Vintage 2025

Since 1857, Bertani has been synonymous with Valpolicella and Amarone. The fact that this estate on Lake Garda also produces a very fresh, straightforward wine is only surprising at first glance. The southern tip of Lake Garda, between Desenzano and Sirmione, is Turbiana country: a grape variety that grows almost nowhere else, on clay-rich soils that lend it that characteristic chalky finish. "The wine that tastes of spring and summer." Bertani's own words, and they ring true. Three months in stainless steel, around four months in the bottle.

Soave once had an image problem. For decades, the name was synonymous with mass-produced white wine from the plain – pleasant, neutral, forgettable. The hills of the Classico zone, volcanic and interspersed with basalt rock, tell a completely different story. Giuseppe Inama recognised this in the 1960s; his son Stefano carried the story forward, and today his sons Matteo and Alessio are fully committed to it: old vines rather than high yields, Garganega as a simple expression of the terroir rather than a means of increasing volume. And their Vin Soave is at the heart of this philosophy – accounting for half of total production, from 30-year-old vines on basalt-volcanic soil in Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone. Hand-harvested, short maceration, stainless steel.

Tramin gave this grape variety its name. A village on the South Tyrolean Wine Route that has been renowned for its aromatic Gewürztraminer for centuries. Eppan is South Tyrol's largest wine-growing municipality – and has been home to the St. Michael-Eppan Winery for over a hundred years. The co-operative sources its grapes from its members' individual vineyards stretching from Cortaccia via Termeno and Kaltern to Eppan, at altitudes of 300 to 500 metres with a south-southeast aspect, on calcareous gravelly soils with a slight clay content. Hand-harvested in mid-September, fermented and matured in stainless steel. Dry-styled, with pure aromatics.

Monti in Chianti, on the southern tip of the Chianti Classico region, seven kilometres south of Gaiole. Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi has been cultivating the same slopes here for generations – the family's history dates back to the Lombard era, and its winemaking tradition is almost as old. The estate has been certified organic since 2010. The Rosato is made from the same Sangiovese vineyards that also supply the grapes for the Chianti Classico and the Gran Selezione San Marcellino. Hand-harvested, with a short maceration period of 40 to 50 minutes, must clarification at low temperature, around one month's fermentation in stainless steel tanks, followed by three to four months sur lie. The result is not a light summer rosé, but a Rosato with substance: lively acidity, salinity and subtle minerality.

Probably the most famous Lugana from the southern shore of Lake Garda – i Frati is the flagship of the estate. Made from 100% Turbiana from calcareous moraine soils, it combines regional typicity with fine modern precision. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with greenish reflections. Fresh citrus fruit, white peaches, pears and a hint of almond blossom on the nose, complemented by delicate herbal notes. Clear and juicy on the palate, with lively, well-integrated acidity, fine flavour and a subtle mineral vein that lends freshness and depth in equal measure. The final is long, elegant and characterised by citrus fruit. A timeless classic that brings the terroir of the Lugana region perfectly into the glass – stylish, stimulating to drink and with assured ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine like an ecosystem: Misto Mare is no ordinary white wine, but a polyphonic ode to nature from the Alois Lageder winery. The blend combines grapes from over 14 white and red grape varieties grown in organically or biodynamically managed vineyards that are currently in the process of transitioning to organic certification. The grapes come from a wide range of altitudes across South Tyrol – a reflection of the region's diversity, captured in a single wine. The name draws on the region's geological past: around 200 million years ago, South Tyrol was covered by a primeval sea. Today, vines grow on what was once the seabed, their complexity evoking the former depths and the intricate balance of marine ecosystems.

The vineyard overlooks the house. Visitors to the Cantina Bergaglio look out from the courtyard directly onto the Minaia slope – a single hectare on a medium slope, 300 metres above sea level, with red clay soil with an exceptionally high iron content. This soil is the reason why Minaia is a cru: Not because some committee decided it, but because this patch of earth produces something that no other hectare in the appellation can replicate. 100% Cortese, hand-picked, fermentation and ageing in steel on the lees – no wood, no intervention that does not serve the terroir. The Ligurian breezes that blow over the hills from the south slow down the ripening process and maintain the mineral tension that Daniele Cernilli once summarised in five words: "un vero Chablis à l'Italienne." Tre Bicchieri Gambero Rosso confirm this almost every year.

