VINOUS

This exceptionally delicious classic rosé from Lake Garda: Chiaretto Bardolino presents itself in the glass as floral, sweet and nuanced, with notes of wild strawberries and candied citrus fruits. It is soft and supple, with brilliant acidity that maintains balance, and crisp red fruits that resonate beneath the rosy floral notes. It has an impressively long finish whilst remaining thoroughly refreshing. A subtle hint of minerality lingers. It is ideal as an aperitif and with light dishes, as well as a summery afternoon drink. SUPERIORE.DE

Cirò is one of Italy's oldest wine-growing regions. Even the Greeks, who settled on the Calabrian coast in ancient times, called this place Krimisa and honoured the victors of the Olympic Games with its wine. Today, Cirò is Calabria's most important DOC – and Gaglioppo is its very soul. Librandi, which has had its roots in Cirò Marina since 1950, produces a Gaglioppo rosé here. Alberello and cordon training, on clay-limestone soil, harvested from the last week of September to the first week of October. Saignée with a short maceration period, aged in stainless steel, followed by a few months in bottle. The winery itself sums it up in a single sentence: "Vibrant like the waves of the sea." That's spot on.

Campirosa Cerasuolo gradually reveals its fresh notes of strawberry and cherry, accented with sweet floral aromas. On the palate, it is silky-smooth and thoroughly compelling, with ripe red fruit and juicy acidity. A hint of liquorice, exotic spices and nuanced tannins emerges on the finish and seems to linger for almost a minute. Campirosa is a charming favourite even when young, but can also be left to mature in the cellar for another year. SUPERIORE.DE

Bright ruby red with a violet rim. Ripe cherry, redcurrant and a hint of violet – inviting and typically Sangiovese, but with a southern Italian accent. Juicy fruit, lively freshness and pleasantly soft tannins on the palate. What makes it special is its origin: Molise – remote, underestimated, but ideal for red wines with a strong character and a special flavour. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the freshness and purity, while the sun of the Osci hills ensures fullness. A purist, organically produced Sangiovese with an exciting Mediterranean profile – and not from Tuscany, but from Molise. SUPERIORE.DE

Damascene roses bloom on the label – the "painters' roses", one of the oldest varieties of rose in the world, renowned for their exceptional quality and their enchanting fragrance. Planeta did not choose them by chance: the Damask rose describes the wine better than any technical term ever could. Nero d'Avola and Syrah – complemented by a small proportion of Sauvignon Blanc – from the vineyards of the family estate in Menfi, in south-western Sicily, on clay soils bathed in the Mediterranean breeze and Sicilian sunshine. Organically farmed.

The Sallier de la Tour winery has been owned by the Counts Tasca since 2009, making it the fifth company that complements and characterises the diversity and professionalism of what is probably Sicily's most famous winery. Aromatic bouquet of sweet cherries and wild berries. Clear on the palate with a beautiful fruit centre and a radiant freshness, appealing finish. A beautiful Syrah that impressively demonstrates Sicily's potential for international grape varieties. SUPERIORE.DE

Pinot Grigio from Abruzzo? Yes, and how! What often degenerates into a bland, mass-produced wine in Veneto or Friuli gains real character in the hills of Chieti. The clayey soils and the interplay of the Adriatic breeze and the cool of the Apennines lend this international grape variety a freshness and aromatic profile that you'd search for in vain elsewhere. The grapes are harvested early in the first half of August to preserve acidity and aroma. After gentle vacuum pressing, only the free-run juice is fermented at a low temperature. A brief period of ageing on the lees lends the wine additional texture and depth before it is matured in stainless steel.

La Valentina's reliable classic with substance: single-varietal Montepulciano from organically farmed vineyards near Pescara. Rich ruby red colour with a purple hue in the glass. Ripe cherries, blackberries, a hint of violets and subtle spicy hints of pepper and herbs on the nose. Soft on the palate, with juicy fruit, balanced structure and a pleasant freshness on the finish. A typical representative of its origin - uncomplicated, powerful and remarkably balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

A smoky blend of raspberry jam, sage and freshly ground pepper flows from the glass. Silky in texture on the palate and extremely flavoursome with the pepper notes from the bouquet, which mingle with salty minerals and lively acidity. Hardly any tannin. The finish is long and fruity with a hint of liquorice. A delicious accompaniment to food. SUPERIORE.DE

Montepulciano has two faces. One has large wooden barrels, decades of cellar time and the name Nobile. The other is younger, more direct – and often the more honest pleasure. The Rosso di Gracciano comes from the Casale and Maramai crus, at 280 to 300 metres in north-eastern exposure: somewhat cooler, somewhat slower ripening than the Nobile sites, with medium-heavy soils that produce freshness rather than vigour. 90 per cent Prugnolo Gentile – this stubborn Sangiovese clone, which only shows its full temperament here – supplemented by ten per cent Merlot for fullness and texture. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in steel, ten days of maceration at a controlled temperature, no wood. A wine that does not wait.

