Wine Spectator

Montalcino and Cabernet Sauvignon – at first sounds like a marriage against nature. Sangiovese reigns here, Brunello grows here, the grape variety has found its expression here for centuries. The fact that Count Alberto Marone Cinzano nevertheless planted Cabernet Sauvignon on the hills of his estate in the early 1980s was neither a coincidence nor an experiment – it was a conviction. The conviction that this terroir, these soils, this altitude are capable of more than just one wine. Today, Olmaia is a monument to this vision. The vineyard – 365 metres above sea level, planted in 2005 – bears his name. The DOC Sant'Antimo, founded in 1996, created the legal framework for just such wines: international grape varieties, grown in Montalcino's chalky soil, with the ambition not to imitate, but to interpret.

Albe! ... the poetic name of this Barolo refers to the sky at sunrise, as experienced by the various terroirs of the estate: Coste di Vergne, Fossati and La Volta. These high-altitude sites each produce slightly different dawns, which is symbolically reflected in the harmony of the cuvée. The grapes come from young but ripe Nebbiolo vines and combine the nuances of each parcel to create a flowing, elegant expression. The 2021 vintage is characterised by freshness and balance: Long vegetation phase at ideal temperatures, accompanied by cool nights that preserve intense fruit with lively acidity. The grapes were carefully harvested by hand, each parcel was vinified separately and only combined into a cuvée in the spring before bottling. The wine is matured for around 36 months in large Slavonian oak barrels (40–75 hl) with annual racking – a maturation that allows for depth and harmony.

High above the slopes of Monforte d'Alba, where the morning sun bathes the valley in golden light, the mineral-rich, calcareous clay soils of the cool Pajana, Ciabot Mentin and Percristina (Mosconi) parcels produce grapes that find their expressive calm and depth in this Barolo. The 2020 vintage developed harmoniously: long ripening with constant warmth, cool nights and a dry autumn enabled a perfect balance of aromatic density and freshness. Carefully selected manual harvesting completed this natural process.

Pecchenino, traditionally known in Dogliani for Dolcetto, ventured into Monforte d'Alba, one of the eleven Barolo villages and home to some of the appellation's most prestigious single vineyards, in the early 2000s. Today, the family cultivates plots in the three prestigious Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive Ravera di Monforte, Le Coste di Monforte and Bussia – sites whose names carry weight in connoisseur circles. San Giuseppe is not a single vineyard, but a composed vision: 50% Ravera di Monforte, 35% Le Coste and 15% Bussia merge to create a Barolo that combines the strengths of these different terroirs. Ravera, at an altitude of 440 metres, with its whitish marl, brings minerality and structure. Le Coste, exposed to the south-east, delivers elegance and aromatic finesse. Bussia, the largest and best known of the three, contributes strength and ageing potential. The chalky, clayey soils, the south to south-westerly exposure and the precise manual labour in the vineyard – everything follows the principle of low yields for maximum concentration.

Al Passo is named after the small forest on the highest hill of Tolaini - a magical place with a breathtaking view of the countryside and the sunsets over the towers of Siena. The wine is as unique as the forest, showcasing the natural affinity of Sangiovese and Merlot. Rich garnet with ruby colour. Intense and enticing bouquet of ripe fruit, orange zest and spicy oak notes, on the palate with ripe fruit and fresh acidity, balanced, medium body, long final with a fine salty vein. SUPERIORE.DE

The Bordini parcel lies between gentle hills in the municipality of Neive, with a southern exposure and calcareous soil – one of the structure-forming Barbaresco vineyards that has always been famous for its power, elegance and depth. The 2021 vintage is considered particularly refined: A long, balanced growing season nourished the grapes with balanced ripeness, while cooler nights preserved the fine acidity. The manual harvest in mid-October was perfectly timed and ensured the high quality of the harvest. Ageing in large oak barrels for 12-14 months brought complementary depth without masking the clear fruit expression.

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

The top-quality Vigneto Erchi Riserva comes from the small vineyard of the same name, which has belonged to Fattoria Selvapiana since 1998. The owners spent a long time searching for a vineyard whose terroir impressively demonstrates the complexity of Sangiovese in the Rufina region, making this wine a high-calibre addition to the famous Selvapiana collection.

In 1991, Alois Lageder succeeded in acquiring Casòn Hirschprunn, a historic estate that was mentioned in documents as early as the 13th century and today forms the spiritual heart of Lageder's biodynamic philosophy. Here, in the Renaissance palazzo in the middle of Magreid, where over 30 hectares of vineyards between 230 and 360 metres adorn the gentle slopes of the Margreider Schuttkegel, a revolution began in 1995: the first biodynamic experiments on Italian soil, which made the winery one of the pioneers of this holistic form of cultivation. "Tasting the unpredictable" – is how Alois Lageder himself defines the nature of this extraordinary white wine, which epitomises the joy of experimentation and innovative strength of the estate like no other.

