Vintage 2024

Livio Felluga's Friulano is very fresh and tropical, with nuances of sour melon, young mango and white smoke forming its attractive bouquet. It impresses with a lively acidity that balances the silky texture and ripe fruit, and with a spicy herbal note that gives it unexpected depth. Perfumed and fresh to the final, leaving a pleasant mouthfeel, with hints of bitter almond but also a gentle streak of residual tension. Very nice. SUPERIORE.DE

A Chardonnay with Friulian soul: the combination of high altitudes, barren flysch soils and temperate climate gives this wine freshness, finesse and character. Light golden yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. The bouquet is inviting and balanced: yellow apple, white flowers, lemon and a hint of exotic fruit - underpinned by delicate almond and a hint of vanilla, without ever appearing overloaded. On the palate, it is dry, harmonious and clearly contoured, with lively acidity and a fine melting texture. The ageing in stainless steel preserves precision and varietal typicity. A Chardonnay that moves stylistically between freshness and substance - elegant, straightforward and with a noticeable imprint of origin and winemaker's craft. SUPERIORE.DE

A Sauvignon Blanc from the Collio that seduces rather than provokes. Pale straw yellow with a green tinge in the glass. The nose is complex but never overpowering: elderflower, grapefruit, green pepper, whitecurrant and a hint of sage. Juicy and precise on the palate, with lively acidity, firm structure and cool mineral depth. The maturation in stainless steel tanks emphasises the clarity and aromatic tension of the wine, without tipping over into a garish "gooseberry" flavour. A stylistically finely balanced Sauvignon that brings the potential of the Collio into the bottle with quiet sophistication and authentic terroir expression. Good ageing potential, as is to be expected with all Livio Felluga whites. SUPERIORE.DE

An island within the island. This is what Giuseppe Benanti called Etna, the world he opened up for himself in 1988 as a pioneer of modern Etna wines. Today, his sons Antonio and Salvino are continuing his legacy as the only winery with vineyards on all four slopes of the volcano. The Etna Bianco combines 100% Carricante from the eastern and southern slopes, where altitudes between 700 and 950 metres, volcanic sandy soils and pronounced day-night fluctuations create ideal conditions. The 20 to 60-year-old vines grow partly as traditional Alberello, partly on trellis wire. Hand-picked in mid-October, gently pressed, fermented for twelve days at 18 °C in stainless steel with the estate's own Carricante yeast selected from Etna vineyards. Maturation on fine lees and brief rest in the bottle.

This single-varietal Carricante from Tenuta Tascante comes from the districts of Feudo in Castiglione di Sicilia and Salice in Milo. The vineyards grow at an altitude of 600 metres on the north side of Mount Etna on volcanic sedimentary soils from different eras. The majority of the grapes grow on a terrace in Contrada Sciaranuova. Vinified in cool stainless steel, this white wine retains the mineral clarity and sulphurous notes of the indigenous grape variety. Linear and vertical, it presents itself with the characteristic acidity of Carricante, showing volcanic vigour in elegant purity. An authentic Etna character with four months of ageing on the lees that brings the aura of the volcano directly into the glass. SUPERIORE.DE

Solicchiata is located on the northern slope of Mount Etna, where the volcano still gives everything to its soil – minerality, warmth, tension – without imposing the glowing ripeness of the southern flank. The Faro family founded Pietradolce here in 2005, on 35 hectares between 600 and 900 metres above sea level. The credo: exclusively indigenous varieties, separate vinification of the individual vineyards, as little intervention as possible. The Etna Bianco is the gateway to this universe – and at the same time an unequivocal commitment. 100 per cent Carricante, Alberello, 800 metres above sea level. Sandy volcanic soils, rich in minerals. Hand-picked in the second half of October, when the long, cool nights on the northern slope have given the acidity its final touch. Gentle pressing, ageing exclusively in steel. No wood, no distraction.

The Tenuta Capofaro of Tasca is located on the Aeolian Islands off the north-eastern tip of Sicily. The name of this fresh and aromatic Malvasia is dedicated to the former owner Paola Lantieri, who cultivated the 4.5-hectare vineyard with great dedication. The vines grow on mineral soils of ash, fine brown sand, pumice and silicate.

The grapes come exclusively from the single vineyard San Pietro, and since the 2018 vintage, part of the wine has been aged in amphorae. Berries, liquorice and deep red fruit on the nose. Finely woven and very precise structure, a bright, open personality and class on the palate. Sheer elegance and Clerico enjoyment without waiting for further ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

Etna Bianco is smoky in the glass and excites the senses with a burst of crushed rock and raw almonds before fading into a citrus-influenced peach. It is pleasantly soft and enveloping, with weighty textures supported by lively acidity. Mineral fruits and sweet spices meet on the palate. Finishes remarkably fresh yet grippy and long, leaving the mouth wanting more. The complexity of this wine is unrivalled for an entry-level Etna Bianco. SUPERIORE.DE

Verdeluce – green light – is the name of this wine that the Famiglia Cotarella dedicates to the hills around Orvieto, the area on the border between Lazio and Umbria that has always been synonymous with quality white wines. Riccardo and Renzo Cotarella, two of Italy's most influential Oenologist, founded Falesco in 1979 with the aim of revitalising forgotten grape varieties. Today, cousins Dominga, Marta and Enrica continue the legacy – with a modern style and an international outlook, without losing their roots in the territory.

