Veronelli

The strictly selected grapes come from the vineyard "Il Corno" of approx. 400 m altitude with ideal southern exposure. Bright, sparkling ruby red. Well structured nose of blackberries, cassis, some cedar and shoe polish. Medium ripe, quite fresh fruit on the palate, yet supple and well balanced with all the volume. In the rest of the drink with great finesse, coolness and liveliness, the finish is long with well integrated wood, red fruitiness, with a slightly salty vein and lots of spice. A harmonious and well-proportioned top wine of the house, which can rightly bear the highest quality level Gran Selezione. SUPERIORE.DE

Dark, concentrated ruby red colour. Complex on the nose with an abundance of ripe red and black berry fruit aromas, including sour cherry, blackcurrant and elderberry, followed by notes of dried violets, sweet spices, liquorice, cocoa powder, mentholated tobacco and eucalyptus. Rich and multi-layered on the palate, powerful and soft with youthful but well-integrated tannins and excellent acidity. Only reveals its large reservoir of impressions after some aeration. Very long on the finish, great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

For some years now, Matteo Catania has been holding back a few hundred bottles of his wines in the best vintages in order to offer them to his most loyal importers after a few years. From this "private reserve" comes Nerosanloré 2012, which is now - in spring 2023 - offered in small quantities with 7 years of further bottle ageing quasi in Riserva quality.

Just under 950 metres above sea level, on the south-western slope of Mount Etna, lies the Contrada Cavaliere, a single vineyard that stands out even in the diverse cosmos of the Etna Contrada. Less rainfall than elsewhere on the volcano, but an abundance of light and dramatic changes in temperature between day and night: conditions that give the Carricante that unmistakable tension for which connoisseurs seek out this contrada. The 50 year old vines are rooted in volcanic sands with a sub-acid profile and rich in skeletons – a soil that forces the plant to root deeply and guarantees low yields of just 6,000 kg per hectare. The grapes are harvested by hand in October, gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel using the estate's own Etna yeast. The wine then rests for twelve months on the fine lees, stirred regularly, followed by a further six months of bottle ageing.

Rocca di Frassinello is a bold, exotic wine. Ripe red cherries, kirsch, cinnamon and rose petals can be found in this extravagant red wine from the Maremma. The luscious fruit and silky tannins contribute to its great appeal. Over time, notes of sweet pipe tobacco, cedar and mint emerge, giving it a striking inner perfume and sweetness. This is Maremma in Purezza. SUPERIORE.DE

Here comes the debut vintage of a great white wine from a classic red wine region. In a small edition of less than 6,000 bottles, an elegant and at the same time very independent Trebbiano was created, which rightly bears the label based on the famous "Castello di Brolio" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. The white Trebbiano grape variety has a tradition of over a hundred years at Brolio, and the grapes for this white cru come from a small 1.18-hectare plot in the company's own Tarci vineyard. According to tradition, a monument was erected here to San Barnaba, the protector of the vineyards from hail.

Terre Brune: A monument to Sardinian winemaking, shaped by the year 2020, which, with its balance between heat and cool nights, has wonderfully captured the essence of the island. For Terre Brune, this meant a late harvest accompanied by cool nights. The result: ripeness in harmony with freshness, expressive and enriching. The foundation for the winery's flagship wine is provided by old Carignano vines (95 per cent), complemented by a touch of Bovaleddu (5 per cent), growing on loamy-sandy, limestone-interlaced soil amidst the salty breeze of the Sulcis terraces. The vines withstand wind, heat and drought with stoic elegance; their strength lies in the terroir. Following traditional, temperature-controlled fermentation, Terre Brune is aged for 16–18 months in barriques, followed by a year in the bottle – a meticulous ageing process that intertwines structure and harmony.

An old, disused railway line runs through the countryside of Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slopes of Mount Etna. It no longer goes anywhere – the rails are rusting, the land is slowly becoming overgrown. But it still exists as a border. It separates the Contrada Cottanera from the Contrada Diciasettesalme. And it gives this wine its precise geographical name: "beyond the railway". Diciasettesalme is one of the oldest vineyard names in Etna viticulture. Its name comes from a historical Sicilian unit of measurement – the salma, an area that a mule could plough in one day. Seventeen of these correspond to around 25 hectares. On this land, Nerello Mascalese grows on black lava sands and clay-rich volcanic soils at an altitude of 750 to 800 metres – one of the coolest and most exposed sites in the entire appellation area.

