wine classics

Cicala is the most masculine vineyard in the Conterno portfolio. Anyone familiar with the elegant, floral Colonnello from the same Bussia hilltop will be surprised here. Less sand, more clay. Less playfulness, more pressure. The calcareous clay soil is enriched with iron and limestone – minerals that give the wine the structural strength that distinguishes it from its siblings. The vines are 40 to 45 years old, facing south to south-west, and what grows here is mainly Nebbiolo Lampia on Rupestris du Lot rootstock. Only three producers own plots in this part of Bussia: Conterno, Prunotto and Bussia Soprana. Six hectares in total, around 800 crates per vintage. A rarity. Fermentation in steel tanks at 28°C, five to six weeks of maceration, then 29 months in 25-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels – no barrique, never. Aldo Conterno once said: "Vanilla, toast and spice do not belong in Barolo." The barrels are scraped every two years and used for a maximum of eight years. After ageing, the wine spends a few months in steel before being bottled unfiltered.

Schiena d'Asino is a small vineyard from which this fabulous Brunello is produced exclusively in excellent years. Schiena captivates with its richness and overall intensity and is endowed with a lot of energy and varietal purity. Sage, rosemary and a host of Mediterranean herbs open up first, followed by graphite, smoke, incense, dark spices and black stone fruits. Wild, intensely mineral notes underpin the fruit and capture the essence of the great site. For an exceptional wine, this Brunello remains remarkably light on its feet, yet it is an introspective, brooding wine that will need at least a few years to show all it has to offer. SUPERIORE.DE

"For the Barolo DOCG Parussi, we left the confines of Serralunga and opted for a vineyard in Castiglione Falletto. Thanks to the characteristics of Nebbiolo, which is perfectly capable of capturing the differences in microclimate and soil composition and translating them into sensations, the result amazed us. Structured, important, austere. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parussi in Castiglione Falletto." Franco Massolino

"The Barolo DOCG Margheria comes from the calcareous soil with a slightly higher proportion of sand than in our other sub-areas, which has a strong influence on its character. It was produced for the first time in 1985 and has great ageing potential. The grapes come from our vineyard in the MGA Margheria in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

"The Barolo DOCG Parafada is perfect for long ageing and surprising development. Elegant, refined, austere. Vinified in vats, matured in large barrels. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parafada in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

What does a name mean? In the Piedmontese dialect, "Pajè" once simply referred to the various vineyard plots – a commonplace word for an everyday thing. The fact that this name, of all things, now stands for one of Barbaresco’s most legendary crus is one of the fine ironies of wine history. Since 1953, the Roagna family has been cultivating 1.83 hectares here in the heart of the municipality, and anyone who asks Luca Roagna about the essence of his work inevitably ends up here. The vineyard is a natural amphitheatre: gently sloping towards the south and south-west, sheltered from the wind by hills, and opening out towards the Tanaro valley. The soil tells a story spanning 70 million years – marine sediments from the Tertiary period, interspersed with active limestone in a concentration that is exceptional even for the Langhe. The vines, averaging over 50 years in age, are deeply rooted in this history. After the harvest, the must ferments with its own yeasts, and maceration with the cap submerged lasts up to two months. Five years in large wooden casks and concrete vats complete the ageing process.

On the steep slopes of Sorano, where the ancient Serravallian soils of Serralunga d'Alba unleash their full geological power, lies Matteo Ascheri's most precious secret: two tiny parcels that together produce no more than 2,800 bottles per vintage and yet embody the essence of what makes a great Barolo. Vigna Coste and Vigna Bricco – the slopes and the summit – are two faces of the same extraordinary medal, united in a wine that only sees the light of day in the very greatest years. Coste & Bricco is Matteo's ultimate homage to the diversity of the Sorano terroir. While Vigna Coste on the slopes delivers the minerality and structure for which Serralunga is famous, Vigna Bricco from the hilltop brings the concentration and aromatic intensity that only the most exposed sites can produce. This combination of two micro-terroirs within a single MGA creates a Barolo of exceptional complexity – a wine that combines both the power and finesse of Serralunga.

