Wine Enthusiast

An authentic expression of Piedmont: this pure Nebbiolo comes from young vines (from both the Tortona and Serravallo terroirs) at higher altitudes around Barolo, Novello and Sinio. Produced in a completely natural style and following traditional vinification methods, it reflects the purity of the grape variety in its purest form. Ageing in stainless steel, with a minimal proportion in neutral oak, emphasises this pure fruit and its origin without any masking.

Anyone starting out anew on Mount Etna doesn't start small. In 2016, Davide Rosso acquired fourteen hectares in Solicchiata, at the foot of the extinct Montedolce crater on the north-eastern slope of the volcano – at an altitude of 730 to 750 metres, in a microclimate that immediately brought to mind the Langhe precision he grew up with: cool nights, wide temperature variations, mineral-rich lava sand soils, and constant ventilation. "Contrade Nuove" – the new vineyards – refers to the estate's younger Carricante vines, trained using the Alberello method and facing north-north-east. They offer a different character to the old vines of the main cuvée: livelier, more direct, with a freshness and approachability that make the Montedolce terroir immediately apparent. 100% Carricante. Spontaneous fermentation at low temperatures in stainless steel, lasting 15 to 20 days. This is followed by five months sur lie with weekly bâtonnage – no wood, no intervention, just the volcano with its soil and climate.

Pinot Noir is a grape variety that seeks altitude. It finds it in South Tyrol – and Tiefenbrunner has selected the highest and coolest Pinot Noir sites in the entire portfolio for the Turmhof: Völser Aicha at 600 to 980 metres, on clayey sandy soil over grey porphyry, exposed to the south. Graun at 700 to 940 metres, calcareous-loamy dolomite soil. Penon, Hofstatt and Rain at 400 to 650 metres, calcareous dolomite soils. Mazon, Pinzon and Glen at 400 to 550 metres, sandy loam soil on dolomite rock. Four soil profiles, one wine. These altitudes require Pinot Noir to do what it does best: ripen slowly, build up structure, intensify flavours. Ageing in barriques and large wooden barrels gives the wine depth and elegance.

Lagrein is one of South Tyrol's indigenous grape varieties and, at Franz Haas, thrives in sunny vineyards at altitudes of between 220 and 250 metres. Here, at a significantly lower altitude than the white wine vineyards, this late-ripening variety benefits from warm, broodingalluvial soils with a high gravel content. The south-south-west aspect guarantees optimal sunshine right up to the late harvest – crucial for the full phenolic ripeness of this demanding grape variety. After careful hand-harvesting, the grapes are gently destemmed and fermented in open stainless-steel tanks. The cap is submerged gently and not too frequently to avoid the risk of excessive tannin extraction. Following alcoholic fermentation, the wine matures for 10 to 12 months in tonneaux, where malolactic fermentation also takes place. A few months' bottle ageing round off the wine's development before the Lagrein is released onto the market.

When a woman who brought Valpolicella wines to the world as "Lady Amarone" acquires a vineyard in Montalcino in 2007, it is not to repeat the tried and tested, but to break new ground – but to break new ground. Marilisa Allegrini, the first Italian woman on the cover of Wine Spectator and named "Cavaliere del Lavoro" in 2020, now runs San Polo together with her daughters Carlotta and Caterina. The estate is located on the south-eastern flank of the hill, in Podernovi, at an altitude of around 450 metres – where the extinct volcano Monte Amiata protects the vineyards from hot winds and has left behind pyroclastic soils that give the Sangiovese an unmistakable mineral signature.

In 2007, the Rosato was born – because Marco de Grazia's three-year-old daughter, Elena, insisted on it. There was a red wine, there was a white. Why not one in pink too? The winery was already painted pink. All that was missing was the wine. De Grazia, who had not planned to make a Rosato until then, set to work. The result is not a frivolous summer wine, even though it is often enjoyed in summer. De Grazia's stated ideal for his Rosato is: "il corpo di un bianco e l'anima di un rosso". And he adds: "joyful without being frivolous; tension without being austere." Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio from vines aged between 25 and 60 years on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, at altitudes of between 600 and 900 metres, on volcanic soils from the estate's various vineyards.

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

Named after the "Seggio" stream, the largest watercourse in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci, this elegant Bordeaux blend embodies the approachability and finesse of the Bolgheri DOC. The historic watercourse rises in the Etruscan Colline Metallifere near Sassetta and flows through the entire Bolgheri region, its alluvial deposits enriching the characteristic clay soils with valuable pebbles. This harmonious cuvée comes from the prime vineyards of Le Sondraie and Via Bolgherese. The vines, which are around 19 years old, thrive on well-drained, stony soils with a layer of clay and high magnesium and iron content – ideal conditions for this international blend of grape varieties.

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.

Praesulis Sauvignon Blanc unfolds in the glass with hints of aromatic herbs and lemon zest, accompanied by gooseberries, grapefruit and elderberries. Soothingly smooth and with a pleasant inner sweetness, it blends candied lemon with tart melon and lively acidity to create a robust yet juicy style on the palate. It finishes with vibrant tension and good length, leaving behind concentrated citrus fruit and lovely floral notes. Wonderfully elegant and well-balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

Taurasi, undisputedly the great red wine of the South, rightly described as the "Barolo of the South", reveals its full power and nobility in Feudi di San Gregorio's interpretation. This single-varietal Aglianico comes from vineyards at altitudes of up to 700 metres, on volcanic soils comprising basalt, clay and tuff. The result is a brooding, long-lived red wine with distinct regional character and sophistication.

