Veronelli

1997 saw the birth of Bradisismo, named after the geological event that led to the formation of the Colli Berici. It is a successful symbiosis of the intense, concentrated flavour of ripe Cabernet cherries and the lively, spicy notes of Carménère. With its bouquet of small dark berries, spices, pepper and chocolate, it is a wonderfully inexpensive alternative to the great Bordeaux blends or Supertuscans. On the palate, it has a velvety texture, with a mix of dark fruits, cherries, floral notes and fine tannins that glide seamlessly over the palate. Deep, long finish and very good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

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

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.

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.

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.

Deep crimson ruby red colour. On the nose, it smells of raspberries with beautiful concentration, a peppery tingle and perfectly integrated oak. Lively, crushed red berry fruit on the palate with long, finely chiselled tannins. It closes up a little on the finish, so you can expect much more, but for now it is already irresistible. Balanced and very elegant. SUPERIORE.DE

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.

In the 12th century, a man named Ugolforte led the rebellion of the citizens of Montalcino against the superior power of Siena. A bandit for some, a freedom fighter for others – his name has survived the centuries in the stories told in the hills. Today it is on the label of a Brunello that carries this indomitable spirit. Tenuta San Giorgio is located in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, in the south-east of Montalcino, just a few kilometres from the thousand-year-old Abbey of Sant'Antimo. Founded in 1982 – in the same year that Grattamacco bottled its first vintage – the winery joined the ColleMassari group of the Tipa-Bertarelli family in 2016. Since then, it has shared the terroir with the legendary Poggio di Sotto: the same slopes, the same winds, the same philosophy. 28 hectares of Sangiovese on south-eastern slopes between 300 and 450 metres, embedded in 110 hectares of forest, which protects biodiversity and shapes the microclimate. The soils read like a geological poem: clay, galestro, tuff, red earth, white biancane, the proud Calanchi – and Monte Amiata, the extinct volcano, watches over everything.

Giovanni Allegrini was a modest man who woke Valpolicella from its slumber in the 1960s and became the architect of its rebirth. His benchmark for the art of winemaking? The Recioto. According to Giovanni, those who mastered Recioto mastered everything. He died in 1983 without experiencing the full bloom of his life's work. Seven years later, in 1990, his children Franco, Walter and Marilisa dedicated this wine to him – the oldest in Valpolicella, whose origins date back to Roman times. Cassiodorus described the Appassimento as early as the 5th century.

Rose petals, mint, cinnamon, dark sweet cherries and smoke rise from the glass in a translucent, wiry Brunello that is built on energy, power and opulence. Length and fruit take centre stage here and, together with a clearly defined tannin structure, Leopoldo Franceschi's team has produced a wine in a very classic vintage that will really reveal itself over the next few years. As always, it is one of our favourites, and its still outstanding value is also great fun! SUPERIORE.DE

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: the 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.

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.

Maestro Raro shines first with its lively colour and then impresses with a bouquet that reveals a wonderful blackberry scent after spices, leather and tobacco aromas. The concentrated taste spreads softly, in which a stable acid structure cooperates perfectly with the tannin structure. SUPERIORE.DE

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

Our customers had to do without Frescobaldi's Castelgiocondo for several years, as we felt that it did not sufficiently reflect the elegance and finesse of the Montalcino region. After the winery made some stylistic changes in recent years, it has evolved from a rather opulent wine into a very authentic and cool interpretation of the appellation and we would therefore not like to withhold the very successful 2019 edition from you.