It was 1959 when Count Giuseppe Tasca d'Almerita set his sights on a hill on his Regaleali estate, which the farmers simply called San Lucio – after the small chapel that stood at the top. He planted Perricone and Nero d'Avola on this hill, in the heart of Sicily, far from any seashore, on clayey soil at an altitude of around 500 metres. Both ripened late, both deeply rooted in the island. What followed was no ordinary wine, but an assertion: that Sicily needs no apology. The first Rosso del Conte was produced from the 1970 harvest and was the island's first single-vineyard cru – at a time when Sicily was primarily known for mass-produced wines and the rest of Italy hardly looked at it. Count Giuseppe wanted to create a red wine that could compete with the world's great reds – without Cabernet, without Merlot, without a foreign language. Only the island itself.

Mazon is known as Italy's Grand Cru of Pinot Nero – warm, brooding, concentrated. What few people realise: The plateau has a downside. At the northernmost tip, where the terrain rises to 430 to 460 metres and the downdraughts become cooler, lies the Vigna Herbsthöfl – the highest and coolest parcel of the entire Barthenau estate. Here, vines from a special selection of the neighbouring Vigna Roccolo grow on calcareous, slightly sandy glacial deposits – a soil that gives the wine a minerality and lightness that the classic Mazon profile does not recognise. The Herbsthöfl was vinified separately for the first time in 2022 – the latest "Vigna" wine in the Hofstätter portfolio. It is no coincidence that Martin Foradori-Hofstätter immediately declared it a Riserva: the parcel has the format, and the vintage provided the quality. Harvested entirely by hand, completely destemmed, fermentation in concrete vats with remontage, followed by barrique, concrete, bottle – the same care as its big brother S. Urbano, but with a different response: fresher, more transparent, finer in texture.

Bright, powerful ruby colour, aromas of cherry, redcurrant, cocoa and tar. Juicy, spicy and bright, with firm acidity and taut tannins that give it definition and lift to the flavours. Very fresh and precise, persistent and smooth. It has outstanding potential. If you taste the decades-old wines from Mastroberardino (dating back to 1928), it becomes clear: these wines are monumental, immortal or at least for eternity. SUPERIORE.DE

Deep, rich ruby colour. Impressive nose of ripe berries, ripe cherries and delicate graphite nuances. Aromatic and extremely flavoursome on the palate, with a spicy, animating arc. Fine tannins. Well-balanced with a gentle structure that frames the palate until the lively finish. A true Tuscan insider tip with a great value. SUPERIORE.DE

In the vineyards of Rancia Piccola and Poggiolo, where a Benedictine monastery once watched over the hills of Castelnuovo Berardenga, a quiet revolution has been taking place since 1987. Maestro Raro – the rare master – bears the name of the legendary vineyard parcel, also known as "Mastro Raro", which neighbours the famous Rancia vineyard. Here, the Poggiali family dared to do the seemingly impossible: to breathe the terroir of Fèlsina into the world-famous Cabernet Sauvignon, that magical place where normally only Sangiovese performs at its best.

50 years of Grande Annata! The eye is greeted by a very fine perlage of unusual persistence with well-distributed strings of pearls that form a dense head. The nose has a beguilingly delicate aroma of white smoke, peach peel and a hint of savoury spice. Elegant and structured on the palate - it initially soothes the senses with its silky perlage, only to immediately tantalise them with a mixture of lively acidity and minerals. The finish is clean and elegant; lively notes of melon, green apple, ginger and crushed oyster shells ensure that this Metodo Classico Rosé brut will be remembered for a long time to come ... SUPERIORE.DE

1919 is undisputedly the top product among Kettmeir's sparkling wines. Here, the entire expertise of the South Tyrolean company, which produces according to traditional bottle fermentation, unfolds. The Chardonnay base wine matures in wood, the Pinot Nero in stainless steel tanks. Both base wines are then blended and mature for at least 60 months in the bottle on the fine lees. The result is a concert for the senses: complex, multi-layered bouquet of citrus fruits, dried fruit and spices. Bread, smoke and minerals round off the exciting picture. On the palate, we are thrilled by this freshness and depth, which never give the impression that there is too much of everything here, but that everything is precisely dimensioned in its place. Tautness on the palate, a lively personality, fragrance, spice and sensuality are paired with a seriousness and room-filling presence that rightly places the 1919 among Italy's great Spumanti. SUPERIORE.DE

Contrada Sciaranuova Bianco delivers an expressive portrait of the volcano – a white wine of crystalline clarity, grown at an altitude of 850 metres on the northern flanks of Mount Etna in the Contrada of the same name near Passopisciaro. The vines – almost exclusively Carricante – are deeply rooted in layers of lava rich in iron and ash, characterised by a strong day-night amplitude and a cool microclimate. The 2022 vintage was phenomenal in Sicily: a fresh spring, a moderate summer and a long ripening phase until October allowed for a precise harvest with excellent freshness and mineral expression.

