Vinous | 95–100 Points

Sperss. The word sounds like a sigh, like a breath of melancholy wafting over the hills of Piedmont. In the local dialect, it means nostalgia, longing, homesickness for a time that will never return. When Angelo Gaja was finally able to acquire the twelve hectares in Serralunga d'Alba in 1988, which his father Giovanni had raved about since his youth, there was only one possible name for this wine. Sperss was the fulfilment of a family dream – the first Barolo from the Gaja family, the step out of Barbaresco into the legendary terrain that Giovanni had already learnt about as a young man during the grape harvest. The Marenca and Rivette vineyards form a natural amphitheatre at an altitude of 370 metres – compact, calcareous marl that gives the wine the mineral depth and iron structure for which Serralunga is famous. Here, where the over 50-year-old Nebbiolo vines drive their roots deep into the stony soil, the wine is not a pleasant one.

First bottled in 1967, the Masseria comes from a vineyard in Bricco di Neive and is essentially vinified and aged like a Barolo. Since the 2018 vintage, it now comes from a small parcel that used to belong to the Barbaresco winery Socré, and it is now deliberately released a year later to provide more harmony and balance.

Le Potazzines Riserva from the dream vintage 2019 is an absolute eye-catcher, vibrantly fruity yet refined. It is a prime example of purity. Ripe black cherry, exotic spices, liquorice, rose petals, cedar wood and sage can all be detected in the glass. This is one of the most harmonious wines of the vintage, with a deep, silky texture and an abundance of red fruit complemented by a hint of clove, crisp minerals and a core of vibrant acidity. Then dramatically long and powerful but still fresh on the final, ending with a cascade of spices, flowers over a complex web of graphite-like tannins. One of the most perfect wines of the vintage in Riserva quality! SUPERIORE.DE

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

Sugarille 2019 is certainly one of the greats of its vintage. A crescendo of dark berries, Amarena cherries, tar, liquorice and smoky notes on the nose. The intensity continues on the palate: Sugarille is uncompromisingly powerful, with multi-layered fruit, striking tannins and wonderful acid wire. With increasing aeration, the impressiveness and opulence give way to a wonderful finesse that will continue to refine and develop with further years of bottle ageing. A wine as beautiful today as it is today - and guaranteed to be even better tomorrow! SUPERIORE.DE

Rare, exceptional Merlot from the west of Tuscany: deep ruby red with violet reflections. The bouquet is multi-layered with hints of wild berries and blackberries, ripe cherries, but also liquorice and tobacco notes. Very structured and lively on the palate. The silky tannins emphasise the delicate minerality right through to the almost endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that become legends before they are even drunk – and then there is Madonna del Piano 2019. In the small votive chapel that gave this mythical vineyard its name, the faithful of centuries past could hardly have guessed that one of the most monumental Brunelli in wine history would one day be born here. But that is exactly what happened in 2019, when the stars aligned perfectly over Montalcino. The 2019 vintage is already being described by connoisseurs as a dream vintage – a year in which nature did everything right. A cold, rainy winter replenished the water reserves, a balanced spring ensured even budding and a moderately warm summer without extreme heat or heavy rain created ideal conditions. In September, mild temperatures and large temperature fluctuations between day and night brought the perfect ripening that only exceptional vintages achieve.

Rare, exceptional Merlot from the west of Tuscany: deep ruby red with violet reflections. The bouquet is multi-layered with hints of wild berries and blackberries, ripe cherries, but also liquorice and tobacco notes. Very structured and lively on the palate. The silky tannins emphasise the delicate minerality right through to the almost endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Vintage 2018 marks Vietti's exciting Barolo debut from one of Piedmont's most famous vineyards, characterised by exuberant aromas and bright, red-tinged fruit. The bouquet is enormously opulent with ripe fruit aromas ranging from wild cherry to red currant. This is joined by original tones of jam, plum and a hint of ragout. The palate is nuanced and very deep, with enormous complexity, volume and character. Vietti's Cerequio is stunning right off the bat! SUPERIORE.DE

Terlano I (pronounced Primo) Grande Cuvée is the name of the white flagship of Cantina Terlano. In recent years, the winery has made a name for itself worldwide with its long-lasting, mineral white wines. Even years later, the wines still present themselves with top freshness and great complexity. With this long history of white wines, since the 2011 vintage there is now a wine in which the essence of Terlan is expressed in an even more focussed way. Terlaner I Grande Cuvée combines the Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon grape varieties from the Winkl, Kreuth and Vorberg vineyards to create a masterpiece which, due to its limited and exclusive nature, will only be available from hand-picked retailers and in selected top restaurants.

Terlano I (pronounced Primo) Grande Cuvée is the name of the white flagship of Cantina Terlano. In recent years, the winery has made a name for itself worldwide with its long-lasting, mineral white wines. Even years later, the wines still present themselves with top freshness and great complexity. With this long history of white wines, since the 2011 vintage there is now a wine in which the essence of Terlan is expressed in an even more focussed way. Terlaner I Grande Cuvée combines the Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon grape varieties from the Winkl, Kreuth and Vorberg vineyards to create a masterpiece which, due to its limited and exclusive nature, will only be available from hand-picked retailers and in selected top restaurants.

Montosoli is a plateau to the north of Montalcino – one of the few sites in the appellation to which producers from different houses refer when they want to name the best of their terroir. A name like a silent agreement among those who know: This is where the soil speaks most clearly. The high proportion of silt in this special subsoil gives the Sangiovese Grosso a minerality, transparency and freshness that can hardly be found in this form in any other part of Montalcino. And at the heart of this plateau lies the Vigna Montosoli of Valdicava. Vincenzo Abbruzzese has treated this parcel differently from the very beginning – harvested separately, vinified separately, vinified separately. Vigna Montosoli is Valdicava's youngest single vineyard and also its flagship: the 2019 first vintage immediately received 100 points from James Suckling, one of only two perfect Brunellos from this exceptional vintage. The message was clear.