Whenever one hears the name Albesani, one inevitably thinks of Bruno Giacosa and his legendary Santo Stefano. The fact that Luca Roagna has been cultivating a plot in the immediate vicinity since 2014 is one of Barbaresco's best-kept secrets – and one of its most exciting developments. The plot lies at 240 metres, at the highest point of the hill, where the area borders Santo Stefano. Calcareous soils with a good proportion of sand characterise the terroir, and fifty-year-old Nebbiolo vines are deeply rooted in this privileged soil. Albesani has held MGA certification since 2007 – belated recognition for a vineyard that connoisseurs have long counted amongst the finest in the region. The winemaking process follows the Roagna method: maceration with a submerged cap of marc for two months, followed by five years' ageing in large barrels and concrete tanks.

Geologists call it erosion. Winegrowers call it fate. Over millions of years, the rocks above Castiglione Falletto weathered, forming the soils on which Pira thrives today. When Luca Roagna acquired half a hectare on these very 'rocche' in 2016, he came full circle: the parent rock returned to its offspring. The plot lies at the historic heart of the vineyard, at the summit of the hill at three hundred metres, facing due south. Calcareous clay soils, interspersed with white rock and sand, nourish Nebbiolo vines dating from the 1960s and 70s – planted with cuttings from ancient vineyards. Situated right next to the new winery, this vineyard is Roagna's most intimate possession: a mere 0.48 hectares, from which a Barolo is produced that Antonio Galloni simply describes as "pure sensuality".

A handful of fresh cherries. A hearty bite. Juice running down your fingers. Anyone who tastes the Gallina 2020 experiences this moment – immediate, sensual, irresistible. Among the Roagna Barbareschi, it is the seducer – the wine that does not impress with austere grandeur, but captivates with its open charm. Since 2014, the family has been cultivating a plot in Neive's most famous MGA. The soil, consisting of calcareous loam with a high sand content, lends the Nebbiolo here that silky finesse which sets Gallina apart from its more austere neighbours. Antonio Galloni calls the vineyard "the source of the roundest and most approachable Barbaresco wines in the municipality". Wines that can be enjoyed young yet will continue to mature for decades.

Centuries ago, a private road led down from the Castello of the noble Falletti family to this vineyard. Today, it is no longer a road that ends here, but a path through jungle-like thicket – biodiversity, as Luca Roagna understands it. When the family acquired these seven hectares in Castiglione Falletto in 1989, a long-cherished dream came true: a Barolo vineyard on a par with the legendary Pajè estates in Barbaresco. More than that: a monopoly. The vineyard lies on the south-eastern slope below the Rocche di Castiglione, sheltered by the rock face above and four hectares of woodland with a stream from the Bussia di Monforte below. The soils tell the oldest story of Barolo – marine sediments from the Helvetian, the geological formation shared only by Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga and Monforte. Six micro-parcels are distinguished by alternating layers of white limestone, grey and blue marl, interspersed with iron. The oldest Nebbiolo vines date back to 1937.

Just 3,500 bottles from the oldest vines of the Salco vineyard are only sold in the best vintages. In the glass, we are delighted by an extremely elegant Sangiovese with a very harmonious texture and very classic, earthy and spicy notes. SUPERIORE.DE

Sweet red berries, flowers, mint, spices and aniseed are uniquely interwoven in this generous wine. The wine gains volume and depth in the glass as the flavours build to an unexpected crescendo. This is an exceptionally well-balanced and finesse-rich Brunello full of character, freshness and originality. The tannins remain firm, but there is enough density and complexity to the fruit that opening a bottle, even at a young age, gives no cause for regret. SUPERIORE.DE

The supremely potent Rocche di Castiglione is often referred to as the first "official" cru in the history of Langa (along with Bussia di Prunotto, both of which were released with the 1961 vintage). It confirms itself once again as the great classic of the house with the 2018 edition. Dark fruits, pressed lilac, blood orange, powdered liquorice, balsamic herbs, spices, iron ore and aniseed fit together perfectly like pieces of a puzzle. Then lush and racy on the palate, with silky tannins and a great depth and resonance that will continue to develop with time. SUPERIORE.DE

"When we taste the Riserva Franco Ziliani, we hear our father's voice: direct, brooding and rigorous." – Paolo Ziliani. Created as a tribute to the 90th birthday of the visionary who, together with Guido Berlucchi, bottled the first 3,000 bottles of Franciacorta Metodo Classico in 1961, thereby changing the destiny of an entire region. With the 2011 vintage – only the second bottling since its debut in 2008 – this Riserva now becomes part of the permanent collection. A limited special edition becomes a living legacy. The philosophy behind it: time perfects. "Art is Timeless" is the mantra, and indeed, every bottle resembles a work of art. The hand-crafted brass label transforms it into a collector's item, of which only 4,732 exist.

