Wine

A Nerello from the flanks of Etna – radical in its origins, resolute in its form. Alberelli di Giodo is the Sicilian expression of the signature of Carlo Ferrini, one of Italy's most respected Oenologist. The vines are rooted in Contrada Rampante, 950 metres above sea level on the northern slopes of the volcano – one of the most prestigious sites on the north side of Mount Etna. Grown in the traditional Alberello system, the vines stand on mineral-rich, sandy-volcanic soils interspersed with ash, basalt and pumice. They are ancient vines from times before the phylloxera plague – each one a gnarled, living testimony to the volcanic earth.

530 metres. This is the highest point in the entire Barolo region. Here, at the summit of Serradenari, where the Alps are visible to the north and the "Nebbia" of the Tanaro Valley lies below like a sea, grows the Nebbiolo that Giulia Negri calls her greatest surprise. When she vinified the parcel for the first time, she expected little – too high, too barren, too cold. What she found changed her idea of Barolo. The soil is silty-loamy, interspersed with strong limestone layers, sub-alkaline pH – the opposite of the sandy acidity of Serradenari, the opposite of the alkaline softness of Tartufaia. Limestone at this altitude, exposed to the west, with extreme daily temperature fluctuations: This results in grapes of extraordinary concentration and at the same time extraordinary freshness. 45 days of maceration in conical wooden vats, 30 months in Austrian oak.

Emanuele Pangrazi is probably Lazio's most ambitious winemaker at the moment. With his extreme planting density and radical yield restriction, he is following a path that is trend-setting for Lazio. After he had fundamentally analysed his terroir and also the climatic conditions, it was clear to him in 2006 that he would plant mainly French grape varieties here according to the principle of the great wines of the Rhone. In addition to his famous Cuvée Habemus (Etichetta Bianca) and the San Giovenale Rosso (assemblage from two vintages of Habemus), he also vinifies four single-varietal Habemus wines, but these are absolutely small.

Pecorino – an autochthonous grape variety from the border region between southern Marche and northern Abruzzo, traditionally cultivated at high altitudes, where it develops its characteristic fullness and generosity. For the pepfamily, this wine was a new challenge when they planted one and a half hectares of vines in 2007: to vinify an unknown grape variety according to the same radical biodynamic principles as Trebbiano and Montepulciano and to subject it to the test of long maturation, which Emidio pepsees as the key to refinement and elegance. The first vintage, 2010, proved that Pecorino not only has immediate beauty, but also the ageing potential that Emidio describes as "the wine of the future". Today, this Pecorino is the winery's smallest production – a white rarity that shows how this noble grape variety can reach its peak under the hands of uncompromising craftsmen.

Historically, the vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli are located in the areas of three neighbouring municipalities of Chianti Classico: Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Radda in Chianti. With the 2017 vintage, the Mazzei family vinified all three large vineyards separately as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione for the first time in order to recognise the diversity of the terroir: Castello di Fonterutoli, Vicoregio 36 and Badiòla.

Outstanding terroir, terrific grape quality and technical mastery in the cellar have made this one of the most highly prized wines! Beguiling aromas of candied cherry fruit with notes of spice and tobacco. Dense on the palate, very concentrated with fabulous fruit sweetness, subtle acidity and fresh tannins. A hedonistic and at the same time very contemporary dream of finesse and elegance that lingers with long and incredibly deep flavours. SUPERIORE.DE

Marco Bacci's Brunello Riserva from the dream vintage 2016 presents itself full and generous on the nose. Cascades of violet and black fruits wash over the senses with black cherry, blackberry jam and smoked tobacco. The opulent overall impression is completed with a hint of bitter almond and subtle notes of smoke and nuts. These give the wine a deep and dark character. Very well structured on the palate and built for a long life with its well-formed acid-tannin framework. SUPERIORE.DE

The Riecine vineyard in Gaiole in Chianti has a history dating back to the 11th century. Today's vineyards grow between 430 and 600 metres above sea level on stony, alluvial limestone soils over a subsoil of pure limestone - rock that was once washed here from the Monterossi hill by the ancient Massellone river (once called "Clante", the origin of the name "Chianti"). Since 2006, La Gioia has been a pure Sangiovese, a decision that perfectly reflects the philosophy of the estate: absolute concentration on the noblest of all Tuscan grape varieties.

