Vintage 2024

Eichhorn vineyard – the name sounds like South Tyrol, like centuries-old vines rooted in sandy loam soils on volcanic porphyry weathered rock. As with the Sauvignon, this parcel is also located within the Tenuta Lieben Aich in Terlan, 300 metres above sea level, south-west exposed to the mild breeze. But where Tannenberg aims for maximum mineral tension, Eichhorn seeks a balance between Alpine clarity and Mediterranean fullness. This is where Pinot Bianco – pinot Bianco, as South Tyroleans call it – a variety that oscillates between restraint and expression. After a wet spring and hot summer, 2024 brought a golden autumn that allowed for physiologically perfectly ripe grapes. The grapes were harvested by hand at the end of September, striking an ideal balance between ripeness, freshness and moderate alcohol – a vintage that combines cool character with ripe fruit. The yield was 50 hectolitres per hectare. The destemmed berries remain in the press for eight hours for maceration – this is shorter than for Sauvignons because Pinot Blanc is more subtle in its use of structure. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in wooden barrels, followed by nine months of ageing on the fine lees.

Sauvignon Sanct Valentin is probably the best-known white wine from the St. Michael-Eppan winery. It has been vinified from carefully selected single vineyards at the foot of the Mendelstock since 1989. Yellow-green in colour, dense bouquet of yellow fruit, gooseberry, elderflower and ripe redcurrant, smooth on the palate with elegant, floral fullness and crisp acidity. A great and very savoury top wine and probably the most award-winning white from the internationally highly respected winegrowers' cooperative. SUPERIORE.DE

San Sebastiano. A small church south-west of Monforte d'Alba, surrounded by vineyards that flow gently down to the only natural lake in the Langhe. "Bricco Lago" – the hill by the lake. Here, on clay and limestone soils, in an area of unrivalled biodiversity, the Nebbiolo vines that produce Lucas and Elena's "Baby Barolo" take root. Plots planted in 1969 and 1995 – old vines that give depth and complexity. Monforte's ferrous character, its reddish colour, its spicy nose – can all be found here. However, Luca deliberately vinifies differently to his upcoming Barolos. Not whole-cluster fermentation, but whole berries – to avoid excessive vigour and preserve finesse. Five days of cold maceration, then 21 days of simple, traditional, non-invasive fermentation with minimal pumping over. After fermentation, the grape skins remain submerged in the wine for another five days to gently extract further flavours and silky tannins – an innovative technique for more complexity without bitterness. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Matured for one year in small barrels, then bottled in autumn.

Chardonnay Al Poggio benefits from high altitude vineyards (from around 500 metres above sea level) and the cool limestone soils of the Chianti Classico region to produce this fresh, crisp and delightfully approachable white wine. The unmistakable regional elements are reminiscent of apricot and peach, with light sprinklings of Italian herbs such as fresh oregano and sprigs of rosemary. Fine mineral notes and fresh hints of citrus fruit make this incredibly flavoursome and thoroughly complex Chardonnay an ideal accompaniment to Mediterranean summer dishes. SUPERIORE.DE

It is a story of transformation, written in the granite slopes of Gallura. Vign'Angena – the "foreign vineyard" in the Sardinian dialect – bears a name full of poetic irony. What once began as rented land, whose grapes Capichera used in the early years of her Vermentino revolution, became the quintessence of her own excellence. Since the first vinification in 1994, this DOCG wine has embodied the purest soul of the Gallurese terroir. Where the rows of vines between Olbia and Palau breathe the salty winds of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Vermentino thrives on the same soils that once harboured Nuragic giants. The nearby tomb of Coddu 'Ecchju silently tells of thousands of years of Sardinian history – here, where Fabrizio and Mario Ragnedda realised their vision of a new Vermentino era. No wood touches these grapes; only cool stainless steel preserves the crystalline purity of the harvest, which does not begin until mid-August each year.

Above Bolzano, where old gravel paths lead through sun-drenched vineyards, lies the legendary Huck am Bach farm, which gives its name to one of the most authentic red wines in South Tyrol. Between 250 and 500 metres above sea level, the Vernatsch and Lagrein vines that have been at the heart of the St. Magdalener tradition for generations thrive here on mineral-rich gravel soils. The harvest harvest produces grapes that mature in large oak barrels into a wine of enchanting elegance.

