Weinwisser

Fragore by Donnafugata from the Etna region of Montelaguardia in Randazzo joins the collection of iconic wines Mille e una Notte and Ben Ryè. With only 15,000 bottles, Donnafugata has produced a limited edition treasure. Fragore means thunder in Italian and refers to the volcanic thunder of Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano. Grapes of the autochthonous Nerello Mascalese grape variety from selected vineyards were used.

The MGA Le Coste is located in the heights of Monforte d'Alba, where the rows of vines nestle at 440 metres on south-east facing slopes – a site that Barolo connoisseurs appreciate for its vigour and unmistakable character. The whitish marl soils of this plot of just under one hectare give the Nebbiolo the mineral depth and structural rigour that make Monforte wines so unique. Orlando and Attilio Pecchenino vinify the grapes of this single-vineyard Barolo with the utmost respect for the terroir: temperature-controlled fermentation in steel tanks is followed by an extended maceration of 60 days using the historic method of the sunken cap, before the wine matures for a full 36 months in large oak barrels and cement vats after malolactic fermentation.

With its 2020 Brunello di Montalcino, Tenuta Argiano shows once again why this historic winery is one of the leading voices in Montalcino. The Sangiovese Grosso grapes come from 60 hectares of vineyards around the 16th century villa, whose soils are characterised by clay, limestone and galestro. The year 2020 began with a mild winter and a consistently warm spring. A stable summer without extreme heat peaks and cool nights in September allowed the grapes to ripen evenly and completely. The grapes were harvest by hand in several stages, followed by careful vinification in cement and steel tanks. The wine then matured for 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels and tonneaux to harmoniously combine structure and elegance.

Historically, the vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli are located in the areas of three neighbouring municipalities of Chianti Classico: Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Radda in Chianti. With the 2017 vintage, the Mazzei family vinified all three large vineyards separately as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione for the first time in order to recognise the diversity of the terroir: Castello di Fonterutoli, Vicoregio 36 and Badiòla.

Mastrojanni's 2020 vintage has a juicy, fleshy feel that adds to the overall intensity of the wine. In the glass, rich fruit, baking spices and a hint of rum cake. The wine is dark and velvety in appearance, the mouthfeel is balanced, smooth and lingering. It is quickly accessible with its full-bodied appeal and you can enjoy this wine over the next few years without having to wait long. SUPERIORE.DE

Katia and Luigi's Brunello di Montalcino opens with dark fruits, cherries, forest herbs and dried plums. This is accompanied by a fine fruity sweetness, framed by notes of tar, smoke and exotic spices. The dark and ripe intensity of the fruit is closely interwoven with the flavours of oak and the stately proportions of the wine. The long and well-structured finish is characterised by liquorice and mint, flanked by a layer of fine tannins. What we particularly like about this Brunello is that it is already full of finesse and class and is already showing its beauty at a young age. SUPERIORE.DE

The bouquet shows a phenomenal blend of pure fruit with wild berries and herbs, before further depths of floral undergrowth and smoky nuances are added. The palate is full, silky smooth, with polished red and black fruits, then savoury spices and hints of sour citrus as it progresses. A hint of liquorice and mint lingers together with a layer of ultra-fine tannins on the long and lightly structured finish. For us, the San Polino Brunello is a prime example of finesse and elegance every year and a beauty on all levels. SUPERIORE.DE

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.

The latest addition to Vajra's Barolo line-up comes from a 1.5-hectare plot in Coste di Rose, a small MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive) in the Barolo region. This is a steep slope at 310 metres above sea level with a high proportion of sandy soils with good drainage, whose vines and soils are cultivated close to nature. This very accessible Barolo is straightforward, forward and impresses even at a young age with its refreshing candour. A very precise bouquet of cherry, plum, liquorice, spices and menthol, followed by a broad and multi-layered fruity palate with plenty of juice and power, supportive tannins and a full, long, mineral and minty finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Argiano recently caused an international sensation with its Brunello 2018, when the renowned Wine Spectator ranked it as the 8th best wine in the world in 2023. It is fermented in cement tanks and matured slowly in oak wood; its fruit comes from a 22-hectare vineyard with limestone marl soils. Now comes the follow-up vintage, and it is not only very promising because it already perfectly reflects the extraordinary Montalcino year 2019 in its own unique way.

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.

"Pianrosso" – the red plain. When Giuseppe Bianchini began planting this vineyard in 1985, he knew that the heart of his heritage would beat here, on the iron-rich Galestro soils above the Orcia Valley. Eleven hectares between 240 and 360 metres, supported by the slate and marl subsoil that was once seabed before the nearby Monte Amiata left behind its volcanic minerality. Today, his son Paolo and his son Alex continue this legacy – three generations of Bianchini, who face Montalcino's hottest zone with organic cultivation and prudent restraint. The 2020 vintage demanded everything: July heat, which led to 15.5 per cent alcohol, but underneath lies the elegance for which Castelnuovo dell'Abate is famous.

