Vinibuoni

Susumaniello is one of the indigenous grape varieties of Apulia that almost disappeared. Cantine Due Palme was one of the first wineries to recognise the potential of this historic variety from the Alto Salento region around Brindisi and saved it with foresight – vinified in purity to preserve its unique character. The name already reveals its speciality: "Carico come un somarello" – loaded like a donkey – refers to the exceptional fruitiness of the young vines. After around ten years, the yield drops significantly, and only then does Susumaniello produce grapes of astonishing quality. The grapes are easy to recognise: Their ink-blue coloured berries have an extremely high anthocyanin content, which is why Susumaniello was often used as a blending partner in the past to lend depth of colour to other wines. For the Serre, the grapes are harvested by hand in small crates late at the end of September, when they are slightly overripe for optimum concentration. Vinification takes place in horizontal rotary fermenters at a controlled temperature, followed by six months of ageing in French barriques.

A Nero d'Avola with style and everyday appeal, made from grapes grown in the province of Caltanissetta (near Lago di Disueri), where clay and limestone soils, combined with significant temperature variations between day and night, lend the wine aromatic depth. In the glass, a rich ruby red with a purplish rim. Aromas of ripe cherries, blueberries, dried herbs and a hint of liquorice. On the palate, it is soft and fruit-forward, with gentle tannins, lively freshness and a smooth, easy-drinking quality. Ageing in stainless steel ensures clarity and varietal character. A very typical and cleanly vinified Nero d'Avola with a Mediterranean character – ideal with pasta, braised vegetables or grilled meat. SUPERIORE.DE

This Montepulciano from the hills of Abruzzo has a classic style and is aged in large oak barrels. Deep ruby red colour with a purple rim. Dark cherries, stewed plums, dried herbs, a hint of leather and fine spice on the nose. Round on the palate, with ripe fruit, polished tannins, well-integrated acidity and a harmonious, spicy finish. A wine full of character and at the same time accessible with a beautiful regional expression – down-to-earth, honest and wonderfully compatible. SUPERIORE.DE

Zenato has stood for reliable quality from the Veneto region since 1960 – no experiments, but solid craftsmanship over generations. The home of this Valpolicella Superiore is the gentle vineyards in the soft hills of Valpolicella Classica, in the heart of Sant'Ambrogio. Corvina Veronese forms the backbone with 85 per cent, supplemented by Rondinella and Corvinone from the 35 hectares of own vineyards. The grapes are harvested by hand in October, de-stemmed and macerated in stainless steel for ten days before the wine matures for twelve months in large oak barrels.

Pagis" becomes "Fallwind". The Fallwind wines are ambassadors of their terroir and reflect the strengths of the growing region in a unique way. Most of them are selected sites where viticulture has been practised for centuries. Strict quality guidelines, low yields, intensive manual work in the vineyard as well as gentle and individual maturation in the cellar make them what they are: Wines full of character, precise and unique, which convince every connoisseur with their varietal characteristics.

The name Rifugio – refuge – tells of underground hiding places where the inhabitants of Salento once protected themselves from danger. Today, an entire area near Veglie bears this name, where particularly high-quality Primitivo grapes thrive on alluvial, clayey soils with limestone deposits. The traditional Conti Zecca winery, owned by the noble family since the 16th century and one of the icons of Apulia with 320 hectares of vineyards, vinifies this single-varietal Primitivo using tried and tested methods: manual harvesting with selection at the sorting table, gentle destemming and pressing, twelve-day maceration at 25 degrees, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Maturation takes place over twelve months in large oak barrels of 30 hectolitres and in resin-sealed concrete tanks, followed by a short period of maturation in the bottle.

A bestseller and classic with a reputation: "Duca Sanfelice" is a flagship for the indigenous Gaglioppo grape variety and demonstrates the expressive wines that can be produced from the sun-kissed hills around Cirò. The Riserva comes from old vines on clayey and calcareous soils, vinified in steel tanks and then matured in stainless steel for 24 months. Deep ruby red in colour. Dark cherry, dried plums, herbs, some liquorice and a hint of tobacco on the nose – spicy and Mediterranean flavours. Dry on the palate, with ripe fruit, pithy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long, powerful and carried by earthy warmth and fine spice.

