Wine

Straw yellow with green reflections and visibly fine perlage from 30 days of yeast ageing. Fine citrus notes with further nuances of yellow fruit such as pear or mild apple, slightly nutty in the background. A fresh, invigorating sparkling wine with the necessary depth and noticeable body that does honour to its famous producer. SUPERIORE.DE

Only 1.5 kilometres separate the vineyards of Capitel Croce and Foscarino – but geologically they are worlds apart. While Foscarino is rooted in volcanic rock, Croce is enthroned on the pure limestone of the Zoppega hill. "Croce like Calcareo", Roberto likes to say as a mnemonic. Here, in the highest areas of his estate, perhaps his most uncompromising wine has been growing since 1982: 100 per cent Garganega, matured for eight months in old Allier barriques. What makes this wine so exceptional is not just its origin, but Roberto's radical approach: only 45 hectolitres per hectare, late selective harvest with up to twelve passes until only the most perfect berries remain. Fermentation takes place directly in barriques, allowing fruit and wood to merge right from the start.

Soente – a name that comes from the abbreviation of "sovente" (often), open and bright in sound. This pure Viognier comes from the Tenuta Montiano in the heart of Lazio, where the Cotarella family has been experimenting for years with international grape varieties that have adapted perfectly to the climate and soils of this area. Five hectares at an altitude of three hundred metres, loose, skeleton-rich soils – ideal conditions for a Viognier with freshness and aromatic depth.

"Bronzone" is the powerful yet elegant Riserva from Tenuta Belguardo – a Morellino di Scansano that epitomises the modern class of the Maremma. The Sangiovese grapes, known here as Morellino, come from south-facing slopes on clay and limestone-rich soils near Grosseto. Old vines, low yields and consistent manual harvesting form the basis for this Riserva with a strong character. The 2021 vintage in the Maremma was characterised by a cool spring, followed by a warm, dry summer with cool nights, which produced perfectly ripe, aromatically concentrated berries. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine matured for around 14 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux before finding its harmony in the bottle.

Originating from the Piani range of hills in Ferrere/Treiso (west-facing, 250–350 metres), this Barbera combines old vines (planted in 1965/2005) and meticulous vineyard work to create a clear, characterful style. Around 15-20 days of maceration in stainless steel, followed by around 8-9 months of ageing in oak (part in barrique, the rest in large wood), then a few months of rest in the bottle.

Eco di Mare is a white tribute to the Tuscan sea. Made from 100% Vermentino from the Alta Maremma, where the Etruscans once mined silver from the earth and where, today, the Turnauer family crafts elegant wines from this mineral-rich terroir. The estate is situated at the southernmost point of the Bolgheri DOC, on the heights of Donoratico, and forms part of the historic estate owned by the Florentine Serristori family. In the red Aeolian sands of Donoratico, at altitudes of between 20 and 80 metres, the Vermentino vines thrive under the shelter of centuries-old pine groves along the Viale dei Pini. 15 days' fermentation, two months' ageing on the fine lees, three months' bottle ageing.

In 2001, Michele and Massimo Bernetti of Umani Ronchi stood on Centovie Hill near Roseto degli Abruzzi. Before them lay the estate, behind it the Gran Sasso, and below it the Adriatic Sea. They bought the 35 hectares and immediately began farming organically – not as a certified commitment, but because the terroir demanded it: sunny and windy, with self-regulating soil requiring no intervention. They produced the estate"s first wine as a Pecorino. From the best plots of the vineyard, hand-harvested in early September with particular attention to acidity, on deep, clay-sandy limestone soil with alluvial skeleton. Fermented in steel, then 12 months in concrete tanks, followed by 5 months in bottle.

I Pianali Rosato is like a pink linen cloth fluttering in the wind as it sweeps across the Mediterranean coast. Made from 90% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Pianali vineyards, where the breeze from the Tyrrhenian Sea sweeps across the mineral-rich soils of the former silver mines. Gentle pressing, followed by fermentation at low temperatures in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for 15 days, followed by two months' ageing on the fine lees.

The little cherry. The name reveals its personality: this autochthonous Maremma variety openly bears its flavour in its name, and it means business. Ciliegiolo was at home in Maremma for a long time, but then fell out of fashion because Cabernet and Sangiovese virtually monopolised the region's attention. Now it is returning – and Belguardo is one of the first houses to take it seriously again. The vineyards are situated at 100 metres, west-facing, on sandy Arenaria soils with a fine pebble content. The western exposure gives the wine a freshness and lightness that cannot be taken for granted in the Maremma. Francesco Mazzei describes it as "exceptionally lively and fresh – and surprisingly deep at the same time."

