Veronelli

Chiara Boschi's Cannubi 2020 beguiles on the nose with layers of fragrant fruit. A sensual Barolo and yet quite typical in its vineyard character. Soft, silky tannins frame the long finish. A wonderful wine, characterised by its balance and above all by the sweetness of its tannins. Very full-bodied, focussed and with great length. SUPERIORE.DE

Eucalyptus and red berries on the nose. Energetic, deep and elegant Barbaresco with a cornucopia of fruit, plus some rose petals and spices. Wonderfully polished style, one of Pelissero's great wines. SUPERIORE.DE

The Palafreno was not a warhorse. In the parades and processions of the Middle Ages, it carried the knight before the public – nobly and with dignity. Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni chose this name for his Merlot because it perfectly describes what he hoped to achieve with this grape variety: not power for power's sake, but character with poise. Querciabella was founded in 1974 by Sebastiano's father, Giuseppe, in Greve in Chianti. Organically farmed and vegan-produced since 1988 – the estate articulated its commitment to integrity earlier than most others. The Palafreno is Sebastiano's personal project: pure Merlot, from the finest vines in Ruffoli, the Cipresso and Marrone plots, on galestro-rich soil amidst olive groves and oak forests. Produced not to cater to the market, but to demonstrate what Merlot is capable of in the heart of Chianti Classico when taken seriously.

The wine bears the name of its creator – and with good reason. Andrea Franchetti, the pioneer of modern Etna viticulture who sadly died far too early in 2021, dared to do the unthinkable in the early 2000s: he planted international grape varieties at extreme altitudes on a remote lava slope in Passopisciaro with the aim of producing a wine that would not adapt but set new standards. Franchetti is made from Petit Verdot and Cesanese d'Affile in one of the highest and most radiant areas of the volcano. The lava rock, the light, the altitude – everything here seems more concentrated, more intense, magical, almost supernatural.

Coltassala Gran Selezione is an impeccable representative of the royal class in Chianti Classico. The immensely fragrant bouquet shows black fruits, spices and ploughed earth. All the aromas are on the dark and spicy side, but the wine always remains fresh, dense, buoyant and very linear. Shows rich volume and a strong personality and precision. SUPERIORE.DE

Just 3,500 bottles from the oldest vines of the Salco vineyard are only sold in the best vintages. In the glass, we are delighted by an extremely elegant Sangiovese with a very harmonious texture and very classic, earthy and spicy notes. SUPERIORE.DE

The name harks back to the depths of the family's history: Ridolfo, son of Geremia and progenitor of the Firidolfi branch, lived in the 10th century. Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, the 37th generation, still cultivates the same hills in Gaiole in Chianti today – and distils the very essence of what his terroir has to offer into this wine. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Pugnitello: international flair and tradition in equal measure. The Pugnitello, an indigenous variety that had almost died out, is grown here under organic certification on calcareous-clay soils at altitudes of between 340 and 510 metres. It contributes wild fruit, pepper and mineral depth. The Cabernet brings linearity and silky tannins. Hand-harvested in three stages, fermented in upright wooden tanks with wild yeasts, aged for 24 months in Allier barriques and tonneaux, followed by 36 months' bottle ageing. Magnum, hand-numbered, produced only in outstanding vintages.

Gant is synonymous with excellence. For years, this Merlot Riserva has been Andrian's flagship wine. A wine that demonstrates what this international grape variety is capable of at South Tyrolean altitudes. Whilst Merlot often becomes too opulent elsewhere, here, between 250 and 300 metres above the Adige Valley, it reveals its elegant side. The vineyard sites are perfectly chosen: medium-textured, sandy loam soil ensures good drainage and prevents the Merlot from becoming too rich. The cooler microclimate slows down ripening, preserves the acidity and ensures finer tannins. This is exactly what this grape variety needs to develop character rather than just power. The vinification follows classic methods: fermentation of the must in stainless steel tanks with gentle agitation of the must. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine is transferred to barriques for malolactic fermentation and further ageing. The oak integrates elegantly, providing structure without being overpowering. Time and patience are two of the secrets behind the Gant.

