Wine

The 2001 was also held back at the winery for decades, only to be opened by hand, tested, re-corked and only released when fully ripe, according to Emidio peptried and tested ritual. It is this unique combination of artisanal care, patient maturation and uncompromising authenticity that makes Vecchie Vigne a vinological event. The year 2001 was somewhat more balanced in Abruzzo than 2000: a cooler spring followed by a warm, well-ventilated summer - perfect conditions for structured, finely differentiated wines with staying power. The grapes come from ancient Montepulciano vines, fermented spontaneously in glass fibre vats, without temperature control, matured in glass fibre and cement vats and in the bottle.

Rare vertical in a gift box of 6 - an exclusive and strictly limited selection of the wonderful 2016, 2017 and 2018 vintages of the single-vineyard "San Marcellino" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione:

"Pianrosso" – the red plain. When Giuseppe Bianchini began planting this vineyard in 1985, he knew that the heart of his heritage would beat here, on the iron-rich Galestro soils above the Orcia Valley. Eleven hectares between 240 and 360 metres, supported by the slate and marl subsoil that was once seabed before the nearby Monte Amiata left behind its volcanic minerality. Today, his son Paolo and his son Alex continue this legacy – three generations of Bianchini, who face Montalcino's hottest zone with organic cultivation and prudent restraint. The 2020 vintage demanded everything: July heat, which led to 15.5 per cent alcohol, but underneath lies the elegance for which Castelnuovo dell'Abate is famous.

As always, Vietti's outrageously priced "entry-level" Barolo (formerly Castiglione) is based mainly on grapes from Ravera, with smaller portions from Ginestra, Mosconi, Bricco Ravera (in Monforte), Le Coste, Costabelle, Meriame, Briccolina and Codana. Ruby red colour of medium intensity. The nose is explosive, opulent, persuasive and immediate. Notes of plum, red and ripe black cherry, black cherry, rose petals and tobacco are perceptible. The palate is classic, rich, powerful, with notes of alpine herbs and a leathery finish. The tannin is already well integrated. Especially in the peak year 2021, this wine is an absolute insider tip in the winery's incredibly terrificBarolo line-up every year, and not just because of its price. SUPERIORE.DE

The heart of the Lageder revolution beats on the spectacular steep slope of the Römigberg, where Lake Kaltern stretches like a mirror at the foot of the vines. Here, on the plot of land that has always borne the name Herz – latin "Cor" – alois Lageder dared to do the impossible in 1986: In an unprecedented act of courage, he planted the first large vineyard in South Tyrol in dense planting on a wire frame, radically breaking with the centuries-old pergola tradition. What began as a scandal became a legend. Working with winegrowers from all over the world – the legendary Robert Mondavi from California and several chateau owners from Bordeaux – inspired Lageder to make this visionary decision. He recognised that the steep south-southeast-facing slopes between 250 and 330 metres, characterised by stony, gravelly dolomite limestone over ancient moraine deposits from the third ice age, had the potential for world-class wines. Here, where warm Mediterranean influences meet Alpine coolness and intense sunshine meets millions of years of geological history, conditions of unique complexity are created.

A lake next to the vineyard – this is not a metaphor, this is geography. Vigna del Lago is located in the north-west of Montalcino, at 280 metres above sea level, and the small lake that gives the vineyard its name softens the otherwise continental climate of this exposure: harsh winters, very hot summers, pronounced day-night temperature fluctuations. The soil is clay – heavy, watery and cool. A combination that forces the Sangiovese Grosso to take deep root, mature slowly and develop elegance rather than mass. The vine material is the densest in the entire Val di Suga portfolio: 7,500 vines per hectare – a figure reminiscent of the planting densities in Burgundy. Double spur cordon, careful foliage management, yield reduction through thinning out. Hand-picking into crates takes place exclusively in the early hours of the morning. In the cellar: fermentation for eight to twelve days, maceration for a further two to three weeks. Maturation in 40-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months, then concrete, then bottle. No barrique, no wood pressure – pure site. 2021 was a lucky vintage for Vigna del Lago. The late frost in April reduced the harvest – and concentrated the best. No extreme summer, no stress.

