wine classics

Two stone crosses stand in the vineyard of Le Pontare, probably of Celtic origin, signposts for pilgrims on the path to a nearby sanctuary. According to legend, Dante Alighieri also passed by here on his wanderings through the Veneto, perhaps in search of that vin pretto – the pure wine – which he praised so highly in his Convivio. If you stand between these crosses today, at 450 metres above sea level, you can look down over the entire Valpolicella Classica valley, Verona and the shimmering waters of Lake Garda.

The Vigna Loreto covers one and a half hectares. Steep, stony and east-facing – the slope faces the morning sun, not the midday sun. The soil is rich in tuff and pebbly scree, poor in nutrients, and unforgiving. The vines are the result of a mass selection from eight of the estate's own Sangiovese clones, which Mastrojanni has selected over decades: the estate's genetic memory is embodied in every vine. It was Gabriele Mastrojanni himself who recognised Vigna Loreto as a distinct plot – the ability to demonstrate finesse where Castelnuovo dell'Abate would otherwise impress with its power. Today, every vintage confirms what the founder saw: Loreto speaks more softly than the great Brunello, but with greater precision. The east-facing aspect gives the wine freshness; the tuff lends it mineral tension; and the lean soils force concentration without overripeness. 36 months' ageing in Allier barrels ranging from 16 to 33 hectolitres – the small sizes that allow the wood to be close to the wine without dominating it.

There are vintages that confirm the terroir of La Morra – and those that redefine it. 2022 belongs to the second category. A warmer year, earlier ripening grapes, an accessibility that the 2021 did not have. And yet: Voerzio's philosophy does not change with the vintage. Extreme yield reduction, natural yeasts, no filtration – the means are the same, the result is a different face of the same community. Four vineyards from Roberto Voerzio's most important estate in La Morra: Cerequio, La Serra, Fossati, Case Nere. Each represents a different aspect of the municipality's terroir – the elegance and freshness of La Serra, the mineral rigour of Case Nere, the warmth of Cerequio, the finesse of Fossati.

La Morra is the softest, most flowery municipality in the Barolo region – that's not a cliché, it's geology. The limestone-rich, marl-like soils of this high altitude give the Nebbiolo a fineness of tannin and a floral aroma that is not found in the sandier sites of Serralunga or Castiglione Falletto. Roberto Voerzio has understood these characteristics better than almost anyone else – and has built up his entire business on La Morra since 1986. The Barolo del Comune di La Morra brings together four of his most important single vineyards in one wine: Cerequio, La Serra, Fossati and Case Nere. None of these parcels stands back – each brings its own character, its own texture, its own flavour. The assemblage is not created to hide imperfections, but to fully reveal the image of the commune. 12 months in tonneaux, then bottle ageing. Natural yeasts, no filtration, no intervention.

Rabajà is the most fleshy, full-bodied terroir in Barbaresco. The name has appeared in the archives of Piedmont for centuries – time and again as a reference for exceptional Nebbiolo from the south-western amphitheatre above Martinenga, where the slopes fall towards the Tanaro and the soils of calcareous blue clay with sand inclusions give the Nebbiolo a rare combination of fullness and freshness. Hardly anyone owns land here; Vietti holds just under half a hectare – 2021 was an exceptional year for Barbaresco: "Ottobrate" (golden October days) in the truest sense of the word, uniform ripeness, cool nights into October, 25 days of maceration more than in other vintages – more than in other vintages because the quality allowed it. Then around 30 months in large oak barrels.

The fruit for Tenuta Nuova is harvested from a south and south-east facing slope at 250 to 300 metres above sea level. The soil is loose and mixed with gravel, which allows access to air and moisture.

