VINOUS

Here is one of the most serious and at the same time most exciting sparkling wines that can be made from the Sorbara variety! Pale to dusky pink in colour with a fine foam and accentuated, persistent perlage. The bouquet is almost magical and yet very distinguished, with hints of raspberry and wild strawberry, which is what makes a top-class Lambrusco, but still seems to be an unattainable goal for many local winegrowers. A fine acidity on the palate, with delicate, dry bitter notes and an exciting brightening of fruity tones of wild strawberry and pomegranate. The overall impression is bone-dry and the bottled dream of a Lambrusco produced using the champagne method, which is unrivalled in the wine landscape. SUPERIORE.DE

Maldafrica describes an "inner longing for a distant land" and is not love at first sight, but it is one of Sicily's most interesting wines. It is initially very subtle and nuanced and it opens up gradually on its own timetable, but then: spontaneously fermented in amphorae, Maldafrica overwhelms the senses with dark fruits, spices, chopped herbs, savoury notes, sulphur, leather and damp tobacco. Its mouthfeel is over a minute long and its acidity provides the perfect amount of astringency to refresh the senses for all its opulence. A quiet monument that sets the standard for the entire wine region and leaves a lasting impression for all its longing. SUPERIORE.DE

Named after the "Seggio" stream, the largest watercourse in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci, this elegant Bordeaux blend epitomises the accessibility and finesse of Bolgheri DOC. The historic watercourse rises in the Etruscan Colline Metallifere near Sassetta and flows through the entire Bolgheri area, its alluvial deposits enriching the characteristic clay soils with valuable pebbles. This harmonious cuvée comes from the privileged vineyards of Le Sondraie and Via Bolgherese. The vines, which are around 19 years old, thrive on well-drained, skeleton-rich soils with a clay layer and a high magnesium and iron content – ideal conditions for the international grape variety assemblage.

One name is making a name for itself: Vallenuova, previously the estate's entry-level Chianti, will become a Riserva with the 2023 vintage. The vineyard, which surrounds the estate like a natural amphitheatre, bears the name of the locality – still today Tolaini's official address in Castelnuovo Berardenga. What is changing is the ageing period: instead of ten months, the Riserva now matures for considerably longer in a trio of Tuscan, Slavonian and Austrian oak before spending a further few months in the bottle. The base is now also clearly defined: 100% Sangiovese from silty-clay soils with limestone and stones. Double selection – by hand in the vineyard, visually in the cellar – 20 days' maceration, temperature-controlled fermentation.

A Pinot Grigio with ambition, origin and character – far from convention. In the chalky hills of Buttrio, Paolo Meroi presses a white wine from old, deep-rooted vines that convincingly refutes the preconception of simple Pinot Grigio. The wine is matured partly in used wood and partly in stainless steel – precisely dosed to give the variety depth without sacrificing its freshness.

Taurasi, undisputedly the great red wine of the South, rightly described as the "Barolo of the South", reveals its full power and nobility in Feudi di San Gregorio's interpretation. This single-varietal Aglianico comes from vineyards at altitudes of up to 700 metres, on volcanic soils comprising basalt, clay and tuff. The result is a brooding, long-lived red wine with distinct regional character and sophistication.

A Pinot Grigio with ambition and from one of the estate's best vineyards. The wine comes from the eponymous Zuc di Volpe hill in Togliano, whose clay and limestone soils, combined with consistent manual harvesting and low yields, provide the basis for this cru-worthy Pinot Grigio. Matured in stainless steel with extended maturation on the fine lees, the wine is light golden yellow in colour with a slightly coppery sheen in the glass – a subtle hint of the natural pigmentation of the grape variety. Yellow pear, some ripe quince, white almonds and a hint of hay flower on the nose. Surprisingly structured on the palate, with mineral tension, good depth and a fine salty vein. A delicate phenolic note on the finish gives the wine grip and length.