Baroli from Serralunga d'Alba are often in a category of their own thanks to their richness and sheer abundance of fruit. Lazzarito stands on an impressive base of robust fruit and power, rising in intensity thanks to its wonderfully elevated bouquet. It shows direct and solid lines with blackberries, plums, spices, tar, liquorice, candied orange peel and truffle-infused earth. A second wave of flavours offers dark minerals, iron ore and rust. With additional aeration, it delivers mint and fine balsamic herbs and will fully delight with further bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

When Giovanni Massolino founded his winery in Serralunga d'Alba in 1896, he was the first to bring electric light to the village. A pioneer. His grandson Giuseppe, co-founder of the legendary Barolo consortium, continued this tradition – and then came the third generation, Giovanni, Camilla and Renato: they wrote a new chapter in 1985 by bottling Margheria separately for the first time. Today, the brothers Franco and Roberto continue the legacy. Both Oenologistwho understand that great wines are not made, but born. Margheria is located on the western edge of Serralunga's famous ridge, just a stone's throw away from the mythical Vigna Rionda – and yet it is its exact opposite. Where Vigna Rionda promises strength and eternity with its calcareous marl, the Margheria site at 280 metres above sea level plays with a higher admixture of sand in the limestone soil. The result: elegance meets structure, floral notes meet mineral depth. Serralunga shows its accessible side here without sacrificing its typical longevity.

In the early hours of the morning, when the Maestrale is still gently caressing the hills between Bolgheri and Bibbona and the first light kisses the red earth, the true essence of what Massimo Piccin has been moulding as his life's work for over two decades is revealed. Sapaio – named after the ancient Tuscan grape variety Sapaia – is more than just a wine. It is the manifesto of a visionary who came here in 1999 as a Venetian engineer and created a kingdom of the senses from eight hectares of bare earth. The name bears a crown as a logo, a tribute to the nobility of wine and the daily devotion of those who leave their souls between the vines and barrels. Since 2015, Sapaio has deliberately been labelled Toscana IGT, not out of embarrassment but out of conviction: Because the best grapes grow beyond the administrative borders of Bolgheri, in Bibbona, where ferruginous red clay soils provide a minerality that no decree in the world can regulate.

Around 60% of the grapes for the Monvigliero are not destemmed, which enhances the aromatic nuances of the wine. Youthful notes of raspberry and blueberry are flanked by black pepper, gentian, porcelain and black olives. On the palate, it has a beguilingly soft texture, fine and creamy, accompanied by wonderful flavours of laurel and flowers. Monvigliero from Verduno impresses with its purity, its sheer serenity and its class. Excellent every year and unfortunately very rare. SUPERIORE.DE

2006 was the year in which Franco and Roberto Massolino had the courage to leave the confines of Serralunga. Parussi – a vineyard in Castiglione Falletto, one and a half hectares at an altitude of 290 metres, situated on the crest of a hill where the vines fluctuate between south-east and south-west. A challenge. Because anyone who has spent a lifetime studying the calcareous soils of Serralunga has to rethink things in Castiglione: there is less lime here, but more clay and magnesium. Richer soils. More energetic vines. A different terroir – and the Nebbiolo, this sensitive grape variety, translates every nuance into sensation.

In the seventies, Giovanni Massolino bought Parafada – a coup that he dared to pull off at a time when the economic situation was anything but rosy. But Giovanni was the kind of person who favours vision over caution. The site, whose name comes from the hamlet of the same name, lies 320 metres above sea level in that famous amphitheatre between Lazzarito and Gabutti, perfectly exposed to the south. A ridge location that offers natural protection from wind and storms – as if nature itself had understood that something special should grow here.

The grapes for this remarkably Burgundian Gran Selezione come from the single vineyard of the same name in a 2.25-hectare Chianti Classico vineyard, which was planted in 1971 with a density of 3,400 vines per hectare and is south-facing on old terraces. Riecine has leased these plots since the 1980s, and in the 2019 debut vintage, the winery succeeded in acquiring this site, which is one of the best terroirs in the Chianti Classico region. The bottles are numbered and around 4,000 bottles and 50 magnums are bottled each year.