A Barbaresco that visualises freshness, clarity and origin in a masterful balance: The 2020 vintage shines in a bright ruby colour with a lively shimmer – an instant promise of elegance. It combines the styles of 14 selected cru sites from the Barbaresco region, each with its own character and ageing potential. The nose is delicate and complex: red cherry, raspberry, subtle floral notes and herbal spice, accompanied by the scent of roses and a slightly menthol-like freshness. Behind this, a mineral tension emerges, finely balanced and playful. On the palate, this Barbaresco presents itself with vital freshness and polished fruit. Fine-grained tannins lend structure without harshness; the acidity is present but always elegantly integrated – it gives the wine its vigour. The finish is dry, mineral and with a delicate, balsamic note that lingers for a long time. With its balanced transparency, this Barbaresco symbolises a modern interpretation of the region – clear, fine and expressive. SUPERIORE.DE

First bottled in 1967, Roncaglie (formerly Barbaresco Masseria) comes from a vineyard in Bricco di Neive and is essentially vinified and aged like a Barolo. Since the 2018 vintage, it now comes from a small parcel that used to belong to the Socré Barbaresco winery, and it is now deliberately brought to market a year later to ensure greater harmony and balance.

As a result of extensive soil research, Francesco Ricasoli was able to identify three micro-vineyards, which will be vinified separately from the 2015 vintage onwards. The range of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione now includes, in addition to the famous Castello di Brolio, three cru sites (Colledilà, Roncicone and Ceniprimo), all of which are 100% planted with Sangiovese. They differ in structure and taste in close correspondence with their terroir and impressively demonstrate the complexity of the Chanti Classico region.

Vigna Elena is a Ravera parcel of 1 hectare in size. Just 5,000 bottles of Cogno's famous Riserva come from here every year. The Vigna Elena 2019 has just the right balance between fruit and wood, which is often a real challenge in this category. The rather bright bouquet has red fruits and nuances of truffle, ash, dried citrus peel and pressed flowers. Elegant, brooding and powerful, as only a great Barolo can be, Vigna Elena possesses a wealth of nuances and dimensions from the very first sip. Exotic spice and orange peel notes, followed later by ripe raspberries, mocha and autumn leaves. The Vigna Elena 2019 is an absolute delight. SUPERIORE.DE

Brunello Giovanni Neri embodies all the outstanding qualities of the grapes and the winemaker's craft. Man and nature come together here with perfect precision and harmony. Its balance is exquisite. Rich notes of cherry and blackberry give way to crushed minerals, liquorice, smoke and subtle hints of cedar. The wine unfolds evenly and powerfully on the palate, and its flavour intensity lingers for many minutes. Giovanni Neri Brunello is wonderfully concentrated and rich, yet never too heavy or even too dense. SUPERIORE.DE

Chiara Boschi's Cannubi 2020 beguiles on the nose with layers of fragrant fruit. A sensual Barolo and yet quite typical in its vineyard character. Soft, silky tannins frame the long finish. A wonderful wine, characterised by its balance and above all by the sweetness of its tannins. Very full-bodied, focussed and with great length. SUPERIORE.DE

Giovanni Neri died in 1986, fifteen years after purchasing Podere Casanova. He had lived out his dream – but not long enough to see what became of it. His son Giacomo, and his grandsons Giovanni and Gianlorenzo, are carrying on his dream. And to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the first vineyard, they dedicated a wine to the founder that bears his name – and embodies his philosophy: the belief that Montalcino was capable of more than the world realised at the time. The vineyard is old and untamed, as the estate itself puts it – vines over fifty years old that have never stopped putting down deep roots.

Barolo Cannubi 2021 is a great wine that emphasises the classic beauty of Nebbiolo and the top vintage. This wine is like a statue of a Greek goddess with perfect proportions and feminine aesthetics. The bouquet is multi-layered, with bright fruits, white pepper, mint, orange peel and spicy liquorice. The tannins are polished and fine, with a hint of the characteristic limestone chalk that you sometimes taste in Cannubi. The lively acidity rounds off this extremely elegant, fresh and graceful wine. Very full-bodied and focussed, with great length and great potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Giulia Negri would certainly not have the nickname "Barolo Girl" if this wine did not exist. The grapes for this archetype of a modern-traditional (sic!) Barolo come from the top vineyards of Brunate and Serradenari, the latter of which lies at an altitude of up to 520 metres and the soils are clayey-sandy. The grapes are fermented spontaneously and then matured in large oak barrels. Barriques? Not a chance.

The Falletto vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba is considered the centrepiece of Bruno Giacosa's work. The south and south-west facing slopes with calcareous marl soils produce Nebbiolo with unmistakable depth and structure. The 2020 vintage was characterised by a warm, sunny summer, balanced by cool nights and a long, stable autumn – ideal conditions for fully ripe, aromatically complex grapes with precise acidity.

