Vinous | 95–100 Points

Barolo Cerequio comes from vines that are over 35 years old. The vineyards were acquired by Michele Chiarlo in the 2010s through fortunate circumstances. The 2021 vintage confirms once again that the purchase of this vineyard was one of the smartest decisions Vietti has ever made. Cerequio is a wine of nuance and class that reflects the entire pedigree of this great site. Crushed red berry fruit, cherry, blood orange, spice and mint rise from the glass, framed by nervy tannins that convey classicism. An exotic, racy Barolo. SUPERIORE.DE

Intense, partly impenetrable ruby red. On the nose, warm, powerful notes that reflect the climate of the vintage and yet a delicate freshness. On the palate, ripe red fruit and spice, accompanied by deep floral notes, characterise the complex structure. Flattering, rich, enveloping and sweet thanks to the presence of ripe, dense and soft tannins. The balanced acidity contributes to the expressive taste and the long and extremely pleasant persistence. High seductive potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Dark, translucent ruby red in the glass, elegant even at first glance. An inviting aroma of red and black fruit flavours, almost a mix of wild berries and sour cherries. And then again that spiciness so typical of Tenuta di Valgiano, herbaceous and mineral, fresh and yet Mediterranean, simply incomparable. Full-bodied on the palate, very juicy, extracted sweet fruit, again accompanied by this mineral flavour. Juicy, deep, with a silky, elegant tannin structure and a wonderfully balanced interplay of fruit and acidity. A wine with finesse and piquancy, length and ageing potential for a good fifteen to twenty years. This wine should be decanted and left to breathe in the carafe for at least one to two hours before drinking. SUPERIORE.DE

Ceretto's Barbaresco Asili (approx. 4,000 bottles) is the clearest and most complete of the winery's impressive Barbaresco collection. It reveals a fine sweetness of cherries and redcurrants on the nose, followed by an extremely silky and fine texture on the palate. Following on from the bright berry fruit, its bouquet reveals subtle notes of gravel and delicate, salty flavours. Overall, an accessible and highly elegant approach with great freshness, fine tannins and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

For over a hundred years, two communities fought over a hill. La Morra to the north, Barolo to the south – both wanted to own Cerequio, the amphitheatre of limestone marl and blue clay that the locals call the "Riviera of the Langhe". It was not until 1275 that an agreement settled the dispute; the document is still in the archives of La Morra. "Conteisa" – piedmontese for dispute – is the memory of this battle over a piece of land that was apparently already considered precious in the Middle Ages. When Angelo Gaja acquired six hectares in Cerequio in 1995, he returned to Barolo after decades of absence. The first vintage in 1996 was still labelled Langhe Nebbiolo – gaja's conscious decision against the rigid DOCG rules. Today, back in the Barolo aristocracy, Conteisa represents the elegant side of the house: feminine, floral, with silky finesse, where its brother Sperss from Serralunga trumps with masculine power. Sixty-year-old vines are rooted here at an altitude of 380 metres in a south-facing location. After being harvested by hand, the wine rests for twelve months in barriques and a further twelve in large oak barrels.

In the 1930s, Carlotta della Gherardesca Antinori inherited – piero Antinori's mother – inherited an estate on the Maremma coast, a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. At the time, the land was used for agriculture and the winegrowing tradition in Bolgheri was only just beginning. Carlotta and her husband Niccolò recognised the potential of the amphitheatre: a curved plain framed by hills like a natural cauldron that captures the sea breezes and concentrates the energy of ripening. Today, Tenuta Guado al Tasso extends over 320 hectares in this very amphitheatre – one of the largest estates in the entire appellation in terms of surface area.

Matarocchio - a pure Cabernet Franc produced by the Antinori family in a limited edition - is a wine that leaves an overwhelming first, second, third and so on impression. This wonderful and detailed wine is an unforgettable experience, especially for those who are drawn to the irresistible flavours of sun-drenched coastal Tuscany. The fruit comes from a five-hectare plot with well-drained soils and white stones. The vines were planted at the end of the 1990s at a density of 6,000 vines per hectare. The rows of vines are orientated so that they are exposed to the evening breezes that blow in from the beach, and the vines benefit from the strong diurnal temperature fluctuations. Matarocchio represents a crown in the very impressive pyramid of iconic Antinori wines (including Tignanello, Solaia and Guado al Tasso). To date, it has only been produced in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.