A Barbera with a closed gaze – as if you were looking into a dark, purple-red depth from which concentrated essences rise. Scarrone Vigna Vecchia comes from vines that are decades old – partly planted around 1918 – in the Scarrone vineyard near Castiglione Falletto. In the cellar, spontaneous fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by around 16 months of ageing in predominantly French barriques (proportion new), where intelligent use of wood subtly helps the terroir. The 2021 vintage brought full maturity, dense fruit and clear acidity – the best prerequisites for an expressive but elegant Barbera with Storage potential.

Ten years. With the 2020 vintage, Appius is celebrating its first decade – and what a decade it has been. When Hans Terzer first bottled his dream wine in 2010, he had already been nurturing the idea for a long time. During his walks through the vineyards, he had noticed that certain low-yielding old vines in the historic vineyards of Eppan produced a quality that demanded its own distinct identity – something distinct from the celebrated Sanct-Valentin range. Originally, the wine was to be called "Oans" – Piedmontese for "one" – but the name was already taken. So it became Appius: the Roman name for Eppan, derived from Appianum, the "estate of Appius".

It was Eugenio Campolmi who, in 1989, plucked up the courage to give his flagship the name of a wild herb that grows on the Tuscan coast. Eugenio Campolmi (†2002) was not originally from the world of wine. He came from a family of restaurateurs and should have taken over his parents' restaurant and trading business. Instead, he and his wife Cinzia Merli took a bold leap into the unknown in 1983. Paleo – a name that stands for unbending identity and the will to achieve any goal. What began as a classic Bordeaux blend found its true destiny in 2001: 100% Cabernet Franc, a revolution in the still young Bolgheri.

It was Eugenio Campolmi who, in 1989, plucked up the courage to give his flagship the name of a wild herb that grows on the Tuscan coast. Eugenio Campolmi (†2002) was not originally from the world of wine. He came from a family of restaurateurs and was supposed to take over his parents' restaurant and trading business. Instead, he and his wife Cinzia Merli took a bold leap into the unknown in 1983. Paleo – a name that stands for unbending identity and the will to achieve any goal. What began as a classic Bordeaux blend found its true destiny in 2001: 100% Cabernet Franc, a revolution in the still young Bolgheri.

Syrah Suisassi is rich and expressive. The bouquet is convincing with aromas of sage, rosemary, wild flowers, liquorice, violets and plums. On the palate very full and round with memories of berries, chocolate and nuts. Elegant and intellectual. SUPERIORE.DE

The purchase of the Mosconi Cru parcels in Monforte by Pio Boffa is one of the last major decisions taken by the estate – with the aim of complementing the depth of Serralunga (Ornato) with Monforte gravity. Selective hand-picking; separate fermentation in stainless steel with a carefully extended maceration period, malolactic without haste. Classic ageing in large barrels, moderate proportion of French oak as a fine brushstroke of texture. The 2020 vintage fitted in well with the concept: a stable summer, clear nights for ripening and precise harvest – healthy, ripe harvest, polished phenolics and generous, balanced fruit were the result.

High above Sambuca Val di Pesa, just three kilometres south of the famous Tenuta Tignanello, rises the venerable Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo – a bastion of faith since the 10th century, where Giovanni Gualberto, the founder of the Vallombrosan order, once lived and died. Here, where wine of exceptional quality was already appreciated around the year 1000, only the finest Sangiovese grapes thrive on calcareous soils with a clay content at an altitude of 300 metres. The historical importance of this place is documented in hundreds of volumes in the Florentine state archives – centuries of Sangiovese cultivation and rural life, preserved for eternity.