Bright silver-grey with a persistent, finesse-rich perlage. A wonderful nose of white flowers and light-coloured fruit. Full, broad and creamy elegance on the palate, supported by a delicate interplay of sweetness and acidity. A very expressive and sensual Prosecco Superiore from the top Cartizze vineyard. SUPERIORE.DE

After 35 years at the helm of Vietti, Luca Currado and Elena Penna ventured a new beginning in 2023: Cascina Penna-Currado, an artisanal boutique winery in Serralunga d'Alba, founded together with their children Michele and Giulia. A cascina dating back to 1554, once owned by the Marchesi Falletti, with a 360° view over the Langhe – and a wine that epitomises Elena's long-standing passion: Timorasso. The almost extinct, indigenous white wine variety of Piedmont, revived in the Colli Tortonesi, where Sant'Agata fossilised marl – 20 million years old compacted limestone – provide the typical salinity and minerality. The 15-year-old vines grow in Berzano di Tortona on east-facing slopes. The vinification is ground-breaking: spontaneous fermentation with innovative "submerged cap maceration" – the skins remain submerged, which enables perfect extraction without oxidative notes. 40-45% skin maceration, then maturation on the fine lees in clayver ceramic vats, partial malolactic fermentation.

This unfiltered rosato, matured in Liters amphorae, is the result of the strictest selection of Syrah grapes from the winery. The spontaneously fermented and Demeter-certified result is just 4,000 bottles, which are sold in selected specialist shops and restaurants. A beguiling, intense bouquet of pink grapefruit, raspberry and cranberry. Taut, juicy and lively on the palate - a perfect harmony of expression, freshness and body. SUPERIORE.DE

Innovation often means leaving old paths and exploring completely new ones. Fuoripista – which means "off the beaten track" – is Elisabetta Foradori's most radical response to conventional Pinot Grigio ideas. What began in 2016 as an experiment with biodynamic winemaker Marco Devigili has evolved into a redefinition of what a white wine can be. Just two hectares on the Campo Rotaliano provide the grapes for this extraordinary project. On the typical alluvial soils of gravel and sand, pergola-trained Pinot Grigio vines thrive, whose fruit takes an unusual path. After being harvested by hand, the de-stemmed berries go straight into Spanish tinajas – the egg-shaped clay amphorae that Elisabetta favours for her revolutionary vinification. The impossible happens here: The grapes remain in contact with their skins for eight months, a process that gives the wine its amber-golden colour and structural complexity.

Dellago comes from Pinot Bianco plots personally selected by cellar master Stephan Filippi on characteristic porphyry and limestone soils, where Archduke Johann of Austria established Pinot Blanc in South Tyrol as early as 1850. The special terroir with its distinctive temperature fluctuations between warm days and cool nights gives the hand-picked grapes the mineral precision that characterises Dellago. After careful manual harvesting, the grapes are gently pressed and vinified in two parts: The majority matures traditionally in stainless steel tanks on the fine lees, while a small but decisive proportion undergoes alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation in French barriques – a subtle use of wood gives the wine additional structure and complexity without overpowering its Burgundian elegance.

Exultet – the Latin imperative that has been resounding in the churches of Campania for centuries: "Rejoice!" This name encapsulates the entire philosophy of Luigi Moio, one of Italy's most renowned Oenologist, who has recognised that great wines not only need technical perfection, but above all a soul that moves people to rejoice. If the professor transforms his science into poetry, then Exultet is the most shining example of this alchemy. In the volcanic hills of Mirabella Eclano, where the Via Appia once led Roman legions through the heart of Irpinia, Fiano thrives on soils that owe their origin to the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. This ancient connection between fire and earth characterises every drop of this exceptional white wine.

Falanghina is experiencing a true renaissance under Luigi Moio. What was long regarded as a "simple" regional grape variety is developing into a white wine of surprising complexity and finesse in the hands of the oenology professor. Via del Campo – named after the characteristic country lanes of Irpinia – represents Moio's vision of a modern interpretation of this indigenous variety. In the vineyards of Lapio, the Falanghina vines grow on calcareous soils with volcanic inclusions, which give the region its mineral character. The vines, which are over forty years old, have adapted perfectly to the terroir and produce concentrated grapes with a pronounced aromatic intensity. The altitude of 450 metres provides the necessary temperature fluctuations that give Falanghina its characteristic balance between strength and elegance.