This still Muscat, which was conceived as the "little brother" of Torcolato and Acininobili, is a masterpiece and proves once again that Fausto Maculan is one of the world's best producers of dessert wines. Dindarello enchants with a marvellous blend of peach sorbet, kiwi and fresh mint. These aromas accompany the wonderfully full flavour right through to the finish. Its perfect balance between sweetness and acidity will ennoble any meal. SUPERIORE.DE

The oldest red wine variety in South Tyrol finds ideal conditions at the Ebnerhof in a wind-protected, warm south-east location. On the terraced vineyards, which the Unterthiner family has been cultivating for generations, Vernatsch thrives on Pergel vines that are up to 18 years old – the traditional form of cultivation that is part of the South Tyrolean landscape. After gentle processing, the wine ferments in stainless steel tanks before maturing in large wooden barrels – just the right balance between freshness and structure.

Deep, dark ruby red with a garnet red centre. The aroma is warm and complex: black cherry, dried plums, a pinch of tobacco and balsamic notes, underpinned by a hint of liquorice and toast. Powerful and well-structured on the palate, with dense tannins and a ripe, almost velvety texture. The ageing in barriques adds depth without overpowering the fruit. Negroamaro in this Riserva form shows its full potential: independent, complex and with elegant maturity. An authentic representative of the DOC Leverano, characterised by the warm climate of Salento and the craftsmanship of Conti Zecca. SUPERIORE.DE

Giravolta – a name with a history. This was the name of the racehorse that once galloped across the Pozzopalo stud farm and always turned round abruptly in front of the old tuff quarry. This "U-turn" gave the wine its name, but it is the terra bianca, the white earth, that characterises it. While the basic Primitivo comes from the Terra Rossa, the Giravolta grows on calcareous, white soil, created by the breaking up of limestone. The tuffy, stony composition ensures rapid water drainage, but the porous stones also store moisture for the roots.

Prugnolo Gentile – is the name given to Sangiovese in Montepulciano. And mammolo simply means violet in Italian. Anyone who knows the aromas of this wine will understand why the Corradi-De Ferrari family uses both: 85% Prugnolo Gentile for freshness and fruit, 15% Mammolo for the floral perfume that makes this Rosso unmistakable. Boscarelli has been producing Prugnolo as Rosso di Montepulciano since 1989 – from the youngest, most fragrant vines in the Cervognano cru vineyard at 280 to 350 metres, on calcareous alluvial soil with sand, silt and clay. Organic cultivation. Hand-picked in crates, selection at the sorting table, natural yeast fermentation in steel, 6 months maturation in glazed cement tanks.

Nocera - this noble vine is only grown on a few hectares in the province of Messina, on a spectacular vineyard surrounded by the sea. Bright garnet red in colour, with an original aroma of white pepper, cherries, geranium and summer fruits. The typical fresh, fruity flavour of this old Sicilian grape is convincing. A fine salty vein in the spicy final. An unforgettable experience from Planeta's Capo Milazzo branch on the coast north of Mount Etna. SUPERIORE.DE

Behind the Castello di Soave, invisible to the tourists enjoying the view of the plain, lies a vineyard that epitomises the opposite of what Soave has been for decades. No mass product, no compromise. Ferra is single-varietal Garganega from volcanic gravel – of a hilltop that has belonged to the Rizzardi family since 1977 and has been bottled as a single vineyard since 2014. What makes this Soave stand out from the standard, pleasing wines: Garganega gets the full stage here. Fermentation in glazed cement tanks preserves the mineral precision, while six months in large foudres give the wine texture, depth and richness that go far beyond what is expected from the appellation.

South Tyrol's autochthonous king grape variety finds its ancestral terroir on the permeable gravel and crushed stone soils of the Bolzano valley floor at 250 metres. Here, where "Lagrinum" was first mentioned in a document as early as 1379, Lagrein thrives in its heartland – the warm, sun-drenched vineyards around Gries with their extreme day-night temperature fluctuations. The traditional mash fermentation in stainless steel with controlled fermentation and gentle mash movement, followed by malolactic fermentation and six months of ageing in large oak barrels, gives Rubeno its characteristic structure and elegance.

On 12 May 1937, King George VI of England was crowned. At the coronation banquet that followed the historic ceremony, there was one wine on the table: Bertani Soave. Not champagne, not Bordeaux. Soave. From a house that, ever since 1857 – when Gaetano Bertani trained under Jules Guyot in Burgundy – had been committed to the belief that the wines of Verona need not shy away from comparison with the best in the world. The Original Vintage Edition pays homage to this heritage. Made according to the estate's traditional recipe, from vines on the western slope of the Soave hill north of the Castello, the historic heart of the Classico zone, where Garganega grows on volcanic-limestone soil and the air smells of old vineyards. 100% Garganega. Nine months in concrete tanks. Six months in bottle. The concrete preserves freshness and allows the terroir to express itself without overpowering it.