Veronelli

Fumin epitomises the soul of alpine wine with a peppery palette of sage, rosemary and mint giving way to rose petals and a hint of camphor. It is refined yet full of life, with red berries reminiscent of citrus and a core of minerals and vibrant acidity. Finishes remarkably clean yet perfumed, with a lingering tension of sour berries. SUPERIORE.DE

Brilliant, rich yellow with silver-green reflections. The bouquet has pronounced smoky, mineral notes, full flavours of mango, citrus fruit, sage and asparagus. It shows its true class on the palate: wonderfully complex structure, lots of naturally sweet flavour, refreshing acidity and a juiciness, strength and length that can only be achieved through long contact with the lees and simultaneous agitation. Very convincing, downright captivating! SUPERIORE.DE

Here comes a Barbera that is in no hurry – it takes the time that character and depth require. 2020 was an exceptional year in the Nice DOCG region: late budding, a gentle, warm growing season and a sparkling, golden autumn. The result? Wines with precise fruit, deep texture and an elegance that begins to dance in the glass. In the light, a dense ruby red with garnet-coloured reflections, deep and inviting. The nose is both charming and dense: ripe cherry and plum stand out, complemented by violets, liquorice, delicate spicy notes and a fine, smoky undercurrent, as if the Barbera were whispering its origins. On the palate, it unfolds with velvety softness and structure at the same time. Fine-grained tannins envelop the supple fruit, the lively acidity provides tension and balance, while a spicy mineral vein gives length and banishes perplexity on the finish. No woodiness that screams – just fine, chalky elegance that holds everything together. A Barbera Riserva that shows character, powerful, brooding and with serene charm – perfect for the palate seeking pleasure with personality. SUPERIORE.DE

The first vines were planted in 1952 on the ridge that today gives the wine its name. Poggio Lombrone – the hill overlooking the Ombrone Valley. Seventy years later, some of these vines are still standing. Their yield is low, their concentration exceptional. Whoever says cru means exactly that. The vineyard lies at 300 metres, the soils are tufaceous clays and calcareous marl slate – maremma terroir in its wildest and most concentrated form. Long fermentation in open wooden conical fermenters with manual punching down, complete malolactic fermentation, then 18 months in 30-hectolitre oak barrels, followed by at least 24 months in the bottle.

The Viognier and Chardonnay vines grow on Caiarossa's most calcareous terroir. The grapes are fermented separately in oak barrels, matured on the lees and blended at the end, with little or no racking in order to produce the wine with as little oxygen contact as possible. The result is a precise and clean white wine that, with its beautiful volume, depth and smoothness with fragrant flavours of flowers and almonds, goes well with a delicate and fragrant pesto. SUPERIORE.DE

Brilliant golden yellow colour. Complex notes of light peach, fresh pineapple and poached apricot on the nose. Rich and creamy on the palate with accents of smoke and toasted almonds. The finish is long-lasting, mineral and herb-accentuated. This very focussed and complex white paints a beautiful portrait of the refined side of the Trebbiano di Lugana grape, which is becoming increasingly popular. SUPERIORE.DE

There are grape varieties that have to wait decades for a visionary to recognise their true potential. Trebbiano d'Abruzzo was one such forgotten variety until Gianni Masciarelli started a revolution in 1981 that changed the face of Abruzzo viticulture forever. He was the first producer in the region to introduce the Guyot training system and French barriques, driven by a philosophy he called "innovazione continua" – continuous innovation in the service of tradition. Today, the vineyards surrounding the historic Castello di Semivicoli combine the fruits of this vision with the poetry of a place that has itself experienced a rebirth. Here, between Gran Sasso and Majella at an altitude of 380 metres, two very special Trebbiano vineyards take root: one with vines over forty years old that still embody the original vigour of the variety, and a younger one that Gianni planted at the end of the 1990s using the modern Guyot system – a symbiosis of grown wisdom and innovative spirit.

Stoan has a spicy and floral aroma of ginger, crushed apples, savoury herbs and wet slate. It feels soothingly silky yet upbeat, focusing on ripe orchard fruits, along with a subtle hint of candied citrus for contrast. The palate remains crisp and clean with nuances of grapefruit and lime that linger. Firm pressure on the final, savoury. SUPERIORE.DE

Amarone Selezione Antonio Castagnedi delivers high quality at a fantastic price every year. If you've ever had the opportunity to stand in old, hand-fired brick drying sheds, three storeys high, filled with hot steam, leaves tied in bundles, stacked up and up and up, you'll know what this wine smells like. It is an extraordinary odour. It smells of steam-soaked red clay bricks, of tobacco leaves, green, yellow, gold, copper-coloured, brown and of earth, spices, dust and oven smoke. It is the smell of a good Amarone.

