VINOUS

A wonderfully concentrated and elegant wine that is already drinking excellently. On the nose, the typical varietal bouquet with light balsamic notes. Pleasantly straight and fine on the palate, silky and full of harmony. SUPERIORE.DE

Ruby red, with a fine cherry scent, in which there are also hints of nuts and wild berries, vanilla, cinnamon, sage and tobacco. Concentrated, rich flavour with harmonious tannins and a long, velvety final. SUPERIORE.DE

Do you know the Basarin vineyard near Neive? You can expect a bright ruby-garnet colour and a wine from a particularly fine vintage: the bouquet is a cornucopia of wild sour cherry aromas, herbs, a little liquorice and tobacco. Firm and very clearly structured on the palate, muscular and yet with an elegance that never loses control due to its power. Basarin is a highly energetic and precise Nebbiolo that only reveals its complexity with a little patience and aeration. The neighbouring Neive terroir reveals itself with distinguished elegance and blends harmoniously with the volume and weight typical of the site - and with a depth that only vines over 50 years old can produce. SUPERIORE.DE

The hills south of Montalcino know no half measures. The Sant'Angelo vineyard in Colle, at 300 metres above sea level with all-day southern exposure, produces Sangiovese with an almost demonstrative strength of character – and the 2018 vintage gives this strength an elegant, cool note. A wet spring, hot June and July months, then a patient August with moderate temperatures and light rain showers: The vines had time to find themselves. The grapes were harvested in mid-September, with a yield of just 39 quintals per hectare – far below average, but concentrated. Col d'Orcia remains true to itself: maceration for 18 to 20 days in the characteristic flat, wide steel tanks – developed for gentle but effective extraction of colour and tannin. Then three years in large oak barrels from Slavonia and Allier (25 to 75 hectolitres), followed by at least twelve months of bottle ageing.

Maternigo means "mother's land" and is also the name of one of the Tedeschi family's vineyards. The vineyards cover around 33 hectares in two municipalities, Tregnago and Mezzane di Sotto. The new Cru-Amarone Riserva Maternigo is only produced in the best years and its grapes come exclusively from the Barila vineyard. This single vineyard was selected after careful zoning and characterisation of the soil, which is characterised by very low vigour and consequently produces grapes rich in structure.

Gabbro in a small edition of just 2,500 bottles each year is the essence of Montepeloso's noblest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, the vines are over 40 years old. Impressively complex bouquet of dark fruits, smoke and grilled vegetables. Reveals its pedigree and great class on the palate, powerful and muscular. Exquisite, complex, nuanced, persistent, long ... Gabbro truly offers everything that belongs to an unforgettable wine experience at world-class Cabernet level. SUPERIORE.DE

This is more than a wine – it is the essence of a project born in 1999 with the vision of showing the world the finest that Bolgheri is capable of producing. From five selected vineyard sites between 80 and 220 metres above sea level – argentiera, Ginestre, Ventaglio, Porcarecce and Ceccosodo – a cuvée has emerged that has been a contemporary symbol of Italian winemaking since its debut vintage in 2003. The 2021 vintage is the culmination of an extraordinary era: 48% Merlot is combined with 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc to create a Bordeaux-inspired masterpiece that nevertheless breathes an unmistakable Tuscan soul. Sourced from the Tenuta's best plots, where sandy, calcareous and stony soils thrive between Mediterranean scrub and the salty tang of the Tyrrhenian Sea, each grape embodies the unique terroir identity of this privileged location.

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.

Testamatta means something like "crazy in the head" and this name sums it up perfectly. When you know the crazy obsession with which Bibi Graetz pursues viticulture on the island of Giglio, you no longer have to wonder about the terrificand highly personalised results that Bibi has been bottling for years. This was preceded by several years of experimentation, research and a lot of hard work until the best of the over 100-year-old Ansonica vines in the rocky Serrone vineyard were finally identified. harvest is carried out exclusively by hand and each grape is meticulously selected according to quality and ripeness, which then finds its way to the wine cellar on the island. After destemming and gentle pressing under dry ice, the grapes are left to macerate for 48 hours at a low temperature before being transferred unfiltered to 225-litre barriques for fermentation, where the wine then matures for a further 12 months.

Traditionally vinified, its intense ruby red colour, the fruity aroma with spicy and balsamic notes and its gentle start on the palate, which builds furiously, are impressive. The high-class tannin structure rests between the soft components, so that this Brunello from the dream year 2019 simultaneously demonstrates elegance and strength without appearing too modern. SUPERIORE.DE

Franchetti Rosso is Passopisciaro's flagship wine and a stunningly perfect wine. The grapes come from 1000-metre-high northern Etna vineyard sites, where the soils are ash and pumice. Franchetti is a ripe, exotic wine that envelops the palate with dark fruit. Refined tannins support the fruit, while an intense inner sweetness adds elegance and finesse. A thoroughly outstanding drop. SUPERIORE.DE

An exotic blend of sweet smoke and cloves gives way to dusty black cherries and a hint of sour citrus fruit as the 2019 vintage unfolds in the glass. After a while, there are hints of musk and floral undergrowth. Pure elegance on the palate, delicate and silky, but also with a core of salty minerals that adds unexpected depth to the vibrant flavours of tart wild berries and spices. Finishes with incredible persistence but also composure, structured yet primary, just as it should be at this young stage. The higher altitudes and almost minimalist winemaking at Le Potazzine have helped to produce one of the most balanced and interesting wines of the 2019 top vintage for us. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Macioche Riserva 2019 has the same slender and bright appearance as the Annata and the fine aromas of wild berries and cassis associated with Sangiovese. Racy and supple, it sweeps across the palate with a silky texture and shows tart wild berries and sour citrus fruit, all accompanied by lively acidity. The finish is long, with an earthy aftertaste. A very successful Riserva from a wonderful year, which has been interpreted very convincingly in this wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Gigliola Giannetti was born on the Argiano wine estate, the daughter of an employee in the wine cellar. She grew up among barrels and vines, the smell of fermenting must was the scent of her childhood. At 19, she joined Franco Biondi Santi, and later Giulio Gambelli encouraged her to make wine herself. In 1993, the time had come: first parcel, first child – daughter Viola. Three years later came two more hectares and daughter Sofia. Today, three women stand together in the cellar and three generations of Montalcino in one line. Le Potazzine is one of the highest vineyards in the appellation: 450 to 530 metres, where the harvest begins up to three weeks later than in the valley. What used to be considered a disadvantage is now worth its weight in gold – the grapes ripen slowly, retain their acidity and develop finesse instead of mere vigour. Vinification is uncompromisingly traditional: spontaneous fermentation, 30 to 45 days of maceration, no temperature control. The wine then rests for 42 months in large Slavonian oak barrels – six months longer than is even required for a Riserva. So every Brunello from Le Potazzine is actually a Riserva. Why don't they call it that? Modesty, or perhaps quiet pride.

Chardonnay Vigna San Francesco is luxurious and rich as it moves along the lines of sophistication: ginger spice, crushed oyster shells, Italian buttercream and citrus fruits make up its seductive bouquet. On the palate, it conveys a sense of opulence but also harmony, combining a silky, medium-bodied texture with mineral fruits and pretty floral nuances. An interplay of sweet and sour that lasts until the final, while savoury green citrus fruits and a hint of Granny Smith apple slowly fade away. A wonderful Sicilian Chardonnay that perfectly combines the sophistication of the international grape variety with the charm of the Mediterranean climate. SUPERIORE.DE

The Sottimano winery has five vineyard sites, with the Pajoré site near Treiso having the poorest soil of all. These wines are therefore more elegant and mature. Pajoré is a super-classic, explosive wine, endowed with enormous depth and character. Although it has plenty of breadth and texture, it remains light on its feet. Lavender, mint, liquorice and purple berry fruit are beguiling and wonderfully vibrant in the glass. Pajorè is a spicy, elegant and sweet Nebbiolo that is fine yet covers the mouth well - and we are always impressed by its lovely savoury mouthfeel. SUPERIORE.DE

The single vineyard Bufaleffi is considered one of the most historic cru zones around Pachino, the historic heart of Nero d'Avola. The deep red soils with a high iron and lime content, the hot climate tempered by the sea air at night and the organic cultivation form the foundation of this single vineyard wine. The ungrafted vines are over fifty years old, the yield is low and the harvest is selective and manual. After the classic mash fermentation, the wine matures for over two years in used barriques and then for a long time in the bottle – this gives it density, structure and expression.

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the winery's 6 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, which is divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all the grapes are harvested at the perfect point of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

The Riserva Lupi e Sirene (Wolves and Mermaids) label is reminiscent of the good old days when Podere le Ripi was so remote that the howling of the wolves was the only sound you could hear at night.