Matan Pinot Nero Riserva is one of the two red flagships of the family winery, the grapes come from the most valuable Pinot Noir vineyards in Montan. Deep ruby red in colour. The multi-layered and complex bouquet has aromas of dried cherries, lavender, orange zest, porcini mushrooms, cedar wood and cloves. Medium to full-bodied on the palate with supple, grainy tannins and fresh acidity. Concentrated, flavoursome and deliciously spiced, with a beguiling juiciness and plenty of potential. One of the great Pinot Noirs of South Tyrol! SUPERIORE.DE

Angelo Ambrogini was born in Montepulciano in 1454. As a humanist, poet and confidant of Lorenzo de' Medici, he wrote some of the most beautiful stanzas of the Renaissance under the name "Il Poliziano". Le Stanze, his most famous work, is a poem about beauty, transience and the power of the moment. Federico Carletti has named his winery after the great poet. And this wine the title of his masterpiece. This is no coincidence. Le Stanze is Poliziano outside its borders – no Prugnolo Gentile, no DOCG obligation, no looking back. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, certified organic since 2021: a Super Tuscan. The grapes grow on the best plots around Montepulciano, on clay and limestone soils between 300 and 450 metres above sea level. Hand-picked, fermentation in stainless steel tanks with a long maceration period of 20 to 25 days, 16 months in French barriques – precise, without exaggeration.

1919 is the undisputed top product among Kettmeir's sparkling wines. This is where all the expertise of the South Tyrolean company, which produces using the traditional bottle fermentation method, comes to the fore. The Chardonnay base wine matures in wood, the Pinot Nero in stainless steel tanks. Both base wines are then blended and matured for at least 60 months in the bottle on the fine lees.The result is a concert for the senses: a complex, multi-layered bouquet of citrus fruit, dried fruit and spices. Bread, smoke and minerals round off the exciting picture. On the palate, we are delighted by the freshness and depth, which never give the impression that there is too much of anything here, but that everything is precisely in its place. Tight tension on the palate, a lively and vibrant personality, flavour, spice and sensuality are combined with a seriousness and room-filling presence that rightly places the 1919 among Italy's great Spumanti. SUPERIORE.DE

Generous Brunello made from grapes from different vineyards in various sub-zones in Montalcino with the classic aura of its vintage. The aromatically intense bouquet opens with a scent of violets and then develops flavours of wild berries, vanilla, tobacco and chocolate. The flavour is characterised by a good balance between a full, juicy body, soft tannins and well-integrated alcohol. SUPERIORE.DE

The roots of this story run deeper than any memory: the vines, which have borne silent witness for generations in the warm alluvial soils of Gries, are over 80 years old. Here, where in 1908 thirty visionary winegrowers laid the foundations for a legend, that masterpiece is created year after year – a wine that has long since become the undisputed icon of South Tyrolean winemaking: Taber Lagrein Riserva. It is a wine that embodies time. Time in the old vines, which, at an altitude of just 250 metres, transform the extreme temperature fluctuations between hot days and cool nights into pure concentration. Time in the patient, painstaking work that selects only the finest grapes for this exceptional Riserva. And time for ageing, where, following traditional fermentation in wooden casks, perfection awaits after a full year in French barriques.

When Sergio Rossi took over Podere Colombaio from the Biondi-Santi family in 1976, nobody could have guessed that the Milanese advertising expert would become one of the architects of modern Montalcino. He was one of the 24 founders of the Consorzio, one of the first 35 Brunello bottlers of an appellation that will number over 250 by 2024. What he brought with him: the legendary Sangiovese clones of Biondi-Santi, planted on marl and limestone in Canalicchio – vines that are now over forty years old. Brunello 2020 unites two souls: the cool elegance of the north from the historic Canalicchio parcels and the sun-kissed vigour of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the south. The wine rests for three years in large Slavonian barrels and a further eight months in the bottle – time that you can taste.