Wine

Michele Satta came to Castagneto Carducci in 1974 – by chance, as he says himself. He stayed forever. Since the first Vendemmia in 1983, his story has grown in parallel with the history of Bolgheri, vintage after vintage, vineyard after vineyard. Miché is his most personal chapter: named after himself, made from grapes that were once simply thinned out. Satta has kept them – and distilled them into a wine that is unrivalled in Tuscany. 100% Sangiovese, Metodo Ancestrale. No second fermentation according to the recipe, no filtration, no dosage – the yeast remains, the perlage develops naturally in the bottle. Pet-Nat in Tuscan, if you like ...

Ten days before the main harvest for Redigaffi and Giusto di Notri, the pre-harvest selection begins at Tua Rita – a selection from the younger vineyards, whose grapes are not intended to achieve the extreme concentration of the great crus, but rather to offer freshness and approachability. This deliberate choice gives rise to the Rosso dei Notri, which has been the estate's flagship wine since 2000. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon form the foundation in equal parts, whilst Syrah and Cabernet Franc add spice and structure. The vineyards are situated on the metal-rich hills near Suvereto, where loamy soils with a high proportion of coarse particles lend the wines that mineral precision which characterises Tua Rita. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, followed by ageing in concrete – no woody notes are allowed to mask the pure fruit.

There is this one moment when Graziano Merotto stops explaining and simply puts his glass down to observe his counterpart. This wine is that very special moment. Integral: undivided, unmediated, without abbreviation – bone dry.

Dolcetto is the third voice in the Piedmontese trio – after Nebbiolo and Barbera, the most accessible, the most immediate. No grand gestures, no long maturation periods. Instead: flavour, fruit, liveliness. Prunotto specifically captures these characteristics – the wine is matured exclusively in stainless steel tanks so as not to overpower the typical freshness and fruitiness of the variety. 100% Dolcetto from vineyards around Alba. Maceration for six days at a controlled 27–28°C, malolactic fermentation until mid-December – then steel, nothing more.

Castello di Semivicoli is a great Rosso from the Chieti area and Masciarelli's first red wine cuvée. The vines in the vineyards of the province of L'Aquila were planted by Gianni Masciarelli in 2003. Medium-bodied purple red. On the nose black berries and nice peppery notes with some tobacco, violets and vanilla. Powerful and silky on the palate, polished tannin and a wonderfully fruity finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Bright ruby colour with a violet rim. Juicy red cherry and blackberry on the nose, with violets and a fine hint of bitter almond – open, inviting and typically Dolcetto. Fresh and straightforward on the palate: juicy fruit, fine, ripe tannins and an invigorating, well-integrated acidity make for a lively and enjoyable wine. The final is clear, with a delicate almond note and a cool, mineral accent. A classic Dolcetto full of character from Pio Cesare, uncomplicated in the very best sense of the word, with style, precision and a beautiful drinking flow. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Tense is made from grapes sourced exclusively from the Sassella DOCG sub-zone. During Swiss rule (1512–1797), the finest vineyards were 'secured' by armed guards, which is how it came to be named. They thus became arguably the most famous vineyards in the appellation. The selection of vines produces a wine that expresses the character of the soil: old stones and rocks that define the terroir of Sassella. Nebbiolo from Sassella produces elegant aromas and delicate, harmonious flavours that are typical of the Alpine reds of Valtellina.

Goldmuskateller is one of South Tyrol's oldest grape varieties, which until a few years ago was still regarded as temperamental and demanding. Manincor demonstrates what this "diva" is capable of when given the right sites: Mareit Leiten at 350 metres, with an extremely steep south-facing slope featuring warm gravelly soils and moraine deposits. Added to this are Vogelleiten and Panholzer, with loamy limestone gravel soils – sites where the Muscat's exuberant growth is tamed and perfect ripeness is achieved. The destemmed berries macerate for twelve hours in the press to extract aroma and structure from the skins. Fermentation takes place in wooden barrels and steel tanks, largely spontaneously with wild yeasts. During the five-month ageing on the fine lees, the aroma and flavour become more refined – and the wine develops that balance between fruit and minerality which characterises dry Muscat wines.