In the first century BC, the Pelasgians brought – immigrants from Thessaly – brought a grape variety to the hills of Irpinia that the Romans later called "Aminea Gemina" because of its characteristic two-part grape. Two millennia later, this vine still has the same character: unconventional, mineral, with a longevity that is unrivalled among white varieties. Mastroberardino has not only cultivated the Greco – the family rescued it when it had almost disappeared after the Second World War and made it the flagship of Campania for decades. The vineyards of Tufo and Petruro Irpino are situated at 450 metres above sea level, exposed to the south-east, in clayey and calcareous soils – and in Tufo the soil is literally named after the rock that was once important as a sulphur mine. This sulphur tone in the terroir is no coincidence: it is a signature. Hand-picked in the second decade of October, classic vinification in steel tanks at a controlled temperature, followed by several months of bottle ageing – precise, without distraction.

A new day, a new vintage – and the first wine of the year to leave the winery each year. While the red wines are still slumbering in their barrels, "New Day" already brings the message of the new 2025 vintage: freshness, joie de vivre and anticipation of what is to come. 100% Sangiovese, harvested by hand and gently pressed. Fermentation takes place at a low temperature in stainless steel, followed by a few months of ageing on the fine lees.

In 2019, UNESCO declared the Prosecco hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene a World Heritage Site. Not because of the wine – but because of the landscape that produces it: steep moraine slopes, stepped in terraces, calcareous soil with marl and clay, lapped by a breeze from the Adriatic Sea. Villa Sandi cultivates over eighty hectares of its own land in this World Heritage area – and for decades has been one of the addresses that have secured Prosecco's reputation as a serious sparkling wine. 100% Glera, hand-picked, pneumatic pressing. Fermentation at a controlled 15–16 °C according to the Charmat method – gentle, flavour-preserving, typical of the region. The Millesimato is a promise of quality: The grapes from one vintage are so good that they do not need to be blended across vintages – they stand on their own every year.

Away with the clichés, bring on the surprises! Even the Paltrinieris’ most famous Lambrusco will delight any connoisseur. Radice is produced using the Pét Nat method (Metodo Ancestrale) and therefore undergoes a second fermentation on its own lees after bottling. This naturally cloudy, dry frizzante captivates right from the bouquet with notes of rhubarb, a fresh citrus note and a hint of bread. Its lingering, delicate effervescence and drinkycharacter make it a spirited companion to hearty, spicy antipasti, light meat dishes, or simply a lively celebration amidst nature and cheerful company. SUPERIORE.DE

In the heart of Bolgheri, where Marilisa Allegrini and her late brother Walter realised their Tuscan dream in 2001, an ancient tradition is being revived. Cassiopea takes its name from the constellation that shines brightly above the 70-hectare Poggio al Tesoro estate – a cosmic 'W' for Walter or an 'M' for Marilisa, depending on your perspective in the night sky over the Costa Toscana. This elegant rosé hails from the prestigious Le Sondraie vineyard, which was once leased to Ornellaia and now forms the heart of the Allegrini vision. The 'soprastrada' site, situated east of the famous Strada Bolgherese, is considered the highest-quality area in Bolgheri. Here, where the Seggio stream has carried minerals from the nearby hills for centuries, complex soils of sand, clay and pebbles with a high magnesium content create ideal conditions for both grape varieties.

An exciting cuvée that looks like a postcard from Sicily – fresh, fragrant and with a great sense of mission. Leone Blend combines five Alpine and Mediterranean grape varieties from the high-altitude vineyards of Regaleali (between 500-900 metres), whose limestone-rich, structured soils lend the wine a fine tension. After gentle pressing, it is fermented spontaneously exclusively in stainless steel tanks – with around four months of ageing on fine lees, which gives it creaminess, depth and a certain ageing potential.

Between fields of mist and the nearby Ligurian cliffs, the Cortese grape in Gavi clings to old hillsides, where it becomes one of the most determined white wine voices in Piedmont. Olim Bauda turns it into Gavi di Gavi with real radiance – powerful in expression, but light as a feather in experience. Delicate straw yellow with a silvery lustre. Then yellow fruit: Apple, pear and melon interweave with mint and a hint of chalk – mineral, fresh and refined. No wood flavours, just pure Cortese – elegant, vibrant, unaffected. On the palate, the wine plays on the high strings: lively freshness, charming citrus notes, fine fruit structure and a salty, stimulating minerality that makes you want to savour the next sip.