Copper-coloured with light brown reflections. The bouquet is floral, sweet and complex. On the palate, its typical Moscato flavours are carried by honey, dried fruit, caramel and a hint of musk. Creamy and dense on the palate with a well-balanced acidity that gives it plenty of freshness. Overall, Aestas Passito is a dessert wine for us that is hard to beat in terms of excitement and speciality and where you can feel the dedication and certain wine craziness with every sip. SUPERIORE.DE

Cuvée Real epitomises the elegant signature of Antica Fratta and shows just how fine Franciacorta can be. It is based on Chardonnay and a small proportion of Pinot Nero from the gentle moraine hills of Lombardy. After gentle whole-cluster pressing, the first fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in small wooden barrels before the wine matures for at least 24 months on the fine lees in the bottle. Delicate straw yellow in the glass with a fine, persistent perlage. The bouquet opens with notes of fresh lemon, yellow apple, some white peach and a hint of roasted hazelnut. The palate is fresh and precise, with an elegant creaminess, fine citrus flavour and balanced structure. The finish is clear, mineral-accentuated and persistent. A stylish, versatile Franciacorta that shines both as an aperitif and as an accompaniment to fine cuisine – classic, precise and charming. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1966, when the Italian wine industry was at a crossroads, Domenico Poggiali took a bold step and acquired the then-neglected estates of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Subsequently, and right up to the present day, this adventure has been turned into a legend by his son-in-law, Giuseppe Mazzocolin, a professor of humanities and friend of Luigi Veronelli. Together with the young OenologistFranco Bernabei, they created the first Berardenga in 1967 – a Sangiovese that embodies the true essence of south-eastern Chianti Classico. The vineyards stretch across the geologically diverse terraces at altitudes between 320 and 420 metres, where quartz-rich sandstone and calcareous Alberese in the higher elevations meet sandstone and loam as one descends towards the Crete Senesi. This "Terra di Confine" – the borderland between Chianti Classico and the Colli Senesi – shapes its unmistakable character.

Le Potazzine: this is the name given in Montalcino dialect to the little tits that flutter through the vineyards. It was the pet name given by a grandmother to her lively granddaughters: Viola and Sofia. Today, together with their mother Gigliola Giannetti, the two run one of the most purist wineries in the appellation. The vines grow at an altitude of 450 to 530 metres – sites that were once considered too cool and are now considered a blessing. This Sangiovese is the youthful entry: pure stainless steel ageing, twelve months, no oak, just the grape.

For decades, the Sottimano family in Neive has vinified five individual Barbaresco vineyards separately: Cotta, Pajoré, Fausoni, Basarin and Currà – each with its own signature, each an independent argument for the terroir of the municipality. The Langhe Nebbiolo at Sottimano is normally made from the younger vines of the Basarin vineyard, while the older vines contribute their material to the five Barbaresco cru.

Uccelliera's Rosso di Montalcino slowly comes to life with a beguiling blend of mentholated herbs, pine shavings and dried strawberries. It glides over the palate with a texture of pure silk, caressing everything it touches with ripe red fruits and rosy flowers accompanied by a lively acidity. Structured, powerful and long on the final – as always, it far exceeds its weight class and is a top-class Rosso di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

This mature Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso comes from the single vineyard "Zuc di Volpe" – a prime example of the ripening potential and aristocratic depth of this autochthonous variety. 2013 was a classic vintage: a cool spring, a moderate summer and a dry autumn allowed a late harvest of perfectly ripe grapes with a distinctive tannic structure and lively freshness. The wine was matured in large wooden barrels and barriques and then allowed to rest in the bottle for many years. Today it displays a multi-layered bouquet of dark cherry, blackberry, graphite, undergrowth and liquorice. Powerful and focused on the palate, with ripe tannins, savoury spice and a characteristic balsamic freshness that characterises the long finish. A hint of dark chocolate and a touch of iron add depth.

Grave di Stecca is Nino Franco's exposed single vineyard on the slopes of the Prealpi. The south-facing vineyard is planted exclusively with the Prosecco grape Glera. Brilliantly shining white gold, gently developing perlage, a bouquet of sage with fresh fruit flavours. Very pleasantly dry flavour, silky and long – the indisputably great top-quality wine from the renowned Prosecco producer. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine that inspires with the utmost precision and emotional depth: Libenter (Latin: with pleasure) is the consistent pinnacle of the red line from Tavignano. The cuvée of Montepulciano, Sangiovese and a discreet proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon develops a remarkable complexity after 14–18 months in small oak barrels, it develops a remarkable complexity. Each vine contributes to the intense structure, each grape to the harmonious whole.

