wine classics

In 1973, Graziano Merotto purchased plot 86 in the Rive di Col San Martino – —an overgrown stretch of hillside still covered in woodland. He cleared it himself, planted Glera and began to shape the vineyard that would one day become his most important. Over fifty years later, this wine bears his name. The Cuvée del Fondatore is made exclusively from that historic plot – 230 metres above sea level, south-facing, clay and sand, with vines over 40 years old. Graziano Merotto’s decision in the cellar is unusual: maceration before pressing – a step that most producers skip – then the must goes straight into the autoclave, 60 days of secondary fermentation, followed by a further 180 days of ageing on its own lees. Almost nine months from must to bottle – a comparatively very long time for a Prosecco Superiore. 33,000 bottles, 670 magnums, 10 jeroboams.

In 1962, Egidio Corradi bought two neglected poderi in Cervognano – a Genovese broker who had spent most of his life away from Tuscany, but had always known where he wanted to return. Boscarelli's first bottle of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano appeared in 1968. Since then, this main line has hardly changed in terms of composition and ageing. This is not hesitation – it is conviction. Prugnolo Gentile and Canaiolo, from vines over 10 years old on the red, sandy, mineral-rich soils of Cervognano, 280 to 350 metres, east-facing, 6,500 vines per hectare.

What distinguishes a Riserva from an Annata? Time. Time to select the best Sangiovese grapes from the estate's twelve plots. Time for a 25-day vinification process that is conducted with the utmost respect for tradition. And time for at least 21 months in French oak barrels, followed by further bottle ageing before the wine leaves the estate.

This visionary wine comes from the legendary Conca d'Oro in Panzano and epitomises Giampaolo Motta's radical break with the traditions of Chianti Classico. The Neapolitan, who lost his heart to the Tuscan soil, took the courageous step of declassifying in 2002 – out of a burning desire for absolute oenological freedom. The cuvée combines Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to create a Burgundian-Bordelaise dialogue that captures the mineral power of the Galestro and Alberese soils on a south-westerly slope. The wine is carefully vinified in French barriques for ten months "sur lie" with regular bâtonnage, giving the wine a wonderfully silky structure.

Pale straw yellow in colour with a fine, lively perlage. The bouquet shows clear signs of citrus fruit, yellow peach and green apple, accompanied by a fine bread crust flavour and a salty hint. Dry and elegantly structured on the palate, with taut acidity, fine mousse and astonishing finesse. Thanks to 24 months of ageing on the lees, the texture is creamy, the finish long, mineral and characterised by subtle almond notes – a Lugana in sparkling guise that impressively emphasises the potential of the indigenous Turbiana as a sparkling wine. SUPERIORE.DE

This exceptional cuvée on the border between Bolgheri and Maremma comes from the 14 hectares of vines at Fattoria Kappa, just four kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Founded in 1999 by two Austrian wine enthusiasts, the winery consistently practises biodynamic viticulture: horses instead of tractors protect the alluvial soils, which are rich in minerals and fossilised marine deposits. Lambda – the wavelength in physics – combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot to create an authentic Supertuscan away from the mainstream. The grapes are harvest by hand in small crates and then selected on a vibrating table. 20% of the grapes are fermented whole and the wine is matured in used tonneaux and steel tanks without fining or filtration.

Pergolaia consists mainly of Sangiovese with smaller proportions of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wine opens with a medium-bodied attack and a bright bouquet characterised by notes of cherry, wild plum, ploughed earth and pressed blue flowers. This very Mediterranean-style red with a strong personality envelops the palate with a delicate, silky intensity. SUPERIORE.DE

GROSSO is a Blanc de Noirs produced using the traditional Champagne method and aged on its fine lees for 24 months. A delicate pink colour and a fine, persistent effervescence. A crisp bouquet of violets, citrus zest, nectarine and wild strawberry. On the palate, it has lovely momentum, with very straightforward notes of red berries. Very well-balanced, it dances its way to a respectable finish with subtle spice and impressive freshness. SUPERIORE.DE