The sibi et paucis project is Luciano's answer to the question of what time does to great Nebbiolo. While other wines are released on the market after the prescribed ageing period, Sandrone keeps some of his Barolo in his own cellar for ten years longer – not out of restraint, but out of the conviction that Nebbiolo only reveals its true nature after years of silent evolution.

Allegrini's top-quality Riserva Fieramonte is deeply concentrated and almost black in the glass. The palate is firm and equally concentrated, with dense waves of dark fruit, spices, toast and cinnamon. The aromatic panorama of this wine is impressive, its dimension, depth and texture make it one of the greatest wines of the appellation. Wow! SUPERIORE.DE

Giovanni Allegrini used to describe his vineyard in a way that no Oenologist would ever use: "The morning sun, dispelling the shadows of the night, awakens nature and gently caresses the grapes." He was proud of this slope – “The wild mountain” – because its eastern exposure ensures that the first light of day hits the grapes before the heat arrives. A consistent ripening, subtle and patient, like everything that aims to be truly good. Fieramonte is the estate’s highest and most demanding vineyard. Corvina Veronese provides the structure and red fruit. Corvinone the body. Rondinella the freshness. And Oseleta – one of the rarest, oldest Veronese grape varieties – almost forgotten, preserved by Allegrini – adds a dark, tannic complexity that no other wine from the appellation possesses to the same degree.

Angelo Gaja's 2021 Barbaresco is a wine with poise and grace that has a lot to offer. Expressive spicy and floral notes are the first to open up, but what really stands out is the wine's nuance and delineation. The transparency is unmistakable. Sweet red cherries, mint, cinnamon and rose petals develop in the glass and add further nuances. The flavour is balanced and spicy, the tannins firm and the finish precise and long. This muscular monument of a red wine definitely needs a few more years of bottle ageing, with a little patience it will transform into pure elegance. Put simply, the 2021 is one of the best Gaja Barbarescos of recent times. SUPERIORE.DE

Just 3,000 bottles of the exceptional 2016 vintage were released. The grapes for this exceptional Chianti Classico come from vines that grow in the south-west at an altitude of between 350 and 480 metres above sea level. The soil here is characterised by galestro and limestone. Rich, deep dark ruby colour with a velvety sheen. Multi-layered, concentrated aromas of plum, black cherry, spices and menthol. Complex on the palate with a multi-faceted flavour profile that only opens up gradually and only reveals its full spectrum to the patient. A paragon wine of great depth, class and irresistibility. SUPERIORE.DE

The genius of Neive, as they called Bruno Giacosa – this quiet, uncompromising man who had never seen the inside of an oenology school and yet made some of the greatest Nebbiolo wines of the 20th century. Since his death in 2018, daughter Bruna Giacosa has continued to run the winery in Neive together with cellar master Dante Scaglione. The same precision. The same philosophy: large wood, long maceration, absolute respect for the terroir. No compromise that does not begin in the vineyard. Rabajà is the other face of Barbaresco. Where Asili – the second large Giacosa parcel – stands for elegance and floral fragrance, Rabajà is the harder, more mineral, more structured brother. South-south-west exposure, chalky clay, warmer than its neighbours to the north – a vineyard that Giacosa only acquired in 2013 when Lorenzo Alutto offered a small, historic parcel on the open market. 0.6 hectares. Around 4,000 bottles. Grapes that had previously flowed into the crus (riserve) of the Produttori del Barbaresco for decades.

In 1982, Bruno Giacosa bought the Falletto vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba. It was the first and most important investment of his life – and it came as no surprise to those who knew him. Since the 1960s, he had been vinifying bought-in grapes from this south-eastern corner of the Barolo area and making wines that are still among the reference points of the appellation today. When the farmers began to bottle their own wines, there was only one answer for Giacosa: to buy what he could no longer rent.

Every year, the release of the strictly limited artist's edition of Tenuta dell'Ornellaia is a special treat. Today, too, we are pleased to be able to offer you some copies of the latest and 15th edition "La Proporzione" exclusively as a 0.75l single bottle. The original wooden box with 6 bottles contains only one bottle of this sought-after collector's item.