The Foscarino label features two faces – studies by the English architect Inigo Jones (1573–1652), the first proponent of Palladian-inspired classicism in England. "The sacred and the profane," says Inama. A hint that this wine offers more than just a very special flavour. Monte Foscarino is the heart of Soave Classico – visible from the plain in every direction – the very reference point for the entire appellation. The volcanic rock here was formed around 30 million years ago. The so-called ‘red horizon’ of the Foscarino vineyards – a play of colours – black, green, red and orange – in the basalt – reveals the varying degrees of iron oxidation in this unique rock. On this soil, Garganega vines – between 10 and 75 years old – grow using the Pergola Veronese training system, at altitudes of 100 to 200 metres, on a semi-fan-shaped slope running from north-east to south-west.

Exciting, balsamic, white cuvée from Vermentino, Trebbiano and Malvasia - with a handful of Traminer and Riesling. Initially reductive on the nose, then dark yellow fruit, some smoke. Very direct, straightforward and grippingly mineral on the palate, with crisp acidity, citrus zest and fine juicy yellow fruit. Lingers on the palate for a long time and, with its race and alpine freshness, makes you briefly forget that this linear and very concise white wine comes from Tuscany. SUPERIORE.DE

In Bolgheri, less than four kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea, lies that "El Dorado" of Italian viticulture which the legendary Oenologist André Tchelistcheff once visionary recognised. Here, on the volcanic soils between an ancient cypress-lined avenue and the Tuscan coast, Le Volte emerges as the approachable calling card of a winery whose name is synonymous worldwide with uncompromising quality. The cuvée, comprising 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, is vinified separately by grape variety in small stainless-steel tanks to preserve the individual characteristics of each. Following malolactic fermentation, the wine matures for ten months, partly in used Ornellaia barriques and partly in concrete tanks – a deliberate balance between structure and fruit expression.

In 1977 – two years after Sassicaia – Pier Mario Melini became only the second person ever to plant vines in Bolgheri. What seemed like obstinacy at the time is now known as Grattamacco. The estate is situated on one of the appellation's few hills, 100 to 200 metres above sea level, on quartz-rich sandstone, white clay and calcareous marl flysch – soils that counter the Mediterranean climate with a continental freshness. The Bolgheri Rosso 2024 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese and a hint of Petit Verdot – vinified in steel, then aged for six months in neutral barriques. The damp spring and hot summer of 2024 were broken by refreshing rainfall in early August: a classic, slow ripening process that endowed the wine with both freshness and structure.

Beneath the vineyard lie the old tunnels of the Miniere di Novare. What was once a mining site is now terroir: The 4-hectare vineyard, spread across two south-west-facing terraces above the tunnel system in Arbizzano di Negrar, forms one of the two cru selections with which Bertani has been redefining the original elegance of Valpolicella Classico since 1857. No appassimento, no ripasso, no oak ageing. Just the grape varieties of this area, the soil and time. Six to nine months in concrete tanks: a vessel that preserves freshness and imparts texture without influencing the final result. At least six months in bottle.

When Luciano Sandrone bought his first vineyard in Cannubi Boschis in 1977 – financed with all his savings – and vinified the first bottle in his parents' garage a year later, nobody could have guessed that this humble beginning would grow into one of Barolo's most iconic wineries. After his death in 2024, daughter Barbara, brother Luca as Oenologist and wife Mariuccia continue the legacy today: 27 hectares between Langa and Roero, six wines of uncompromising quality that combine tradition and modernity in equal measure. The Barbera d'Alba, vinified from grapes from various plots in Monforte d'Alba and Novello, is more than just an accompanying wine – it is a statement that Sandrone devotes the same attention to each grape variety as he does to his legendary Barolo.

This exceptional Chianti Classico comes from the golden basin of the Conca d'Oro near Panzano and bears the pioneering achievements of the di Napoli family. As early as 1975, Alceo di Napoli was one of the first in the Chianti region to venture into planting Cabernet Sauvignon – a vision that was to revolutionise the traditional Sangiovese profile and is now part of Castello dei Rampolla's DNA. The grapes thrive on 42 hectares of limestone-rich soil at an altitude of around 360 metres, where Sangiovese (90%) blends with small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to create a harmonious cuvée. The estate has consistently followed biodynamic principles since 1994 – long before they became a trend. The vineyards are home to a living ecosystem: flowers and herbs grow unhindered between the rows of vines, naturally oxygenated water nourishes the vines, and only copper, sulphur and bee propolis are used to protect the vines.