In 1967, Sergio Manetti, a Milanese industrialist and passionate art collector, bought an abandoned estate in the hills of Radda in Chianti. He knew little about wine. He knew a great deal about quality. And he decided early on that his wine would make no compromises – —not even those demanded by the appellation. When the Chianti Classico DOCG stipulated that white grapes must be blended in, Manetti refused. From then on, his wine was called Toscana IGT. Not for lack of pride in Chianti – but because he had too much of it. What grows at Montevertine are the three indigenous reds of Chianti: Sangiovese as the soul, Canaiolo for elegance, Colorino for colour and structure. No additions, no international compromises. Martino Manetti, Sergio’s son, runs the estate with the same conviction: “Simplicity, respect, care for every detail and savoir-faire” – is how the estate itself describes its philosophy. Words that sound simple, yet are so difficult to put into practice.

Messorio has been undisputedly one of Italy's best and rarest Merlots since the mid-1990s. Soft, rich, elegant, refined and never overdone. On the nose, ripe fruit, coffee, graphite and French oak. Structured and balanced, Messorio fascinates the international wine world every year with a clarity and length that is unparalleled. SUPERIORE.DE

Mazzei's top wine Siepi is not only an outstanding Tuscan wine every year, but also a 6-hectare vineyard in the middle of dense oak forests with an ideal altitude and a unique climate. The sunshine is optimal throughout the day and a constant breeze from the west prevents excessive heat and creates a mild, Mediterranean climate. The oak forests also provide an ideal protective barrier against extreme weather conditions. Rocky soils of marl, limestone and clay from the Pliocene period ensure a special balance of elements in this geological complex.

There are wines that define a family across generations, and there are those moments when a winemaker gives his life’s work a name that bridges the past and the future. When Luciano Sandrone decided in 2013 to rename his legendary Barolo Cannubi Boschis, he did not choose just any name, but created an acronym from the first names of his grandchildren: ALEssia and STEfano. ALESTE – a word that embodies experience, continuity and the hope that what he began in 1985 with the first bottle from Cannubi Boschis will live on in the hands of the next generation. Cannubi Boschis, the sub-parcel at the heart of Barolo’s legendary Cannubi vineyard, is the vineyard in which Luciano invested his entire savings in 1977 – directly opposite the winery, on a hill whose potential he recognised from the very first moment. Here, on optimal soils in a sheltered, sun-drenched location, Nebbiolo flourishes into that combination of power and finesse that has made Cannubi famous worldwide.

Rich, concentrated Bordeaux-style red with the unmistakable signature of top oenological consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt. Multi-layered black fruit on the nose, plus rock, liquorice, camphor and graphite. Impressively supple on the palate, the fruit is always juicy and centred, wonderful and almost perfect in structure, polish, elegance and length. SUPERIORE.DE

Sperss is a sentimental word for nostalgia in Piedmontese and is far more than just another Barolo: it is the living testimony to a historic new beginning, when Gaja brought out a Barolo from its own land for the first time in 1992. At the time, this was a bold step after the reputation of the past – today, Sperss is a world-famous classic with a great style profile. In the glass, it has a medium ruby colour, clear and bright. The bouquet is initially closed, then unfolds with a mineral-rusty undertone, forest fruit chords of redcurrant and raspberry and lighter herbs – delicately interwoven with floral and earthy layers that merge into smoke, leathery depth and truffle notes. The palate is characterised by clear lines: structured tannins, a mineral backbone and precise fruit. The finish is dry, characterised by a salty earthiness and delicate finesse – a finish that never gets loud, but lingers for a long time.

