Wine

After a break of thirty years, Federico Carletti has ventured a renaissance in recent years: Ambrae marks Poliziano's return to white grape varieties. This elegant cuvée made from ninety per cent Chardonnay and ten per cent Roussanne thrives on the clay-rich slopes around Montepulciano – a name that, like the winery itself, pays homage to the great Renaissance humanist Angelo Ambrogini. This composition matures exclusively in stainless steel without the influence of wood, allowing the mineral depth of the Pliocene soils to express itself unfiltered.

A Vermentino with a name that evokes the sea – and that is precisely what it promises: Cala Silente comes from selected vineyards swept by the Mistral near the south-west coast of Sardinia. The grapes are harvested early in the morning and vinified in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks to preserve freshness and aromatic clarity. Pale straw yellow. The nose is distinctive yet delicate: white peach, lime and salty minerality, complemented by a hint of Mediterranean herbs and wet stone. Lively and taut on the palate, with fresh acidity, a delicate creaminess and a long, cool finish – coastal and full of character. Cala Silente is an authentic example of Sardinian white wine-making: unpretentious, aromatically precise and with a salty undertone that inevitably evokes the sea. If the glass sounds like a fresh breeze sweeping across the macchia, then it must be Cala Silente ... SUPERIORE.DE

The Tramin winery, founded in 1898 and today one of the most renowned cooperatives in South Tyrol with over 300 members, vinifies this Chardonnay from vineyards between 240 and 500 metres above sea level in the municipalities of Ora, Tramin and Egna. The calcareous, loamy, gravelly soils and the marked day-night temperature fluctuations of the Alpine region give the grapes their characteristic intensity of flavour.

Morisfarms is located seven kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. And you can taste it. The Vermentino from the Poggetti estate carries the coast in the glass: salty, mineral, fresh, with that characteristic crispness that distinguishes Vermentino from the Tuscan coast from its more opulent relatives from Sardinia or Piedmont. The wine is not a pure Vermentino, but a harmonious blend: 90 per cent Vermentino, 10 per cent Viognier – the indigenous coastal variety and an aromatic northern player. The Viognier is harvested at the end of August, the Vermentino in mid-September. Both are cold clarified separately and fermented together in steel at 18 degrees. Matured lean, short fine lees, fresh in the bottle.

"Il Preliminare" - "The Preliminary Remarks". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary.

A hint of morning freshness: Al Qasar is the lighter side of Zibibbo, dry, elegant and designed for subtlety. Yellow in colour with a delicate golden shimmer in the glass. The nose opens with charming aromas of orange blossom, peach skin and a hint of elderflower. On the palate, it is clear and fragrant, with lively acidity, a creamy fruit centre and a floral finish that ends in svelteharmony. Al Qasar is an uncomplicated, yet characterful Zibibbo – ideal as an aperitif, with light antipasti or a fine fritto di mare. Elegant, dry and extremely charming. SUPERIORE.DE

This traditional cuvée is a delight even in its youth. Made from exceptional grapes, it reveals the ripe fruit and richness of the three classic vineyards. A deep ruby-garnet colour with violet highlights. A full bouquet of dusty violets and roses, evolving into spiced confectionery and crushed cherries. On the palate, fresh cherries, mixed herbs and undergrowth emerge – all well-balanced – lending the wine a lightness and, at the same time, a complexity that keeps you coming back for more. SUPERIORE.DE

A rosé that draws its strength from Aglianico – elegant, juicy and resolute in style. Terre Cerase shows its freshness in a bright salmon pink colour with a silky sheen. The bouquet already reveals aromas of ripe wild berries, sour cherry and floral nuances, underpinned by a subtle peppery spiciness. On the palate, the wine impresses with its round structure, pleasant volume and precise acidity. The fruit remains persistently present, while the dry finish leads into a delicate minerality. Despite its substantial texture, the Rosato is surprisingly light-footed and easy to drink. Ideal as an aperitif, with seafood, buffalo mozzarella or pizza – a rosato with its own personality, which is the result of uncompromising loyalty to the grape variety: an intense Aglianico in a charming guise. SUPERIORE.DE

A classic from the foot of Mount Vesuvius – deeply rooted in myth and minerality. The Lacryma Christi Rosso is ruby red in the glass with light violet reflections. Black cherry, plum, violet and a hint of smoke on the nose – typical of the volcanic soils of Vesuvius. Juicy on the palate, with lively fruit, present acidity and fine-grained tannins. The ageing in stainless steel tanks preserves the primary aromas of the Piedirosso and emphasises its authentic origin. A youthful, characterful wine with a regional soul: uncomplicated, but never trivial. Perfect with grilled meat, pasta al ragù or pizza from the wood-fired oven. SUPERIORE.DE

Roccamonfina is an extinct volcano in northern Campania – between Caserta and the border with Lazio, a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its slopes are volcanic, rich in phosphorus, potassium and microelements, and for decades have been home to the indigenous grape varieties that have characterised this coastal landscape. Piedirosso – "red foot", after the characteristic red stems of the plant – is one of them: fresh, aromatic, with a mineral lightness that no other red wine in Campania can match. Villa Matilde Avallone, known for its Falerno del Massico classics, has created the Stregamora – the dark witch – a wine that shows the character of this volcano in its most accessible form. Hand-picked at the beginning of October, cold maceration, fermentation at 24°C for around 15 days, malolactic fermentation, three months ageing in steel.

Elisabetta Geppetti is more than just a winemaker – she is the "Signora del Morellino", the energetic woman who took over the reins of the family winery at the age of just 20 and helped the Maremma region to achieve international renown. When she pressed the first Morellino in 1985, she laid the foundations for a success story that continues to this day. This wine is the quantitative and qualitative calling card of Le Pupille – a constant, authentic expression of the terroir between Pereta and Magliano in Tuscany. The Morellino combines Sangiovese (90%) with Alicante and the autochthonous Ciliegiolo (5% each) from vineyards exposed to the south-west at an altitude of 50 to 250 metres. The vines, some of which are over 40 years old, are rooted in skeleton-rich, clayey and ferrous soils, cooled by sea breezes and strengthened by pronounced day-night temperature differences. After the harvest at the end of September, the must ferments on the skins for 15 days and matures for eight months, mainly in stainless steel tanks with a small proportion in used barriques.

Terraced vineyards at an altitude of 600 metres surround the traditional Liebrain farm in the Isarco Valley, where Silvaner has found its home for over two centuries. Weathered porphyry soils and extreme day-night temperature fluctuations give this crystal-clear white wine its purist character. The late harvest between the end of September and the beginning of October allows for optimal ripeness while maintaining the typical freshness.

Roccaleoni comes from old Falanghina vines on volcanic soils of ash and black pumice in the Rocca dei Leoni zone near Benevento. The vineyards are located at an altitude of around 400 metres and benefit from good ventilation and cool nights – perfect conditions for aromatic precision and freshness. Pale straw yellow in the glass with greenish reflections. Ripe apple, yellow peach, tropical fruit, elderflower and fine herbal notes on the nose. Juicy and clear on the palate, with lively acidity, ripe fruit and a subtle mineral vein. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the varietal character and light-hearted elegance. A harmonious Falanghina full of character that perfectly combines freshness and regional identity. SUPERIORE.DE

Vernatsch is South Tyrol in its most honest form. The autochthonous red wine variety – also known as Schiava – has accompanied the South Tyrolean wine route for centuries: light, easy to drink, uncomplicated in the best sense of the word. Not a wine that wants to impress. One that invites. Tiefenbrunner has been cultivating it since 1968 on three different sites between 220 and 650 metres – calcareous dolomite soils in the high altitudes of Penon, Hofstatt and Rain, limestone gravel soils from moraine deposits in Entiklar and on the Margreider Leiten, red sandy loam in Brenntal and Frauenriegel. Each site has its part to play. Vinified in concrete vats and large wooden barrels – the only use of wood in the entire Merus line.

A white wine made from a red grape variety – and what a wine it is. The Bianco di Morgante is a Sicilian rarity: Nero d'Avola, pressed in white. The Morgante family has broken new ground with this wine, which also reflects the terroir of their home Grotte in the hinterland of Agrigento – barren limestone soils, intense hours of sunshine, Mediterranean breezes. In the glass, the Bianco has a light straw yellow colour with silvery reflections. The nose surprises with a vibrant aroma of lemon zest, green pear, white peach skin and a hint of broom blossom. Elegant and straightforward on the palate: cool citrus fruit, fine salty notes, precise acidity and a dry, very clear finish.

Guardia Sanframondi, Benevento. Clay-limestone hills at the foot of the Matese mountains, 350 to 450 metres above sea level, organic. Greco grows here – one of the oldest grape varieties in southern Italy, rooted in this region for centuries. Carlo and Filomena Iacobucci vinify it as it should be: in steel, fresh, without detours. Straw yellow in colour with green reflections. Intense floral notes, citrus peel, pear, white peach, a light hint of wild herbs. Refreshing on the palate, with lively acidity and a mineral finish that reveals its origin. Uncomplicated, precise, honest. SUPERIORE.DE

Falanghina is one of the great white wine classics of southern Italy – and Feudi di San Gregorio interprets it in its purest form. The grapes come from the gentle hills of the Sannio, a high altitude area with calcareous soils and striking day-night differences. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with greenish reflections. Aromas of white peach, apple blossom, lime and a hint of broom. Fresh, fruity and delicately flavoured on the palate, the minerality remains subtly in the background. A confident, clear white wine from a traditional grape variety that does not want to be fashionable, but speaks its origins. Ideal with seafood, pasta with vegetables or simply as an aperitif on a warm evening. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine like a little declaration of love to Sardinia: Maluentu is made from the rare Nieddera grape variety, which is only cultivated around Oristano in the west of the island. The vines grow on sandy alluvial soil near the coast, ventilated by the steady mistral. The ageing process is deliberately purist: exclusively in stainless steel and then a few months in the bottle – in favour of freshness and authenticity.

Delicate straw yellow colour with a silvery sheen and lively perlage. The nose opens with fresh apricot, white flowers and a hint of lemon zest, accompanied by mild herbal notes and fine yeast spice. On the palate, the Spumante creates a fine interplay of animating freshness and delicate creaminess, carried by lively acidity and youthful fruit. The combination of the autochthonous Verdicchio and Passerina grape varieties lends minerality and balance, while the Charmat method ensures a certain directness and a lovely drinking flow. An aromatic spumante – perfect as a light aperitif or a stylish accompaniment to summer dishes. SUPERIORE.DE

In Serralunga d'Alba, everything revolves around Nebbiolo. The limestone, the steep slopes, the microclimate – everything is geared towards it, everything serves Barolo. The fact that the Massolino family also cultivates Dolcetto on these soils has less to do with compromise than with conviction: What comes from a great terroir bears its signature, regardless of the variety – regardless of the variety. 2.5 hectares of Dolcetto at 330 metres, in the shadier plots of the Serralunga hills – because the variety ripens quickly and needs some protection from the midday heat of the limestone slopes. Hand-picked, 7 to 9 days of maceration in steel at around 30 degrees, BSA, short maturation in the bottle – the wine is released at the beginning of the following year.

In the glass, it is a pale straw-yellow with a greenish sheen; even visually, Grivò conveys freshness and lightness. On the nose, it offers a straightforward, delicately fruity bouquet of Williams pear, green apple, white peach skin and a hint of bread. On the palate, it is juicy and slender with a crisp texture, delicate acidity and a subtle flinty note on the finish. Maturation in stainless-steel tanks preserves the variety’s purity of flavour and emphasises its typically Friulian straightforwardness.

This powerful blend of Nero d'Avola and Syrah comes from Tenuta Presti e Pegni in Monreale and impressively demonstrates the versatility of Sicilian winemaking. The vineyards thrive at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills behind Palermo, where loamy soils and the Mediterranean microclimate create ideal conditions for international grape varieties. Just ten kilometres from the coast, the vines benefit from the cooling sea breeze, which moderates the heat of the day and ensures balanced ripening. The name Benuara is derived from a small flower that grows near Syracuse – a poetic reference to the southernmost regions of Sicily.

Marsala dry – that still sounds like a surprise to many. Yet dryness was the norm for a long time: before sweetness and flavour additives degraded most Marsala to a kitchen commodity, it was a serious, dry liqueur wine. Pellegrino is a reminder of this. The "Old Marsala" in its new, dry interpretation is superlative quality: 24 months in wooden barrels, Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia from western Sicily. No mosto cotto, no sweetening – the wine is left to its own devices, works oxidatively, develops depth.