Terre Neres Etna Rosato opens flavoursome and animating in the glass. The bouquet has notes of fresh almonds, dried flowers, smoky mandarins and maritime minerals. The palate has an excellent, silky texture and ripe melon with white stone fruit. A salty character hovers over everything, mingling with vibrant acidity and traces of tannin, providing plenty of tension and balance. A fabulous rosé of polished elegance and purity. SUPERIORE.DE

Marc de Grazia made Etna history when he rediscovered the forgotten volcanic slopes over two decades ago. His Etna Rosso – the "calling card" of the estate – today combines grapes from various locations between 600 and 900 metres above sea level, where Nerello Mascalese grows on ancient volcanic soils. The vines grow on the cool northern slopes of Mount Etna, surrounded by black pumice and lava rock – a terroir that lends each sip its unmistakable mineral signature.

When Giuseppe Russo talks about his rosato, his eyes light up with the same intensity as the powder-pink glow that settles over the Contrada San Lorenzo in the early days of October. Here, where eighty-year-old Nerello Mascalese vines are rooted in volcanic soil at an altitude of 700 metres, one of Italy's most elegant rosés is created – born from the perfect balance between timing and technique. The magic begins with the early manual harvest, when the grapes have that crystalline freshness that only the cool Etna nights can give. Giuseppe uses a traditional vertical press in which the whole grapes are gently pressed for five hours – long enough to extract the delicate colour, short enough to preserve the mineral elegance. No maceration on the skins, no artificial intervention: just the natural connection between grape and volcanic terroir. After spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wine matures for six months in stainless steel, where it develops its characteristic finesse.

Macrina shines in the glass in a clear straw yellow colour with a subtle green hue. The bouquet exudes enchanting notes of fresh white flowers and green apple, carried by an elegant, persistent freshness. On the palate, the wine displays lively acidity, a juicy fruit structure and a distinctive mineral note that stylishly accompanies the floral and fruity accents. The transparent, clear ageing in stainless steel emphasises the pure varietal and origin presence. A juicy Verdicchio with elegant finesse and a drinkable balance. SUPERIORE.DE

Brilliant purple red with a youthful glow. The 2024 is fresh and inviting on the nose: red cherry, crisp plum, a hint of redcurrant and floral hints of violets. Vinification in stainless steel preserves the primary fruit and crisp liveliness of the young vintage. Fruity on the palate, with a juicy texture, mild tannin structure and an animating freshness that favours the drinking flow. A Dolcetto with youthful charm and regional authenticity – uncomplicated, but with a precise Giacosa style. SUPERIORE.DE

Very rarely do even the traditionalists relax their strict rules. Fuligni, synonymous with classic Brunello di Montalcino for over a century, has taken a step with this rosato that surprises and enchants – and enchants. Only around a thousand bottles of this Sangiovese rosé are produced, which grows on the north-eastern slopes of Montalcino, where the family has cultivated its vineyards since the beginning of the 20th century. Maria Flora Fuligni, who has managed the estate with philosophical calm since 1971, was guided by the joy of experimentation. The vinification follows the classic Rosato method: short maceration, gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel.

The small, museum-like island of Mozia in the Marsala lagoon is a production site of unrivalled uniqueness. It is a marine ecosystem that has always been linked to the vineyard. The English, who came to Marsala at the beginning of the 19th century and recognised its great potential, initiated the first planting. The vines are cultivated naturally using the Gobelet system with natural irrigation. The grapes are harvested in crates, brought to the mainland in flat-bottomed boats and then transported to the Regaleali winery in air-conditioned lorries to guarantee their aromatic integrity.

Bright ruby colour with purple reflections. The vintage reveals a fresh yet concentrated bouquet: juicy cherries, red plums, violet blossom and a hint of freshly crushed almonds. On the palate, it is firmer than the basic Dolcetto, with concise fruit, clear, present acidity and a dense, fine tannin that gives it exceptional balance. The Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba site is unmistakably characterised by its mineral backbone and noble texture – a serious Dolcetto that brings its terroir to the glass with aplomb and can develop over the years. SUPERIORE.DE

Animalucente consists mainly of Carricante from 70-100 year old vines, some of which are still ungrafted. Shiny, ethereal and extravagant in the glass, the bright colour is reminiscent of a lava flow in a wild and romantic setting. The palate is extremely flavoursome, vertical, with a tangy acidity and creaminess that makes you want to drink the next glass. Animalucente is a strong, forward and very authentic Etna wine and the perfect fusion of heaven and earth. SUPERIORE.DE