Wine

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 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.

The autochthonous Lagrein grape grows in the middle hills between 250 and 400 metres, where clay meets calcareous inclusions, to produce one of the most characterful rosés in South Tyrol. The traditional Tramin winery, founded in 1898 by the visionary priest Christian Schrott, preserves a centuries-old South Tyrolean tradition with its Lagrein Kretzer. Pink to light ruby red in colour, the wine shimmers in the glass and develops a delicate, pleasantly fruity bouquet. The extreme interplay between sunny, Mediterranean-influenced days and cold down winds from the mountains gives it that lively freshness that is stimulating and invigorating on the palate. A classic South Tyrolean rosé with an authentic character. SUPERIORE.DE

In the Middle Ages, it was a monk from Montepulciano Abbey who was the first to write down how to make wine from the local grapes. Sabatino Lulli, known as Sabazio, did not leave behind any great works – just a few lines about the local varieties and their processing. La Braccesca has given its name to a wine that reflects this modesty: direct, fresh and straightforward. The Marchesi Antinori estate extends over 500 hectares on the border between the Val di Chiana and the hills of Montepulciano, at an altitude of around 280 metres. 85 per cent Prugnolo Gentile – the local Sangiovese clone that gives the Rosso di Montepulciano its characteristic freshness and fruitiness – supplemented by 15 per cent Merlot, which contributes body and softness. The two varieties are harvested separately: the Merlot in mid-September and the Prugnolo Gentile a month later. Separate fermentation in steel, short malolactic fermentation in large barrels, then four months of ageing. Fresh, light, without a hint of wood.

This traditional cuvée is already inspiring in its youth. Made from outstanding grapes, you can taste the ripe fruit and richness of the three classic vineyards. Deep ruby-garnet colour with violet reflections. Full-bodied bouquet of dusty violets and roses, which fades into spiced confectionery and crushed cherries. The palate reveals fresh cherries, mixed herbs and undergrowth - all well balanced - giving the wine a lightness and at the same time a complexity that keeps you coming back for more. SUPERIORE.DE

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.

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

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

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.

Since 1897, Nino Negri has been the house that represents Valtellina to the outside world – and the Quadrio is one of its most reliable ambassadors. The name refers to the 15th century Castello Quadrio di Chiuro, the ancestral seat of the winery, named after Stefano Quadrio, once governor of Valtellina. Today, cellar master Danilo Drocco, a Nebbiolo purist from Alba, manages the winemaking process with a Piedmontese view of the Alps – and brings precisely this tension to the wine. Quadrio is a cuvée made from 90% Chiavennasca – the local name for Nebbiolo – and 10% Merlot, whose terraced fruit gently balances out the alpine austerity. The grapes come from south to south-east exposed steep slopes at 350–500 metres, on sandy limestone soils behind dry stone walls, harvested by hand as they have always been. Maceration in steel for ten days, followed by 18 months in large Slavonian and French oak barrels.

A wine that tells in every facet where it comes from – that is Contado Riserva. Made from 100% Aglianico from organically farmed slopes of the Ramitello vineyard in Molise (Contrada Camarda), it shows the potential of this robust grape variety and the special region. The soil is calcareous with clay and sand, giving the wine mineral depth and vigour. The late harvest is followed by a long maceration period, after which the wine matures for a total of around three years: partly in barriques and tonneaux, partly in stainless steel tanks, and finally with extended bottle ageing. This careful ageing philosophy gives the wine complexity, elegance and a fine power of integration in every vintage.

Grandmother Rosa would be proud: the brothers Giuseppe and Pierino Bisci dedicated this pale pink-coloured wine to the matriarch of their family – a loving tribute to the generation that laid the foundations for Bisci's success. While the winery has been world-famous for its legendary Verdicchio wines since 1972, "A Nonna Rosa" shows a rarely seen facet of Marche: elegant rosé vinification from Sangiovese and Merlot from those two hectares that are not planted with the main grape variety. In the hills between Macerata and Ancona, at an altitude of 320 to 370 metres, the red grapes thrive on calcareous clay soils – the former sea basin that also characterises Verdicchio's minerality.

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.

Since the 2021 vintage, the grapes for this classic wine have been sourced exclusively from the hills of the Valpolicella core zone of Valpantena: fresh flowers, sweet red berries, mint and a hint of cinnamon escape from the glass. Absolutely delicious and vinous on the palate, the style is exuberant and cheerful. Valpolicella could only be so delicate, fresh and precise. SUPERIORE.DE

Dry Moscato from the Noto coast – unusual, but all the stronger in character. Allemanda comes from the south of Sicily, where the calcareous, sandy soils of Tenuta Buonivini and the Mediterranean climate create a unique terroir for aromatic grape varieties. Maturation in stainless steel tanks emphasises the purity and finesse of this rarely dry Muscat variety. Pale straw yellow in the glass with silver reflections. The aroma is clear and animating: lychee, white peach, lemon balm, wild flowers and a hint of nutmeg. Lively and dry on the palate, with a lean structure, well-integrated acidity and a delicate, almost salty finish. No opulence, but precise flavours with a fine spiciness. Allemanda shows that Moscato in the right location can also be a fragrant, elegant white wine. Ideal with summer cuisine, ceviche or marinated fennel with citrus. An original wine for explorers. SUPERIORE.DE

Professor Hermann Müller's legendary cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royal finds its alpine perfection on Andrian's calcareous dolomite soils between 500 and 700 metres. The east-facing slopes provide the temperature-sensitive grapes with morning freshness. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, followed by six months of ageing on the lees, provides additional texture.

This Sangiovese expression full of character, which bears the authentic face of Chianti Classico, comes from the privileged vineyards around Castellina in Chianti. The Zingarelli family, who have been dedicated to this exceptional terroir for five decades, rely on hand-picked grapes, predominantly Sangiovese with a subtle proportion of Merlot, for their classic wine. Lively ruby red in the glass with a youthful brilliance. The intense bouquet develops ripe aromas of raspberries and wild strawberries, accompanied by notes of violets and an elegant spiciness with subtle nuances of wood. On the palate, the wine is balanced, structured and warm, with a silky body and fine, never intrusive tannins. The lively freshness harmonises perfectly with the fruity concentration and leads to a lingering aromatic finish. A Chianti Classico that masterfully combines tradition and modernity and expresses the typicality of its origin with youthful purity. SUPERIORE.DE

Steep slopes, barren limestone, untamed nature – the Monti Garbi above Mezzane di Sotto are not pleasing wine country. When the Castagnedi brothers opened up these rugged heights in 1989, people in eastern Valpolicella were still focussing on quantity. They focussed on character. The grapes are harvested by hand and gently pressed. In October, the young wine undergoes its second birth: re-fermentation on the pomace of the estate's own Amarone – ripasso in the original sense. Malolactic fermentation and ageing in Liters tonneaux lend depth without heaviness. Ruby red in colour, juicy and enveloping, infused with a spicy freshness that owes its signature to the chalky white skeletal soils. Great value! SUPERIORE.DE

A bestseller and classic with a reputation: "Duca Sanfelice" is a flagship for the indigenous Gaglioppo grape variety and demonstrates the expressive wines that can be produced from the sun-kissed hills around Cirò. The Riserva comes from old vines on clayey and calcareous soils, vinified in steel tanks and then matured in stainless steel for 24 months. Deep ruby red in colour. Dark cherry, dried plums, herbs, some liquorice and a hint of tobacco on the nose – spicy and Mediterranean flavours. Dry on the palate, with ripe fruit, pithy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long, powerful and carried by earthy warmth and fine spice.