Wine Spectator

Neré comes from organic cultivation on volcanic soils near Noto, where the vines benefit from cool breezes and intense sunlight – a terroir that balances ripeness and freshness. Rich ruby-violet colour, very clear and intense bouquet with strong notes of dark fruit and a hint of violets. Juicy, fresh with lots of ripe berry fruit on the palate. Round, supple and dense with a fruity, savoury final, serve chilled. SUPERIORE.DE

Straw-yellow with greenish highlights. The nose is dominated by notes of white fruit, apples and pineapple, which are well balanced by citrus notes of orange blossom and jasmine. On the palate, it is fragrant and delicious, with a soft attack and balanced freshness, and a hint of nutmeg in the finish. An extremely straightforward Chardonnay, just the way we like it, with a crisp style, a subtle saltiness and a fruity finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Monte Conero drops steeply down to the Adriatic Sea. This striking limestone cliff marks the northernmost boundary where Montepulciano still thrives, as it shields the hills behind it from the cold north-easterly winds that sweep along the coast. The result is a microclimate in which Montepulciano develops an elegance rarely found in the warmer south. Since 1982, the first vintage of San Lorenzo, Umani Ronchi has made this wine the hallmark of this area. Vineyards in Osimo and Ancona, clay-limestone soils, hand-harvested from late September to early October. Ten to twelve days maceration in stainless steel, followed by 18 months in a combination of large wooden casks and used barriques.

Frappato is Sicily's best-kept secret. It is grown on just a few dozen hectares across the whole island – and hardly anywhere is it as impressive as in the red sands of Vittoria. Light, well-aerated soils, with a layer of tuff underneath that regulates the water. A sea breeze, southern sun. Planeta cultivates it in the Mogli vineyard at an altitude of 70 metres, organically, with 4,500 vines per hectare. Seven days' maceration, gentle pressing, ageing in stainless steel.

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

Prugnolo Gentile – is the name given to Sangiovese in Montepulciano. And mammolo simply means violet in Italian. Anyone who knows the aromas of this wine will understand why the Corradi-De Ferrari family uses both: 85% Prugnolo Gentile for freshness and fruit, 15% Mammolo for the floral perfume that makes this Rosso unmistakable. Boscarelli has been producing Prugnolo as Rosso di Montepulciano since 1989 – from the youngest, most fragrant vines in the Cervognano cru vineyard at 280 to 350 metres, on calcareous alluvial soil with sand, silt and clay. Organic cultivation. Hand-picked in crates, selection at the sorting table, natural yeast fermentation in steel, 6 months maturation in glazed cement tanks.

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

South Tyrol's autochthonous king grape variety finds its ancestral terroir on the permeable gravel and crushed stone soils of the Bolzano valley floor at 250 metres. Here, where "Lagrinum" was first mentioned in a document as early as 1379, Lagrein thrives in its heartland – the warm, sun-drenched vineyards around Gries with their extreme day-night temperature fluctuations. The traditional mash fermentation in stainless steel with controlled fermentation and gentle mash movement, followed by malolactic fermentation and six months of ageing in large oak barrels, gives Rubeno its characteristic structure and elegance.

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.

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 has for years been characterised by clarity and terroir: 100% Sangiovese from plots in Castellina and Radda (230–400 m), on limestone- and clay-rich soils with a south to south-west aspect. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged for around twelve months on the fine lees in stainless steel and cement tanks – deliberately without the use of wood, to allow the grape variety to express itself purely and precisely.

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

Zenato's world-famous Valpolicella Superiore, produced using the Ripasso method, is a rich wine offering excellent value. It is peppery, with earthy and stony notes that give way to black cherries and savoury herbs. It reveals deep, silky textures balanced by lively acidity, whilst ripe red and black fruits resonate beneath a hint of lavender. Zenato's Ripassa is concentrated and intense, yet conveys elegance and leaves a fresh note of violet sweets on the palate that lingers for a long time. 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.

Since 1977, every Castellare label has featured a different bird – a tribute to the biodiversity of the Tuscan vineyards and a symbol of Paolo Panerai's vision to preserve authentic Chianti Classico. The estate consistently avoids international grape varieties and relies exclusively on Tuscan tradition: 95% Sangioveto, the fine local Sangiovese clone, and 5% Canaiolo form the classic blend of Italy's most famous red wine. The grapes grow on limestone soils at an altitude of between 350 and 400 metres in Castellina in Chianti, where they develop their characteristic elegance. Following vinification, the wine is aged for seven months in French barriques.