Veronelli

Volpaia – the foxhole. High above Radda in Chianti, at 450 to 650 metres above sea level, the vineyards of Castello di Volpaia are located on the highest slopes of the appellation. The medieval borgo, first mentioned in a document in 1172, has belonged to the Mascheroni-Stianti family since 1966, who consistently farm organically here. The altitude shapes the character: sandstone soils, cool nights and long ripening periods give the Sangiovese (supplemented by 10% Merlot) a freshness and elegance that would be hard to achieve in warmer locations. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, matured for twelve months in large oak barrels.

The relatively young DOC Colli Tortonesi is probably still one of the least known wine regions in Piedmont. The term Derthona is already used as a generic term. It is the old name for Tortona, a small village in the centre of the DOC. The indigenous white grape variety Timorasso led a shadowy existence for many years, but today some winegrowers are already calling it the "white Barolo". This is due to its great complexity and finesse on the one hand and the excellent ageing potential of the wines on the other. In addition, the grapes often vary in size and ripeness during the harvest, which makes selection a major challenge, just as with the great Nebbiolo crus.

Contrada Rampante is one of the highest and most renowned vineyards on the north-east slope of Mount Etna. At around 1,000 metres above sea level, Nerello Mascalese thrives here on volcanic sandy soils with a high lava content – a terroir of rare expressiveness that combines cool nights, long vegetation cycles and extreme slopes. The vines are over 100 years old – partly ungrafted – produce small-berried, concentrated grapes. After fermentation in cement, the wine matures for around 12 months in large wooden barrels and then for several months in the bottle.

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.

Brilliant, dark ruby colour. Deep bouquet of rich blackberry and cherry flavours with mentholated herbal notes that give it lift, while notes of cedar and clove develop in the glass. On the palate, the wine is a pure silk that slowly lays over the palate, with an admirable density and weight balanced by bright acidity and minerality. This still very young wine is full of potential with a core of dark primary fruit that already offers a good foretaste of the charm of later years. A finely woven tannin structure on the long final. Wonderful ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Amarone Case Vecie takes its name from the vineyard of the same name in the municipality of Grezzana in Valpantena. An exceptional plot of land where the grapes ripen slowly and consistently even in the most difficult years thanks to the altitude and exposure. The late harvest makes it possible to store the grapes in a cooler season and to carry out a slow and long drying process that develops the characteristic flavours. A wine that brings out the natural characteristics of the high mountain climate: a true Amarone "delle vigne alte".

Marciliano is a truly ambitious Cabernet cuvée from the Sangiovese-dominated Montecchio/Orvieto region and reflects uncompromising quality and craftsmanship. The 2019 vintage was characterised by mild but structure-enhancing weather conditions: cool nights during the harvest phase and warm days that perfectly balanced the ripeness of the aromas. In the glass, it has a dense ruby red colour with a garnet red hue. The nose intones ripe sour cherry, stewed plums, ripe wild berries, and further develops smoke, leather, hints of white truffle and a touch of vanilla and cedar wood. Powerful yet polished on the palate – clearly structured, with fine-grained, ripe tannins, lively acidity and a substrate-rich, spicy texture. The ageing in barriques was selectively dosed and supports the spiciness without masking the varietal typicity. Marciliano is a serious, mature red wine with depth and potential. Expressive, focussed and with a lasting finish – a lasting ambassador of modern Umbria. SUPERIORE.DE

Pas Operé – "not dosed" in the original sense, when it was still dosed by hand. The name is a play on words, as this Extra Brut is very well dosed, but with such restraint that the terroir shines through unadulterated. For decades, Pas Operé has been Bellavista's flagship, the wine that most clearly bears the signature of the house: classic, masculine, timeless. The 2018 Pas Operé is the result of a rigorous selection of around 25 plots on slopes and hillsides with south or south-east exposure, the vines are over twenty years old. 64 per cent Chardonnay for finesse and structure, 36 per cent Pinot Nero for depth and complexity. Half of the base wines are matured in French white oak barriques, which gives the wine its characteristic intensity. The assemblage is followed by five years on the lees – sixty months, during which flavours intensify, textures refine and perlage refines. Only then, at least six years after the harvest, does the Pas Operé leave the Erbusco winery.

Santo Spirito is one of the most striking contrade on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna – less stony than Rampante, but no less impressive. Here, at an altitude of around 700 metres, the old Nerello Mascalese vines are deeply rooted in ashy volcanic soil with a high sand content. The microclimate is cooler, the humidity higher and the east-facing exposure gives the grapes gentle morning warmth. Pietradolce vinifies the single-vineyard wine traditionally with spontaneous fermentation in wooden vats, followed by approx. 12 months of ageing in large French tonneaux.

The roots of this story go deeper than any memory: the vines are over 80 years old and have been bearing silent witness in the warm alluvial soils of Gries for generations. Here, where thirty visionary winegrowers laid the foundations for a legend in 1908, the masterpiece that has long since become the undisputed icon of South Tyrolean winemaking is produced year after year: Taber Lagrein Riserva. It is a wine that epitomises 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 manual labour that selects only the finest grapes for this exceptional Riserva. And time for ageing, where after traditional wooden barrel fermentation, a whole year of ageing in French barriques awaits completion.