Cepparello is one of the great varietal Sangiovese classics from central Tuscany. Brilliant ruby red colour. Clean, flawless aroma of red fruits, enlivened by fine pepper accents and delicate mineral nuances. Elegance radiates from the relaxed, enveloping flavour, which provides a perfectly measured acidity framework to a well-integrated tannin to finish long and full of finesse. SUPERIORE.DE

Andrea Franchetti began positioning Palazzi as an equal red alongside his flagship Tenuta di Trinoro in the 1990s, with the aim of producing two exceptional wines that evoke the left and right banks of Bordeaux.

In 2020, the single vineyard Asili was chosen for the Barbaresco Riserva in its characteristic red colour, which will come as no surprise to Giacosa connoisseurs. Just 10,000 bottles of what is probably the best Giacosa vineyard are only released as Riserva in outstanding years. Asili 2020 shows a seamless integration of wild fruits, blue flowers, spices, balsamic herbs and liquorice. Its true class is revealed on the palate: structure, dimension, intensity and depth leave nothing to be desired; this vintage is probably one of the best wines we have ever tasted from Bruno Giacosa. There is only one flaw with this highly dramatic growth: anyone who wants to enjoy this wine with all its facets and components should be patient for at least another 10 years. SUPERIORE.DE

Warm, very seductive aromas of black cherries, flowers, tobacco, minerals and undergrowth emerge from the bright ruby red. The interplay between the rich fruit and the classic structure is ingenious. The taste captivates with its intensity, luxurious and mysteriously dark. Love at first sight! SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes come from the single vineyard MGA Rabajà in the municipality of Barbaresco. 2019 is a retro vintage, so to speak, as it marks a return for Vietti, who vinified Rabajà back in the 1980s. The soils are calcareous and clayey, with a south/south-west exposure and an altitude of around 235-315 metres above sea level. The average age of the vines is 51 years and they are cultivated according to the Guyot system. Intense garnet red colour. Opulent and delicate on the nose with floral scents of rosehips and violets and ripe black cherry. Amazingly fresh and enveloping for a mature Riserva from the very first sip. The tannins are ripe, soft, silky and wonderfully integrated, giving the wine a great structure and elegance. What completely won us over during the tasting was the almost immeasurable length of the wine, which is still resonating as we write this. Complimenti! SUPERIORE.DE

Messorio has been undisputedly one of the best and rarest Merlots in Italy since the mid-1990s. It was named after the Tuscan wheat harvest, the most fundamental moment in the agricultural year – was created in 1994 from Eugenio Campolmi's (†2002) personal challenge to Merlot. It was not to be a tame, predictable wine, but a spirited thoroughbred, ready to make a grand entrance. The 2019 vintage epitomises the elegance of slow ripening without extreme heat. A mild winter with little rainfall, followed by cool March days and gradually rising temperatures in April, led to cautious development. The rainy, cool May slowed down the vegetation, while the hot start to June required intensive foliage work.

Vigour and elegance are the hallmarks of the 2013 Brunello vintage. The top wines are breathtaking, possessing a charisma that is lacking in many of the muscular, accessible and higher-alcohol Brunellos from recent vintages. However, the 2013s will also require a fair amount of patience to reach their full potential. In contrast to the extremely warm, dry years that have become the norm in Montalcino since the mid-1990s (with the exceptions of 1998, 2002 and 2005), the 2013 vintage was a throwback to the past. It was a cool year with plenty of rainfall in the spring and during the first half of the summer.

Only 5,000 bottles leave the estate – a silent witness to Paolo De Marchi's uncompromising obsession with quality. From the best Galestro and Alberese soils at high altitudes, one of Italy's most convincing Cabernets has been produced here since the 1980s. The 2018 embodies the soul of an exceptional vintage: 24 months in French barriques, forty per cent of which were new, followed by three silent years in the bottle. This patience shapes a wine of rare depth – dark blue fruit, lavender, mocha and espresso weave themselves into a complex tapestry of flavours. Burgundian elegance and Tuscan soul come together here: velvety tannins envelop concentrated cassis and blackberry flavours, while notes of sweet tobacco, graphite and chocolate characterise the long finish. A wine that rewards patience and only shows its true colours after years of ageing – paolo De Marchi's vision of Cabernet as an expression of Tuscan terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

In the hot, challenging summers of the climate change era, Messorio proves its exceptional class. The 2020 vintage masterfully navigated through a difficult growing season and shows why Cinzia Merli's flagship is now one of the world's best Merlot interpretations. Only around 11,000 bottles of this rarity are produced from the Vignone (1999) and the younger Ulivino (2016) vineyards with the most rigorous yield reductions. The 18-month maturation in 100% French oak, 5% of which is in amphorae, creates an exceptional balance between power and refinement.

First bottled in 1967, Roncaglie (formerly Barbaresco Masseria) comes from a vineyard in Bricco di Neive and is essentially vinified and aged like a Barolo. Since the 2018 vintage, it now comes from a small parcel that used to belong to the Socré Barbaresco winery, and it is now deliberately brought to market a year later to ensure greater harmony and balance.

The label is black. At Castello Romitorio, this is not an aesthetic detail – it is a signal. The Riserva of Filo di Seta only appears when the vineyard gives more than it is actually capable of. There was no Riserva between 2016 and 2019. Not because the vintages were bad – but because Filippo Chia's benchmark for this bottling is uncompromising.