Bucine, Valdarno di Sopra – where the Arno meanders through rolling hills between Arezzo and Florence, the Fattoria Petrolo lies at an altitude of between 250 and 500 metres. In 1988, Lucia Bazzocchi Sanjust wanted a wine that would convey the true identity of this terroir: Petrolo's "Château", a tribute to the centuries-old Tuscan tradition of blending French grape varieties with Sangiovese. As early as 1834, Giorgio Perrin, an agronomist of Swiss origin and owner of Petrolo, reported in the *Giornale Agrario Toscano* as early as 1834 that it was common practice in Chianti to blend "uve francesi" with Sangiovese, not to alter the quality, but because the terroir takes precedence over the grape varieties.

Produced in just 6,000 bottles per vintage, Godenza from the vineyard of the same name undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by temperature-controlled maceration in stainless steel tanks. After malolactic fermentation, it then matures for 12 months in cement vats and at least 9 months in the bottle. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, it is characterised by its complex and open bouquet with aromas of small red berries and spices. On the palate, it is firm and clear with a wonderful balance between acidity and ripe flavours and has a very respectable, slightly salty and spicy finish. SUPERIORE.DE

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

Grave di Stecca is Nino Franco's exposed single vineyard on the slopes of the Prealpi. The south-facing vineyard is planted exclusively with the Prosecco grape Glera. Brilliantly shining white gold, gently developing perlage, a bouquet of sage with fresh fruit flavours. Very pleasantly dry flavour, silky and long – the indisputably great top-quality wine from the renowned Prosecco producer. SUPERIORE.DE

In the heart of Alba, nestled within the Roman city walls of ancient Alba Pompeia, lies a winery that has been making history since 1881. Pio Cesare – founded by Cesare Pio, a man who believed in the potential of Nebbiolo when others were still focusing on mass production. Five generations later, Federica Boffa carries on the legacy of her father, Pio Boffa, who sadly passed away far too soon in 2021. Together with her cousin Cesare Benvenuto, she is responsible for one of the last active wineries in Alba's historic centre – a place where time seems to pass more slowly, where large oak casks allow the wines to mature just as they have for over 140 years.

Beneath the vineyard lie the old tunnels of the Miniere di Novare. What was once a mining site is now terroir: The 4-hectare vineyard, spread across two south-west-facing terraces above the tunnel system in Arbizzano di Negrar, forms one of the two cru selections with which Bertani has been redefining the original elegance of Valpolicella Classico since 1857. No appassimento, no ripasso, no oak ageing. Just the grape varieties of this area, the soil and time. Six to nine months in concrete tanks: a vessel that preserves freshness and imparts texture without influencing the final result. At least six months in bottle.

When Luciano Sandrone bought his first vineyard in Cannubi Boschis in 1977 – financed with all his savings – and vinified the first bottle in his parents' garage a year later, nobody could have guessed that this humble beginning would grow into one of Barolo's most iconic wineries. After his death in 2024, daughter Barbara, brother Luca as Oenologist and wife Mariuccia continue the legacy today: 27 hectares between Langa and Roero, six wines of uncompromising quality that combine tradition and modernity in equal measure. The Barbera d'Alba, vinified from grapes from various plots in Monforte d'Alba and Novello, is more than just an accompanying wine – it is a statement that Sandrone devotes the same attention to each grape variety as he does to his legendary Barolo.

Charismatic Negroamaro in an accessible and modern style without gimmickry. In the glass, dark lines of blackberries, plums and blackcurrants with generous background notes of chocolate, Indian spices, teriyaki and smoky barbecue sauce. Noble tannins and ripe fruit flavours form a wine that is both contoured and soft and yielding. Masseria Maime is ready to drink at a young age, but can safely mature for another five years or more. SUPERIORE.DE

Gaio Valerio Catullo came from Verona. He wrote in Latin, with passion and precision, about love and loss, about the transience and intensity of the moment. Bertani has dedicated this Ripasso to him – not by chance, but because the wine strives to embody the same character: intense, authentic, born of the deepest regional conviction. Catullo follows the historic Ripasso method in its most rigorous form. After the Amarone Classico has been produced, the pomace is put to use once more: the Valpolicella is passed over these residues, ferments a second time, and absorbs colour, tannins and complexity. The ratio is strict: for every bottle of Bertani Amarone Classico, exactly one bottle of Catullo is produced. No more is possible. The Ripasso is therefore inextricably linked to the Amarone.

A captivating Pinot Nero with a poetic expression of the Langhe terroir: strictly selected grapes from organically farmed vineyards are vinified with the utmost care. After manual harvesting and fermentation, the wine matures for 18 months in tonneaux, which give it structure without masking its freshness. The ageing process combines depth with elegant finesse – an art that Vajra has mastered for many years.