Wine

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.

Once upon a time, there was a vineyard that was particularly spoilt by the Montalcino sun; it still bears the name Vigna Loreto to this day. Only in the best vintages does a Brunello come from this exposed site that is bursting with richness, complexity and assertiveness. It possesses a textural depth and balance that is captivating. Fruit, spice and very unique nuances such as savoury herbs, liquorice, tobacco and a firm tannin make this impressive wine monument linger on the palate and in the memory for a long time. With every sip, it opens up further layers and you might almost sink into it, such is the shift in the boundaries of what is comparable. The 2019 Vigna Loreto is not only extremely elegant, but also profound and almost outrageously juicy. SUPERIORE.DE

Not every year gets a name. 2016 has earned it – and Montalcino does not award such honours lightly. A mild winter, a spring with heavy rainfall that got the growing season back on track. Then, from the second decade of June, a gradual, gentle rise in temperatures throughout July. And finally an August that brought everything together: large daily temperature fluctuations, no rain, perfect ripening conditions. The Consorzio called 2016 one of its best vintages in decades. And Col d'Orcia turned the best site into a Riserva. The Poggio al Vento vineyard is located in the heart of the Tenuta, halfway up the hill above the Orcia Valley, at 350 metres. Planted since 1974. The name – "hill in the wind" – is the programme: constantly ventilated, south-facing, on calcareous, skeleton-rich soils. Grapes are grown here that Col d'Orcia reserves for the most demanding category in the cellar, and even then only when the vintage poses the question: Is this more than a Brunello annata? Can this wine last for decades? In 2016, the answer was yes.

Tenuta Nuova means "new winery". And the name carries weight: when Giacomo Neri acquired the land around Le Cetine near the Abbazia di Sant'Antimo in southern Montalcino in the early 1990s, nobody had planted Sangiovese there yet. This was not an oversight – it was a judgement that Giacomo Neri wanted to revise. Not out of spite, but out of conviction: that this terrain, this microclimate, these soils have the potential for a Brunello with its own character. What followed was not a gut feeling, but a method. Systematic analyses of the microclimates, the optimal exposures, the soils – clone selection, rootstock research, planting distances, everything scrutinised, everything decided. The first result came in 1993, and a few years later the rest of the world was talking about it.

There are wines that become legends before they are even drunk – and then there is Madonna del Piano 2019. In the small votive chapel that gave this mythical vineyard its name, the faithful of centuries past could hardly have guessed that one of the most monumental Brunelli in wine history would one day be born here. But that is exactly what happened in 2019, when the stars aligned perfectly over Montalcino. The 2019 vintage is already being described by connoisseurs as a dream vintage – a year in which nature did everything right. A cold, rainy winter replenished the water reserves, a balanced spring ensured even budding and a moderately warm summer without extreme heat or heavy rain created ideal conditions. In September, mild temperatures and large temperature fluctuations between day and night brought the perfect ripening that only exceptional vintages achieve.

The grapes for Roberto's "entry-level Barolo" come from four of his best vineyards, which are harvested a few weeks earlier than those reserved for his Grand Crus. It is also the most balanced of his Barolo wines, even if the fruit and acidity are anything but restrained, but the proportions are just right here. The structure is great, its length and elegance inspiring - the refined layered components such as raspberry, cherry and its subtle salty vein make it without doubt one of the most serious wines of the entire appellation - a real Voerzio for comparatively little money. SUPERIORE.DE

Two stone crosses stand in the vineyard of Le Pontare, probably of Celtic origin, signposts for pilgrims on the path to a nearby sanctuary. According to legend, Dante Alighieri also passed by here on his wanderings through the Veneto, perhaps in search of that vin pretto – the pure wine – which he praised so highly in his Convivio. If you stand between these crosses today, at 450 metres above sea level, you can look down over the entire Valpolicella Classica valley, Verona and the shimmering waters of Lake Garda.

The Vigna Loreto covers one and a half hectares. Steep, stony and facing east – , the slope faces the morning sun, not the midday sun. The soil is rich in tuff and pebbles, poor in nutrients, and unforgiving. The vines are the result of a mass selection from eight estate-grown Sangiovese clones that Mastrojanni has selected over decades: the estate’s genetic memory is embodied in every vine. It was Gabriele Mastrojanni himself who recognised Vigna Loreto as a distinct plot – the ability to display finesse where Castelnuovo dell’Abate otherwise impresses with its power. Today, every vintage confirms what the founder saw: Loreto speaks more softly than the great Brunello, but with greater precision. The east-facing aspect gives the wine freshness; the tuff lends it mineral tension; the lean soils force concentration without overripeness. 36 months’ ageing in Allier barrels ranging from 16 to 33 hectolitres – the small barrels, the intimacy that the wood lends the wine without dominating it.

La Morra is the softest, most flowery municipality in the Barolo region – that's not a cliché, it's geology. The limestone-rich, marl-like soils of this high altitude give the Nebbiolo a fineness of tannin and a floral aroma that is not found in the sandier sites of Serralunga or Castiglione Falletto. Roberto Voerzio has understood these characteristics better than almost anyone else – and has built up his entire business on La Morra since 1986. The Barolo del Comune di La Morra brings together four of his most important single vineyards in one wine: Cerequio, La Serra, Fossati and Case Nere. None of these parcels stands back – each brings its own character, its own texture, its own flavour. The assemblage is not created to hide imperfections, but to fully reveal the image of the commune. 12 months in tonneaux, then bottle ageing. Natural yeasts, no filtration, no intervention.

There are vintages that confirm the terroir of La Morra – and those that redefine it. 2022 belongs to the second category. A warmer year, earlier ripening grapes, an accessibility that the 2021 did not have. And yet: Voerzio's philosophy does not change with the vintage. Extreme yield reduction, natural yeasts, no filtration – the means are the same, the result is a different face of the same community. Four vineyards from Roberto Voerzio's most important estate in La Morra: Cerequio, La Serra, Fossati, Case Nere. Each represents a different aspect of the municipality's terroir – the elegance and freshness of La Serra, the mineral rigour of Case Nere, the warmth of Cerequio, the finesse of Fossati.

Rabajà is the most fleshy, full-bodied terroir in Barbaresco. The name has appeared in the archives of Piedmont for centuries – time and again as a reference for exceptional Nebbiolo from the south-western amphitheatre above Martinenga, where the slopes fall towards the Tanaro and the soils of calcareous blue clay with sand inclusions give the Nebbiolo a rare combination of fullness and freshness. Hardly anyone owns land here; Vietti holds just under half a hectare – 2021 was an exceptional year for Barbaresco: "Ottobrate" (golden October days) in the truest sense of the word, uniform ripeness, cool nights into October, 25 days of maceration more than in other vintages – more than in other vintages because the quality allowed it. Then around 30 months in large oak barrels.

The fruit for Tenuta Nuova is harvested from a south and south-east facing slope at 250 to 300 metres above sea level. The soil is loose and mixed with gravel, which allows access to air and moisture.

Contrada Sciaranuova Vecchie Vigne is the most concentrated, broodingvoice from the Sciaranuova vineyard - a Nerello Mascalese from vines over 80 years old, grown at an altitude of 730 metres on the northern flank of Mount Etna. The ungrafted vines stand in an amphitheatre of dark, sandy volcanic ash, interspersed with basalt rock and characterised by enormous day-night amplitude. The 2019 vintage was one of the most balanced of the decade: a rainy spring was followed by a moderately warm summer and a dry autumn, which allowed for a late, very differentiated harvest.

"In 2012, I bought the small vineyard Le Gonnare and began to cultivate it. It represents the excellence of the Bolgheri terroir. The soil is clayey and rich in skeleton, which allows for very gradual ripening, a particularly important aspect for Merlot. The character of the wine is therefore Mediterranean, but balanced." Fabio Motta

Cerdena – a name that sounds like a mystery, yet holds the most poetic truth about Sardinia. That is what the Romans called this island before it became Sardegna. When Antonio Argiolas names his single-varietal, top-quality Vermentino after it, it is a declaration of love for an island that reveals its most delicate soul in its white wines. In the coastal vineyards of Serdiana, where the salty winds of the Mediterranean sweep across the warm limestone and granite soils, Vermentino thrives in an almost magical symbiosis. Here, where the vines are caressed by the cool sea breeze at night, whilst during the day the Sardinian sun ripens the grapes to perfection, a wine is created year after year that embodies the very essence of this unique island. The winemaking process follows a philosophy of gentle extraction: temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures to preserve the delicate aromas, followed by a short period of ageing on the fine lees. No oak is used to mask the pure freshness of this Mediterranean symphony – Cerdena is the essence of Vermentino in its purest form.

It was 1991 when Michele Satta planted his first Syrah vine in Bolgheri – an act of rebellion in a still young appellation that was just beginning to find its identity. The visionary winemaker from Varese followed a clear conviction: The Syrah should maximise the aromatic complexity of the Mediterranean terroir and at the same time express his personal identification with the great wines of the Rhône. Thirty years later, this exotic wine has matured into one of Bolgheri's most fascinating single-vineyard wines.

Giovanni Allegrini had a way of assessing the skills of Oenologist: he had them make Recioto. No other wine from Valpolicella demands so much patience, sensitivity and intuition – and no other reveals so relentlessly whether someone truly understands what this landscape is capable of. Since 1990, his children have dedicated this very wine to their father, the man who shaped Valpolicella like no other. Recioto is one of the oldest wines in the world, known since Roman times. It shares the appassimento technique with Amarone – but differs in one crucial decision: fermentation is naturally halted before all the sugar has been converted into alcohol. Sweetness remains. What was stopped too late in Recioto became Amarone – bitter, dry, great. Recioto is the father. The best grapes from the highest slopes, hand-harvested, then dried for five months on wooden racks in the Fruttaio. After gentle pressing, fermentation in steel, then 14 months’ ageing in new barriques, a further two months in large casks, and approximately two years’ bottle ageing.

Count Giuseppe Tasca d'Almerita created the first expression of the highest quality and longevity in Sicilian viticulture in 1970 with the Rosso del Conte – a wine that changed the oenological future of the island forever. The grapes come from the Vigna San Lucio, Regaleali's first large vineyard, born in 1959 at an altitude of 480 metres with a south-south-easterly exposure, where Nero d'Avola and Perricone have thrived in harmonious symbiosis for generations. The vines grow in the Alberello system, the oldest form of cultivation in the Mediterranean, on yellow-brown, loamy-sandy soils with calcareous inclusions. A philosophy of perfection that has developed over five decades through various ageing methods: from the original chestnut barrels to Slavonian oak and today's French barriques.

A Barbaresco that visualises freshness, clarity and origin in a masterful balance: The 2020 vintage shines in a bright ruby colour with a lively shimmer – an instant promise of elegance. It combines the styles of 14 selected cru sites from the Barbaresco region, each with its own character and ageing potential. The nose is delicate and complex: red cherry, raspberry, subtle floral notes and herbal spice, accompanied by the scent of roses and a slightly menthol-like freshness. Behind this, a mineral tension emerges, finely balanced and playful. On the palate, this Barbaresco presents itself with vital freshness and polished fruit. Fine-grained tannins lend structure without harshness; the acidity is present but always elegantly integrated – it gives the wine its vigour. The finish is dry, mineral and with a delicate, balsamic note that lingers for a long time. With its balanced transparency, this Barbaresco symbolises a modern interpretation of the region – clear, fine and expressive. SUPERIORE.DE

Davide Rosso had long since successfully written the Serralunga chapter when he rode up Etna for the first time in 2014. He was not looking for a second mainstay. He was looking for a terroir that would challenge him – as the limestone marl of Serralunga had once challenged him. He found it on the northern slope of the volcano, in the Solicchiata fraction, and bought a 14-hectare estate in Contrada Montedolce in 2016. An old palmento, lava soil, 750 metres above sea level. But he didn't stop there. In 2023, he acquired two more hectares in Contrada Pietra Marina – one of the best white vineyards in the entire Etna region, historically famous for the quality of its Carricante, directly influenced by the nearby Alcantara River. The soils here are a unique mixture: volcanic sand and ash, enriched by fluvial silt and sandstone, shaped by thousands of years of tectonic and hydraulic forces. No other piece of land on Etna offers this specific dual character – volcanic energy and mineral river coolness in one vineyard.

Franchetti Rosso is Passopisciaro's flagship wine and a stunningly perfect wine. The grapes come from 1000-metre-high northern Etna vineyard sites, where the soils are ash and pumice. Franchetti is a ripe, exotic wine that envelops the palate with dark fruit. Refined tannins support the fruit, while an intense inner sweetness adds elegance and finesse. A thoroughly outstanding drop. SUPERIORE.DE

First bottled in 1967, Roncaglie (formerly Barbaresco Masseria) comes from a vineyard in Bricco di Neive and is essentially vinified and aged like a Barolo. Since the 2018 vintage, it now comes from a small parcel that used to belong to the Socré Barbaresco winery, and it is now deliberately brought to market a year later to ensure greater harmony and balance.

Cepparello – named after the small stream that rises at the highest point of the Isole e Olena vineyards. This name has borne the revolutionary vision of Paolo De Marchi since 1980, when 100 per cent Sangiovese was still a taboo in Chianti Classico. With this wine, the Piedmontese visionary not only created one of the first Supertuscans, but also probably the most authentic portrait of the Sangiovese grape – pure, uncompromising, unadulterated. The Sangiovese vines grow on the characteristic Galestro soils from the estate's best sites, exposed to the south-west at an altitude of 400 to 480 metres. These slatey clay soils give the wine its unmistakable minerality and elegance. The 2020 embodies De Marchi's signature style in its purest form. A mild, dry winter and a drop in temperature in March, which required extreme vigilance against frost damage, was followed by a classic Tuscan summer. Dry and mild until the end of August, then scattered rainfall before the weather calmed down in September – ideal conditions for grapes of exceptional quality and quantity.

As a result of extensive soil research, Francesco Ricasoli was able to identify three micro-vineyards, which will be vinified separately from the 2015 vintage onwards. The range of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione now includes, in addition to the famous Castello di Brolio, three cru sites (Colledilà, Roncicone and Ceniprimo), all of which are 100% planted with Sangiovese. They differ in structure and taste in close correspondence with their terroir and impressively demonstrate the complexity of the Chanti Classico region.