Here is one of the most serious and at the same time most exciting sparkling wines that can be made from the Sorbara variety! Pale to dusky pink in colour with a fine foam and accentuated, persistent perlage. The bouquet is almost magical and yet very distinguished, with hints of raspberry and wild strawberry, which is what makes a top-class Lambrusco, but still seems to be an unattainable goal for many local winegrowers. A fine acidity on the palate, with delicate, dry bitter notes and an exciting brightening of fruity tones of wild strawberry and pomegranate. The overall impression is bone-dry and the bottled dream of a Lambrusco produced using the champagne method, which is unrivalled in the wine landscape. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1886, Carlo Campagnola founded his winery in the Marano Valley, in the heart of Valpolicella Classico. In 1907, he won the first gold medal for the best Recioto at the Verona Wine Fair – since then, the family, now in its fifth generation, has continued what began as a small farm. The vineyards for this Amarone are located on calcareous slopes between 200 and 350 metres above sea level, where Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella are harvested by hand at the end of September. The traditional appassimento drying process takes around 100 days until the grapes have lost 35–40% of their weight. Gentle pressing in December, 30 days of maceration, then ageing: 60% matures for 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, 40% for 18 months in new Allier oak barriques.

One name is making a name for itself: Vallenuova, previously the estate's entry-level Chianti, will become a Riserva with the 2023 vintage. The vineyard, which surrounds the estate like a natural amphitheatre, bears the name of the locality – still today Tolaini's official address in Castelnuovo Berardenga. What is changing is the ageing period: instead of ten months, the Riserva now matures for considerably longer in a trio of Tuscan, Slavonian and Austrian oak before spending a further few months in the bottle. The base is now also clearly defined: 100% Sangiovese from silty-clay soils with limestone and stones. Double selection – by hand in the vineyard, visually in the cellar – 20 days' maceration, temperature-controlled fermentation.

Two names define this Riserva: Il Corno and Poggio Selvale. It is from these two premier vineyards, situated between 350 and 450 metres above sea level, that the Sangiovese grapes come from which Castello di Radda crafts its classic Riserva style. The clay-limestone soils, with their high proportion of galestro and alberese – the region's characteristic calcareous shale – lend the wine mineral depth and structural complexity. In this coolest part of the Chianti Classico region, where dense forests surround the vineyards and the temperature fluctuations between day and night are particularly pronounced, the Sangiovese reveals its most elegant side. After hand-harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and fermented in 50-hectolitre stainless-steel tanks. Maceration on the skins lasts three to four weeks – a luxury afforded only by fully ripe grapes from prime vineyards. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood before the wine begins its 20-month ageing process: in second- and third-use French tonneaux and in 20-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels. A nine-month period of bottle ageing completes the wine's development.

In Roman-medieval times, they called this sweet wine monument Acinatium – from the Latin "acinus", the grape berry. A name that encapsulates the essence of this extraordinary wine: made only from the very best and ripest individual Garganega berries, a selection of such precision that it borders on obsession. For the Tessari sisters, this rare Recioto is more than just a wine. It is the centrepiece of their family history, the wine of holidays and family gatherings, the first drop you would give a child to taste, if it were allowed and appropriate ...

1968 – three years before Sassicaia changed the world – san Felice created Vigorello: the first Chianti Classico wine produced without the white grape varieties that were mandatory at the time, made exclusively from red varieties. A quiet revolution that instilled in the estate a sense of what was possible, which continues to shape its identity to this day. An expression of this identity is the Vitiarium, a research project spanning over twenty years dedicated to the rediscovery and preservation of indigenous Tuscan grape varieties. One of these is the Pugnitello: its name means ‘little fist’, referring to the compact, fist-shaped bunches. Almost extinct, preserved by San Felice, it is now an integral part of the Borgo. Sangiovese and Pugnitello, grown on medium-heavy calcareous-marly soils near the medieval Borgo, are vinified separately in stainless steel and only come together during ageing: twelve months in large Slavonian oak barrels.

Cuvée Real epitomises the elegant signature of Antica Fratta and shows just how fine Franciacorta can be. It is based on Chardonnay and a small proportion of Pinot Nero from the gentle moraine hills of Lombardy. After gentle whole-cluster pressing, the first fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in small wooden barrels before the wine matures for at least 24 months on the fine lees in the bottle. Delicate straw yellow in the glass with a fine, persistent perlage. The bouquet opens with notes of fresh lemon, yellow apple, some white peach and a hint of roasted hazelnut. The palate is fresh and precise, with an elegant creaminess, fine citrus flavour and balanced structure. The finish is clear, mineral-accentuated and persistent. A stylish, versatile Franciacorta that shines both as an aperitif and as an accompaniment to fine cuisine – classic, precise and charming. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1966, when the Italian wine industry was at a crossroads, Domenico Poggiali took a bold step and acquired the then-neglected estates of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Subsequently, and right up to the present day, this adventure has been turned into a legend by his son-in-law, Giuseppe Mazzocolin, a professor of humanities and friend of Luigi Veronelli. Together with the young OenologistFranco Bernabei, they created the first Berardenga in 1967 – a Sangiovese that embodies the true essence of south-eastern Chianti Classico. The vineyards stretch across the geologically diverse terraces at altitudes between 320 and 420 metres, where quartz-rich sandstone and calcareous Alberese in the higher elevations meet sandstone and loam as one descends towards the Crete Senesi. This "Terra di Confine" – the borderland between Chianti Classico and the Colli Senesi – shapes its unmistakable character.

A timeless symbol of the region and a tribute to the origins of Franciacorta: '61 Extra Brut is a classic blend comprising approximately 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Nero. It is aged on the fine lees for at least 24 months, which gives it a clear structure, elegance and harmonious fruit intensity. It thus embodies a modern, precise style that is, at the same time, deeply rooted in tradition.

A Bolgheri Rosso with a distinctive character and a clear sense of origin: the vines used for this blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grow on calcareous, well-drained soils near Castagneto Carducci. A deep ruby colour with violet highlights. Ripe cherry, blackberry, Mediterranean herbs and a hint of cedar characterise the bouquet. Powerful on the palate, with dense fruit, well-integrated acidity and finely textured tannins. The finish is long, spicy and underpinned by mineral freshness. A young Bolgheri Rosso with character, approachability and remarkable depth. Be sure to let it breathe. SUPERIORE.DE

Set amongst the hills of Bibbona, where the vineyards of the Alta Maremma overlook the Tyrrhenian Sea, this characterful cuvée is the result of an ambitious project by the Antinori brothers. The name Insoglio is a poetic reference to the spots where wild boars root around in the ground – a symbol of the wild, unspoilt nature of the Maremma landscape. Composed mainly of Syrah, complemented by Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine displays an intense purplish-red colour with violet highlights.

Purism as a commitment: without the addition of dosage, this Franciacorta reveals the unadorned terroir of Lombardy. The cuvée of Chardonnay (85%) and Pinot Nero (15%) comes from the best vineyards in all 19 Franciacorta communes – with stricter selection and a lower must yield (45%) than the Brut. After gentle pressing and fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is blended in spring with 20% reserve wines from the best vintages. At least 24 months of ageing on the lees, six months longer than for Brut, lends depth and complexity before the wine is disgorged without any additions.

Barolo Paesi Tuoi is more than just a designation of origin. The name – borrowed from the novel "Among Peasants" by Cesare Pavese – evokes Piedmont not just as a landscape, but as a cultural space: rural, archaic, full of inner tensions. And so this Barolo is not an expression of a single cru, but a synthesis of the villages, hills and soils that together form the essence of this appellation. The grapes come from different, characterful vineyards around Barolo, Monforte and Serralunga, carefully selected and vinified separately. Long maceration periods, followed by around two years of ageing in traditional, large oak barrels – the result is a classic style with depth.

The grapes for Batasiolo's Barbaresco come from the gently rolling hills around the village of the same name, where Nebbiolo has found its unmistakable expression for centuries. The year 2020 brought moderate temperatures and a balanced interplay of sun and rain – ideal conditions to maintain the balance between finesse and structure. In the glass, it glows a clear garnet red with a brick-coloured rim – an indication of its youth and the journey that still lies ahead. The nose opens with ripe cherry, dried raspberry and a hint of rose petals, framed by tobacco, sweet spices and a hint of undergrowth. Taut yet supple on the palate, with fine-grained tannins that give the wine backbone and a fresh, precise acidity that carries its inner tension. Ageing in large wooden barrels allows the fruit to shine, while subtle balsamic and earthy notes develop. The finish is long, clear and elegant, carried by a subtle mineral vein. A Barbaresco that epitomises the classic school of Piedmont – noble, long-lasting and with a depth that will continue to develop for several years. Very good value. SUPERIORE.DE