VINOUS

Celestino Gaspari is regarded on the scene as the successor to Giuseppe Quintarelli, having worked there for many years as cellar master. His vintage Amarone has an intense ruby colour with a garnet sheen. The full bouquet has aromas of dark chocolate, prunes, black cherries and cloves. Complex and full-bodied on the palate, very juicy fruit, cherries, plums flanked by a gentle tannin. It offers an impressive multi-dimensionality and great richness, which is evenly distributed across all the senses - regardless of whether it is drunk young after a few hours of decanting or whether it reaches further maturity in the bottle over many years with good storage. SUPERIORE.DE

The 2020 Barbaresco Bernadot comes from one of the coolest and highest cru sites in the municipality of Treiso, whose sandy, chalky soils and exposed south-east exposure give the Nebbiolo particular precision and aromatic clarity. The year was characterised by a warm spring, followed by a stable summer with cool nights, which ensured slow, even ripening and preserved the freshness of the wine.

The fruit for Tenuta Nuova is harvested from a south and south-east facing slope at 250 to 300 metres above sea level. The soils are loose and mixed with gravel, which allows access to air and moisture.

Sometimes it takes a single vineyard to understand what a vintage really means. 2021: "fragrante, definite e verticale" – is the official verdict of some Masters of Wine. Fragrant, precise, vertical. For Le Lucére, this east-facing parcel on Galestro and slate, this sounds like a description of the wine's characteristics. No vintage in recent years fits the DNA of this site as well as 2021. The late frost in April decimated the quantities – what remained was more concentrated, healthier, more focussed. No heat stress in summer. A relaxed harvest at the end of September, in which the vines gave the last of what the season had to offer: clear fruit, lively acidity, fine-grained tannins. Caciorgna let the vintage speak for itself.

Giovanni Manetti was just twenty when, in 1981, he was due to press the first vintage together with Oenologist Franco Bernabei: a pure Sangiovese, at a time when the rules governing Chianti Classico still stipulated a proportion of white wine. What began as an act of rebellion became a legend. Flaccianello della Pieve, one of the first single-varietal Super Tuscans, proved that Sangiovese can achieve world-class status without any blending. The name derives from the original vineyard, but since 2001 Flaccianello has been a selection of the finest grapes from three plots on the estate, primarily those at the highest altitudes of 480 metres, where Pietraforte soils predominate. This conglomerate of sandstone varieties lends the wine the freshness and structure that set it apart from the rest.

A great Barbaresco, destined for long ageing: Garnet red, concentrated and powerful aromas of red berries, freshly cut flowers, mint and tobacco. The flavour is also bursting with power and richness, but still has a captivating purity, immediacy and elegance, the framework of which is formed by the beautifully integrated tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for this exceptional wine come from vineyards 450 metres above sea level in the Neive district. Fine spicy notes, dark berries and wet earth dominate the precise structure and power of this yet very elegant red. Buy, store and savour in anticipation! SUPERIORE.DE

Barbaresco Starderi from the municipality of Neive is almost austere with its scent of pink pepper and cocoa, which combined with the subtle woody notes gives a delicious overall aroma; powerful and rich in flavour with the still superficial but very noble tannin. SUPERIORE.DE

The single vineyard Gallina in Neive has been synonymous with powerful, broodingBarbaresco for decades. The vines grow on calcareous marl soils with a southern exposure – a terroir that characterises the Nebbiolo with lush fruit, fine spice and distinctive structure. Organic cultivation promotes vitality and expressiveness, while limiting yields ensures concentration. The 2021 vintage was characterised by an ideal balance: warm, sunny days and cool nights during the ripening phase resulted in healthy, aromatically complex grapes. After careful manual harvesting, a traditional maceration followed, after which the wine matured for around 20 months in new barriques before being bottled unfiltered.