In Andrea Cortonesi's own words, 2019 was the first vintage since the legendary 1990 that gave him the feeling that everything was in balance. A slow start to vegetation after a rainy winter, a summer without heat peaks, even ripening until September. Harvest from 25 September – clean, healthy, concentrated. Already a stroke of luck for the Annata. For the Riserva: a perfect invitation. But not every vintage becomes a Riserva. And not every grape in the best vintage. Cortonesi only uses the oldest vines for the Riserva – planted in 1975, back when the word Brunello was hardly known outside Montalcino. Seven hectares, spread over sites between 150 and 350 metres in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, calcareous-clayey soils with marl and mineral structure. What grows here has decades of life in it.

Annamaria Clementi is not just one Franciacorta among many – but the opus magnum of the Ca' del Bosco house. Named after the mother of founder Maurizio Zanella, this wine bears not just a name, but an attitude: uncompromising selection, maximum precision, radical calm. The 2016 brut nature cuvée, i.e. without dosage, is the expression of a philosophy that sees time as a decisive ingredient. The grapes – 83% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Nero, 2% Pinot Bianco – come from old vineyards with low yields. After meticulous grape washing, the base wines ferment in small barriques and mature on the lees for seven months. This is followed by what makes this wine so exceptional: a second fermentation in the bottle with over 8 years of ageing on the lees.

Viettis Barolo Riserva with grapes from Castiglione Falletto is matured for two years in large wooden barrels, then in steel tanks and then for several years in the bottle. Classic bouquet of wild berries, cherries and rose petals. Rusty minerals are accompanied by violets and candied orange peel. Juicy on the palate and extremely fresh and agile for its age, with wonderful balance and equilibrium. An inspiring wine that still has many good years ahead of it, but is already completely convincing today. SUPERIORE.DE

Capo di Stato has long been a legend thanks to its top quality and history. The cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbech was created by Conte Loredan Gasparini. A wine rich in finesse in the classic Bordeaux style, dense and of outstanding structure with flavours of spices and red fruits. Fascinatingly ripe tannins, skilfully integrated into the new French barrique in which the wine was matured for two years. SUPERIORE.DE

Giulia Negri would certainly not have the nickname "Barolo Girl" if this wine did not exist. The grapes for this archetype of a modern-traditional (sic!) Barolo come from the top vineyards of Brunate and Serradenari, the latter of which lies at an altitude of up to 520 metres and the soils are clayey-sandy. The grapes are fermented spontaneously and then matured in large oak barrels. Barriques? Not a chance.

A monument from Montepulciano – and yet not a stylistic muscleman: Kurni is the expression of an uncompromising philosophy that aims for density, balance and expression rather than volume. The vines are deeply rooted in the clay-limestone soils of the southern Marche region, are meticulously tended and produce minimal yields. The hand-picked grapes undergo a long maceration period before the wine matures for 18 months in new French barriques.

Some grape varieties die. Others survive in oblivion. And some awaken when the right family finds them. When the Roagnas acquired a plot of land in Montemarzino in 2014 – previously owned by a cousin –it was more than just a land purchase. It was a commitment to Timorasso, the historic white wine grape of the Colli Tortonesi, which was once considered lost. On Tortonese soils, at an altitude of 450 metres and facing east, the vines are now around 35 years old and have been rejuvenated through massal selection from historical genetic material. The grapes are harvested in small crates and macerated whole in the press for a few hours. The must oxidises in a controlled manner without the addition of sulphites before fermenting spontaneously with its own yeasts and maturing for two years on the fine lees in large barrels.