Giallo d'Arles tells one of the most fascinating stories of Campania's wine culture. The "yellow of Arles" refers to the golden colour that Greco di Tufo takes on when it is fully ripe, but behind this lies Luigi Moio's deep connection to classical education and his vision of a wine that translates the ancient greatness of Greco into modern perfection. Here, where the Greeks recognised two and a half millennia ago that this grape variety finds its highest perfection on the tufa soils of Campania, Moio is writing a new chapter in an ancient success story. The vineyards of Lapio, located in the heart of the Greco di Tufo zone, offer ideal conditions for this demanding grape variety. Here, at an altitude of 400 to 500 metres, the roots of the old Greco vines penetrate the characteristic tufa layers – the volcanic deposits that gave the appellation its name and give the wine its unmistakable mineral character. The extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night, intensified by the altitude, create a beautiful tension between strength and elegance.

The area around the small town of Milo is the only vineyard site on Etna where an Etna Bianco is allowed to be bottled as Superiore – and for good reason: only Carricante may be planted on the steep vineyard, which consists of dozens of small terraces. The vines are trained like small trees on chestnut wood poles. The eastern exposure and the proximity of the sea allow the grapes to ripen late, resulting in very consistent acidity levels and a white wine with an aromatic finesse and freshness that is unrivalled even on Etna. More floral and citrus-scented on the nose than the normal Carricante, the Superiore also has a little more body, acidity, depth and finesse. The elegant acidity makes it vibrantly fresh and long and ensures an exciting drinking flow and good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

This single-vineyard Carricante comes from the small Montalto vineyard on the southern slope of Etna at an altitude of around 950 metres. It is the most balanced and at the same time most exciting of all Etna Bianco from Terre Nere in terms of its overall impression and flavour; the whole Etna package is present here in exactly the right dose: Minerality, salinity, fruitiness and a perfect hint of orange peel and flint on the nose. On the palate, it is vibrant and fine, with an almost Burgundian dimension, full of finesse and length. SUPERIORE.DE

While Santo Spirito unfolds its floral elegance at an altitude of 700 to 800 metres, Calderara Sottana is rooted in a completely different world. Only a few kilometres away, yet geologically different, this contrada lies at an altitude of 620 to 670 metres directly next to the winery – and here the extraordinary complexity of the Etna terroir is revealed. Marc de Grazia discovered one of Sicily's rarest treasures in Calderara Sottana: pure elliptical terroir, formed 60,000 years ago by volcanic eruptions. Of the hundreds of contrade on Etna, only three have this pristine geological fingerprint and Calderara is one of them. While the Santo Spirito impresses with its crystalline minerality and maritime freshness, the Calderara Sottana is more opulent, creamy and warmer.

Eppan-Berg Schulthaus Pinot Bianco is a true classic among South Tyrolean Pinot Blancs. Its success began in 1982, when it was first vinified and bottled. A perfect, delicately fruity and fresh wine that is a pleasure to savour with its creamy softness and racy acidity. Smells of fresh spring green, the generous palate is characterised by mirabelle plum, nectarine and a vibrant freshness that leads to a refreshing finish with lemon and minerals. SUPERIORE.DE

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

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

In the quiet morning hours of Gallura, when the first light dances over the granite hills and the Sardinian Mediterranean scrub begins to awaken, something extraordinary emerges. Amistai – a name that means friendship and solidarity in the ancient language of Gallura – is Capichera's bold answer to the question: can a rosé achieve the same depth and complexity as the estate's legendary white wines? With the 2024 vintage, the traditional winery took a revolutionary step. Where the classic També epitomises the light elegance of Sardinian rosés, Amistai breaks all conventions. Made from the finest autochthonous grapes from selected vineyards, prolonged maceration and a vinification process that redefines boundaries – this rosé is Capichera's manifesto for a new era in Sardinian viticulture.