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Flaminia Maremmana. The name evokes paths that are older than Rome itself. Century after century, shepherds and their flocks travelled along an ancient branch of the Via Flaminia – the consular road that had linked Rome with the Adriatic since 220 BC – From the green Umbrian hills down into the Maremma, for the transumanza – that seasonal transhumance which shaped life in this landscape right up until the 20th century. Here, where sheep and shepherds once rested, where history is etched into the earth, the vines for this special Montefalco Rosso now grow. First produced in 2007, it embodies the soul of this historic terroir. The cuvée, comprising seventy% Sangiovese, fifteen% Sagrantino and fifteen% Canaiolo, thrives on south-east-facing limestone-loam soils.

The Winkl has been produced as a single-varietal wine since 1956 – at a time when Sauvignon Blanc was still a rarity in South Tyrol. Winery manager Rudi Kofler says that this grape variety has always been at home around the oldest estates in the Terlano DOC region. You believe him when you have the wine in your glass. The vineyards lie at altitudes of 280 to 580 metres, facing south-south-west, on steep to very steep slopes. The soil is quartz porphyry – ancient volcanic rock, crystalline and mineral-rich, with a slightly acidic pH and an almost natural self-limiting effect on yields. It is precisely this micro-stress that produces terroir-specific polyphenols, which lend Terlano wines their characteristic salinity and tension. No other soil, no other result. Hand-harvested, gentle whole-bunch pressing, slow fermentation – followed by 7 to 8 months on the fine lees, 80% in stainless steel and 20% in large wooden casks. This subtle oak component serves only to enhance the texture; it gives the wine body without masking its origin.

Classic Etna Rosso from Nerello Mascalese with a small proportion of Nerello Cappuccio – grown at an altitude of over 700 metres in various contrade on the northern flank of the volcano, where ash, lava rock and the alpine microclimate form an unmistakable style. Medium ruby red in colour with a garnet-red rim. On the nose, fragrant sour cherry, redcurrant, humming berry, a metallic hint, floral notes and subtle spice. Precise on the palate, with cool fruit, lively acidity and fine-grained tannins. The ageing in used wooden barrels and cement tanks maintains the balance and expression of origin. An authentic, elegant Etna Rosso with good drinkability. SUPERIORE.DE

Pinot Grigio Unterebner is an exceptional wine: golden yellow in colour, with elegant aromas of blossom honey, lavender and tropical fruits. Delicate, buttery notes; very well-balanced and charismatic, with a long and full-bodied finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The world-famous Nussbaumer Gewürztraminer has been a true benchmark for years and is also a wine that impresses with its ageing potential. A bright yellow colour with greenish highlights. Perfectly typical of the variety – complex and deep, yet also lively and fresh with lovely nuances. The bouquet offers a wide range of aromas, from rose blossom to smoke and oriental spices. On the palate, it flows with silky smoothness, velvety and spicy, with a long finish – magnificent! SUPERIORE.DE

Gewürztraminer is named after Tramin. This is not a marketing story – this is etymology. The name of the world's most famous aromatic grape variety bears the village itself, where Hofstätter has been based since 1907. And the Kolbenhof plot is located above Tramin, in the hamlet of Söll, on an eastern slope between 360 and 420 metres above sea level – one of the most historic estates in the entire village. This is where the Bolzano quartz porphyry slab meets the limestone of the Mendelzug. A geological interface that does not exist in this form anywhere else in the South Tyrolean wine-growing region. The soils with a high clay content absorb the warmth of the morning sun – the Kolbenhof is exposed to the east, protected from the midday heat – and slowly release it again. Cool, structured, elegant. This is the opposite of a sweetish mass-produced spiced Traminer: dryness with character.

The "Vigna" classification guarantees and designates the origin of a single-vineyard wine in South Tyrol. The Pinot Bianco from the single vineyard San Michele from the Barthenau winery has a strong personality that fully unfolds after an additional year of ageing in the bottle. It has a rich bouquet of green apple and banana, a full-bodied flavour with plenty of fruit, a medium, finely balanced acidity and a long mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In the historic vineyards of Mazon and Glen, where two micro-terroirs between 400 and 600 metres above sea level merge to form a poetic name, one of the most subtle interpretations of Pinot Nero in the whole of South Tyrol thrives. The fine Pinot Noir grapes ripen in a climate of extreme contrasts on sandy clay soils that lean westwards towards the evening sun. The Mediterranean warmth of the day meets the icy mountain winds of the night – a dialogue between passion and restraint that gives the Pinot Nero complexity and elegance. Ruby to garnet red in colour in the glass, with aromas of sour cherries and wild berries, accompanied by delicate orange notes and spicy hints. Fine fruit unfolds on the palate with a salty freshness, delicate, elegant and with a length that lingers in the memory long after the last sip. A Pinot Nero that combines Burgundian soul with Alpine precision, destined for a decade of ageing and beyond. SUPERIORE.DE

In the upper areas of the historic Contrada Rovittello – at an altitude of around 700 metres, on volcanic rock with a high basalt content – the old Nerello Mascalese vines of Il Musmeci take root. Some of them are even over 100 years old, their roots penetrating deep into the barren, mineral-rich soil. The north-eastern flank of Mount Etna provides a cool microclimate with a strong contrast between day and night – decisive for the aromatic precision. The name Il Musmeci is a tribute to the former owner of the parcel, Cav. Santi Musmeci, whose respect for terroir and tradition became the legacy of this wine.

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

Pliocene clays retain moisture. In a dry, hot year like 2020, this is not merely an agricultural detail, but a survival strategy. The clay soils of Poggio Landi, situated 300 to 500 metres above Torrenieri, provided a natural buffer against the summer drought that put large parts of Montalcino under strain that year. The organically farmed vines, with their deeper, more active root systems, played their part. The result is a Brunello full of concentration and character. Herbal and spicy notes on the nose – wild herbs, fennel and oregano – followed by sweet cherry and tamarind. Two weeks of spontaneous fermentation, 38 months in large French oak barrels, and 6 months in bottle.

In 1975 – two years after Riecine's first Chianti Classico – John Dunkley decided that some vintages and some grapes deserved more than the usual treatment. The Riserva was born. Since then, it has only been produced when the selection allows: the finest vineyards, the oldest vines, and two stages of selection – in the vineyard and on the sorting table – before the grapes enter the cellar. The vines used for the Riserva are between 25 and 45 years old. After selection, the must is transferred to unglazed Nomblot concrete vats. There, the must is initially kept cool with dry ice for four to five days before spontaneous fermentation begins – slowly, in a natural way. After fermentation, the wine spends a further ten days on the skins, with the cap submerged. Then comes the centrepiece: the entire Riserva production is decanted into a single large oak cask from Grenier. Untoasted – no toasty aromas, no vanilla, no foreign character. Just the neutral, 'breathing' structure of the wood. 22 months. Then back into concrete tanks for natural stabilisation and clarification. Finally, three months in bottle.

The Pianodario vineyard is situated at an average altitude of 775 metres above sea level, between the hamlet of Montelaguardia and Randazzo. It comprises approximately 8 hectares of vineyards. The soils are of volcanic origin and date back up to 40,000 years.

Tasca became involved with Mount Etna at an early stage, and the latest result of this long-standing experience is four new single-vineyard wines from the Tascante estate: Contrada Rampante, Pianodario, Sciaranuova and Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia (V.V.). The wines are delicate and brooding, and despite their power, acidity and firm tannins, they are very elegant, full of finesse and light on the palate. Each of the four plots lends the wine a slightly different style and character – determined by the altitude, soil composition and morphology of the historic lava flows. High annual rainfall ensures the soil has ample water reserves, and the temperature fluctuations between day and night enhance the diversity of the grapes' aromas and, ultimately, their ageing potential.

The road to Sant'Angelo in Colle leads to the south-west side of the Montalcino hill. Here lies the Tenuta Il Poggione – one of the oldest and most reliable houses in the appellation. Lavinio Franceschi, a Florentine landowner, bought the estate at the end of the 19th century after, it is said, hearing about the beauty of these hills from a shepherd. He was one of the first to market Brunello under this name and one of the founders of the consortium. Today, the fourth generation – leopoldo and Livia Franceschi – run the estate with 140 hectares of vines, the oldest vines up to 60 years old and a philosophy that has not fundamentally changed in a century.

Fanti's Brunello di Montalcino 2020 is delicately flavoured, haunting floral and seductive from the first swirl of the glass. A hint of icing sugar gives way to bright cherries, candied oranges, mint leaves and lavender, creating an extrovert yet delicious picture. In the mouth, it is seamless and silky, with a subtle hint of citrus and vibrant acids introducing ripe red notes of black berries with herbs. Rounded tannins emerge on the finish with hints of liquorice and violets. As always, very well made. SUPERIORE.DE

The year was 1090, the year in which Leif Erikson discovered North America, the Chinese discovered gunpowder and Pope Urban II conquered Jerusalem. On that day, the notary Bellundo recorded a contract in the Siena state archives: two capons, three loaves of bread and six coins of good silver as an annual lease for a vineyard in the divine valley of Dievole. "Dio vuole" – god wants it. This is the etymological root of this name, which has symbolised the special connection between man and nature in this corner of Tuscany for over nine centuries.

Ugolforte was a resistance fighter. In the 12th century, he led the people of Montalcino against the Sienese occupying forces – a local hero whose name lives on to this day: in a Brunello. The most striking contradiction dates back to 2010. That was when Tenuta San Giorgio began officially supplying the Ugolforte to the Pontifical Swiss Guard – that 500-year-old corps which guards the Pope in the Vatican. The estate says that shared values, and the symbolism of St George himself – virtue and courage, good triumphing over evil – guided the decision. The wine of the medieval rebel in the service of Christendom's oldest army.