As always, the Cerviolo is excellent: concentrated, with the aroma of red cherry, sweet tobacco, walnut and wild mushroom. Silky and multi-layered on the palate, with balsamic and spicy notes, dense and soft, with absolutely harmonious tannins. A marvellous wine! SUPERIORE.DE

Don Antonio is not only a great and powerful wine, it is also a monument. Dedicated to the father of the Morgante family, this Nero d'Avola embodies the quintessence of the passion with which vines have been cultivated in the hills of Grotte for generations. The grapes come from old vines and the best altitudes of up to 500 metres, where day-night temperature fluctuations, limestone soils and the sea breeze favour a Mediterranean but wonderfully developed profile. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine is aged for twelve months in French barriques, followed by a further maturation phase in the bottle.

Cultus is Latin for "cultivation, care and veneration". The name says it all: this wine honours tradition by reinterpreting it. Where the house's classic Riserva relies on tried and tested structures, Cultus dares to take a longer breath. Forty days of maceration instead of the usual three weeks, Sangiovese supplemented by the historical companions Colorino, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo – all from massalselection of the estate's oldest vines. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 250 to 330 metres, on clayey loam over limestone, organically farmed since 1995 and certified since 2003. The 2019 vintage brought ideal conditions: early budding in the warm spring, balancing rainfall into the summer, then perfect ripeness.

La Grola is the eponymous, historic vineyard where Corvina, the indigenous grape of Valpolicella, is believed to have originated. The replanting of the vineyard by Giovanni Allegrini triggered an agronomic revolution and laid the foundations for the success of this wine-growing region, which today stands for convincing, great red wines from north-east Italy. With the 2022 vintage, La Grola returns to its origins: declared Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC for the first time, it marks a new phase for this iconic wine from Allegrini. The cuvée of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella comes from the limestone terraces of the La Grola hill, exposed to the south-east and consistently selectively harvested. After fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is matured in barriques, some new, some used.

It is a story of transformation, written in the granite slopes of Gallura. Vign'Angena – the "foreign vineyard" in the Sardinian dialect – bears a name full of poetic irony. What once began as rented land, whose grapes Capichera used in the early years of her Vermentino revolution, became the quintessence of her own excellence. Since the first vinification in 1994, this DOCG wine has embodied the purest soul of the Gallurese terroir. Where the rows of vines between Olbia and Palau breathe the salty winds of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Vermentino thrives on the same soils that once harboured Nuragic giants. The nearby tomb of Coddu 'Ecchju silently tells of thousands of years of Sardinian history – here, where Fabrizio and Mario Ragnedda realised their vision of a new Vermentino era. No wood touches these grapes; only cool stainless steel preserves the crystalline purity of the harvest, which does not begin until mid-August each year.

The grapes for this high-calibre Valpolicella Classico Superiore come from the rather barren, calcareous and terraced vineyards of Tenuta Novare above the Ognisanti church. Wines of greater complexity, perfect structure and higher concentration are produced here than in most other vineyards in Valpolicella. Sparkling ruby-garnet colour. Fragrant nose with wonderful overtones of sour cherry, dried flowers and white pepper. Perfectly balanced on the palate with firm tannins and wonderful spice and depth of fruit thanks to the ageing in wood. A superior, winning wine from the heart of the Valpolicella region. SUPERIORE.DE

Don Antonio is not only a great and powerful wine, it is also a monument. Dedicated to the father of the Morgante family, this Nero d'Avola embodies the quintessence of the passion with which vines have been cultivated in the hills of Grotte for generations. The grapes come from old vines and the best altitudes of up to 500 metres, where day-night temperature fluctuations, limestone soils and the sea breeze favour a Mediterranean but wonderfully developed profile. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine is aged for twelve months in French barriques, followed by a further maturation phase in the bottle.

Beautiful Malvasia with a lot of varietal expression and an impressive potpourri of flavours. Jasmine, pear and white peach develop in the glass, with hints of passion fruit, spices and lime on the palate. Soft texture, very good structure and a complexity that opens up new facets with every sip. The finish is deep and long and, as always, the long yeast ageing time ensures promising ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE