Wine

Terlano I (pronounced Primo) Grande Cuvée is the name of the white flagship of Cantina Terlano. In recent years, the winery has made a name for itself worldwide with its long-lasting, mineral white wines. Even years later, the wines still present themselves with top freshness and great complexity. With this long history of white wines, since the 2011 vintage there is now a wine in which the essence of Terlan is expressed in an even more focussed way. Terlaner I Grande Cuvée combines the Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon grape varieties from the Winkl, Kreuth and Vorberg vineyards to create a masterpiece which, due to its limited and exclusive nature, will only be available from hand-picked retailers and in selected top restaurants.

Sangiovese in purezza. Wonderfully spicy aroma, dark forest berries and cherries, some graphite and cedar wood. Silky elegance on the palate, juicy, dark berries, paired with an animating interplay of fruit and acidity that really lets the wine dance across the tongue. Percarlo has depth and length as well as potential for many years in the cellar. One of the great single-varietal Sangiovese wines of central Tuscany. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that make history. Solaia is one of them. When the Antinori family bottled this wine for the first time in 1978 – a pure Cabernet cuvée made from 80 per cent Sauvignon and 20 per cent Franc – nobody could have guessed that one of the most influential chapters in Italian wine history was about to begin. The name itself says it all: Solaia is derived from "sole", the sun, as this vineyard on the Tenuta Tignanello enjoys the sunniest south-west exposure on the entire estate. Twenty hectares between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, where the vines drive their roots deep into Alberese and Galestro – the hard limestone and schistose claystone that date back to the Pliocene and are rich in marine fossils. Solaia is only produced in exceptional years; there was no bottling in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1992. This consistency, this relentlessness in the pursuit of perfection, makes Solaia what it is: not just a wine, but an icon.

An unrivalled powerhouse and at the same time of a unique beauty and finesse. Villero (only produced in the best vintages) is an overwhelming interpretation of the otherwise rather austere Nebbiolo grape, which here displays a kaleidoscope of life and vigour.

Every year, the grapes for Solaia come from the sunniest corner of the vineyard of the same name on Antinori's Tenuta Tignanello estate. Aromas of cassis, warm spices and camphor characterise the nose. The lively, linear palate shows great finesse and offers cranberries, blueberries and crushed mint alongside white pepper. It is supple and balanced, with bright acidity and polished tannins. For us, one of the best vintages ever! SUPERIORE.DE

In 2017, exactly thirty years after the first Masseto, Massetino was born: not as a mere second wine, but as an independent interpretation of the same extraordinary terroir. Where its big brother requires patience and can mature for decades, Massetino opens up earlier, more – more accessible, more inviting, without sacrificing depth. A wine that provides an introduction to the Masseto universe without compromising on quality. The cuvée combines Merlot with a small proportion of Cabernet Franc – a deliberate difference to the single-varietal Masseto. The Franc brings floral nuances, herbal spice and an additional aromatic dimension into play, giving the Massetino its own character. Hand-picked in small crates, double selection, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, then twelve months of ageing in French oak, half of which is new. After blending, the wine rests for a further month before being bottled.

Just like its older brother, Massetino skilfully showcases the contrast between power and opulence combined with restraint and class. A solid, crisp wine with a bright colour, very distinctive, vertical and elevated, intense and expressively aromatic. On the nose, the essence of hyacinth, saffron, wild rosemary, mulberry and a hint of lavender. Juicy on the palate, but with a frame that emphasises the feeling of density and compactness. Vertically layered, but with great depth that tapers downwards to a distant vanishing point. After a silky attack, the present tannins take hold as the wine progresses. Long and pure, very persistent. Massetino is truly something special every year. SUPERIORE.DE

2017 was the very first vintage of Massetino. It was launched in 2019, exactly 30 years after the first Massetino vintage. The newly designed wine cellar by Italian architects Zito & Mori was also inaugurated in 2019. The birth of the second wine and the opening of the wine cellar represent a historic moment for Masseto and clearly contribute to its recognition as a winery.

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family pursues no less a goal than to make the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from their own 50 years of research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione that is produced at an altitude of up to 350 m in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).

Luca Currado cultivates the Brunate Cru on the La Morra side of the vineyard (opposite the Barolo side) and this wine contains fruit from new plots. It convinces with an impressive aroma of red berries, cherries, wild herbs, mint, minerals and rose petals, rounded off by a hint of blood orange. On the palate we find a terrific softness and textural silkiness, this continues with hints of mint, liquorice and camphor ash for many minutes. Polished tannins round off this masterpiece into an extremely elegant Brunate. SUPERIORE.DE

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family is pursuing no less a goal than making the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from the family's own 50-year research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione, which is produced at an altitude of up to 350 metres in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family is pursuing no less a goal than making the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from the family's own 50-year-old research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione, which is produced at an altitude of up to 350 metres in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).

"An expression of elegance in Serralunga", Luca Currado underlines at the tasting of Lazzarito, and we already agree with him on the nose. Gravel, pebbles, red fruits, rose petals, lavender and sage permeate this plastic and very lively Serralunga Barolo. Baroli from Serralunga d'Alba are often in a category of their own thanks to their richness and sheer abundance of fruit. The balsamic symphony opens the doors to a sip that is undoubtedly powerful, but at the same time refreshing and rich in vitamins. With added aeration, Lazzarito delivers mint and balsamic herbs. Lazzarito sets the pace and never loses its rhythm, the great texture of the tannins flanks this palate spectacle in an ideal way and we will discover much more about this great Barolo in the years to come. SUPERIORE.DE

Vietti's Ravera is one of the great stars of Piedmont in its precision and structure. It uses fruit from Novello, from a site that looks out over the castle of the same name on the hill in the distance. This wine offers an impeccable balance between nose and mouth, showing immense purity and power in one package. Rose petals, chalk, pepper and a hint of pomegranate make this Barolo one of the most sought-after in the appellation every year. With some ageing, the powerful tannins give way to an elegant impression that does not deviate one millimetre from the coveted style of this great vineyard. A monument of Barolo, which only a few other winemakers in Piedmont besides Vietti and also Giacosa bottle with such consistency! SUPERIORE.DE

On the steep slopes of Sorano, where the ancient Serravallian soils of Serralunga d'Alba unleash their full geological power, lies Matteo Ascheri's most precious secret: two tiny parcels that together produce no more than 2,800 bottles per vintage and yet embody the essence of what makes a great Barolo. Vigna Coste and Vigna Bricco – the slopes and the summit – are two faces of the same extraordinary medal, united in a wine that only sees the light of day in the very greatest years. Coste & Bricco is Matteo's ultimate homage to the diversity of the Sorano terroir. While Vigna Coste on the slopes delivers the minerality and structure for which Serralunga is famous, Vigna Bricco from the hilltop brings the concentration and aromatic intensity that only the most exposed sites can produce. This combination of two micro-terroirs within a single MGA creates a Barolo of exceptional complexity – a wine that combines both the power and finesse of Serralunga.

Giacomo Neri's new top Brunello was born with the purchase of a very special vineyard. True to the winery's philosophy of making wines only from the best terroirs around Montalcino, a small 7-hectare parcel with over 45 years of vines was purchased a few years ago. This was preceded by a friendship of over 40 years with the previous owners, with whom Giacomo's father Giovanni Neri planted the vines and nurtured them over the past decades.

Angelo Gaja makes his wines with broad brushstrokes that form shapes of perfect harmony and grandeur, he makes them modern but never too fashionable. Rennina 2019 is a dark, lush and juicy red wine with a seamless overall integration. On the palate, bold fruit, oak spice, acidity and a well-knit tannin hold the overall composition together in an overwhelming and warm embrace. SUPERIORE.DE

A modernist by the book. Balanced and impressive at the same time. 2018 Rennina with powerful aromas and flavours of violets, black cherries, tobacco and menthol. The tannins are firm yet beautifully integrated. Rennina is a complex, medium-bodied wine, which has a great positive influence on its ageing potential and makes it a success story. SUPERIORE.DE

At the very top of the Serradenari parcel, the fruit grows for an exceptional Barolo, with which the young winemaker Giulia Negri has truly created a monument to herself. Marassio clearly benefits from the cool climate of Piedmont's high altitudes and will therefore hardly change its character even if the climate continues to change.

Cerretalto 2018 is an expressive, exuberant and impressive wine that opens with a dark ruby red colour and a rich texture. The bouquet is endlessly intense, closely followed by finely tuned aromas of black cherries, spices, grilled herbs, cloves, tobacco, damp earth and white truffle. Over time, elegant mineral tones unfold, and later these flavours transition into cola, liquorice and tar. The mouthfeel is silky and supple, and there is enough power to move the wine seamlessly across the palate. Cerretalto continues to develop endlessly over 24 hours in the glass. Clear case: this is a bottle for the back of your cellar. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that make history. Solaia is one of them. When the Antinori family bottled this wine for the first time in 1978 – a pure Cabernet cuvée made from 80 per cent Sauvignon and 20 per cent Franc – nobody could have guessed that one of the most influential chapters in Italian wine history was about to begin. The name itself says it all: Solaia is derived from "sole", the sun, as this vineyard on the Tenuta Tignanello enjoys the sunniest south-west exposure on the entire estate. Twenty hectares between 350 and 400 metres above sea level, where the vines drive their roots deep into Alberese and Galestro – the hard limestone and schistose claystone that date back to the Pliocene and are rich in marine fossils. Solaia is only produced in exceptional years; there was no bottling in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1992. This consistency, this relentlessness in the pursuit of perfection, makes Solaia what it is: not just a wine, but an icon.

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.

Rare, exceptional Merlot from the west of Tuscany: deep ruby red with violet reflections. The bouquet is multi-layered with hints of wild berries and blackberries, ripe cherries, but also liquorice and tobacco notes. Very structured and lively on the palate. The silky tannins emphasise the delicate minerality right through to the almost endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE