Vintage 2024

Pinot Noir from the finest vineyards in and around Eppan. The compact loamy soils, with limestone deposits on porphyry rock, provide ideal conditions for full-bodied grapes. The bouquet offers a variety of spicy and fruity aromas of raspberries and cherries. Powerful, full-bodied and harmonious on the palate, with an elegant flavour and a long, fruit-driven final. SUPERIORE.DE

Above Margreid, where the Mediterranean climate of the lowlands gives way to the coolness of the higher altitudes, lies the Penon. A single vineyard at an altitude of 500 to 600 metres, facing east-southeast – to the morning sun, which sweeps gently and evenly across the vineyard before the afternoon heat sets in. The soil is pure: exclusively limestone gravel with a high humus content. No porphyry, no volcanic deposits, no mixed rock. Just limestone – and, within this limestone, the most concentrated minerality that Nals Margreid has to offer for Pinot Bianco. The Penon is not a ‘Tradition’ wine, but one of the estate’s ‘Selection’ wines: a single vineyard vinified according to the estate’s own style. Hand-harvested, carefully processed, and further aged sur lies in stainless steel.

At the heart of the north-eastern Etna amphitheatre, where Silvia Maestrelli's vision turned to stone, lies Fessina: a name that sounds like a whisper through the volcanic winds. Here, in the Frazione Rovittello of Castiglione di Sicilia, between two ancient lava flows from 1809 and 1911, a dream came true in 2007. Silvia, the pioneer – a Tuscan with a Milanese soul and a Sicilian heart – was the first woman on the volcano to recognise the extraordinary potential of this difficult, masculine earth. With the tenacity of a visionary and the sensitivity of a "female oenological vision", she created a refuge of excellence after long negotiations with the countless owners of the fragmented plots.

Between the lava flows of Rovittello, a wine is created that reveals the delicate side of the volcano. Erse Rosato, made predominantly from Nerello Cappuccio and a smaller proportion of Nerello Mascalese from the only hectare of vineyards exposed to the north-east at an altitude of 700 metres. Here, where the morning breeze blows up from the Alcantara Valley and the afternoon heat is kept at bay by the ancient sciare, a rosato of exceptional personality develops. The two Nerello varieties are vinified separately with a cold maceration of 12 hours at 12-14°C to gently extract colour and aromas before being combined for alcoholic fermentation and subsequent refinement in stainless steel tanks.

An exceptionally characterful and powerful Cerasuolo di Vittoria made from equal parts Frappato and Nero d'Avola. On the nose, it displays a pure bouquet of sweet violets, black cherries and hints of wet stone. It impresses with its silky texture, enveloping the palate with bright red and blue fruits, along with a refreshing wave of juicy acidity. Hints of spiced orange and inner flowers linger long into the well-structured, long final. Perfect at the table. SUPERIORE.DE

The Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca grapes used to make this exceptional white wine come from the Casanova dell'Aia in Radda in Chianti, the first 0.2 ha plot with calcareous and loamy soil that the family purchased and planted in the 1980s, before replanting it in 2014. It matures on the fine lees, mostly in terracotta amphorae, with only a small proportion remaining in stainless steel tanks. Total production per vintage: 2,500 bottles.

Medium golden yellow. A spicy, intense nose with aromas of roses, lychee and lily blossoms. On the palate, it is full-bodied and round with a rich, creamy texture. Spicy and mineral notes are complemented by fresh acidity, alongside hints of apricot and honeydew melon. Gewürztraminer Stoass finishes harmoniously with a delicately fruity and smooth finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Straw yellow in colour with a fine, persistent perlage. The nose is a fragrant mix of orange blossom, white peach and lime zest, accompanied by sage and a hint of blossom honey. Delicately sparkling and crystal clear on the palate: juicy stone fruit, fine sweetness and a lively, citric acidity are perfectly balanced. The ageing in pressurised tanks preserves the aromatic purity and ensures lightness and flow. Long, fragrant finish with a delicate minerality – an elegant, typical Moscato d'Asti with a high charm factor. SUPERIORE.DE

Since 1977, every Castellare label has featured a different bird – a tribute to the biodiversity of the Tuscan vineyards and a symbol of Paolo Panerai's vision to preserve authentic Chianti Classico. The estate consistently avoids international grape varieties and relies exclusively on Tuscan tradition: 95% Sangioveto, the fine local Sangiovese clone, and 5% Canaiolo form the classic blend of Italy's most famous red wine. The grapes grow on limestone soils at an altitude of between 350 and 400 metres in Castellina in Chianti, where they develop their characteristic elegance. Following vinification, the wine is aged for seven months in French barriques.

Margreid lies in the very south of South Tyrol – and is therefore, in terms of climate, a world away from the high Alpine regions near Nals. Warm summers, mild winters, and every afternoon the Ora: the warm southerly wind from Lake Garda that sweeps through the vineyards, aerating the vines and keeping the harvesthealthy. Chardonnay thrives on precisely this. The vineyards, situated on a gentle slope at altitudes between 220 and 350 metres and facing south-southeast, are planted on brooding, white limestone gravel soil with a high humus content – a terroir that fosters both richness and aromatic intensity. Cellar master Harald Schraffl favours a measured approach to vinification: fermentation in 30-hectolitre wooden barrels over three weeks, followed by eight months' ageing on the fine lees. The creaminess comes from the lees, not the wood.

White postcard from the Langhe: gentle hills, morning breezes – and Arneis in its purest form. Arveja comes from selected, higher-lying parcels around Alba; the harvest is cool and selective, and the ageing is deliberately focussed on freshness and clarity. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. Open bouquet of white flowers, green apple skin, juicy pear with a hint of citrus zest, underneath a fine, stony-mineral tone. Straightforward, juicy on the palate, with lively acidity and a delicate creaminess in the flow. The fruit remains cool and precise, with a small almondy accent for a Piedmontese wink. The final is long and salty-fresh. An uncomplicated, elegant Arneis with a confident drinking pleasure – perfect as an aperitif, with antipasti, vitello tonnato or simply with a good piece of grilled trout. SUPERIORE.DE

Since the 2017 vintage, the word ‘Prosecco’ has no longer appeared on any bottle of Col Vetoraz. A deliberate decision – and a political one. According to the winery, the word is being misused, with the real risk of trivialising and erasing the centuries-old history and distinct character of the hills of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano. Since then, only “Valdobbiadene DOCG” – the sole, true territorial identity. The winery is situated at an altitude of just under 400 metres, at the highest point of the famous Cartizze hill in Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene. The Miotto family has had roots here since 1838; Francesco Miotto, together with agronomist Paolo De Bortoli and Oenologist Loris Dall’Acqua, founded the current Col Vetoraz in 1993.

Timorasso – once almost forgotten, today one of the most exciting white wines in Piedmont. Piccolo Derthona is Walter Massa's introduction to this fascinating grape variety, but there is no question of a simple base. The wine comes from the hillside vineyards around Monleale, where clay and limestone on ancient sea beds create a microclimate that favours cool fruit and mineral tension. The wine is traditionally matured in stainless steel, with long maturation on the fine lees – for structure, clarity and character.

Bright, sparkling silver-grey with a persistent perlage. The nose is fragrant with white roses, juicy pears and white peach. Juicy on the palate, radiant and with a great fruity sweetness, it opens up with presence and balance, pleasantly dosed in all its facets. SUPERIORE.DE

Saxum: the rock. A wine name derived from Latin that states quite simply what this Sauvignon grows on: Ice Age limestone soils, shaped and left behind by glaciers, with a minerality that gives the wine its unmistakable character. Not the volcanic depth of the Schlerngestein, but the bright, clear precision of Alpine limestone. Montan is best known as the home of Pinot Nero. The fact that Sauvignon Blanc of such high quality also thrives here is down to the very same conditions that lend the red wines their elegance: cool sites, good air circulation and well-structured soils. Pfitscher vinifies the Saxum in stainless steel at a controlled temperature of 18°C, with yeast ageing to develop texture and body.

From one of the region's most famous winegrowers, this sparkling wine from a single vineyard shows the serious side of Valdobbiadene. A single vineyard from the year 2000, located directly in front of the winery and therefore close to the village. San Floriano opens with delicate scents of white spring flowers and white stone fruit. The elegant, unobtrusive palate draws all the attention to itself and offers creamy white peach, ripe green apple and a hint of citrus - and all this together with an extremely refined perlage. Delicious! SUPERIORE.DE

Ruby red in colour with a violet hue. Ripe cherry, blackberry and violet on the nose, with a hint of herbal spice. Juicy, fresh and precise on the palate, carried by fine tannins and lively, pure-toned fruit. The pure stainless steel maturation reinforces the varietal character. Winemaker Chiara Boschis is regarded as a pioneer of organic winegrowing in Piedmont – her tireless, quality-driven work and likeable personality characterise each of her wines. SUPERIORE.DE