Anyone who knows the south-east of Montalcino knows: no sea breezes, no proximity to the lake, no soft light. Monte Amiata reigns supreme here – the extinct volcano in the background, which breaks the winds, intensifies the temperature fluctuations between day and night and gives the soil its unmistakable character: Galestro slate, gritty, barren, rich in minerals. Oaks and holm oaks stand between the vines, where elsewhere cypresses or olive trees characterise the landscape. Poggio al Granchio – the "crab hill" – lies at 380 to 450 metres, south-east exposure, the historical heart of the appellation. Val di Suga acquired this vineyard in 1999, thus completing a triangle that no other producer in Montalcino possesses. The grapes are harvested by hand in crates, in micro-zones, and the optical selection is uncompromising. In the cellar: fermentation for ten to fourteen days, followed by intensive post-fermentation maceration at 30 degrees for twenty to twenty-five days – this is where extract, density and colour are created. 2021 was particularly favourable for the Poggio al Granchio. The influence of Monte Amiata mitigated the dryness of the summer, while the long autumn ensured even ripeness.

Concerto was born in 1981, a time of dynamic change in Italian viticulture. The hitherto untapped potential was recognised and experiments were carried out with new grape varieties and, for the first time, successfully with international grape varieties. It was Marchesa Carla Mazzei who spontaneously chose the name Concerto in 1981 after the first tasting of just fifteen barriques – a symphony had taken place in her glass. As one of the first ten Super Tuscans, this wine made history and revolutionised the Tuscan understanding of wine. From the Scassi vineyard in the western part of Fonterutoli, surrounded by oak forests at an altitude of 350 metres, the Sangiovese comes from mass selections from an experimental vineyard in the 1930s. And the small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon has developed a completely independent character here over four decades, far removed from the international character it develops elsewhere. The 18-month maturation in French barriques then gives the wine its noble structure without overshadowing its original elegance.

A monument of wine! Brilliant dark ruby colour. Fresh, silky, elegant - and majestic. Blackberry jam, violets, bittersweet chocolate, plus crushed rock and minerality. An opulent wine with fabulously polished tannins and considerable ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

100% Cabernet Franc according to the traditional Ripasso method! This wine was created by Giuseppe in honour of his grandmother Franca and has a definite Quintarelli style. Dark ruby with brownish reflections. On the nose, sweet aroma of dark red fruits, damp forest floor and a hint of noble winter truffle. On the palate, highly concentrated, punchy and with beautiful suppleness and finely granulated tannin. Its dense body and immense complexity opens up depth, aromatic diversity and, in addition, a finely sweet Amarone style with every further sip! Not a playful experiment by a quality fanatic, but a serious, finesse-rich wine with a clear signature and terrific ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Dal Forno's Amarone della Valpolicella 2018 is, as always, convincing across the board. With a little air, the tannins soften and release a variety of intense dark aromas and flavours. Dark chocolate, cloves, violets, plums and blackberry jam coat every inch of the palate in a stunning Amarone that captures all the best qualities of the vintage. When Romano Dal Forno's wines are on a roll, there's nothing quite like it, and that's certainly the case here. Needs a lot of air when young, experienced connoisseurs will practise patience. SUPERIORE.DE

A monument of wine! Brilliant dark ruby. Fresh, silky, elegant - and majestic. Blackberry jam, violets, bittersweet chocolate, plus crushed rock and minerality. An opulent wine with fabulously polished tannins and considerable ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Giuseppe Massolino fell in love with a vineyard in 1956 and put all his eggs in one basket. In order to acquire a small part of the Vigna Rionda, he swapped a plot twice as large. Madness, people said. A stroke of luck, as it turned out. Because Giuseppe knew that Vigna Rionda was no ordinary vineyard. Since 1879, the name has been listed in Giovanni Gagna's book on viticulture in the Langhe – as one of the few places that produces exceptional wines. Before 1340, the land belonged to the Marquis of Saluzzo, then for centuries to the Falletti family. History knows many names for this hill: Vignarionda, Arionda, Rotonda – because of its round shape. But they all mean the same thing: the epitome of Serralunga.

In the gentle hills of Mezzane di Sotto, where the Monti Garbi rise majestically over the eastern Valpolicella, lies the centrepiece of the Tenuta Sant'Antonio: Campo dei Gigli – the field of lilies. The oldest vines of the brothers Armando, Tiziano, Paolo and Massimo Castagnedi are rooted here, on calcareous white soils with sandy-loamy inclusions at an altitude of 300 metres. A single vineyard that produces a unique wine. Since 1989, the Castagnedi family has embodied the revolution that changed Valpolicella forever: quality instead of quantity, while everyone else was still focussing on quantity. Forty-year-old vines, trained on the traditional Pergola Veronese with only 3,300 vines per hectare, bear the cuvée of 70% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella and 5% each of Croatina and the rare Oseleta. The appassimento – the mystical drying period of at least three months – transforms the hand-picked grapes into concentrated essence.