Kretzer – it sounds rougher than the wine actually is. This old South Tyrolean word for rosé, once derived from the tart freshness of unripe berries, has a completely different character today: fruity, lively, with the unmistakable temperament of Lagrein. For Lagrein is South Tyrol in its purest form – an indigenous grape variety that has been at home between Bolzano and Terlano for centuries. As a rosé, it reveals a side that the full-bodied red does not always show: lightness, freshness and approachability. The grapes grow at altitudes of 250 to 280 metres in the flat, sun-drenched vineyards around Terlan. Hand-harvested, gently pressed as whole bunches, slow fermentation in stainless steel – 6 to 7 months on the fine lees.

Calabria showed its sunniest side in the warm, dry year of 2023. The single-varietal Magliocco from the "Megonio" vineyard benefited from this constellation with deeply ripe grapes, concentrated fruit and healthy berry skins. The vinification process was classic: temperature-controlled mash fermentation, followed by ageing in barriques for around a year – enough to create structure without masking the authenticity of the variety.

Ornello is an open wine with beautiful, inviting aromas of ripe, dark fruit, cedar wood, dried herbs, tobacco and incense. All of this has a pleasant depth. Medium to full-bodied with supple tannins and a juicy, ripe finish. Very good value. SUPERIORE.DE

Elisabetta Geppetti has dedicated this Rosato to a woman who came before her: Rosa Mati – the first in the family to believe in the Maremma when others were still turning a blind eye. A woman who invested when this wild coastal landscape in south-western Tuscany was not yet a wine-growing region in the modern sense. That belief was the beginning of everything that Le Pupille is today. And the wine that bears her name is Elisabetta Geppetti's most personal creation – unchanged in its conviction since the first vintage in 2002: 100% Syrah, as a rosé. This is not an obvious choice. In the Maremma, Syrah is primarily known as a powerful red wine. Turning it into a rosé – transparent, fresh, elegant – requires precision.

The name reveals the concept: Cinquanta – fifty – stands for the fifty-fifty split between Primitivo and Negroamaro, the two leading grape varieties of Salento. With this cuvée, Cantine San Marzano, founded in 1962 as a winegrowers' cooperative and now one of the largest producers in Apulia with over 1,200 members, has created a wine with an immediate impact. The grapes come from vines of different ages on the iron oxide-rich terra rossa soils of the province of Taranto. After the harvest, maceration takes place at a controlled temperature, followed by twelve months of ageing in wooden barrels.

Barbara Widmer's Chianti Classico has for years been characterised by clarity and terroir: 100% Sangiovese from plots in Castellina and Radda (230–400 m), on limestone- and clay-rich soils with a south to south-west aspect. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged for around twelve months on the fine lees in stainless steel and cement tanks – deliberately without the use of wood, to allow the grape variety to express itself purely and precisely.

Floramundi combines the sensual power of Nero d'Avola with the elegance of Frappato – a classic Cerasuolo di Vittoria that charmingly harmonises the DOCG origin, freshness and finesse. The vines grow in south-east Sicily on red sand and limestone soils around Vittoria. Maturation in stainless steel tanks followed by ageing in the bottle preserves the freshness and aromatic expressiveness of this traditional appellation.

L'Altro is one of the house classics. A Langhe Chardonnay full of character that combines the clarity of the stainless steel, the fine spiciness of the wood and the subtle depth of the lees in a very charming way. The grapes come from higher-lying parcels around Treiso, Serralunga d'Alba and Trezzo Tinella; harvested cool and vinified parcel by parcel. Around three quarters are fermented in stainless steel, the smaller part in French barriques; the wine then remains on the fine lees for several months – regularly stirred for more texture and complexity.

Novaserra Greco di Tufo is Mastroberardino's most famous iconic white wine – a prime example of the depth and elegance that this grape variety can achieve. The grapes come from the finest vineyards around Tufo, where limestone and sulphurous soils lend the wine its distinctive mineral character. In the glass, it is a luminous straw yellow with golden highlights. The nose entices with notes of yellow plum, candied lemon, ripe pear, lime blossom and a hint of flint. On the palate, it is dense and harmonious, with ripe fruit, subtle herbal notes and a salty undertone. Year after year, this is a Greco di Tufo of distinction – powerful, elegant and with a clear expression of its terroir. SUPERIORE.DE