Vintage Tunina is predominantly made from Sauvignon and Chardonnay. There are also small amounts of Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana and Picolit. Bright golden yellow in colour, the intense, very elegant bouquet shows notes of honey and meadow flowers. Dry, soft, very fruity flavour with excellent persistence, fine spiciness and full body. SUPERIORE.DE

The sibi et paucis project is Luciano's answer to the question of what time does to great Nebbiolo. While other wines are released on the market after the prescribed ageing period, Sandrone keeps some of his Barolo in his own cellar for ten years longer – not out of restraint, but out of the conviction that Nebbiolo only reveals its true nature after years of silent evolution. SUPERIORE.DE

Ten years. Appius celebrates its first decade with the 2020 – and what a decade it has been. When Hans Terzer first bottled his dream wine in 2010, he had already been harbouring the idea for a long time. During his vineyard inspections, he had noticed that certain low-yielding old vines in the historic vineyards of Eppan produced a quality that demanded its own framework. Something beyond the celebrated Sanct Valentin line. Originally, the wine was to be called "Oans" – piedmontese for "one" –but the name was taken. So it became Appius: the Roman name for Eppan, derived from Appianum, the "estate of Appius".

It all began with friendship and a love of experimentation: in the mid-1980s, when a group of wine lovers led by photographer Silvia Imparato started their first experiments on the family vineyard in the Campania hinterland. One of these friends was Riccardo Cotarella, now one of Italy's most famous Oenologist. In 1991, the first bottle of a wine was produced that would soon go down in history as the "Sassicaia of the South" – a title that Robert Parker awarded it in 1995 and which still resonates today. The winery is located in the Monti Picentini Regional Park near San Cipriano Picentino, just a few kilometres from Salerno. The five hectares of vineyards lie at an altitude of 100 metres in the shadow of a medieval castle, surrounded by oak, chestnut and citrus groves. The medium-textured soil with a high proportion of skeleton, the south-west exposure and the protection of the Picentini mountains create a microclimate in which Mediterranean mildness meets cool nights.

A name like a riddle, a label like an echo of pop culture and poetry – but in the glass, "W... Dreams ..." reveals a Chardonnay of remarkable clarity and depth. What began as an experiment in 1987 has long since developed into an icon. The grapes come from selected plots near Dolegna del Collio and Farra d'Isonzo, on calcareous marl soils with excellent drainage. The 2022 vintage was characterised by a hot, dry summer, but cooler nights from mid-August ensured aromatic precision and a fine acid structure.

Graci's fourth vintage Sopra il Pozzo is a "selection from the selection" and comes from the Arcurìa vineyard. It is the red archetype of an Etna Rosso, a Nerello cru with the clear DNA of the volcanic-stony terroir. Light ruby with orange reflections, candied fruit on the nose, cooling firewood, some aniseed and herbs. The palate is silky without being smooth, its subtle wood and delicate acid wire harmonise perfectly with the flanking tannin until the unforgettable, mineral-salty finish. Only 2,300 bottles were bottled. SUPERIORE.DE

Bright, vibrant pink colour. Spicy oak and vanilla nuances complement the aromas of sour red berries, plums and herbs on the inviting nose. GF exudes a very nice freshness that helps to focus and highlight the intense, dense red fruit flavours. It is more reminiscent of a sparkling and racy red wine than a rosé champagne. The long finish is lively and precise, yet multi-layered and complex. Unfortunately, only 3,000 bottles of this masterpiece are produced each year. SUPERIORE.DE

Spineda is an exceptional Merlot selection produced in honour of the Treviso family that began developing the Venegazzù area in the 1500s, where the very first Merlot was cultivated in Italy. The grapes come from a 2-hectare plot which, thanks to its soil and location, careful soil cultivation and extremely low yields, produces fruit of exceptional elegance. The label is a reminder of the deep connection with the territory and shows a section of a 19th century Napoleonic map of the Spineda lands with the vineyards and the rustic outbuildings that are still an integral part and centrepiece of the Conte Loredan Gasparini winery today.

"Calvari" Refosco is Paolo Meroi's masterpiece - a wine that explores the potential of the autochthonous Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso to its limits and is only produced 2-3 times per decade. The grapes come from ancient, tiny, low-yielding vines in a tiny, south-west-facing plot above Buttrio. The barren Ponca soil, strict selection and uncompromising manual labour make this wine a true rarity. The 2020 vintage, characterised by a harmonious vegetation cycle with a balanced sun and rainfall profile, produced perfectly ripe, concentrated berries with exceptional aromatic tension. After manual harvesting and gentle mash fermentation, "Calvari" matured for 24 months in French barriques before maturing for a further two years in the bottle.