A tribute to Luigi, Valeria's father, without whose support the life project of Valeria Viganò and Luca Orsini in Panzano would never have been realised. Aluigi embodies the highest level of the art of Sangiovese from Le Cinciole – only 4,000 bottles are produced annually from the single vineyard "Campo ai Peri". This Gran Selezione comes from organically cultivated vineyards at an altitude of 440 metres, where south-west-facing vines are rooted in the characteristic Galestro soil over sandstone. The traditionally dense planting of 9,000 vines per hectare and the cool, high-altitude climate give the wine its characteristic elegance and complexity. Vinification follows the original principles of the estate: hand-picking and careful selection of the grapes, spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in cement tanks for four weeks. After malolactic fermentation, the wine matures for 24 months in French oak barrels of 25 hectolitres, followed by a further year in concrete and twelve months of bottle ageing.

A name that breathes history: since 2011, the grapes for Marchese Antinori have come exclusively from the vineyards of Tenuta Tignanello – the legendary location that lies at the heart of the Chianti Classico between the gentle hills of the Greve and Pesa valleys. Here, where the Medici once walked and where the Antinori family has been realising its visionary wine philosophy since 1850, one of the purest interpretations of Sangiovese thrives on stony limestone soils. The 2022 vintage tells of a summer of extremes – little rain until August, hot spells in June and July. But the old vines proved resilient: even budding, regular flowering, perfectly ripe grapes for harvest. In the winery's cellars, winemaking was carried out with classic precision: gentle destemming, gentle pressing, one week of fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Ten days of maceration using gentle methods – an extraction that combines intensity with elegant, supple tannins. Natural acid degradation until the end of the year, then twelve months of ageing in French and Hungarian oak barrels, followed by a further twelve months of bottle ageing before release.

Elvio Cogno's Barolo Cascina Nuova is the most accessible of the many excellent Barolos produced by this leading winery in the municipality of Novello. The fundamental value this wine offers is even more irresistible in a perfect and classic vintage like 2021. Opens beautifully in the glass and unfolds its aromas of redcurrants and wild berries. This is accompanied by typical varietal notes of liquorice, cola and camphor ash in a firm, medium-weight texture. A wine that you simply have to love. SUPERIORE.DE

The often underrated Madre is an elegant yet juicy cuvée of Sangiovese and barrel-aged Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark and luscious on the palate, it captures many of the best qualities of the house's established style. Black cherries, raspberry jam, plums, graphite, smoke, lavender, liquorice and dark spices envelop the palate in an effortless, juicy red wine that is a real insider's tip after some aeration. SUPERIORE.DE

Strong dark ruby colour. Pepper and spice accents, aromas of ripe red and dark fruit and a slightly animal note characterise the precise aroma. The perfect balance between tannin, silky elements and acidity guarantee a full-bodied flavour full of character. SUPERIORE.DE

The Nerello grapes (100% Mascalese) come from the northern slope of Etna from plots in the Contrada Dafara Galluzzo in the Rovittello district. Opens in a delicate ruby red colour, then fine, heady, spicy on the nose, revealing a pretty basket of red fruits after a few minutes of aeration. Initially closed on the palate, only gradually revealing its flavour facets, then medium pressure in the middle, with a very fine structure and almost Burgundian finesse and elegance. The finish is harmonious and of excellent length. SUPERIORE.DE

Away from the dominance of Sangiovese in the Conca d'Oro, Giovanni Manetti shows the international side of Fontodi with this single-varietal Syrah. The hand-picked Syrah grapes grow in the south-facing single vineyards Case Via and Pecile around Villa Pecile, where the calcareous-clay soils and the Mediterranean microclimate with pronounced day-night temperature fluctuations prove to be ideal for the Rhône grape variety. After three weeks of spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts, the organically certified wine matures for twelve months in French barriques from Troncais and Allier.

Fanti's Brunello di Montalcino 2020 is delicately flavoured, haunting floral and seductive from the first swirl of the glass. A hint of icing sugar gives way to bright cherries, candied oranges, mint leaves and lavender, creating an extrovert yet delicious picture. In the mouth, it is seamless and silky, with a subtle hint of citrus and vibrant acids introducing ripe red notes of black berries with herbs. Rounded tannins emerge on the finish with hints of liquorice and violets. As always, very well made. SUPERIORE.DE

The year was 1090, the year in which Leif Erikson discovered North America, the Chinese discovered gunpowder and Pope Urban II conquered Jerusalem. On that day, the notary Bellundo recorded a contract in the Siena state archives: two capons, three loaves of bread and six coins of good silver as an annual lease for a vineyard in the divine valley of Dievole. "Dio vuole" – god wants it. This is the etymological root of this name, which has symbolised the special connection between man and nature in this corner of Tuscany for over nine centuries.

Here is a fairly new single-vineyard wine, similar in style to Santo Spirito, but with an "autumnal" component. Light ruby red in colour, with a nose of gravel, vanilla and a subtle hint of mint, plus some cranberry, cherry, nutmeg and mocha. Fresh and exciting on the palate with a sweet and sour component and a delicately bitter vein. Compact tannin that certainly deserves a few more years in the bottle. The final is herbaceous, spicy and long. SUPERIORE.DE

The world-famous Valpolicella Superiore from Zenato, produced using the Ripasso method, is a rich wine with the best value. It is peppery, with earthy tones and gravel giving way to black cherries and savoury herbs. It reveals deep, silky textures balanced by vibrant acids, while ripe red and black fruits resonate under a hint of lavender. Zenato's Ripassa is concentrated and intense, but at the same time conveys elegance and leaves a fresh note of violet candy on the palate that lingers for a long time. SUPERIORE.DE