Veronelli

Sciaranuova lies at an altitude of just under 850 metres on the northern slope of Mount Etna, one of the coolest and at the same time most fascinating vineyards in the region. The site is characterised by young, porous lava flows that force the roots deep down and at the same time ensure extreme drainage. In the coolness of this altitude, the Nerello Mascalese ripens more slowly, with fine phenolic maturity and a distinctive acid structure. Vinification follows the familiar principle: spontaneous fermentation, long maceration, ageing in large used barrels.

There are wines that seek their time. And there are wines to which time confides its secrets. Historical Vecchie Vigne is one of those rare gems that only reveal their true colours after more than five years of ageing – a tribute by the Bernetti family to Verdicchio and at the same time a radical statement: that even non-aromatic white grape varieties can be among the very best if they are given the time they deserve. In Montecarotto, where the hills of the Verdicchio Classico find their noblest expression, there is a small plot at 310 metres above sea level, isolated in the middle of the historic Vecchie Vigne. Vines over fifty years old are rooted here in brooding, fresh, loamy soils that provide Verdicchio with the minerality and substance that only old vines can give. Eastern exposure, perfect balance between growth and yield – these vines were planted in the early seventies and today produce grapes of a concentration and ripeness that are harvested by hand at the end of September, beginning of October, berry by berry intact.

Maximum was one of the first labels created by Giulio Ferrari at the beginning of the 20th century. A Blanc de Blancs with an unmistakable style that still stands for freshness and elegance today. This Trento DOC epitomises the perfect symbiosis between Chardonnay and the mountains of Trentino like no other Casa Ferrari sparkling wine. The grapes come exclusively from carefully selected Chardonnay vineyards on the slopes of the Trentino mountains between 300 and 700 metres above sea level. Facing south-east and south-west, the vines benefit from optimal sunshine and cool nights - ideal conditions for a Chardonnay with structure and finesse. The grapes are harvested by hand in the first half of September, when they have reached perfect aromatic ripeness. Gentle pressing is followed by Metodo Classico vinification with traditional bottle fermentation. The maximum matures on the fine lees for 24 months.

Gulfi's top Pinò is a pure expression of Pinot Nero from Etna. When the Etna appellation began its rise about ten years ago, many producers pledged to grow the Burgundian grape variety on the charred slopes of this mighty volcano. However, significant plantings of Pinot Nero never materialised, as many winegrowers opted instead for the indigenous Nerello Mascalese grape variety. Gulfi remains faithful to Pinot Nero on Etna, with the grapes for Pinò coming from 800 metres above sea level on the northern slope of the volcano.

Born of fire. This is how the Cantina Terlan describes the red porphyry rock, between whose slopes the vineyards have nestled like small sun terraces. The rock is of volcanic origin, millions of years old, and it gives the area its unmistakable character – the wines their minerality, the cellar its façade, the wine its name. The porphyry is Terlan's red answer to the question of what Lagrein can be if you think it through to the end. No compromises. Three selected single vineyard sites, whose vines are almost a century old. Old vines yield little – but what they do yield is the sum of a long life in the grape flesh. Manual harvesting, destemming, slow maceration in steel – and then: 18 months exclusively in barrique, a third of which is new. No large wooden barrels, no compromises. Only barrique, only concentration, only depth.

L'Alberello is a beautiful Rosso made primarily from Cabernet. The wine comes from a two-hectare plot planted entirely with long rows of Alberello vines planted at an altitude of 30 metres above sea level on predominantly clayey soils. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel and the wine matures for 18 months in barriques. Starts fresh and vehement with warm, dark fruit flavours, then opens up further with a bouquet of herbs, coffee and a pinch of pepper. Remarkably polished and juicy on the palate, everything is in balance, silky and very charismatic on the long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2004, Grattamacco did something that nobody in Bolgheri thought necessary: converting two hectares of vineyards to the Alberello training system – the traditional, bushy training system that has been practised in Sicily and Sardinia for centuries, but which simply did not exist in Bolgheri. This was not a nostalgic look back, nor a romanticisation. It was a response to an increasingly pressing reality: heat and drought. The Alberello training system makes the vines more resilient. Their low, spreading growth shades the ground, reduces water evaporation and forces the roots to grow deeper. The vines were planted according to the so-called ‘settonce’ pattern – a hexagonal system in which each vine is exactly the same distance from all its surrounding neighbours. An arrangement that combines maximum space with minimal competition.

Chardonnay Cuvée Bois - a white celebrated year after year with an elegant bouquet of citrus fruit, butter and vanilla. The flavour is captivating with good acidity and minerality. SUPERIORE.DE

Intense ruby red Vino Nobile Riserva with a spicy bouquet of aromas of dried fruit, cinnamon, cloves and liquorice. Smooth on the palate with a variety of nuances, beautiful fullness, structure and intensity, supple tannins. Very elegant pleasure at an excellent price. SUPERIORE.DE

Castello Romitorio's 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a classic expression of the 5-star vintage in Montalcino (consortium rating), showing plenty of ripe fruit, minerality, herbal nuances and varietal purity. This wine hits the sweet spot between elegance and power, which is not easy to achieve. It offers a wide range of Sangiovese flavours with wild cherry, forest floor, crushed clove and medicinal herbs, but it also shows a plump density and a velvety texture. Filippo Chia and his team have created a highly attractive Brunello for medium to long drinking. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for this fine white wine from the north side of Mount Etna come from the 3-hectare Contrada Muganazzi in the municipality of Passopisciaro. The skeleton-rich and pH-neutral soils are rich in iron and nitrogen and offer ideal conditions for fresh, acidic and mineral white wines. The wine is aged in equal parts in wood and stainless steel for 12 months on the fine lees. Muganazzi is neither a lean wine, nor is it too full-bodied. It is somewhere in between, with thick layers of peach, apricot and lots of fresh citrus fruit. The mineral notes such as gravel, flint and volcanic ash are very evident. An elegant, powerful Carricante with great drinking flow that clearly shows the signature of the sensitive Alberto Graci. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all – and rarely has a wine deserved its name so consistently. Quartz: a mineral that was formed in fire, has survived for millions of years and is still visible today in Terlan's soils as a fine speckle in the volcanic porphyry rock. 55 to 60 per cent quartz content, slightly acidic pH value, skeleton-rich sandy-loamy structure without carbonate – a soil that allows water to pass through, rations nutrients and puts the vine under controlled stress. This micro-stress is not a deficiency. It is intentional. It forces the plant to produce terroir-specific polyphenols, which give the wine the savoury tension for which Terlan is internationally renowned.

Andrea Cortonesi's Brunello di Montalcino 2020 shows its best side right from the start; it is a Brunello of broodingbeauty, intensity and complexity. The nose is characterised by a generous dose of primary fruit, primarily cherry and blackberry. This is complemented by wonderfully balanced secondary flavours from the oak, reminiscent of spices, cinnamon and dark smoke. On the palate, it explodes from the starting line and delivers a steady pace throughout. Subtle notes of spice and barbecue smoke add further facets to the impressive finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the estate's classic Barolo come from the vineyards/communes of Ornato, La Serra, Briccolina in Serralunga d'Alba, Gustava and Garretti in Grinzane Cavour, Roncaglie in La Morra, Ravera in Novello and, from the 2015 vintage, also from Mosconi in Monforte d'Alba. It is more of a traditional, classic Barolo with an exciting bouquet of deep, dark fruit and a pretty potpourri of rose petals, spices, smoke and tar. It is full-bodied and firm on the palate, opening up with plenty of dense tannins, very powerful, with pressure and a full bite on the finish, designed for a long life. SUPERIORE.DE

In the hills south of Castelnuovo dell'Abate, where the soils are characterised by galestro and clay and the view sweeps over the Orcia Valley, a Rosso is created that can hardly be called a "second wine". Poggio di Sotto elevates the genre of Rosso di Montalcino to an art form and the 2022 vintage emphasises this with rare clarity. The year was warm, but not impetuous: after a dry winter, the summer brought high temperatures, but also large temperature differences between day and night. The autumn, dry and mild, allowed for a late, staggered harvest: An advantage for a winery that harvests Sangiovese as selectively as if it were a Grand Cru. The wine is fermented spontaneously in open wooden vats and matured in large Slavonian oak barrels – for almost three years, although the law requires far less. What would be a Brunello in other cellars is deliberately bottled as a Rosso here. And that is by no means an understatement, but a stylistic decision.

Sigmund Freud defined the "id" as that part of the psyche that only obeys a single principle: lust. Unbridled, unregulated, beyond space and time. When Gianfranco Fino gave his wine this name, it was not marketing – it was a manifesto. In 2004, the former olive consultant bought his first vineyard: just 1.3 hectares near Manduria, planted with Primitivo vines over fifty years old in traditional Alberello cultivation. What began as an experiment became a revolution. Six years later, Fino stood on the stage of the Gambero Rosso and received the "Winemaker of the Year" award – the first ever winemaker from central or southern Italy. In a row with northern Italian legends such as Josko Gravner and Romano Dal Forno.

Sandro Chia's remarkable 2020 vintage is taut, forward and downright bold in the glass. On the palate, it impresses with a lot of natural richness and beautiful opulence of fruit, complemented by varietal elements of wild cherry, blue flowers and soft earth. Secondary flavours of tobacco, cedar and cinnamon then quickly surprise, adding complexity and personality to the wine, which is built up in many deep layers. It has wonderful potential for further ageing in the bottle, but it is already an absolute delight and the quality of the fruit and its length make it irresistible. SUPERIORE.DE

Since the first bottling in 2004, this wine has embodied the purest and most direct interpretation of Bolgheri à la Le Macchiole - a Rosso of grace and intensity, easy to drink without compromising on structure and complexity. The historic winery, founded in 1983 by Eugenio Campolmi and Cinzia Merli as pioneers of the region, has distilled its understanding of terroir with this Bordeaux blend of 40% Merlot, 20% each of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The challenging 2023 vintage with its changeable summer demanded precise decisions during the harvest – a test that Le Macchiole's experienced team under Cinzia Merli passed with flying colours. 15 days of maceration in steel, followed by 10 months of ageing, 70% in used barriques and 30% in concrete, give the wine its characteristic balance.

A Barbaresco from our own vineyards in Treiso and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio. Each parcel is harvested separately and fermented in stainless steel; gentle remontage, selective délestage, followed by calm malolactic fermentation. For the maturation phase, the winery uses large Slavonian barrels, supplemented by a smaller proportion of French oak – not to provide flavour, but to fine-tune the texture and balance. Thanks to stable summer weather and cool nights in autumn, 2020 produced fully ripe, healthy harvestwith a well-proportioned acidity line.

2019 was a gift to Nebbiolo in the Barbaresco DOCG - and Vanotu has accepted it. This Barbaresco from the historic Basarin cru vineyard in Neive bears the signature of a great vintage with quiet naturalness: nothing is overdrawn, nothing loud - everything is in its place with quiet precision. The vines stand on sparse limestone marl, interspersed with sandy veins, with optimal south-west exposure. This site produces wines with depth and tension, but also airiness - a play of power and transparency that is exemplified in Vanotu 2019. The wine was matured for 20 months in French barriques, sensitively dosed, only to frame the wine, not to mould it.