Wine

Zisola is the Tuscan dream of the Mazzei family in the south of Sicily. The winery's bestseller is made from 100% Nero d'Avola from traditional Alberello vines near Noto, where chalky soils and proximity to the sea balance the natural exuberance of this indigenous grape variety with freshness and elegance. The Marchesi Mazzei, one of Italy's most historic winegrowing families with over 600 years of tradition, have been continuing their Sicilian project since 2003. 24 hectares of vineyards surround the historic bagli of the 50-hectare tenuta with a view of the baroque UNESCO World Heritage Site of Noto. Hand-picked and fermented for 14-16 days at 26-28°C, the wine matures for 10 months in French oak barrels (33% new).

Nas-cëtta, also known as Anas-Cetta, is a rare, indigenous white wine variety from Piedmont that was almost forgotten. Originally native to the Novello region, it is characterised by its fine structure, aromatic complexity and good ageing potential. For Il Fiore, it is combined with 70% Chardonnay to harmonise fruit and texture. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the purity of the fruit and the clear expression of its Piedmontese origins.

Ribolla Gialla with ambition: Rjgialla is Tunella's elegant interpretation of the indigenous grape variety that has been rooted in Friuli for centuries. The vines grow on slopes with lean marl soil, which gives the wine precision and freshness. Bright straw yellow in colour with greenish reflections. The bouquet is fine and expressive: lemon zest, white peach, blossom honey, pear and a hint of herbal spice. Slender but full of character on the palate, with lively acidity, delicate fruit and a clear, slightly salty finish. A fresh, delicate white wine with a regional profile – ideal with light summer cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE

Barbaspinosa comes from the hills around Poggio la Mozza – characterised by ferruginous clay soils that give the Sangiovese backbone and depth. The wine is aged for twelve months, partly in barriques and partly in large wooden barrels. Ruby red in colour with a slightly lighter rim. The bouquet smells of black cherry, plum, Maremma herbs, some tobacco and a hint of leather. Powerful but well-balanced on the palate, with ripe fruit, grippy tannins and fine spice. The vintage gives fullness, but remains surprisingly fresh thanks to the cool nights. A Sangiovese full of character with a Tuscan soul – down-to-earth, honest and with a distinctive expression of the Maremma. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all: "Due lame" – two terraces – refers to the extreme range in altitude of the vineyards, which stretch from 420 to 655 metres. These are the highest-altitude Sangiovese vineyards in the whole of Tuscany, perched on the mineral-rich terraces that gave the village of Lamole its name. The soils, composed of ochre-coloured "Macigno Toscano" interspersed with galestro and alberese, lend the wine its characteristic sharpness and elegance. The estate, situated in the heart of Chianti Classico, has been part of the Santa Margherita Group (Herita Wines) since 1993 and vinifies its wines in the historic cellars of a castle dating from 1350. The grapes undergo visual sorting, ferment in stainless steel with 7–10 days' contact with the skins, and mature on the lees until late winter. A brief ageing period in large oak barrels rounds off the wine. 

La Morra, calcareous sandy soils, north-eastern slopes – this is where the 20 to 40-year-old Dolcetto vines for Elio Altareclassic grow. The Barolo revolutionary, who shook up the Langhe with Burgundian vinification methods in the 1970s, remains true to his Dolcetto: a wine for every day, as the farmers have been drinking it with pasta for generations. Maceration takes just two to three days in rotary fermenters at a controlled temperature, after which the grapes mature for ten months in stainless steel tanks – puristic, without the influence of wood.

In 1984, Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti bought a dilapidated farmstead near Suvereto. No wine background, no generations of tradition – just a conviction: that the Colline Metallifere terroir can do more than it seemed at the time. The metal-rich, ferruginous clays of these hills between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Apuan Alps bear a fingerprint that no other growing region in Tuscany can replicate: mineral, salty, with a depth reminiscent of both earth and sea. Tierre is Tua Rita's 100 per cent Merlot expression of this terroir – more accessible than the legendary Redigaffi, but with the same soils, the same hands, the same attitude.

Documented since 1370, Lagrein epitomises authentic South Tyrol like no other grape variety. This autochthonous variety, related to Syrah and resulting from a natural cross with Teroldego, finds optimal conditions in the alluvial soils of Bolzano, Ora and Magreid. The natural cultivation of the selected partner farms respects the characteristic intensity of this Burgundy-coloured variety. Traditional mash fermentation at a controlled temperature in steel tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation and twelve months of ageing in large wooden barrels, results in a Lagrein with a classic character.

Renon (Ritten) is the high plateau to the east of Bolzano, where the town's inhabitants used to seek respite from the summer heat – and still do today. Whatever grows up here at 550 metres benefits from both the warmth of the steeply sloping porphyry rocks and the coolness of the high altitude. A combination that gives the Chardonnay what it cannot find in hot valley locations: aromatic depth and natural balance. Kleinstein is the farm that supplies these grapes, run by a young farmer from St. Justina who studied agricultural economics in Vienna, worked in environmental policy and then returned to his father's farm to convert it to organic farming. Terroir and biography in a single label. Gentle pressing, maturation on fine lees in stainless steel, with part of the alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation taking place in barriques – for texture without woody aromas.

Intense ruby red, complex bouquet with notes of black cherry, blueberry and plum, followed by coffee, liquorice and leather. Powerful and full-bodied on the palate, sweet in its tannic texture, infused with a lively freshness and with a beautiful fruit centre. Persistent on the palate with notes of liquorice and cocoa, giving the Rosso an elegant and full-bodied finish. SUPERIORE.DE

A Friulian wine with a subtle French accent: Tunella's Chardonnay combines the purity of the Colli Orientali terroir with hints of Burgundian elegance. The vines grow on Ponca soils on a gentle slope, which lend the wine precision and structure. In the glass, it is a pale golden-yellow with greenish highlights. On the nose, white flowers, yellow apple, a hint of toasted hazelnut and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, it is harmonious, with a creamy texture, fine acidity and subtle minerality. A well-balanced, charming Chardonnay with a clear expression of its origin and stylish depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Verdeca is a grape variety that hardly anyone knows – and that is no coincidence. For centuries, it was used as the base material for vermouth, was rarely vinified as a single variety and was considered too unspectacular for its own bottle. Yet its history is an ancient one: Greek in origin, it probably arrived in Apulia with the first settlers and became native to the sandy limestone soils of Salento. Masseria Li Veli has given it a stage with the Askos project – and the wine critics have responded. Askos Verdeca is the only Apulian white wine ever to be honoured by Gambero Rosso with its Tre Bicchieri.

A fragrant charmer with depth: Valmasìa is made from Malvasia Istriana, which thrives on the characteristic Ponca soils of the Colli Orientali. The terroir lends the wine an invigorating freshness and delicate minerality. In the glass, it is a pale straw yellow with a greenish sheen. On the nose, floral notes of orange blossom, ripe pear and nutmeg, accompanied by a hint of herbal tea. On the palate, it is fragrant and lively, with a smooth texture, delicate spice and an elegant, dry finish. A versatile, characterful white wine with a Mediterranean soul – ideal with antipasti, fish or herb-infused risotto. SUPERIORE.DE

A Pinot Grigio with substance and origin: the grapes for this classic white wine come from the chalky flysch soils of the Colli Orientali, where cooler nights and good aeration ensure aromatic clarity and freshness. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. The aroma is typical of the variety and delicate: yellow apple, pear, white flowers and a hint of lemon zest. Dry, lively and straightforward on the palate, with fine fruit, subtle minerality and balanced acidity. An elegant representative of its grape variety, not focussing on superficial fruit, but on balance and drinking flow. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Ragnaies Troncone Rosso is a pure Sangiovese that interprets the fruit beautifully and in all its spiciness and red berry flavour. Notes of dried cherries and nutmeg in the glass, along with wild berries and redcurrants. The first sip is a warm potpourri of red fruits and a racy blend of piquant acidity, minerals and spices. The finish is long and grippy, but also delicious and fresh, with savoury berry and mineral notes and a slight tannic kick. On the finish, the pure fruit provides plenty of drinkability, freshness and savouriness. Very successful! SUPERIORE.DE

The evening downdrafts from the Mendel Mountains give the entire terroir of the St. Michael-Eppan Winery its distinctive character. They ensure cool nights and endow the grapes with those exceptional qualities that define the wines' aromas, their unmistakable freshness and their longevity. The downwind is the natural force that sweeps across the vineyard every day, positively influencing the climate and supporting the valuable work of the winegrowers at the cooperative winery.

Pietra nera – black stone. This is the name of the introduction to the world of Piaggia, the small winery in Carmignano founded by Mauro Vannucci in the 1970s and now run by his daughter Silvia. Carmignano, the forgotten DOCG at the gates of Florence, where Cabernet has been permitted in blends since the Medici era – centuries before the Super Tuscans were invented. Pietranera shows this tradition in small format: 80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Franc. Fermented with natural yeasts, eighteen to twenty days on the skins, then only three months in used barriques – just enough to smooth the edges, not enough to let the wood taste.

Tunella's classic with a very distinctive profile: the Sauvignon Bianco from Tunella shows why this variety has found a new home in the Collio Orientali. The vines grow on calcareous marl soils and benefit from cool nights and sunny days – ideal conditions for freshness and flavour. Lively and clear on the nose: elderflower, whitecurrant, gooseberry and a hint of sage. Juicy on the palate, with elegant acidity, a firm texture and an animating fruity-spicy finish. A typical, but never intrusive Sauvignon – precise, easy-drinking and full of Friuli spirit and a clear signature. SUPERIORE.DE

If Pecchenino is traditionally known for its great Dolcetto and Barolo, the Maestro reveals another facet of this family winery: the ability to give Chardonnay at 700 metres above sea level in the Alta Langa a form of expression that combines freshness with elegance. Since 1994, this wine has been produced from the vineyards around Bossolasco, where the Piedmontese hills rise up towards the Ligurian Apennines. Here, on medium-heavy soils with a high proportion of limestone and clay, the Chardonnay benefits from a south-easterly exposure and the cool climate that ensures pronounced acidity and aromatic intensity. After the harvest at the beginning of September, the chilled grapes are gently pressed, the must is naturally decanted and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Maturation takes place partly on the fine lees in steel and partly in barriques.

Dellago comes from Pinot Bianco plots personally selected by cellar master Stephan Filippi on characteristic porphyry and limestone soils, where Archduke Johann of Austria established Pinot Blanc in South Tyrol as early as 1850. The special terroir with its distinctive temperature fluctuations between warm days and cool nights gives the hand-picked grapes the mineral precision that characterises Dellago. After careful manual harvesting, the grapes are gently pressed and vinified in two parts: The majority matures traditionally in stainless steel tanks on the fine lees, while a small but decisive proportion undergoes alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation in French barriques – a subtle use of wood gives the wine additional structure and complexity without overpowering its Burgundian elegance.

The single vineyard Monteprandone is the centrepiece of the winery – a south-west facing, organically cultivated plot on calcareous clay soil, which produces the most structured grapes on the estate year after year. Montepulciano and Sangiovese are selected here with great care and matured classically in large wooden barrels and barriques. The result is a Rosso Piceno Superiore with depth, nobility and a clear signature of origin.

Merus – latin for "pure, unmixed". Tiefenbrunner's entry-level line stands for varietal character and natural elegance, bottled young and immediately accessible. This classic Bordeaux assemblage of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot comes from the vineyards of the South Tyrolean lowlands, the southernmost part of the province. The Brenntal and Frauenriegel vineyards near Kurtatsch, at an altitude of 210 to 380 metres, yield grapes from calcareous moraine soils. Vinification in stainless steel and concrete, followed by brief ageing in large wooden barrels – the result: freshness without heaviness.

Poggio Landis Rosso di Montalcino is a fruit-forward, delightfully enjoyable red wine that is perfectly suited to pairing with food. It offers juicy freshness and spicy floral aromas with a hint of sage, followed on the palate by balanced, invigorating acidity and mild tannins. A delicious and vibrant red offering excellent value for this prestigious region. SUPERIORE.DE