Wine Spectator

The country dance (controdanza) is a typical dance in which man and woman face each other and unite in graceful movements - depending on their gender, the dancers interpret the music in their own way. This wine is exactly the same: Nero d'Aola and Merlot - opposites attract and, with the right sensitivity, can harmonise and contrast wonderfully.

Brilliant ruby red colour. Intense bouquet of small red berries, cherries and a violet-spice component. Warm and full flavours of forest fruits and cherries on the palate, flanked by a solid tannin structure. The finish is soft and long, medium-bodied and very elegant. SUPERIORE.DE

The classic from the heart of Chianti Classico: Brolio combines the excellent drinkability of a young Chianti Classico with a complex, complete structure. The vineyards grow on the historic Castello di Brolio between 280 and 480 metres above sea level on five representative soil types – from sandstone to galestro and marine sediments. Intense ruby red colour. Fresh, floral nose with notes of chinotto, violets and mimosa, leading to fruity nuances of black cherries and sweet mint. Velvety and complex on the palate with great harmony, elegant structure and a long, mineral final. A textbook Chianti Classico from a historic terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

Dolcetto d'Alba Bricco Bastia comes from high-altitude, organically farmed plots on the Bastia hills in Monforte d'Alba. The exposed location at an altitude of around 500 metres and calcareous marl soils give the grapes freshness, fine minerality and aromatic clarity. Bright purple-red colour with violet reflections. Juicy black cherry, ripe plum and a hint of blueberry on the nose, accompanied by delicate almond notes and a hint of violet. Dry, supple and harmonious on the palate, with ripe fruit, moderate acidity and soft, well-integrated tannins. A Dolcetto full of character that shows its origins from the heart of the Langhe with confidence and a charming drinking flow. SUPERIORE.DE

The vines for this Dolcetto grow on the Ravera hillside in Novello, on soils rich in limestone, sand and clay with a gentle south-eastern exposure, around 380 metres above sea level. This parcel is located in Elvio Cogno's traditional cultivation centre and is all about local provenance and authenticity. The ageing – around eight months in steel barrels, without wood – emphasises the varietal typicity and freshness.

Intense ruby red, complex bouquet with notes of black cherry, blueberry and plum, followed by coffee, liquorice and leather. Powerful and full-bodied on the palate, sweet in its tannic texture, infused with a lively freshness and with a beautiful fruit centre. Persistent on the palate with notes of liquorice and cocoa, giving the Rosso an elegant and full-bodied finish. SUPERIORE.DE

A Friulian wine with a subtle French accent: Tunella's Chardonnay combines the purity of the Colli Orientali terroir with hints of Burgundian elegance. The vines grow on Ponca soil on a gentle slope, which gives the wine precision and structure. A light golden yellow colour with greenish reflections in the glass. White flowers, yellow apple, a little roasted hazelnut and a hint of vanilla on the nose. Harmonious on the palate, with a creamy texture, fine acidity and subtle minerality. A well-balanced, charming Chardonnay with a clear expression of origin and stylish depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Where the salty breezes of the Tyrrhenian Sea meet the last foothills of the Colline Metallifere, the Mediterranean character of this exceptional red wine unfolds in all its splendour. The name Mediterra says it all: it embodies the flavours of the Tuscan maquis and that enticing saltiness that only wines from the immediate vicinity of the sea are capable of developing.

In 1850, Count Augusto Giorgi di Vistarino travelled through Burgundy. He recognised what he saw: those chalky, clayey soils, those temperature fluctuations, that stillness between the hills – the same promise, just three hundred kilometres further east, south of Pavia. He brought the first Pinot Nero grape seedlings directly from France and planted them in Rocca de' Giorgi. An act of conviction that changed Oltrepò Pavese forever. Today, the Vistarino family is the fifth generation to carry on this legacy – ottavia Giorgi di Vistarino replanted with Burgundian clones, selecting for low yields and aromatic depth. The Costa del Nero is Pinot Nero from a single, dedicated ridge. Hand-picked into 20-kilogram boxes, cold storage overnight, 48 hours of cold maceration at 10°C – all designed for freshness and flavour. Fermentation in steel, partial ageing in wood: subtle, structural.

A Chianti Classico that is created when centuries-old tradition meets contemporary winemaking: organically farmed since the 1980s, the vineyards of Monti-in-Chianti and Vitignano (located slightly below) strive for expression and balance from clay-loam and limestone soils. The vines (90% Sangiovese supplemented by some Colorino, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo) are rooted at altitudes between 250 metres and 330 metres above sea level.