2016 was not an easy year in Valpolicella – and Romano Dal Forno still delivered. That sounds obvious, but it's not: in years like 1992, 2005, 2007 or 2014, there was simply no Amarone. That is the currency in which trust is bought here. Dal Forno Romano has its own clock ticking for the release of the large bottles: they come onto the market three years after the 0.75 litre bottle. What this means for 2016 is obvious. After six weeks of appassimento, 36 months in new barriques and long maturation in the large format, this Valpolicella has reached a level of maturity that only the large glass can appreciate.

Three generations bear this name: The grandfather, who always encouraged Giampaolo Motta in his wine dreams. The son who carries on the torch. And in between, this wine, the highest expression of a man who left the leather goods business of his Neapolitan family to create his Bordeaux in the Conca d'Oro of Panzano. The "Golden Basin" – cultivated since 1490, planted with Merlot and Cabernet for almost 400 years – became Motta's stage in 1992. He experimented with Chianti Classico for ten years, then the break: he left the Consorzio because the rules stood in the way of his vision. "I wasn't really happy with the result after ten years of work," he explained laconically. What followed was pure consistency – and, since 2008, a partnership with Stéphane Derenoncourt, perhaps the most influential consultant on the right bank of Bordeaux.

The Gran Selezione from the single vineyard Bellavista is rich and dark with aromas of wild cherry, smoke, liquorice, menthol and tobacco. Extremely attractive and rich on the palate, firm tannins form the backbone of this virile, potent wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Lisini produces four Brunelli. Each one stands for a different conviction – the Annata stands for balance and accessibility, the Ugolaia for the character of a single vineyard, the new Poggio Severo for a cooler, higher parcel. The Riserva stands for something else: for tradition. The estate itself calls it the most traditional wine in the entire portfolio – not because it is older, but because it epitomises the classic Montalcino ideal: Concentration, depth, patience. It is the result of a strict selection of the best grapes from the entire estate – from the vineyards around Sant'Angelo in Colle and the Sesta vineyard near Castelnuovo dell'Abate. No single vineyard, but the sum of the best that a vintage has to offer. The maceration period of 20 to 26 days is longer than for the Annata, and the ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels is correspondingly extended.

If Montosoli is the great Montalcino cru in the north, then the Sesta area between Castelnuovo dell'Abate and Sant'Angelo in Colle is its southern counterpart. This is where the Lisini vineyards are located.

Deep dark, almost impenetrable red colour. A whole range of ripe wild berries on the nose, delicately accompanied by nuances of tobacco, leather, cedar and lavender. The palate is also full of fruit, powerful, yet silky and elegant. Traces of dark chocolate on the endlessly long final. SUPERIORE.DE

Hardly any Brunello is as authentic as the wines from Le Potazzine - they reveal the whole truth of the Sangiovese grape. The result is neither completely polished, nor is it boring or predictable. The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino achieves a degree of extreme authenticity and originality that you don't find on every corner in the appellation. It is a wine full of understatement and equally great personality, for which one must take time and leisure to discover every last nuance. On the nose, it reveals a subtle and well-composed bouquet of red roses, spices, earth and wild mushrooms. As always with Le Potazzine, there is also a wild hint of rusticity. On the palate, this Brunello reveals its powerful fruit and perfectly integrated tannins. Like a friend you can rely on, this Brunello is both a role model and a lovable buddy. SUPERIORE.DE

This is the top wine from Il Poggione, and it is a must for anyone who collects wines from this famous vineyard. The estate's oldest parcel, Vigna Paganelli, is a 12-hectare vineyard that was planted back in 1964. It has a rich variety of old Sangiovese clones, which are used for the newer plantings.

Grattamacco was the second winery in Bolgheri in 1982 and is still a firm favourite for great, terroir-driven wines with an independent character. The Rosso Superiore comes from high, coastal hillside vineyards with an excellent microclimate and matures for almost two years in French barriques after spontaneous fermentation. The cuvée deliberately does not follow the classic Bordeaux pattern: in addition to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Sangiovese also characterises the wine as an indigenous soul – a sign of identity, not convention.

"The Stilèma project was born as a testimony of Antonio Mastroberardino's love for his land, his vines and his wines, for their original character." Piero Mastroberardino