Feudo di Mezzo is more than just a vineyard – it is the historic centrepiece of viticulture on Etna. One of Pietradolce's oldest and most fascinating plots is located in the contrada of the same name, around 600 metres above sea level between the lava flows of past eruptions. The Nerello Mascalese vines are rooted here in deep black, mineral-rich lava soil with excellent drainage. The microclimate is characterised by wide temperature fluctuations, which give the wine a special depth and tension. Vinification is carried out with great sensitivity: spontaneous fermentation in traditional wooden vats, maturing for around 12 months in large tonneaux.

The name Cont'Ugo refers to a Tuscan nobleman named Ugo della Gherardesca, whose family has been linked to the Bolgheri area for centuries. It symbolises the aristocratic character of the Maremma, which can still be felt today in combination with the wild coastal landscape. For Marchese Antinori, owner of the Guado al Tasso winery, the name is a tribute to origin and character: noble, independent and deeply rooted. The 2022 vintage of this single-varietal Merlot comes from high-altitude, well-aerated plots with loamy soils and is matured for 12 months in French oak, partly new and partly used.

Its dense, intense colour has a lush bouquet, whose fruity hints of blackberries, sour cherries and blueberries are given an elegant touch by the delicate, very subtle wood spice. In the rich, firm flavour, the smooth tannin is well fused with the structure. SUPERIORE.DE

The Brunate vineyard, located between La Morra and Barolo, is considered one of the region's great Grand Cru. The combination of calcareous marl soils, optimal south to south-east exposure and the altitude gives the wine a fine interplay of ripe fruit, spicy depth and silky-textured tannin structure. The 2016 vintage produced wines of rare harmony in the Barolo region: a cool spring, balanced summer weeks and a long, golden autumn created conditions in which Nebbiolo could mature slowly. The result is wines of precision, depth and longevity.

Gewürztraminer has a place name in its name – and thus a whole story. Tramin, a small village in the South Tyrolean lowlands, is considered the original home of this grape variety, whose aromatic power has fascinated and polarised people in equal measure for centuries. Those who like it, love it. Those who know it know that in the wrong hands it becomes a caricature. At the Cantina Terlan, it is something else. The Lunare is the pinnacle of this interpretation. Grown at 300–400 metres in south-west-facing porphyry vineyards, where downdraughts and pronounced day-night temperature differences give Gewürztraminer exactly what it needs: aromatic precision instead of perfumed richness. The name hints at what the wine fulfils – something noctilucent, cool, unreal and clear.

Renaissance – the name says it all. Markus Prackwieser leaves it to historians to decide whether Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli or Michelangelo were wine lovers. But their universal genius inspires him: only in the very best years, when all the factors are in perfect harmony, does he create these artistic wines – masterpieces that shine with versatility and finesse. The Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Renaissance represents this philosophy in its purest form. The grapes grow on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres, where Mediterranean warmth prevails during the day and cool Dolomite winds provide crystalline freshness at night. After a short maceration and gentle pressing, the wine ferments completely in tonneau. Then comes the decisive step: twelve months of ageing in large oak barrels on the first lees, followed by a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees. This patient maturation gives the wine that extra mellowness and finesse that sets it apart from all others.

Elegance is the hallmark of the Prestige Cuvée Rosé, which is unfortunately strictly limited each year. The 45th edition consists of 80% Pinot Noir from the 2020 harvest year and 20% Chardonnay in equal parts from the 2019 and 2020 harvest years. Brilliant, bright pink colour. Delicate apricot colour, very light bouquet of peaches, light fruits and sultanas. The persistent flavour is soft and fruity with subtle notes of fresh toast. SUPERIORE.DE

Pinot Blanc – the supreme discipline of South Tyrol. The grape variety is considered the "number one white wine in South Tyrol" for good reason, and Markus Prackwieser's Renaissance Pinot Blanc Riserva elevates it to a level that few can match. Once again, it is the philosophy of the great Renaissance masters that is the inspiration here: universal expertise, perfection in detail, timeless beauty. Only in the very best years, when the terroir is at its most expressive, is this wine created – a work of art that needs two years to mature to perfection. The grapes come from the steepest plots of the Gump Hof, where calcareous moraines lie on solid quartz porphyry and the vines are exposed to the winds at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres. After gentle pressing, the must ferments completely in the large tonneau. Then comes the time that sets this wine apart from all others: twelve months in large wooden barrels on the first lees, a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees, followed by at least one year of bottle ageing before release. This patient ageing, which lasts over two years, gives the wine that extra mellowness, depth and finesse that distinguishes greatness from greatness.

This impressive red comes from the single vineyard "Vitticciana", which was created by the "Godfather of Carmignano" Ugo Contini Bonacossi especially for a pure Sangiovese wine due to its perfect orientation. It is only produced in the best years, when it presents itself as a multi-layered wine with fine fruit and fine-grained tannins. After a few years of ageing in the bottle, it can easily hold its own with some of the best Brunello di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE