Wine

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

The name says it all: Due lame – two terraces – refers to the extreme altitude range of the vineyards between 420 and 655 metres. These are the highest Sangiovese vineyards in the whole of Tuscany, arroccati on the mineral-rich steps that gave the village of Lamole its name. The ochre-coloured "Macigno Toscano" soils, interspersed with Galestro and Alberese, give the wine its characteristic sharpness and elegance. The winery in the heart of Chianti Classico has been part of the Santa Margherita Group (Herita Wines) since 1993 and vinifies in the historic cellars of a Castello dating back to 1350. The grapes undergo optical selection, ferment in stainless steel with 7-10 days of maceration and mature on the lees until late winter. A short maturation in large oak barrels rounds off the process.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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 soil on a gentle slope, which gives the wine precision and structure. A light golden yellow colour with greenish reflections in the glass. White flowers, yellow apple, a little roasted hazelnut and a hint of vanilla on the nose. Harmonious on the palate, with a creamy texture, fine acidity and subtle minerality. A well-balanced, charming Chardonnay with a clear expression of origin and stylish depth. SUPERIORE.DE

The Valtellina Superiore DOCG has five subzones – maroggia, Sassella, Grumello, Valgella and Inferno. The name of the fifth says it all: Inferno – hell. Not as a threat, but as a description. Because here, on the steepest and sunniest terraces in the entire Valle, there is a microclimate that is unrivalled in northern Italy. Rocky outcrops of light-coloured quartz rock protrude from the ground, reflecting the sun's rays during the day and releasing the stored heat during the cool nights. The steep slope allows the light to hit the ground vertically – maximum sunlight, maximum ripeness, maximum expression of the polyphenols in Nebbiolo. By the way: Nebbiolo is called Chiavennasca here – the local name for a grape variety that has developed independently in Valtellina over the centuries. Vineyards at 350 to 550 metres, southern exposure, strenuous manual harvesting on inhospitable terraces. In the cellar: fermentation at controlled temperatures, maturation in small oak barrels.

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

Fragrant charmer with depth: "Valmasìa" is made from Malvasia Istriana, which grows on the typical Ponca soils of the Colli Orientali. The terroir gives the wine an animating freshness and fine minerality. Pale straw yellow with a greenish tinge in the glass. On the nose, floral notes of orange blossom, ripe pear and nutmeg, accompanied by a hint of herbal tea. Fragrant and lively on the palate, with a gentle texture, delicate spiciness and an elegant, dry finish. A versatile, characterful white wine with a Mediterranean soul - ideal with antipasti, fish or risotto with herbs. SUPERIORE.DE

The evening fall winds of the Mendel Mountains characterise the entire terroir of the St. Michael-Eppan winery. They ensure cool nights and give the grapes the extraordinary characteristics that characterise the aromas, unmistakable freshness and longevity of the wines. The fall wind is the natural force that blows over 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.

As an introduction to the world of Gulfi, Rossojbleo is a restrained Nero d'Avola full of character. The grapes come from organic farming in the heart of southern Sicily – very close to Noto and Ragusa, on ancient hills characterised by limestone and clay soils. Here, deep origin and precise acidity combine to create a charming red wine full of transparency. Ruby in colour with delicate violet reflections. The aromatic freshness attracts the nose with red sour and wild berries, subtle herbal notes and a mineral flavour. Convincing on the palate with its balanced proportions: Juicy fruit, lively acidity, light spice and delicate, soft tannins – everything seems light as a feather, but the flavour is clear and harmonious. The finish is delicately savoury, elegant and immediately prepares you for the next sip. SUPERIORE.DE

Radda in Chianti is one of the coolest municipalities in the appellation. Here, at an altitude of 400 metres, where dense forests surround the vineyards and stone-walled country lanes run through the hills, Sangiovese thrives in ideal conditions. The strong day-night temperature fluctuations give the grapes the freshness and aromatic clarity that make Radda wines unmistakable. Castello di Radda has been cultivating its vineyards in a fully certified organic way since 2020, with each parcel vinified separately and only brought together at the time of blending. The cuvée of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo is destemmed after manual harvesting and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Maceration on the skins lasts two to three weeks – this is made possible by the perfect physiological ripeness of the grapes. Malolactic fermentation takes place in both steel and wood before the wine matures partly in 500-litre Liters and partly in 20-hectolitre French and Slavonian oak barrels. Several months of bottle ageing round off the harmonious development.