Tenuta Nuova. The name carries weight: when Giacomo Neri acquired the land around Le Cetine, near the Abbazia di Sant'Antimo in southern Montalcino, in the early 1990s, no one had ever planted Sangiovese there. This was no oversight – it was a judgement that Giacomo Neri wanted to overturn. Not out of defiance, but out of conviction: that this terrain, this microclimate, these soils held the potential for a Brunello with a character all of its own. What followed was not a gut feeling, but a methodical approach. Systematic studies of the microclimates, the optimal exposures and the soils – clone selection, rootstock research, planting distances; everything was scrutinised, every decision made. The first result came in 1993. A few years later, the rest of the world was talking about it.

Sandro Chia had the right instinct when he acquired the very high vineyard, which his neighbours had actually advised him not to buy. Named after this single vineyard, the famous artist and his son Filippo vinified a wine here that is somewhat denser than the normal Annata. The full bouquet has lively notes of dark red cherries, spices, plums and leather. Filo di Seta is racy and lush, but still has a clearly recognisable structure and impresses with its impressive balance. Sweet floral and spicy notes lend it exciting nuances on the expressive finish. A bold and incredibly viral Brunello and a masterpiece every year! SUPERIORE.DE

Vigna Loreto from the sun-drenched single vineyard of the same name right next to the winery is only vinified in the best vintages and delivers an even more intense interpretation of the Sangiovese grape every year. If you are looking for a soft and contemporary expression of Sangiovese, this is the wine for you. It offers a deep richness and texture infused with black fruits, spice and tobacco. This wine goes a step beyond the normal boundaries of Brunello in terms of richness and extraction. For all its undoubtedly beguiling opulence, it is nevertheless a straightforward and altogether superb wine that will gain in finesse and elegance with age. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine that made history. When Francesco Ricasoli presented Casalferro for the first time in 1993, it marked the beginning of a new era for the venerable Castello di Brolio and cemented Ricasoli's membership in the elite of Italian oenology. Today, almost three decades later, Casalferro 2019 is a prime example of how a French grape variety matures to exceptional perfection on Tuscan terroir. Casalferro is the essence of three exceptional individual vineyards: Vigna Casalferro, Vigna Pecchierino and Vigna Sodacci. These 13 hectares of Merlot vineyards between 400 and 500 metres above sea level are the result of decades of meticulous terroir studies. Each site has its own personality: Vigna Casalferro with its sandstone and limestone soils, Vigna Pecchierino on pure Alberese limestone and Vigna Sodacci on iron-rich sandstone soils. They all share the characteristic altitude, which gives the grapes the crystalline freshness and lively acidity that characterise the DNA of the Brolio terroir.

In 2001, when the Mascheroni Stianti family planted the Casanova vineyard, one of the most visionary projects in the history of Tuscan viticulture began. Between the legendary Coltassala and Balifico vineyards, on the sun-drenched south-south-east flank of Volpaia, a living museum of Sangiovese biodiversity was created – a vineyard that was to become the flagship of an entire philosophy. Il Puro is the pure essence of Chianti Classico: 100 per cent Sangiovese, 100 per cent indigenous clones, 100 per cent organic, 100 per cent Radda.

High above the Tanaro in the municipality of Treiso lies the Valeirano parcel – one of the most barren and steepest sites in Barbaresco. Calcareous marl soils, interspersed with fine veins of sand, and an exposed south-east exposure give the Nebbiolo here a particularly taut, vertical profile. The 2021 vintage brought ideal conditions: a steady summer, cool nights and a golden autumn ensured perfectly ripe grapes with high aromatic potential. After careful manual harvesting, the wine fermented traditionally on the skins and then matured for around 20 months in new barriques before being bottled unfiltered.

1908 is the year in which the Gries winery was founded. The history of the winery is closely linked to three rivers, but it is the Talvera that has shaped it the most. Bolzano is not called the city of Talvera for nothing. The old floodplains have given the winegrowers very special soils. These alluvial soils on porphyry provide the ideal basis for Lagrein in particular, but also for Cabernet and Merlot. With its good water permeability and mineral deposits, Bolzano's volcanic porphyry has always been one of the keys to wines full of character.

Palafreno 2019 is wonderfully polished and lively. Firm but well-integrated tannins form the backbone for a Merlot that is endowed with considerable energy. Spicy herbs, tobacco and wild flowers add complexity. Very nuanced on the palate, opulent to expressive, then at second glance supple, downright elegant. Almost unbeatable in complexity, depth and richness of finesse, it will reveal more and more of its first-class repertoire in the coming years. SUPERIORE.DE

Ornato 2021 comes from the single vineyard of the same name in Serralunga d'Alba, exposed to the south – a cru with a distinctive altitude and calcareous soils that captures the depth and power of the Barolo region like no other. The 2021 vintage was characterised by a cool spring, a stable summer without extreme heat and a long, dry autumn. These conditions allowed the Nebbiolo to ripen slowly and evenly, giving the grapes aromatic complexity with full phenolic ripeness. The wine was fermented traditionally after a long maceration period and then matured for around 30 months in French oak – partly in tonneau and partly in barrique.

In the pantheon of Tuscan winemaking, there are moments of pure alchemy – and Sette from Tenuta Sette Ponti embodies just such a moment. Seven different Merlot vineyards, seven distinct characters, seven unique terroirs, which Antonio Moretti Cuseri blends into a harmonious symphony. A magnificent tribute to the art of winemaking, demonstrating how unity arises from diversity.

There are wines that change a grape variety forever. Granato is one of them. The legendary Teroldego, which has been convincing the wine world since 1987 that red wines of international calibre can be produced from Italy's alpine heights. Its name is both programme and poetry: Granato – the pomegranate, the ancient Mediterranean fruit that, like the vine, came to Italy thousands of years ago and whose ruby-coloured seeds remind Elisabetta Foradori of the essence of perfect grapes. In the historic Noval, Regin and Pedot vineyards of Campo Rotaliano, where Teroldego vines over seventy years old sink their roots deep into the Dolomite soil, a wine of monumental proportions is created. Here, on the alluvial sediments of prehistoric times, these ancient vines have grown in complexity decade after decade. Elisabetta's biodynamic philosophy reaches its purest form with these Methuselah vines: Not to intervene, but to guide nature to its peak.

The Vigna Loreto covers one and a half hectares. Steep, stony and east-facing – the slope faces the morning sun, not the midday sun. The soil is rich in tuff and pebbles, poor in nutrients, and unforgiving. The vines are the result of a mass selection from eight of the estate's own Sangiovese clones, which Mastrojanni has selected over decades: the estate's genetic memory is embodied in every vine. It was Gabriele Mastrojanni himself who recognised Vigna Loreto as a distinct plot – the ability to demonstrate finesse where Castelnuovo dell'Abate would otherwise impress with power. Today, every vintage confirms what the founder saw: Loreto speaks more softly than the great Brunello, but with greater precision. The east-facing aspect gives the wine freshness; the tuff lends it mineral tension; and the lean soils force concentration without overripeness. 36 months' ageing in Allier barrels ranging from 16 to 33 hectolitres – the small sizes that allow the wood to be close to the wine without dominating it.

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.

"This is our flagship wine, a Barolo recognised the world over, which we have always nourished and cared for with greatest respect. Nothing will change. This is why I will dedicate this special wine to my grandchildren Alessia and Stefano. From now on, it will carry their names." Luciano Sandrone on his intention to rename his world-famous Barolo Cannubi Boschis "Aleste" with the 2013 vintage. This Barolo is a masterpiece from Luciano Sandrone in every respect. Not only a historic product but also the only cru of the house from the renowned Cannubi area in Barolo. Rich ruby colour, balsamic bouquet, ripe and sweet. Great suppleness on the palate, lots of fruit, dense tannins, very persistent final with Burgundian elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Cherry accentuated bouquet with hints of violet blossoms, clove, cigar box and a pleasant spicy sweetness. Dense and expressive on the palate, it opens vibrantly and multilayered and then reveals a beautiful load of black cherry, exotic spices and a fine salty vein. The perfectly balanced tannin always provides the necessary balance and gives it a racy, very long finish with its exceedingly refined flavour components. SUPERIORE.DE