the single vineyard of the same name lies directly next to the winery, on stony alluvial soil – the most intimate vineyard on the entire estate and the only one from which Boscarelli combines international grape varieties with Prugnolo Gentile. Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure and a tannic frame, a small proportion of Merlot gives fullness and softness – sangiovese remains the soul. The three varieties are harvested separately, fermented separately – in oak vats with natural yeasts for around 10 days at controlled temperatures. Each cuvée then matures separately in Slavonia and Allier oak between 3 and 30 hectolitres, depending on the varietal character. Blending only takes place at the end of the 28 to 32 months of maturation.

Fresh, vibrant and full of energy, Geremia 2019 is highly entertaining and lively. Its flavours are remarkably intense, yet it also has a certain lightness that keeps it balanced and brilliant with every sip. Crushed stones, menthol, liquorice, sage and gravel envelop its core of blue and violet fruits, the tannins are well-built and it convinces not least with its beautiful length. Geremia always has something magical about it and its special personality makes it one of the most remarkable red wines from the Chianti Classico region for us every year. SUPERIORE.DE

Geremia founded the Ricasoli family in the 7th or 8th century – at a time when Chianti was not yet the name of a wine, but a battleground between rival noble families. His descendant, Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, now runs the same estate, on the same land, in Gaiole in Chianti. And he named this wine after his ancestor. This is particularly intriguing given that the Geremia is not a Sangiovese. In 1997, Marco planted Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon across 2.5 hectares of his hillside – deliberately, out of curiosity, and with a clear question in mind: what does this terroir express in a different language? The calcareous-clay soils at altitudes of between 340 and 510 metres, the south-southeast exposure, the microclimate between Florence and Siena – everything that shapes Sangiovese is also available here to the Bordeaux varieties. Hand-harvested in baskets, fermented in temperature-controlled tanks, aged for 24 months in medium-toasted Allier barriques, bottled unfiltered, and aged in bottle for 18 months. Certified organic.

In 1398, Ser Lapo Mazzei wrote a letter in which the word "Chianti" is used in the modern sense of wine for the first time. The oldest document of its kind. The family that wrote this letter is still making wine today – for more than 600 years, now in its seventeenth generation. When a family dynasty of this depth comes to the Maremma in 1997 and decides to grow its most important wine on the sandy soils between Grosseto and Montiano, it is a vote of confidence in a terroir. The philosophy is clearly formulated: Tenuta Belguardo only releases in the best vintages. No compromises. Since the first vintage in 2000, this attitude has defined the positioning of the cru: not quantity, but statement. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon from parcels with the highest proportion of sandstone and skeleton, which demand from the Cabernet a balance between natural power and elegance that would not be achieved on heavier soil. 15% Cabernet Franc is the perfect counterpart: structured, herbal, characterised by freshness even in hot vintages.

Ricasoli's Vin Santo is the sublime interpretation of one of the historic grape varieties of Chianti Classico, the Malvasia del Chianti, and at the same time a masterpiece of centuries-old Tuscan craftsmanship. Here, the 880-year-old winemaking tradition of the Ricasoli family merges with the mystical art of passito making to create a wine of rare nobility. The grapes come from vines over forty years old on well-drained alluvial soils at an altitude of 200 metres with southern exposure. At the beginning of October, at the end of the harvest, the Malvasia grapes are hand-picked together with small quantities of Trebbiano and Sangiovese grapes with an optimum sugar content and perfect flavour concentration. Only the best, loose-berried grapes with sparse berries are transported in 18-kilogramme crates to specially ventilated chambers at Castello di Brolio. This is where the magic of time begins: the grapes hang to dry for three months while the water content slowly dwindles and the flavours concentrate. The must from the gentle pressing then ferments for months - a process that takes years and requires the utmost patience. The young wine then matures for nine years in oak caratelli of various sizes, where it develops its characteristic amber colour and complex aromas.

Phileo is the Greek word for love, for affection, for sincerity in a relationship. Franz Pratzner did not choose this name by chance. He derived it from Filomena – his mother, the woman who shaped, moulded and lived the Falkenstein estate for decades. A wine as homage – it could hardly be more personal. The Phileo vines are planted on the Falkenstein vineyard itself, at 650 metres, south-facing, on a soil of gneiss, granite and slate – one of the most mineral-rich soils in the entire Vinschgau Sonnenberg. 9,000 vines per hectare, Guyot training, one kilogramme per vine. Maximum density, minimum quantity. What the vines achieve in this barren landscape is brought to the glass through malolactic fermentation and the targeted, restrained use of wood – creamy, structured, with a long ageing potential.

The history of the Campolungo vineyard blends millennia of Tuscan wine-growing culture with a visionary dedication to perfection. These historic terraces, situated at altitudes of between 420 and 580 metres, were already recognised by the Romans as exceptional and have been regarded as one of the cradles of fine Chianti since the 19th century. The 2018 vintage tells the story of a particularly favourable climate: following a hot, dry summer, Lamole's extreme altitude preserved that crystalline freshness which makes Campolungo one of Tuscany's most exceptional single-vineyard sites. A pure Sangiovese made from hand-picked grapes of exceptional aromatic intensity. Following careful hand-harvesting and visual selection of the finest berries, the wine undergoes a two-week fermentation with skin contact in traditional wooden vats. Thirty months' ageing in oak casks, complemented by a small proportion in French barriques, results in a wine of multi-layered complexity and elegance.

Amarone Classico is made from grapes grown in the vineyards of the classic Valpolicella area at the entrance to the Marano Valley. The drying process of the carefully selected grapes takes around 120 days. After fermentation, the wine matures for at least 3 years in wooden barrels.

