Vinibuoni

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.

Serrocielo is the elegant cru version of Falanghina – vinified from selected parcels around Benevento, whose altitude and limestone-clay soils give the grape variety expression and finesse. Pale straw yellow in colour with silvery reflections. Precise aromas of lime zest, white peach, herbs and a hint of wet chalk on the nose. Straightforward and delicately flavoured on the palate, with mineral tension, well-integrated acidity and a delicate melting finish. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the purity, while the selective hand-picking ensures depth. A Falanghina full of character with cool elegance – interpreted in a modern way without denying its southern Italian soul. SUPERIORE.DE

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

Dry Zibibbo (Muscat from Alexandria) from the island of Pantelleria, grown at an altitude of around 300 metres in ferrous soils of volcanic origin. Isesi is delicately floral and smells of honeysuckle and perfumed star jasmine, which is appropriately called Sicilian jasmine in Italy. The flavour is dry and balanced, with just the right softness, freshness and lightness to make this high-quality white wine so incredibly charming and delicate. SUPERIORE.DE

Mozart knew what he was doing. In the second act of Don Giovanni, his hero calls for wine – and it is the Marzemino that he desires: "Eccellente Marzemino!" It was to be his last indulgence before his just punishment. The variety, which is related to Refosco and Teroldego, has lost little of its seductive power since then. Maculan cultivates it in Fara Vicentino, on a vineyard called Cornorotto – volcanic tuff hills, mineral-rich soil. The grapes are lightly dried for a week before being placed in steel tanks – a quiet trick that brings concentration and depth without heaviness.

The Latin Merus stands for pure or genuine. All Merus wines have this claim and are characterised by varietal character and natural elegance. The grapes come from vineyards in the lowlands and are pressed in steel and concrete barrels. The result is wines that are open, fresh and accessible at an early stage. Bright golden yellow in colour. Distinctive bouquet of ripe grapes and candied fruit, accompanied by fine notes of honey, oriental spices, sage and rose petals. A full-bodied and harmonious wine with a respectable finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Wonderfully "different" and complex Soave from vines over 20 years old. Sparkling light yellow colour with green reflections. A restrained, reductive bouquet of bitter almond, flint, white and yellow fruit jam, dried fruit and biscuits. The palate is dry, warm and soft, yet fresh, spicy and slightly astringent, with a full, balanced body. With increasing aeration, it reveals its great complexity. SUPERIORE.DE

Sand. The name is geology – and programme. The Lagrein vineyards are located in Gries, a district of Bolzano, at 250 metres above sea level in a closed basin that is one of the warmest locations in South Tyrol. Sandy alluvial soils of the Talfer river, interspersed with porphyry – a subsoil that stores heat, releases it slowly and gives the Lagrein the depth it needs to develop to its full potential. Mediterranean, hot, with an intensity not found at the cooler altitudes of the mountains. Lagrein is South Tyrol's most distinctive autochthonous red wine variety – dark fruity, rich in tannins, with a typical bitter almond flavour in the final that makes it unmistakable. Hand-picked, carefully destemmed, fermented in steel with gentle pumping over, malolactic fermentation, then aged for seven months in 40-hectolitre wooden barrels.

An askos was a small Greek clay vessel dating from the 1st century BC – an ancient Decanter, designed for pouring wine. Masseria Li Veli has made this name the symbol of an entire project: the rescue, research and promotion of Apulian grape varieties that had almost vanished from the region’s collective memory. Susumaniello is one of them. For the Askos, Li Veli uses exclusively grapes from plots with particular suitability, cultivated according to the rules of an ancient tradition. Vines over 20 years old – partly trained in the traditional Alberello style, partly as Cordone speronato. Clay-sand soils with limestone deposits, hand-harvested at the end of September. Fermentation in French oak vats at controlled temperatures. Maturation in barriques and large French oak barrels.

Redimore Aglianico comes from a special vineyard in Mirabella Eclano, planted with an old, historic Aglianico clone that has been cultivated by the Mastroberardino family for generations. The warm days and cool nights of this location give the wine depth and freshness in equal measure. Dense ruby red colour with a purple hue in the glass. The bouquet opens with black cherry, plum, violet and fine herbs, underpinned by tobacco, cocoa and a hint of graphite. Full-bodied on the palate, with ripe, finely interwoven tannins, juicy fruit and balsamic spice. The ageing in oak barrels lends additional complexity and length. A characterful, modern Aglianico with a traditional soul – powerful, precise and long-lasting. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bronzone" is the powerful yet elegant Riserva from Tenuta Belguardo – a Morellino di Scansano that epitomises the modern class of the Maremma. The Sangiovese grapes, known here as Morellino, come from south-facing slopes on clay and limestone-rich soils near Grosseto. Old vines, low yields and consistent manual harvesting form the basis for this Riserva with a strong character. The 2021 vintage in the Maremma was characterised by a cool spring, followed by a warm, dry summer with cool nights, which produced perfectly ripe, aromatically concentrated berries. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine matured for around 14 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux before finding its harmony in the bottle.

Flaminia Maremmana. The name tells of paths that are older than Rome itself. Along an ancient branch of the Via Flaminia, the consular road that connected Rome with the Adriatic Sea from 220 BC, shepherds travelled with their flocks century after century: From the green Umbrian hills down to the Maremma, to the Transumanza, the seasonal transhumance that characterised the life of this landscape until the 20th century. Here, where sheep and shepherds once rested, where history is inscribed in the earth, the vines for this special Montefalco Rosso grow today. First vinified in 2007, it carries the soul of this historic terroir. The cuvée of seventy per cent Sangiovese, fifteen per cent Sagrantino and fifteen per cent Canaiolo thrives on south-east-facing limestone-clay soils.

An Aglianico from the south of Apulia – unusual in its origin, convincing in its expression. Dark wild berries, black cherry, a little dark chocolate and a hint of tar on the nose, accompanied by spicy nuances and Mediterranean herbs. Structured and powerful on the palate, with firm tannins, well-integrated acidity and a fine mineral vein. The ageing in barriques rounds off the texture without smoothing out the originality. Terra shows how much character Aglianico can also develop outside of its classic homeland: an independent, exciting wine with depth and regional character. SUPERIORE.DE

Named after the Moar farm of the same name, which can look back on over 600 years of winegrowing tradition, this Classico embodies the soul of the St. Magdalener region. The vines grow on the south-facing slopes above Bolzano between 200 and 300 metres above sea level, where gravelly porphyry soils give the wine its unmistakable character. The classic cuvée of 85% Vernatsch and 15% Lagrein combines the best of two indigenous worlds: the floral lightness of Vernatsch with the structure-giving depth of Lagrein. After traditional fermentation, the wine matures in large oak barrels.

A Zinfandel with an Italian soul: Terra Nera Primitivo comes from organically farmed plots around Manduria, where old vines are rooted in red soil with limestone veins – a terroir that allows Primitivo (internationally: Zinfandel) to develop to its full potential. Rich purple in the glass with a garnet-red centre. The bouquet is dark, dense and multi-layered: blackcurrant, dried figs, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, clove and a hint of graphite. Full-bodied on the palate, but not overloaded, with ripe fruit, balanced acidity and finely polished tannins. The use of wood remains discreet, the structure firm and the finish remarkably clear. An expressive, organically produced Primitivo from 60 to 70-year-old vines that skilfully combines power and precision! SUPERIORE.DE

Calabria showed its sunniest side in the warm, dry year of 2023. The single-varietal Magliocco from the "Megonio" vineyard benefited from this constellation with deeply ripe grapes, concentrated fruit and healthy berry skins. The vinification process was classic: temperature-controlled mash fermentation, followed by ageing in barriques for around a year – enough to create structure without masking the authenticity of the variety.

For decades, Radici has been synonymous with Mastroberardino's uncompromising work on the great indigenous grape varieties of Campania. The grapes for this Fiano icon come from high-altitude plots near Lapio, whose volcanic soils and cool continental microclimate give the grape variety exceptional tension, aromatic depth and longevity.

Rocca Rubia is an archetypal Carignano del Sulcis – powerful, Mediterranean and at the same time of astonishing elegance. The grapes come from old, partly ungrafted vines in the sandy, coastal vineyards of the lower Sulcis region in south-west Sardinia. Fermentation took place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks and the wine was matured for around 10 months in French oak barriques with a successful balance of wood character and fruit expression.

Back in the 1980s, Antonio Mastroberardino was one of the first to experiment with something that was almost considered a provocation at the time: he vinified Aglianico, the large, tannin-rich red wine variety from southern Italy, as a white wine. He called the result "Plinius". The experiment lay dormant until the family revived it under a new name: Neroametà – "half black" – a tribute to the grape's origins and the courage to think differently. 100% Aglianico, grown in Mirabella Eclano at 400 metres, in deep, sandy-loamy soils with a volcanic matrix and clay at depth – the same terroir that produces the Taurasi DOCG. Hand-picked in mid-October. Then the decisive step: Vinification without any contact with the skins, in steel tanks at a controlled temperature, followed by ten months on the lees and at least 18 months of ageing in the bottle. The colour stays outside – elegance and minerality are allowed inside.

At some point in the past, a small metal plate on the roof of the Castagnedi farmstead in the Monti Garbi moved in the wind – like a flag, a "bandina". A landmark for all those who knew these hills. Today, it is the name of the single vineyard that lies at the heart of the Tenuta. Colognola ai Colli, eastern Valpolicella: calcareous sandy soils at around 300 metres. This is the terroir that has belonged to the four Castagnedi brothers since 1995 and which characterises their wines with a characteristic balsamic: liquorice, white mint, graphite, China. Corvina and Corvinone form the backbone with 70%, Rondinella brings freshness, Croatina and Oseleta the flavour. Hand-picked in October, fermentation at a controlled temperature with certified organic yeasts, natural malo. Then aged for 24 months in 25-hectolitre French oak tonneaux – medium roasted, integrated, never dominant.