Medium, radiant ruby red. Complex nose of sweet and cedar wood, paired with Mediterranean maquis and delicate sweet cherry. In the mouth, balsamic notes, very finely woven tannins and a wonderful complexity that envelops the juicy fruit core and gives the wine an impressive depth and length. The elegance is also very impressive and will certainly increase with further maturity. SUPERIORE.DE

Neris Edel-Rosso was born with the purchase of a very special vineyard. True to the winery's philosophy of only producing wines from the best terroirs around Montalcino, the small 7-hectare plot with over 45-year-old vines was acquired in 2018. This was preceded by over 40 years of friendship with the previous owners, with whom Giovanni Neri planted the vines and nurtured and cared for them over the past decades. Incidentally, the best grapes from this vineyard have been used for a small quantity of the eponymous Brunello di Montalcino since the 2018 vintage.

Nastagio (also known as Nastasio) is the name of an ancient farmhouse of the Fattoria di Sant'Angelo, which was already recorded in the maps of Grand Duke Leopold. Brunello Nastagio is released on the market five years after the harvest, as if it were a Riserva, and is the result of the many years of experience that Col d'Orcia has gained in the development and cultivation of the Sangiovese vineyard. It is also the result of the many research chapters that Col d'Orcia has been carrying out with the University of Florence for more than twenty years. The ageing in tonneaux (500 Liters) oak barrels and then in the traditional large "botti" represent an ideal combination between tradition and modernity, while maintaining the essential aspect of longevity.

Caparzo's La Casa vineyard, located in an enviable position on the hill of Montosoli, has been vinified separately since 1977 and is one of the first single-vineyard bottlings in Montalcino. Like regular Brunello, La Casa has a surprising underlying acidity that gives the wine brightness and focus, the northern exposure of the parcel certainly playing a role. Fresh herbs and pomegranate contrast with nuances of sun-baked earth and incense. On the palate, the wine is very full-bodied and concentrated, with tactile tannins, yet remains fresh and flowing at all times. SUPERIORE.DE

Sciaranuova lies at an altitude of just under 850 metres on the northern slope of Mount Etna, one of the coolest and at the same time most fascinating vineyards in the region. The site is characterised by young, porous lava flows that force the roots deep down and at the same time ensure extreme drainage. In the coolness of this altitude, the Nerello Mascalese ripens more slowly, with fine phenolic maturity and a distinctive acid structure. Vinification follows the familiar principle: spontaneous fermentation, long maceration, ageing in large used barrels.

Caparzo's La Casa vineyard, located in an enviable position on the hill of Montosoli, has been vinified separately since 1977 and is one of the first single-vineyard bottlings in Montalcino. Like the normal Brunello, La Casa has a surprising underlying acidity that gives the wine brightness and focus, and the northern exposure of the parcel has certainly played a role in this.

Castello Romitorio's 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a classic expression of the 5-star vintage in Montalcino (consortium rating), showing plenty of ripe fruit, minerality, herbal nuances and varietal purity. This wine hits the sweet spot between elegance and power, which is not easy to achieve. It offers a wide range of Sangiovese flavours with wild cherry, forest floor, crushed clove and medicinal herbs, but it also shows a plump density and a velvety texture. Filippo Chia and his team have created a highly attractive Brunello for medium to long drinking. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all – and rarely has a wine deserved its name so consistently. Quartz: a mineral that was formed in fire, has survived for millions of years and is still visible today in Terlan's soils as a fine speckle in the volcanic porphyry rock. 55 to 60 per cent quartz content, slightly acidic pH value, skeleton-rich sandy-loamy structure without carbonate – a soil that allows water to pass through, rations nutrients and puts the vine under controlled stress. This micro-stress is not a deficiency. It is intentional. It forces the plant to produce terroir-specific polyphenols, which give the wine the savoury tension for which Terlan is internationally renowned.

Poggio Valente comes from a single vineyard of the same name at an altitude of around 300 metres. Opulent floral and small-fruited Sangiovese nose with optimally nuanced hints of tobacco, cedar and mint. Precise on the palate with plenty of pressure and power, then towards the end the furious resolution of all the well-dosed components in a fine, silky texture and an unforgettable, long final. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes come from family-owned plots in Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, Grinzane Cavour, Monforte and Mosconi. Each vineyard is harvested separately by hand and fermented in stainless steel; long maceration times with gentle remontages ensure a fine, complete extraction. For ageing, the winery predominantly uses large Slavonian oak barrels (botti), supplemented by a smaller proportion of French oak, which adds lustre to the texture without masking the origin. Thanks to a stable summer and cool nights in autumn, 2020 produced ripe, healthy harvestwith a clear acidity line and precise aromas.

South Tyrol's Chardonnay legend writes another chapter. Since 1994, the Löwengang has characterised the perception of Alpine white wine excellence like no other. The historic estate above Margreids holds a secret: Chardonnay vines, whose roots reach up to five decades deep into the South Tyrolean soil, thrive on barren limestone soils between 230 and 330 metres. The warm microclimate with its nightly drops in temperature produces grapes of concentrated minerality. The Lageder family gives this terroir free rein. Organic farming without compromise, spontaneous fermentation in hand-picked barriques from the Tronçais and Vosges forests. One third new wood lends structure, while eleven months on the lees give the wine its silky texture. A further twelve months of ageing in the cellar bring the final harmony.