This great Chardonnay comes from the Kleinstein estate in Signat near Bolzano. Bright yellow in colour with green reflections, a wonderfully fruity bouquet with aromas of apple, pineapple and banana. The typical flavour of a fresh Chardonnay on the palate: clear, elegant, full and pleasantly dry, with a long finish. 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.

If any wine has made an appellation world-famous, it is this one: Santa Cristina comes from the Vigneto Massoni, Zenato's oldest and most historic vineyard, which is regarded as the greatest site in the entire Lugana region. Here, on the calcareous and clayey moraine soils south of Lake Garda, Trebbiano di Lugana reaches its most elegant expression. The vines at Podere Massoni benefit from an ideal southern exposure: optimal sunshine during the day and cool nights from the lake. After gentle pressing, the must ferments for 15–20 days at a controlled 16–18°C, followed by five months of ageing in stainless steel and further bottle ageing.

Tunella's Friulano is an archetype straight out of a picture book – authentic, balanced and with fine depth. The vines grow on the typical Ponca soils of the Colli Orientali, whose limestone-marl structure lends the wine mineral tension. White-fleshed fruit, almond blossom, ripe apple and a delicate hint of hay on the nose. Fresh yet gentle on the palate, with a soft texture, moderate acidity and a slightly almondy final typical of the variety. The 2025 vintage brings clarity, harmony and freshness to the glass – a characterful all-rounder with a strong regional identity. SUPERIORE.DE

Sauvignon bianco doesn't come from here. And that was never a problem – on the contrary. The variety from the Bordelais has long since found a second home in the hilly locations of the Collio Goriziano: The windy slopes, the marly soils of Eocene origin, the cool nights between the Julian Alps and the Adriatic Sea – all this forms a Sauvignon that has nothing in common with Loire or Nouvelle-Zélande. It's simply Friulian. Mario Schiopetto knew this. He had travelled Europe, learned precision in German cellars, elegance in France and elegance in Capriva del Friuli – and in Capriva del Friuli turned both into something of his own. His Sauvignon bianco was one of his early passions. The Pompiere version that Emilio and Alessandro Rotolo bottle today is the direct, accessible interpretation: hand-picked at the beginning of September, gentle pressing, fermentation in steel at a controlled temperature, a few months on the lees.

Castelnuovo Berardenga marks the southernmost tip of the Chianti Classico, where the gentle hills of the historic centre merge into the austere beauty of the Crete Senesi. Here, on south-facing slopes at an altitude of 280 metres, the Sangiovese finds the warmth that gives it fullness without losing its lively acidity. Poggio Bonelli presses its Chianti Classico as a genuine expression of this grape variety: 90 per cent Sangiovese, supplemented by a small proportion of other red varieties. After temperature-controlled fermentation and ten days of maceration, the wine matures for ten months in French oak barrels.

In the 16th century, Ludovico Ariosto had the knights of the House of Mongrana ride through fantastic landscapes in "Orlando Furioso" – adventurous, freedom-loving, always ready to set off. The hippogriff, the winged hybrid creature that crosses all borders, is the symbol of this epic. Querciabella has put both on the label of her Maremma project: the name, the animal, the attitude. Since 1997, Querciabella has been growing in Banditella near Alberese – directly on the Tuscan coast, where sea breezes, salty air and sandy soils characterise the Mediterranean character. 100% Vermentino, 20,000 bottles, organically farmed. Fermentation in small cement and steel tanks, gentle and precise. 2025 brought a balanced spring and cool nights, which slowed down the ripening process, preserved the acidity and intensified the flavour.