Brò is a white wine from sustainable cultivation that is hard to beat in terms of freshness, elegance and enjoyment. The grapes come from the clay and limestone soils near Fiumana di Predappio. Pale straw yellow in colour with greenish reflections. On the nose, a captivating blend of crushed stones, spiced orange peel, dried apricot and peach, mixed with herbal elements. On the characterful palate, it is complex, juicy and very drinkable with its freshness and lightness. SUPERIORE.DE

A German variety finds its South Tyrolean perfection: Kerner, crossed from Trollinger and Riesling in Weinsberg around 1930, unfolds its full aromatic power in the sun-drenched altitudes of the Eisack Valley between 600 and 800 metres. On light, stony sandy soils, this new variety matures into a wine that combines the elegance of Riesling with the robustness of Trollinger. After the harvest harvest, the grapes are gently pressed and fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel to optimally preserve their natural freshness.

This typical Gewürztraminer is produced from steep vineyards around Bolzano between 400-600 metres above sea level, personally selected by cellar master Stephan Filippi, and celebrates the centuries-old tradition of this royal grape variety. Ceslar thrives on warm, steep porphyry slopes, where volcanic primary rock favours wines with a particularly strong character thanks to its water permeability and mineral deposits.

La Manina, a vibrant white wine from biodynamic vineyards in the Dolomites, is characterised by its freshness and true expression of its terroir. It displays great precision and an invigorating vigour – more than just unpretentious, it perfectly embodies the house style and possesses an attractive personality. After being hand-harvested, the wine ferments at controlled temperatures in stainless steel. This is followed by a few months' ageing on fine lees to enhance its texture and structure.

This wine embodies Stefano Inama’s vision of a terroir-driven Chardonnay that ventures off the beaten track. Whilst the winery enjoys worldwide recognition for its Soave Classico wines, this Chardonnay del Veneto embodies the winery’s experimental side – and impressively demonstrates that the region’s volcanic soils can also lend exceptional expressiveness to international grape varieties. The grapes come from vineyards in Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone, where a fascinating geological feature comes into play: as the estate’s only Chardonnay cuvée, this wine combines grapes from both volcanic basalt soils and limestone formations. This rare combination – volcanic lava meets sedimentary limestone layers – creates a complex terroir that lends the Chardonnay both mineral depth and structural elegance. Stefano and his now highly active sons, Matteo and Alessio, consistently avoid the use of oak – with the focus entirely on the purity of the fruit and the expression of the volcanic terroir.

In the hills of Parteòlla, where a salty inland lake glistens amongst centuries-old olive trees and the Romanesque church of Santa Maria di Sibiola sends its silent prayers skywards, lies the enchanting Tenuta Iselis. Here, the Argiolas family is bringing a very special project to life: the rediscovery of Nasco, an almost forgotten indigenous grape variety that was once brought to Sardinia by Phoenician sailors. The name Nasco is thought to derive from the Latin "muscus" – musk – a tribute to the extraordinary fragrance of this rare grape. Whilst Nasco is traditionally vinified into sweet wines, Argiolas has opted for the innovative approach of dry vinification: the harvest are harvest a month earlier, resulting in a modern white wine of exceptional elegance.

Since the 16th century, the Allegrini family has been one of the driving forces behind Valpolicella. Then, at some point, the desire arose to produce a white wine from Lake Garda. The Tenuta Oasi Mantellina in Pozzolengo – on the southern shore of Lake Garda, in the province of Brescia – became their answer. The name reflects what this patch of land is: a natural oasis, rich in biodiversity, swept by the breezes of Lake Garda, set on clay-rich moraine soils that give the Turbiana its characteristic minerality. 96% Turbiana (Trebbiano di Lugana), 4% Cortese, hand-harvested in September, gentle pressing, stainless steel, four months on the fine lees, two months in bottle.

Stone. The word needs no explanation – and certainly not in South Tyrol. The name describes the soil on which these vines grow: a 150-metre-deep alluvial fan that the Sirmian and Nalles streams have carried down from the mountains into the valley over thousands of years. Alluvial rock, clay, marl – a soil that retains water well, releases heat slowly and gives the Sauvignon Blanc that salty minerality which is immediately apparent in the glass. The vineyards are situated in Nalles, between Bolzano and Merano, at altitudes of 330 to 400 metres, facing east-southeast. The climate is the typical South Tyrolean paradox: warm to hot by day, noticeably cool by night – temperature fluctuations that create aromatic precision and preserve the wine's freshness. 100% Sauvignon Blanc, hand-harvested, fermented in stainless steel for around three weeks, then aged on the lees for five months before bottling.