Brigaldara's Valpolicella is mainly made from Corvina and Corvinone grapes. The timing of the harvest is very important for this wine, so that its flavours are very delicate and its sensory balance is influenced by the precisely measured acidity. It expresses the characteristic flavours of the valley: from cherries to spicy notes, which are more or less pronounced depending on the vintage. Its beautiful and radiant balance is achieved by a short maturation in steel, which perfectly enhances its sensory characteristics. 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

The dense, well-articulated Rigoleto made predominantly from organically grown Sangiovese grapes is extremely drinkable. The bouquet beguiles with beautiful aromas of dried plums and dark cherries. Opens with a lively bouquet of wild strawberries, rhubarb, violets and crushed stones. Silky to the touch, Rigoleto has impressive weight yet wonderful energy as a wave of ripe red and blue fruit swirls under the scent of lavender and spice. SUPERIORE.DE

Monte Conero drops steeply down to the Adriatic Sea. This striking limestone cliff marks the northernmost boundary where Montepulciano still thrives, as it shields the hills behind it from the cold north-easterly winds that sweep along the coast. The result is a microclimate in which Montepulciano develops an elegance rarely found in the warmer south. Since 1982, the first vintage of San Lorenzo, Umani Ronchi has made this wine the hallmark of this area. Vineyards in Osimo and Ancona, clay-limestone soils, hand-harvested from late September to early October. Ten to twelve days maceration in stainless steel, followed by 18 months in a combination of large wooden casks and used barriques.

Munfrina – that's what they called the woman from Monferrato who once farmed this plot with a strict hand. Her Piedmontese nickname stuck to the location long after she herself had disappeared. Today, at 300 to 400 metres in the Sottozona Ferrere of Treiso, Dolcetto vines have been planted here in Guyot since 1980 – on soils that are actually famous for Nebbiolo and Barbaresco. This is precisely what makes this Dolcetto special: the chalky soils with their red sand veins give it a tannin structure that is sweet and smooth rather than angular. Giorgio Pelissero favours short maceration of just four to five days and pure stainless steel ageing for six months – all in the service of the fruit.

The country dance (controdanza) is a typical dance in which man and woman face each other and unite in graceful movements - depending on their gender, the dancers interpret the music in their own way. This wine is exactly the same: Nero d'Aola and Merlot - opposites attract and, with the right sensitivity, can harmonise and contrast wonderfully.

Elisabetta Geppetti is more than just a winemaker – she is the "Signora del Morellino", the energetic woman who took over the reins of the family winery at the age of just 20 and helped the Maremma region to achieve international renown. When she pressed the first Morellino in 1985, she laid the foundations for a success story that continues to this day. This wine is the quantitative and qualitative calling card of Le Pupille – a constant, authentic expression of the terroir between Pereta and Magliano in Tuscany. The Morellino combines Sangiovese (90%) with Alicante and the autochthonous Ciliegiolo (5% each) from vineyards exposed to the south-west at an altitude of 50 to 250 metres. The vines, some of which are over 40 years old, are rooted in skeleton-rich, clayey and ferrous soils, cooled by sea breezes and strengthened by pronounced day-night temperature differences. After the harvest at the end of September, the must ferments on the skins for 15 days and matures for eight months, mainly in stainless steel tanks with a small proportion in used barriques.

This powerful blend of Nero d'Avola and Syrah comes from Tenuta Presti e Pegni in Monreale and impressively demonstrates the versatility of Sicilian winemaking. The vineyards thrive at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills behind Palermo, where loamy soils and the Mediterranean microclimate create ideal conditions for international grape varieties. Just ten kilometres from the coast, the vines benefit from the cooling sea breeze, which moderates the heat of the day and ensures balanced ripening. The name Benuara is derived from a small flower that grows near Syracuse – a poetic reference to the southernmost regions of Sicily.

Steep slopes, barren limestone, untamed nature – the Monti Garbi above Mezzane di Sotto are not pleasing wine country. When the Castagnedi brothers opened up these rugged heights in 1989, people in eastern Valpolicella were still focussing on quantity. They focussed on character. The grapes are harvested by hand and gently pressed. In October, the young wine undergoes its second birth: re-fermentation on the pomace of the estate's own Amarone – ripasso in the original sense. Malolactic fermentation and ageing in Liters tonneaux lend depth without heaviness. Ruby red in colour, juicy and enveloping, infused with a spicy freshness that owes its signature to the chalky white skeletal soils. Great value! SUPERIORE.DE

Garofoli has been known for decades for its excellent sparkling wines. Here comes the new Rosé Frizzante made from 100% Montepulciano using the classic pet-nat method (Metodo Ancestrale), which is harvested in the last half of August and whose carbon dioxide is created almost unplanned by the almost complete fermentation of the sugar in the bottle. Bright salmon pink, floral, red berry notes, beautiful freshness, delicate mousseux and a fine yeast note on the final. Unfiltered. SUPERIORE.DE