Briccotto is a traditional Barolo from the Bussia vineyard, which used to be sold only in 1.Liters bottles. Even today, the wine is only produced in small quantities; the vineyard covers just 0.3 hectares and is planted with Nebbiolo vines, some of which are 40 years old. Rich ruby colour with a slight garnet rim. Intense, finely characterised nose with pronounced fruity nuances, lots of blackberry, dark cherry, also some cranberry. Dense and polished tannins on the palate, almost silky core, embedded in ripe berry fruit. Earthy notes on the final, savoury and long, an aristocratic wine monument! SUPERIORE.DE

Emanuele Pangrazi is arguably the most ambitious winemaker in Lazio at present. With his extremely high planting density and radical yield restriction, he is charting a course that points the way forward for Lazio. Having carried out a thorough analysis of his terroir and the climatic conditions, it became clear to him in 2006 that he would primarily plant French grape varieties here, following the principles of the great wines of the Rhône. In addition to his famous Cuvée Habemus (Etichetta Bianca) and the San Giovenale Rosso (a blend of two vintages of Habemus), he also produces four single-varietal Habemus wines, albeit in extremely limited quantities.

A monument from Montepulciano – and yet not a stylistic muscleman: Kurni is the expression of an uncompromising philosophy that aims for density, balance and expression rather than volume. The vines are deeply rooted in the clay-limestone soils of the southern Marche region, are meticulously tended and produce minimal yields. The hand-picked grapes undergo a long maceration period before the wine matures for 18 months in new French barriques.

In Andrea Cortonesi's own words, 2019 was the first vintage since the legendary 1990 that gave him the feeling that everything was in balance. A slow start to vegetation after a rainy winter, a summer without heat peaks, even ripening until September. Harvest from 25 September – clean, healthy, concentrated. Already a stroke of luck for the Annata. For the Riserva: a perfect invitation. But not every vintage becomes a Riserva. And not every grape in the best vintage. Cortonesi only uses the oldest vines for the Riserva – planted in 1975, back when the word Brunello was hardly known outside Montalcino. Seven hectares, spread over sites between 150 and 350 metres in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, calcareous-clayey soils with marl and mineral structure. What grows here has decades of life in it.

Historically, the vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli are located in the areas of three neighbouring municipalities of Chianti Classico: Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Radda in Chianti. With the 2017 vintage, the Mazzei family vinified all three large vineyards separately as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione for the first time in order to recognise the diversity of the terroir: Castello di Fonterutoli, Vicoregio 36 and Badiòla.

Ten years. With the 2020 vintage, Appius is celebrating its first decade – and what a decade it has been. When Hans Terzer first bottled his dream wine in 2010, he had already been nurturing the idea for a long time. During his walks through the vineyards, he had noticed that certain low-yielding old vines in the historic vineyards of Eppan produced a quality that demanded its own distinct identity – something distinct from the celebrated Sanct-Valentin range. Originally, the wine was to be called "Oans" – Piedmontese for "one" – but the name was already taken. So it became Appius: the Roman name for Eppan, derived from Appianum, the "estate of Appius".

Historically, the vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli are located in the areas of three neighbouring municipalities of Chianti Classico: Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Radda in Chianti. With the 2017 vintage, the Mazzei family vinified all three large vineyards separately as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione for the first time in order to recognise the diversity of the terroir: Castello di Fonterutoli, Vicoregio 36 and Badiòla.

Emanuele Pangrazi is probably Lazio's most ambitious winemaker at the moment. With his extreme planting density and radical yield restriction, he is following a path that is trend-setting for Lazio. After he had fundamentally analysed his terroir and also the climatic conditions, it was clear to him in 2006 that he would plant mainly French grape varieties here according to the principle of the great wines of the Rhone. In addition to his famous Cuvée Habemus (Etichetta Bianca) and the San Giovenale Rosso (assemblage from two vintages of Habemus), he also vinifies four single-varietal Habemus wines, but these are absolutely small.

Gambero Rosso named the Giodo Brunello 2020 "The best red wine in Italy in 2026", and the reasoning reads like a silent tribute: "The sum of his experience with Sangiovese, his first love." His daughter Bianca Ferrini added what is behind the wine: "It is the first vintage in the new cellar, the first chapter together with my father."