Concerto was born in 1981, a time when the Italian wine industry was undergoing dynamic change. The previously untapped potential was recognised, and new viticultural practices were introduced, with successful experiments carried out for the first time with international grape varieties. It was Marchesa Carla Mazzei who, in 1981, after the first tasting of just fifteen barriques, spontaneously chose the name Concerto – a symphony had unfolded in her glass. As one of the first ten Super Tuscans, this wine made history and revolutionised the understanding of Tuscan wine. The Sangiovese comes from the Scassi vineyard in the western part of Fonterutoli, surrounded by oak forests at an altitude of 350 metres, and is sourced from mass selections in an experimental vineyard dating back to the 1930s. And the small proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon has, over four decades, developed a character entirely of its own here, far removed from the international character it takes on elsewhere. The 18-month ageing in French barriques subsequently lends the wine its refined structure, without overshadowing its original elegance.

The Frappato Vino di Contrada PT (with fruit from the Contrada Pettineo) is a shade lower in colour intensity than the BB. This wine is similar to the FL in terms of accessibility and the very silky and delicate nature of its fruit. Arianna Occhipinti has achieved something marvellous for our collective understanding of the Frappato grape with the fermentation of these contrasting wines. Pettineo has sandy soils, and the Alberello vines (later converted to trellises) are over 60 years old. It is definitely on the right track, as you get a better understanding of the range of the grape variety. This expression shows bright freshness, wild berries, wild roses and hints of sweet almonds. Around 2,700 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Pira is a great, complex wine that has enormous depth and many nuances that open up further with time. It is light-footed yet wonderfully profound and has so much to offer. Cherry, sweet red cherry, spice, orange peel, menthol and spice fill out the layers effortlessly. Young Barolo tannins are present, but the fruit is rich enough to keep things in balance. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Rocche di Castiglione comes from a parcel just above the Cascina Pira of Roagna. It offers a captivating blend of supple fruit, soaring flavours and structure. The 2018 is silky and sensual through and through, as wines from this vineyard tend to be. It is transparent, beguiling and mesmerising from the very first sip. SUPERIORE.DE

Altesinos Montosoli is always a crowd pleaser and a beautiful wine. It shows depth, intensity and plenty of authenticity both in terms of the grape variety and the area. Dark cherries and blackberries rise from the bouquet with spices, pipe tobacco and damp earth in tow. The wine is complex and nuanced. The authenticity of the Sangiovese comes through clearly on the palate. It is a medium-bodied wine with polished but firm tannins and distinct acidity. The finish shows a touch of freshness, minerality, notes of mint and great depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Of all his wines, the flagship Tenuta di Trinoro offers the deepest insight into Andrea Franchetti's viticulture. Andrea changes the proprietary blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot from limestone and clay soils every year depending on the quality and quantity of the harvest. The grapes are always the best of the vintage. Franchetti's own style is recognisable in each of his wines and with each vintage. The 2020 vintage was the first to be given an additional year of bottle ageing before being released for sale.

Gallina comes from a steep, sandy vineyard, similar to the Asili site, but with less limestone, which gives it more roundness and fullness. Full bouquet of sweet tobacco, cedar wood, liquorice and dried herbs. A soft, sweet, red fruit combines with the typical Roagna austerity in an exciting way on the palate to create an impressive complexity and length. It will only reveal its true elegance in a few years' time. SUPERIORE.DE

"Ruby red with bright reflections. The nose delights with a bouquet of floral notes: Mallow, hibiscus and hollyhocks are surrounded by fruity cherries and preserved raspberries and complemented by spicy aromas of black pepper, cedar and juniper berries. The red fruit is accompanied by dark aromas and vegetal notes of blackcurrant and blackberry leaves. The attack is initially subtle until the iron fist is brought out in a velvet glove. The gentle attack calmly builds up immense pressure with great inner tension on the mid-palate. The extract-sweet fruit of cherries and a fine core of sloes mingle with marzipan and noble bitter notes of the ripe tannins, which give it additional length. The exemplary use of wood highlights exactly what characterises a Barbaresco: Concentration combined with lightness and transparency." Sebastian Bordthäuser (Sommelier und Wein-Journalist)