An archaic red from the volcano – feudo di Mezzo already carries the weight of its origin in its name: the name refers to the central area of the Passopisciaro Valley at an altitude of around 600 metres. The 2018 vintage on the Etna slopes in Passopisciaro was warm and balanced with freshness from the cooling winds. The grapes achieved ripe juiciness with a lively structure – a vintage that allows balance and at the same time shapes character. The cuvée comes from 95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Nerello Cappuccio from old vines, traditionally trained in Alberello. Deep-rooted vines, volcanic rubble and pumice soil, mineral, permeable, characterised by thermal influences – this is Etna terroir in its purest form.

Here, where Ornellaia once sourced its grapes before Marilisa Allegrini acquired this blessed land in 2002, a vision has been thriving since 2008 that only found its perfect form in 2019: Sondraia Bianco - a pure Viognier of such exceptional character that it effortlessly transcends the borders between the Rhône and Tuscany. From just 4.5 hectares, planted in 2008 with a density of 7,936 vines per hectare, a few thousand bottles of a wine are produced each year that epitomises the philosophy of three worlds: Stainless steel for purity of fruit, terracotta amphorae for the verticality of antiquity and French oak barrels for structural depth. The result of this composition is a wine of golden-yellow splendour that already tells its story in the glass.

Since 1871, the name Garofoli has embodied the spirit of the Marche's wine culture – a history spanning five generations, with roots in the holy city of Loreto, where Antonio Garofoli once refreshed weary pilgrims with local wine. What began as a modest tavern developed under his son Gioacchino into one of Italy's most venerable wine houses, which is now being steered into the future by the brothers Carlo and Gianfranco, together with their children Gianluca, Caterina and Beatrice. Podium originates from the classic hills of the Castelli di Jesi, that historic heartland of Verdicchio, where medium-textured loamy soils, interspersed with sandy and calcareous deposits, form a mosaic that lends the Verdicchio grape its unmistakable minerality. The wine undergoes a long ageing process without any use of wood.

The fifth vineyard. Such is the simple origin of this name – and so direct is Carlo Ferrini's philosophy behind it. La Quinta is not the little sister of Brunello, but its self-confident counterpart: the same address in Sant'Angelo in Colle at 400 metres, the same Sangiovese from skeleton-rich soils with a south-easterly orientation, the same care in the cellar and ageing. Only the time horizon is different. 2020 brought Montalcino warm, balanced conditions with a good night-day temperature amplitude – a vintage that favoured depth and drinkability in equal measure. 7 days of fermentation, 13 days of maceration in steel, then 12 months in a combination of 700-litre Liters, 2,500-litre Liters barrels and cocciopesto amphorae, rounded off in cement tanks. The baked clay amphora provides the breathable openness that keeps the wine alive without oxidising it.

Le Baròncole Riserva impresses with its juicy fruit and stone fruit flavours on the nose and continues this beautiful impression on the palate. Cherry, sour cherries, blackberry, very juicy and powerful in appearance, completely fills the palate, but always remains lively and elegant. Silky, fine-grained tannins and a long, balsamic finish whet the appetite for the next glass. Good substance. Good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

With the exception of 2016 and 2019, the last eight years in the region around Montalcino have been characterised by warm and dry conditions. For this reason, Il Poggione has started to prioritise irrigation for emergencies (which is becoming more and more of a necessity in the south-west of Montalcino) and is looking for a better balance in the higher vineyards. This is not the only reason why Il Poggione is one of the top producers every year, with an extremely fair value.

On the hill of Riparbella, which smells of the sea and the forest, one principle holds true: what is done by hand in the vineyard at the right time of year determines what can be created in the cellar. Luca D'Attoma's work in the vines sets the stage for everything that follows. The clay soils with their pronounced salinity, the limestone gravel, the sea breezes, the constant temperature range – the terroir of Duemani is characterised by a tranquillity that carries over into the glass. Altrovino follows the same approach as it always has: Merlot and Cabernet Franc fermented spontaneously, separately, in concrete, with 20 days' maceration. Part of the Cabernet Franc is aged in terracotta amphorae, which lend volume to the fruit and allow the floral notes to unfold. Then comes the blending, followed by eight months in oak vats. No fining, no filtration.

A name that breathes history: since 2011, the grapes for Marchese Antinori have come exclusively from the vineyards of Tenuta Tignanello – the legendary location that lies at the heart of the Chianti Classico between the gentle hills of the Greve and Pesa valleys. Here, where the Medici once walked and where the Antinori family has been realising its visionary wine philosophy since 1850, one of the purest interpretations of Sangiovese thrives on stony limestone soils. The 2022 vintage tells of a summer of extremes – little rain until August, hot spells in June and July. But the old vines proved resilient: even budding, regular flowering, perfectly ripe grapes for the harvest. In the winery's cellars, winemaking was carried out with classic precision: gentle destemming, gentle pressing, one week of fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Ten days of maceration using gentle methods – an extraction that combines intensity with elegant, supple tannins. Natural acid degradation until the end of the year, then twelve months of ageing in French and Hungarian oak barrels, followed by a further twelve months of bottle ageing before release.

Named after the ancient Roman wine festivals, Passito Vinalia is a sweet dessert wine that goes particularly well with South Tyrolean apple strudel. The strictly selected grapes, which are air-dried after the harvest, come from the sun-drenched vineyards on the slopes of Bolzano at 300 to 400 metres above sea level. They are gently pressed around 4 months after the harvest and then fermented in used French barriques.