Wine

The Nero d'Avola grapes for the very rare Sultana come from a steeply sloping, bush-shaped vineyard facing north-west. The soil here is white with a limestone matrix, rich in minerals and drainage capacity. The pronounced slope and very poor soil reinforce the pedoclimatic characteristics in which the Nero d'Avola plants find a natural habitat. It is an extreme terroir, a combination of environmental and human factors, that distinguishes the Sultana vineyard from other vineyards. The light reflected by the white soils enhances the characteristics and ultimately the quality of the grapes from the vineyard. SUPERIORE.DE

When Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti bought a farmstead in the village of Notri, south of the medieval town of Suvereto in the Colline Metallifere, in 1984, they had no wine plan. They wanted nature, peace and quiet, a piece of land. The passion for wine changed that – slowly, inevitably, as it always does. The first vintage of Giusto di Notri was produced in 1992, named after San Giusto, the patron saint of Suvereto, and after the location of the estate itself. Eight years later, her Redigaffi was the first Italian wine ever to receive 100 points from Robert Parker. Tua Rita had redrawn the wine map of the Maremma.

2019 was a strong year in Montalcino and this vintage shows balance and proud character. Opens with bright cherry fruit, menthol, balsamic herbs, minerals and soft earthy tones. On the palate, mint and sage form the backdrop to bright cherry with a hint of sweet spice. It's feminine and remarkably pretty, showing red fruits with savoury minerals and inner flowers that accumulate towards the finish. The tannins are round and nuanced, classically dry but in no way fatiguing or austere. This symmetry and great length are simply fascinating. SUPERIORE.DE

Pinot Blanc has been part of the Sanct Valentin line since 2001 – born out of the realisation that this long underestimated variety is capable of achieving extraordinary things at the high altitudes of Eppan-Berg. Between 450 and 600 metres, where limestone gravel and clay form the foundation, ten to thirty-two year old vines grow facing south-southeast. Extremely low yields from meticulously selected plots. Hand-picked at the end of September, then two different methods: one half fermented with malolactic fermentation and yeast storage in barriques and tonneaux, the other in large oak barrels. After just under a year, the wine is blended when it is clear what belongs together – then a further eight months of maturation in steel tanks to finalise the balance.

A Negroamaro with a grand gesture and deep expression: Gianfranco Fino's Jo comes from over 50-year-old Alberello vines, rooted in calcareous and clayey soils not far from the Ionian coast. The 2022 vintage was characterised by heat and drought, but the deep roots of the old vines ensured balance and ripeness. The meticulously selected grapes are fermented spontaneously and matured in French barriques – with the aim of achieving maximum origin and texture.

One of Italy's best sweet wines cannot be called "Vin Santo" because its high concentration means it does not reach 12% alcohol. However, this is completely uninteresting, because the aromatic, spicy forest honey notes, the sweet fruit balanced by a fine acidity and the wonderful spiciness that characterise this wine do not need any official regulations. It simply tastes delicious. Best with strong cheeses, with desserts – or simply take a glass of it "solo" as a dessert. SUPERIORE.DE

Sauvignon Sanct Valentin is probably the best-known white wine from the St. Michael-Eppan winery. It has been vinified from carefully selected single vineyards at the foot of the Mendelstock since 1989. Yellow-green in colour, dense bouquet of yellow fruit, gooseberry, elderflower and ripe redcurrant, smooth on the palate with elegant, floral richness and crisp acidity. A great and very savoury top wine and probably the most award-winning white from the internationally highly respected winegrowers' cooperative. SUPERIORE.DE

The name St. Valentin has long stood for more than just a top-quality line in South Tyrol – it is a promise. For precision, loyalty to origin and the will to get the maximum expression out of well-known grape varieties. With Pinot Grigio, this is achieved in an almost quiet way – without drama, but with depth and poise. The vines for the St. Valentin Pinot Grigio grow on selected, higher-altitude plots around Eppan, where calcareous gravel soils, alpine altitude and long hours of sunshine create an extraordinary interplay. This is a Pinot Grigio that does not aim for quick fruit or arbitrariness, but for structure, minerality and longevity. After the harvest, fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in large wooden barrels – the subsequent ageing on the fine lees gives it substance and a touch of creamy noblesse.

When Zefiro Pieri saw the old farmhouse in the hamlet of Sesta in 1950, between centuries-old olive groves and the rolling hills south of Montalcino, he knew that this was where he would stay. He planted the first Brunello vines, initially selling the grapes to others – until his grandson bottled his first own wine in 1991. Today, Claudio Monaci and Silvia Batazzi are the fourth generation to run the estate, while their daughters Caterina and Emma are already waiting in the wings. Sant'Angelo in Colle, just a stone's throw away, is considered one of the finest Brunello locations: volcanic, stony soils, permeable and warm, while the Orcia Valley carries the sea breeze from the Tyrrhenian Sea 45 kilometres away to the vineyards. Claudio and Silvia select the best Sangiovese grapes of the vintage for their Riserva. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete with the vineyard's own yeasts, followed by 40 months of ageing in large vats – time enough to gain depth without losing the fruit. The 2019 epitomises a classic vintage in the best sense of the word: concentrated yet lively, with that balance that only comes about when cool nights and Mediterranean warmth play in harmony.

At Pelissero, "Tulin" not only stands for a vineyard, but also for a claim. The extremely rare Barbera from this parcel is not a by-product of the Nebbiolo-heavy winery, but an independent, uncompromisingly sophisticated interpretation of the Barbera grape variety. In a year like 2021, which united structure, freshness and concentration in a rare balance, this wine reaches a level that sets it apart from the crowd - and clearly places it in the rank of an exceptional wine. The vines grow on calcareous marl with blue clay - a constellation that combines maturity with tension. The yields are low, the selection strict. Tulin is matured for around 18 months in French barriques, with the necessary time and care to get the best out of the grape variety - not more fruit, not more wood, but more depth and complexity.

Vanotu is the great single-vineyard Barbaresco of the house – a wine with origin at its core and concentration in its expression. The grapes come from the historic Basarin vineyard in Neive, a cru parcel with south-west exposure and steep limestone marl soils, which not only give the Nebbiolo depth, but also structure and vertical tension. The name "Vanotu" is a dedication to Giovanni (Vanotu) Pelissero, grandfather of the current winemaker – a family foundation to which this wine owes its independence. The wine is matured with sensitivity: around 20 months in barriques, some of which are new, precisely matched to the character of the vintage. No dominant wood notes, but a framework that gives the grape variety space and direction.

Neromàccarj is the broodingwine from Gulfi's high-quality Nero d'Avola range. The vines are rooted in the single vineyard Màccari, a barren hilly landscape near Pachino, where calcareous clay, volcanic rock and sea breezes create a powerful, yet always balanced microclimate. The vines are ungrafted, some are over 50 years old and yields are low. The harvest by hand and the wine is matured in the traditional way: a long maceration period followed by two years of ageing in used barriques and large wooden barrels. All this with organic care – and a firm determination to bring the best of the variety into the glass.

"The 2020 expresses itself through opulence, intensity, fruit and softness, but also manages to emphasise the depth and freshness, the floral notes, in an enveloping and elegant balance." Francesco Ripaccioli

When tasted blind, it literally screams Syrah, and for all the right reasons: Lamb, steak and charcuterie are present in abundance. Behind this are more vegetal nuances, such as blackberry leaves and juniper berries and, of course, blackberries and blackcurrants. The palate is very dense, cleanly structured, deliciously flavoured with ripe black fruits and earthy notes. Velvety tannins and a long, harmonious final form the impressive final. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1996, Elisabetta Geppetti bought a slope near Pereta. She called it Poggio Valente – the valiant hill, the brave hill. A name that says it all. The site lies at 280 metres, facing south-west, on sandy soils over sandstone rocks with clay inlays – a soil that gives the Sangiovese precision and elegance rather than weight and vigour. Elisabetta wanted something different here: a single-varietal Sangiovese cru in the Burgundian style, a wine that speaks its vineyard and nothing else. In 2014, she made a consistent decision: Poggio Valente left the Morellino appellation and has since appeared as a Toscana IGT. Not a step backwards – quite the opposite. A statement. This wine is bigger than its designation of origin, and Elisabetta did not want the lack of international recognition of an appellation to limit its ambition.

2020 is the first organic Oreno vintage. Deep dark ruby violet. On the nose, cassis, blackcurrant and a powerful herbal spice with a good dose of pipe tobacco, tar and crushed boulders. On the palate, dark berries, chocolate and a cornucopia of herbs define the full body. This juicy wine monument has precisely integrated tannins, an enormous silkiness and a seemingly endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Named after the man who turned his film-loving father's dream into one of the most respected addresses in Tuscany, this wine represents the essence of a twenty-year project: the complete replanting of the Sangiovese vineyards on Le Macìe with the aim of capturing the soul of the terroir in its purest form. Originating from the exquisite "Le Terrazze" vineyard, where Miocene calcareous marl soils at an altitude of 265 to 360 metres create the ideal conditions, a Gran Selezione of exceptional complexity is created here from 100% Sangiovese. The hand-picked grapes undergo ten days of alcoholic fermentation, followed by 15 days of maceration, before the wine is aged for 18 months in French Troncais barriques and a further 20 months in the bottle.

Serralunga d'Alba is not a place for compromises. The soil here – calcareous marl soils, millions of years old, compacted and rich in minerals – forms Barolos with a structure and depth that simply cannot be found elsewhere. The MGA Cerretta is located on the south-eastern slope of the municipal area, at an altitude of 350 to 365 metres, in the zone that winegrowers and critics have appreciated for generations for its extraordinary combination of power and finesse. The Rosso family has been cultivating these vineyards since the 1890s – first Giovanni, then his son Davide, who took over responsibility in 2001 at the age of 27 and since then has made a single sentence the guiding principle of his work: Wine should be a perfect reflection of its terroir.

In 1986, Hans Terzer dared to take the step of vinifying a Chardonnay modelled on Burgundy, which was to set international standards. The grapes for this wine, which has been the flagship of the Sanct Valentin line ever since, come from the best single vineyards in the municipality of Eppan, situated between 450 and 550 metres above sea level on calcareous gravel soils. Warm September days, cool nights – the microclimate of the South Tyrolean mountain vineyards gives the Chardonnay the aromatic depth and structure that allow it to mature from year to year. Each parcel is vinified separately. Fermentation begins in barriques, where malolactic fermentation also takes place, followed by eleven months on the fine lees – followed by a further eight months of ageing in steel tanks to perfect the balance between fruit, wood and minerality.

Directly in front of the cantina, at an altitude of 450 metres and facing south-west, lies the vineyard that has defined Fontodi's claim to Sangiovese since 1985. Three plots, planted between 1963 and 1973, are united by a special geological feature: slaty Galestro soils that break up into characteristic platelets on the surface. Giovanni Manetti recognised early on that this soil structure gives the Sangiovese the dark fruit and volume on the mid-palate that distinguishes it from the limestone-dominated sites. The name "Sorbo" refers to a local Tuscan fruit – dry, tannic, almost like grapes themselves. What began as a Riserva in 1985 was elevated to Gran Selezione in the 2011 vintage, when the new classification was introduced in Chianti Classico. Since 2012, 100% Sangiovese, previously blended with small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Cotarella family's Le Macioche Brunello 2020 shows balance and character, opening with bright cherry fruit, menthol, balsamic herbs, minerals and soft earthy tones. On the palate, the wine unfolds with lightness, silky and refined, with a pure presentation of ripe red berries accompanied by violet-coloured flowers and a hint of leather. Although grippy and structured, it remains energetic and fresh on the final, leaving a hint of violets and lavender. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Serre Nuove carries the DNA of Ornellaia in every fibre, born from the same vineyards, shaped by the same philosophy. What Marchese Lodovico Antinori began in 1981 as a visionary experiment – french vines on the Tuscan coast, four kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea – has long since become a legend. Le Serre Nuove, the estate's "Second Vin" since 1997, is much more than just the younger brother: it is a preview and invitation to discover the Mediterranean Bordeaux style that made Bolgheri world-famous. After a mild winter and early budding, the 2023 vintage brought frequent rainfall during flowering and fruit set, which reduced yields but gave the grapes the perfect physiological balance that characterises great wines. Cooler summer conditions and precise August rains enabled ideal ripeness. The cuvée of 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc is vinified separately from the grape varieties and matured for 15 months in French oak – 25% in new barrels and 75% in one-year-old barrels.

Giuseppe Russo cultivates part of the 12-hectare San Lorenzo vineyard at an altitude of around 750 metres on the slopes of Mount Etna near Randazzo. The lava flows of recent decades have created a porous soil here, rich in volcanic rock and therefore providing excellent drainage.

Sergio Manetti, a steel entrepreneur from Florence, bottled his first wine in 1971 – a Chianti Classico from the two hectares of vines he had planted around his holiday home. A wine for friends and business partners, nothing more. He sent a few bottles to Verona for the big Vinitaly wine fair, more out of curiosity than ambition. The response was overwhelming. A hobby became a passion, a passion became a vocation. Until 1981, this wine bore the name "Chianti Classico Montevertine Riserva". Then came the break. Sergio Manetti refused to blend white Trebbiano into his Sangiovese, as prescribed by the Chianti Classico regulations. The decision cost him the DOCG – and made him a legend. From 1982, the wine was simply called "Montevertine", without any additions or compromises. A name that became the programme: Sangiovese in its purest, most traditional form, just as the old Chianti farmers would have made it before bureaucracy and commercialism wrote the rules. The wine comes mainly from a two and a half hectare plot facing south-southeast, planted in 1982 – in the year of the great rupture.