Il Poggiones Rosso di Montalcino is dark and youthful, with nuances of blackcurrant and liquorice balanced by ashy rock. Silky and enveloping on the palate with a savoury core of minerality and bright acids, followed by tart red berries. The wine finishes long and lightly structured, but is always fresh and asks for a short stay in the cellar before it can unfold its full charm. A truly straightforward and captivating Rosso in the style of the house. SUPERIORE.DE

A circular forest sits enthroned on the highest point of the vineyard, and inside it rests an Etruscan tomb – over 2,500 years old. Al Passo, "at the passage", is what they call this place, from where the view extends as far as the Torre del Mangia in Siena. Here, where past and present meet, the estate's most popular cuvée is created: equal parts Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on the silty-clayey limestone soils of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Double selection, 20 days on the skins, then 14 months in French oak – six of which on the fine lees, which gives the wine its silky texture.

Barbara Widmer's Chianti Classico emphasises clarity and origin: 100% Sangiovese from plots in Castellina and Radda (230–400 metres), on limestone and clay soils with south to south-west exposure. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, followed by around twelve months in stainless steel and cement on the fine lees – deliberately without the use of wood to allow the grape variety to speak purely and precisely. Bright ruby red in colour with a cherry-red core. Juicy cherry, redcurrant and violet on the nose, with a hint of herbs and wet stone. Straightforward and animating on the palate: fresh, finely chiselled acidity, taut, young tannins and a salty, minerally finish that gives length. A classic, straightforward Chianti Classico with elegant tension, clear fruit, cool contours and a very nice drinking flow. SUPERIORE.DE

Ornello is an open wine with beautiful, inviting aromas of ripe, dark fruit, cedar wood, dried herbs, tobacco and incense. All of this has a pleasant depth. Medium to full-bodied with supple tannins and a juicy, ripe finish. Very good value. SUPERIORE.DE

Pèppoli is an entertaining, very relaxed red wine with a firm fan base. A sparkling, intense ruby colour with a slight garnet hue. The Pèppoli expresses its strong personality through its bouquet of ripe fruit with light mineral accents. The juicy flavour with lively tannins spreads gently yet powerfully across the palate and lingers for a long time. Very easy to drink, very classic and, incidentally, excellent value! SUPERIORE.DE

"This wine was born as a challenge. In 2004, when we started making it, ageing it in steel was against the general trend of ageing complex Soave wines in barrique. Today, we are glad that we took this risk." Graziano Prà

In the western heart of Chianti Classico, between Florence and Siena, lie the four historic vineyards of Castello di Monsanto: Il Poggio, Scanni, Il Mulino and Il Salcio. On 72 hectares between 280 and 320 metres above sea level, surrounded by a Mediterranean biotope of cypresses, junipers, brooms and strawberry trees, predominantly Sangiovese vines thrive on the characteristic Galestro soils – the slate-like rock that gives the wines depth and powerful characteristics. The Bianchi family has consistently favoured the quality of Sangiovese for over 60 years and created the first Chianti Classico cru in 1962 with Il Poggio. The Annata is made from a selection of grapes from the younger vineyards, which are particularly suitable for ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels. 90% Sangiovese is complemented by 10% Canaiolo and Colorino – a classic blend that combines freshness and accessibility with the characteristic depth of the Monsanto terroir.

Here is one of the most beautiful interpretations of the white Carricante grape variety, matured for six months on the fine lees. Alta Mora Bianco comes from vineyards on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, where Carricante vines thrive at an altitude of 600 to 900 metres – directly on volcanic rock that is rich in minerals and ash. The cool altitude, combined with intense sunlight and strong day-night fluctuations, characterises this wine with an unmistakable freshness, structure and salty tension. The wine is vinified purely in stainless steel in order to bring the purity of the grape variety and the terroir unadulterated into the glass.

With the Brolettino, Ca' dei Frati shows the powerful, mature side of Lugana. The Turbiana grapes come from older vines, whose deep roots give the fruit particular concentration. After fermentation, the wine matures for several months in barriques, which gives it additional structure and depth. Brilliant straw yellow colour with golden reflections in the glass. Ripe yellow fruit, pineapple, apricot and candied lemon on the nose, with fine vanilla and almond notes. Creamy and full-bodied on the palate, with an elegant woody flavour, fine minerality and harmoniously integrated acidity. The finish is long, smooth and delicately enveloping. A Lugana with fullness and elegance, which presents itself excellently both young and after a few years of ageing in the bottle. SUPERIORE.DE

Felsina's single-varietal Sangiovese wines have been produced on the south-eastern edge of the Chianti Classico since 1967. The vineyards face south-west on ventilated slopes between 320 and 420 metres above sea level on geologically heterogeneous soils of quartz-rich sandstone, calcareous Alberese and clay. After hand-picking in the first three weeks of October, temperature-controlled fermentation takes place between 28-30°C with intensive maceration in stainless steel tanks for 12-15 days. Ageing lasts twelve months, mainly in traditional Slavonian oak barrels of medium size, supplemented by a small proportion of used barriques.