VINOUS

On the classic bouquet, ripe cherry, tobacco and some damp earth. On the palate, first the pure Sangiovese feeling: beautiful small red berries, wild cherry, lively acidity. Then an impenetrable mesh of red and black fruits, which together with a fine web of tannins and minerals reveal more and more of themselves. Compressed and with each sip more open and present, the beautifully diversified taste components present themselves until they then lead into an aristocratically long and fresh finish with a hint of liquorice. SUPERIORE.DE

A name carries weight when it is the programme. Stilèma – derived from "Stile" and the name Mastroberardino – is not a marketing term, but a commitment. It was Antonio Mastroberardino, known as the "archaeologist of vineyards", who began digging in the early 2000s: experimental projects, selection of pre-phylloxeric clones, revision of all protocols in the vineyard and cellar. His goal was not a new style – it was a return to a lost one. The great white wines of Irpinia from the 1970s and 1980s had a density, a texture, a depth that later decades could not match. Stilèma was not intended to preserve this memory, but to translate it into the present.

Caprais Montefalco Rosso is an attractive red made predominantly from Sangiovese with small amounts of Sagrantino and Merlot. The aroma is unmistakably of black cherries and violets. Juicy and playful on the palate, with balanced acidity that enlivens the crisp red berry fruit, which leaves a slight mineral touch towards the end. Plenty of power and freshness, good structure, elegant on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In the upper areas of the historic Contrada Rovittello – at an altitude of around 700 metres, on volcanic rock with a high basalt content – the old Nerello Mascalese vines of Il Musmeci take root. Some of them are even over 100 years old, their roots penetrating deep into the barren, mineral-rich soil. The north-eastern flank of Mount Etna provides a cool microclimate with a strong contrast between day and night – decisive for the aromatic precision. The name Il Musmeci is a tribute to the former owner of the parcel, Cav. Santi Musmeci, whose respect for terroir and tradition became the legacy of this wine.

Normally, the Sangiovese grapes from the 14-hectare single vineyard are mainly harvested in Ama and San Lorenzo. Since the 2018 harvest, Lorenza and Marco have decided to vinify a small quantity separately. Deep, dark ruby red colour with violet reflections. Extroverted bouquet of blackberry, raspberry and redcurrant, with notes of crushed gravel, tobacco and traces of young leather. Very powerful and beautifully textured on the palate, the various layers of primary fruit only gradually unfold, the wood pleasantly receding into the background. Finely granulated tannins and a well-integrated acidity flank this very harmonious red on an elegant, long final. There is a lot to like here, for us it is once again a typical Ama wine: racy, powerful and elegant! SUPERIORE.DE

Deep, dark ruby violet colour. Pugnitello impresses with intense notes of elderberry and blackberry, interspersed with subtle smoky notes, slightly peppery in the background. Juicy attack with a well-structured body, dense, gripping tannins, long and persistent with a salty component. SUPERIORE.DE

With the exception of 2016 and 2019, the last eight years in the region around Montalcino have been characterised by warm and dry conditions. For this reason, Il Poggione has started to prioritise irrigation for emergencies (which is becoming more and more of a necessity in the south-west of Montalcino) and is looking for a better balance in the higher vineyards. This is not the only reason why Il Poggione is one of the top producers every year, with an extremely fair value.

Monprà combines equal parts Barbera and Nebbiolo from vines in Monforte d'Alba, some of which are over 50 years old, at an altitude of 300-400 metres, from sites with clayey-limestone marl soils interspersed with sandy veins. Fermentation is temperature-controlled and takes place separately for each grape variety in stainless steel, while malolactic fermentation and 18 months of ageing take place separately in French oak. Only then are the batches blended – a precise, elegant blend that combines the fullness of Barbera with the noblesse of Nebbiolo.

The small 2-hectare Sant'Eusanio vineyard is located approximately 500 metres above sea level in the highest zone of the entire Valle-Reale area. What distinguishes this vineyard from the others in Popoli is its northern exposure and the temperature differences between day and night, which can reach the lowest temperatures in the valley. These factors lead to extreme microclimatic conditions under which the grapes of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Sant'Eusanio ripen, making it a unique wine. It is an uncompromising expression of Montepulciano from the mountains and speaks a dynamic language of acidity and freshness that contrasts sharply with the body and structure of the wines grown in the coastal zone of the region.

Lezér means "light" and so it is – in the most delicate sense. Light ruby red in colour, red berries and an interesting hint of violets on the nose. Smoke, freshly cut wood and a fine creaminess on the palate. A thoroughly fresh red wine right through to the finish, which goes well with warm weather and uncomplicated Mediterranean cuisine, especially when slightly chilled. The ageing in different containers such as amphora, cement tank and wooden barrel gives it an additional appeal and an unmistakable profile. SUPERIORE.DE

The top wine Cavalli Rosso comes from loose marl soils at an altitude of 400 metres facing south. It reveals a dark and lush fruit profile with intense blackberry, sour cherry, plum and graphite flavours. On the palate, it has a high primary intensity and medium weight, finishing with a very crisp acidity. It is polished and deep, balanced and supple with plenty of fruity power, weight and length. SUPERIORE.DE

Piandorino, the "entry-level wine" from Pian dell'Orino, represents its noble origins with great class. Light, bright ruby red in colour, with a beautiful bouquet of dark cherry, fresh plum, peppery notes and delicate vanilla tones. Juicy fruit on the palate, accompanied by a flattering woody note, finely balanced tannins and good length. This wine is fine and beautifully delicate on the finish. The grapes for Piandorino come from the estate's younger Brunello vines and around 3,000 bottles are produced each year. SUPERIORE.DE

This Riserva is only made available each year in very small quantities to hand-picked specialist retailers and top restaurants. Brilliant ruby red colour. Fine raspberry and floral notes dominate the spicy nose. Very juicy on the palate, tannins and acidity are well integrated. Riecines Riserva has length and suppleness right through to the long fruity finish. The elegance and fine melting texture are impressive. Once again, this is Sangiovese at the top level that Riecine is known for! SUPERIORE.DE

Lis is a mixed blend of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and is one of the house's top wines. It has a wonderfully complex aroma of citrus and passion fruit, yellow apple and an initially barely perceptible flavour lead from the Sauvignon Bianco. All elements of this cuvée are equally and masterfully married on the palate, the mouthfeel is soft and round. This complex and at the same time elegant white wine, with its subtle pressure, whets the appetite for more and inevitably casts a spell over every Friuli fan. SUPERIORE.DE

The name alone reveals the poetry of this vintage sparkling wine. For decades, Perlé has been considered the essence of Ferrari's art, born from a meticulous selection of the best Chardonnay grapes from the Trentino mountains. The grapes for this Millesimato come from altitudes between 300 and 600 metres. Here, where the vines are bathed in the mountain sun all day long but rest in the cool mountain air at night, the Chardonnay develops the mineral depth and aromatic complexity that makes Perlé so unmistakable. The Lunelli family only selects the very best batches – the grapes that most purely reflect the terroir. Perlé matures for almost five years on the fine yeasts – an exceptionally patient maturation period that gives the sparkling wine its characteristic creaminess and delicate yeast notes that harmonise perfectly with the fruity elegance of the Chardonnay.

Pecchenino, traditionally known in Dogliani for Dolcetto, ventured into Monforte d'Alba, one of the eleven Barolo villages and home to some of the appellation's most prestigious single vineyards, in the early 2000s. Today, the family cultivates plots in the three prestigious Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive Ravera di Monforte, Le Coste di Monforte and Bussia – sites whose names carry weight in connoisseur circles. San Giuseppe is not a single vineyard, but a composed vision: 50% Ravera di Monforte, 35% Le Coste and 15% Bussia merge to create a Barolo that combines the strengths of these different terroirs. Ravera, at an altitude of 440 metres, with its whitish marl, brings minerality and structure. Le Coste, exposed to the south-east, delivers elegance and aromatic finesse. Bussia, the largest and best known of the three, contributes strength and ageing potential. The chalky, clayey soils, the south to south-westerly exposure and the precise manual labour in the vineyard – everything follows the principle of low yields for maximum concentration.

Our team drinks this after work, our very special insider recommendation for purists: finely balanced and very elegant Prosecco Millesimato Spumante Superiore with a shiny golden colour and green reflections. Floral bouquet, fine perlage and elegant flavours of pear and white fruit, which lend the aristocratic, dry structure a great deal of elegance and length. This is not an everyday occurrence, even in the noble DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene! SUPERIORE.DE

Vigna San Francesco Cabernet Sauvignon is a solitaire among Sicilian red wines - not a Mediterranean outlier, but an expressive, noble representative of its grape variety, grown at an altitude of 570 metres in the cool vineyards of the Tenuta Regaleali winery in the heart of Sicily. The San Francesco parcel, planted with Cabernet since 1985, rests on calcareous clay soils whose structure and drainage lend the wine precision, depth and vigour.

Strong ruby red. Pinot Nero Case Via exudes a varietal bouquet of wild berries and pipe tobacco, which combines harmoniously with the barrel spice. The soft, characterful taste is based on the strength of the tannin and the excellent aroma structure of the Pinot Pinot Noir. SUPERIORE.DE

Monprà consists of equal parts Barbera and Nebbiolo – two Piedmontese character grape varieties that together paint a picture of fruit, tension and fine contours. They grow in Monforte d'Alba at an altitude of 300-400 metres on soils of calcareous marl with sandy and clayey veins that lend minerality and structure. Both grape varieties are fermented separately, undergo malolactic fermentation and then mature for around twelve months in used French barriques. Only then are they blended – this preserves the characteristics of both varieties and creates a harmonious whole.

Those who sow elegance must negotiate with the climate. The weather in 2022 was a tough negotiator in Montalcino: persistent drought, periods of heat, hardly any rainfall in the crucial summer months. The wines that emerged from this year are characterised by this – concentrated, structured, deep in fruit, with tannins that will need time. La Quinta originated, as always, from the fifth vineyard of Podere Giodo at an altitude of 400 metres – medium-gravel soils, south-easterly exposure, pure Sangiovese. Fermentation in steel for 7 days, maceration for 13 days. The 12-month wood ageing in tonneaux, large oak barrels and the characteristic Cocciopesto amphorae made of baked clay remains the stylistic backbone of the wine – an ageing process that integrates textures rather than imposing wood.

The great estates in Bordeaux have shown the way: a so-called "second wine" is not the wine that didn't make it. It is another argument. Younger vines, different plots, shorter ageing periods – and thus a wine that is drunk earlier, appears fresher and shows a different side of the same terroir. Tenuta San Leonardo brought this concept to the Dolomites in 2005.

Tasca got involved in Etna early on and the latest result of these years of experience are four new single vineyard wines from the Tascante estate: Contrada Rampante, Pianodario, Sciaranuova and Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia (V.V.). The wines are delicate and profound, and despite their power, acidity and taut tannin, very elegant, finesse-rich and light-footed on the palate. Each of the four plots brings a slightly different style and personality to the wine - due to the altitude, soil composition and morphology of the historic lava flows. A high annual rainfall ensures that the soil has all the water it needs, and the temperature fluctuations between day and night support the aromatic diversity of the grapes and ultimately the ripening potential.