The name says it all: Meczan is the local dialect form of Mazzon – the high plateau to the east of the Adige Valley, at an altitude of 350 to 460 metres, with north-facing slopes and soils of limestone gravel and clay. What Paolo Foradori began to prove in the 1960s and Martin Foradori Hofstätter continues to develop today is now undisputed: Mazzon is Italy's most important location for Pinot Nero. The Meczan is the entry into this world. Some of the grapes are fermented without destemming to give the Pinot more structure and aromatic depth. Ten days on the skins, vinified exclusively in stainless steel.

Gioia del Colle is not the Primitivo that the world thinks it knows. The Apulian Murgia plateau lies at an altitude of 380 to 400 metres – higher, cooler and windier than Salento, with stony, loamy soils, marked temperature fluctuations and a finesse in the Primitivo that would never emerge from the heat of the south. The DOC is regarded as one of Apulia’s most exciting premium regions and has attracted the attention of the international wine world in recent years. Amidst dry stone walls, cherry trees and limestone cliffs, Leone de Castris works here under the name ‘Masseria Donna Coletta’ – a project that is reinventing the centuries-old family without forgetting its roots.

Inspired by Provence, born in Tuscany. When the Rivetti family decided to create a rosé, they chose their Casanova vineyard in Terricciola as the source – and Sangiovese and Prugnolo Gentile as the grape varieties. The latter is a local Sangiovese clone which, when combined with its 'big brother', produces a rosé with a surprising character. The grapes come from twenty-year-old vines growing on sandy soils of marine origin, cultivated organically. After destemming, there is a brief maceration of just one hour before the must is gently pressed. Fermentation lasts ten days, after which the wine rests on its fine lees in stainless steel for three months.

This great Barbera d'Alba was actually created to harmonise everyday life and expression – and it is also a tribute to Giovanni's great-grand aunt – nuanced, clear and warm-hearted. In the glass, it shines in an intense ruby red colour. The nose is caressed by ripe sour cherry, raspberry and a delicate scent of violets, complemented by a hint of orange peel, roasted hazelnut and sweet spice notes – a scented motorway into the seductive world of the Barbera grape. A juicy, lively fruit structure unfolds on the palate, supported by fresh, harmonious acidity and softly integrated tannins. The ageing in stainless steel emphasises freshness and varietal purity. The finish is clear, with a fine citrus note and floral elegance. A high-quality everyday wine with character and finesse from a great house. SUPERIORE.DE

A deep yellow colour; the bouquet is elegant and fragrant, with notes of exotic fruits, peach, lemon zest, hazelnut and chalk. Medium to full-bodied, with layers of ripe fruit and bright, penetrating acidity. A polished, long and delicate finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Bertani's Ripasso is a true classic. The grapes come from the hills around Valpantena and from the direct Valpolicella Classico area. The original Ripasso wine would have been an overloaded Valpolicella rather than a mini Amarone, and this example is true to this type and emphasises the fresh and light style of Valpantena, a long, steeply sloping valley with a particularly cool microclimate. Bertani uses the traditional method of production: The young, already fermented Valpolicella wine is blended with the skins that have dried naturally in the meantime, giving it a richer and more concentrated flavour. It then undergoes a second so-called "ripasso" fermentation, which is triggered by the yeasts still present in the skins.

Rosso di Montalcino exists because a count wanted it. When the Marone Cinzano family took over the estate in 1973, almost exclusively Brunello was bottled in Montalcino – the rest went into bulk. Count Alberto saw this "second wine" as more than a by-product and campaigned for the creation of an independent DOC. Rosso di Montalcino has had his name since 1983 – and Col d'Orcia played a decisive role in this. It comes from the south-facing vineyards of the estate at 250 metres, overlooking the Orcia River, which gave the estate its name. Biodynamically cultivated, calcareous soils, Sangiovese Grosso: the classic Montalcino foundation. In the cellar: temperature-controlled fermentation in shallow steel tanks for gentle extraction, then 10 to 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels and cement tanks.

Some wines are historical records. The 26° Primo is both: a wine and a historical record in one. The name commemorates the 26th year of the founding of Azienda Agricola Andreola: 2009, when Nazzareno Pola handed the estate over to his son Stefano and, at the same time, the appellation achieved DOCG status. A wine that serves as a baton passed between generations, between an ancient winemaking tradition and its modern aspirations. The grapes come from the estate's oldest core holding: around four hectares of steep slopes in Col San Martino, the village in the southernmost part of the hills between Vidor and Vittorio Veneto, where Andreola has had its roots since its foundation. The vineyards lie at altitudes of 300 to 500 metres, partly on limestone conglomerate soils and partly on calcareous marl, interspersed with centuries-old Glera vines and small proportions of indigenous varieties such as Bianchetta, Perera and Verdiso. The slopes are so steep that all work must be carried out by hand.

Groppello gentile is a grape with tightly packed berries, small seeds and a very thin and fragile skin. It is certainly the best-known red wine grape on the Riviera del Garda and was already cultivated by the Romans in the Valtènesi. Brilliant, deep ruby red colour. Pungent and very clear bouquet of fine spicy notes, with an interesting potpourri of violets, sage, plum, pepper and olive wood. Precise and fine texture on the palate with well-defined, beautifully knitted tannins. The palate remains primarily fruity, balanced and elegant through to the delicate and persistent final. A feminine and well-proportioned red wine with a beautiful terroir character. SUPERIORE.DE

A vintage South Tyrolean sparkling wine of elegant lightness. The Chardonnay grapes grow at an altitude of 450 metres around Buchholz in the South Tyrolean lowlands, where ideal sunshine and perfect aeration guarantee an excellent acid-sugar ratio. After pressing and destemming, fermentation takes place with pure yeasts at a controlled temperature of 19°C in stainless steel tanks. The second fermentation takes place according to the Metodo Charmat in pressurised tanks, where the wine matures on the lees for six to nine months at 14°C, developing aroma and body. After separation from the yeast and cooling, the wine is left to mature in the bottle for a further three months.

A white wine with its own signature: Valcanzjria combines Carricante – the noble grape variety of Etna – with the Mediterranean charm of Chardonnay and Albanello. The grapes grow in Val Canzeria near Chiaramonte Gulfi on calcareous soils at an altitude of around 400 metres. The interplay of altitude, cool nights and loamy substrates ensures freshness, tension and aromatic depth. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. The aroma is delicate and complex: white flowers, yellow apple, lime zest, a hint of almonds and fine herbs. On the palate, Valcanzjria is straightforward, dry and precise – with lively acidity, salty minerality and a subtle creaminess that comes from ageing on fine lees in stainless steel. A balanced, modern white wine with a regional profile and invigorating freshness. SUPERIORE.DE

Irpinia is not Campania in the tourist sense – no sea, no Vesuvius, no Amalfi Coast. It is the inland area behind Avellino, a world of Apennine hills, chestnut forests and tranquillity, where viticulture has been deeply rooted since ancient times. Columella and Pliny already mentioned Fiano – as "Vitis Apicia" because of its ability to attract swarms of bees to the vineyards. Feudi di San Gregorio has been committed to this tradition in Sorbo Serpico since 1986. Pietracalda is their most precise expression of Fiano: a single vineyard of ten hectares, nestled between chestnut woods and old fruit trees at an altitude of 400 to 600 metres – a terroir that provides Fiano with freshness. Hand-picked, fermented in temperature-controlled steel, then aged sur lie for twelve months – longer than the normal Fiano, and it is precisely this difference that characterises the Riserva: more texture, more depth, more substance.

Valpolicella Superiore Case Vecie is made mainly from Corvina and Corvinone grapes. It takes its name from the vineyard of the same name in Grezzana, where the ripening of the grapes is subject to strong temperature fluctuations between day and night: a climatic peculiarity that gives the wine a special spiciness on the nose and a completely unique polyphenol profile. Bright ruby red in colour with notes of cherries, vanilla and spices. Beautiful fruit and acidity on the palate, wonderfully balanced body. Juicy and long. SUPERIORE.DE

Filippo, Elisa and Elena Fanti live and work in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the village below the Romanesque abbey of Sant'Antimo, in southern Montalcino, where the family has been rooted for generations. Their Brunello is one of the most reliable addresses in the appellation. Their Rosso is what a Rosso di Montalcino should be: the same care, the same terroir, more accessible in its timing. 15 hectares of Sangiovese, registered for the Rosso, vines between 15 and 20 years old. Hand-picked in September and October, depending on location and exposure. Three sorting tables – grapes and individual berries are selected separately. Temperature-controlled fermentation and mash contact in stainless steel tanks with regular pumping over, malolactic fermentation before ageing in wood. Around 12 months partly in French barriques, partly in medium-sized barrels.