Wine

With Family & Friends, Feudo Maccari reinterprets the concept of a Mediterranean white wine – not as a light side dish, but as a broodingGrillo with a strong character that was born in the Moretti family. The wine was originally only intended for private occasions – a heartfelt project that today celebrates with its name the connection to people and moments that are more than mere consumption. The grapes for it (label: "only the best grapes") come from strictly selected plots around Noto, where chalky soils, salt winds and intense sunlight characterise the aroma and structure. A complex, vibrant wine with structure and balance.

The grapes for the Sul Vulcano Rosato come from the northern slopes of Mount Etna, where Nerello Mascalese thrives on volcanic soils in a cool, high-altitude climate. The grapes are harvested early, gently pressed and matured exclusively in stainless steel tanks to emphasise the freshness and finesse of the variety. Pale pink in the glass with a salmon-coloured shimmer – stylish and precise. The nose smells of white cherry, wild strawberry, some citrus and a fine hint of wild herbs and flint. Straightforward, cool and silky on the palate with clear fruit, gripping freshness and minerality. The volcanic origin is evident in the salty depth, which lingers for a long time. A sophisticated rosato with a cool alpine profile and subtle energy – ideal with refined seafood dishes, grilled vegetables or sophisticated summer cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE

One of the first Bordeaux blends in Italy and still one of the best. Conte Loredan Gasparini has been vinifying this classic from the Alta Marca Trevigiana, just 50 kilometres from Venice, since 1951. The Montello area, declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2016, offers ideal conditions for Bordeaux grape varieties with its ferrous clay soils (Ferreto) and cool microclimate. The cuvée combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec – a quartet that has found its northern Italian interpretation here for decades. Eighteen months of ageing in Slavonian oak barrels lend depth without dominating.

"Frauenrigl" – an old field name for one of the warmest vineyard sites above the wine route near Kurtatsch in the South Tyrolean lowlands. On calcareous gravel soils with loamy earth, a Gewürztraminer full of character thrives here under ideal sunlight and perfect aeration, which fulfils all the requirements of this demanding grape variety. After six to eight hours of cold maceration, the grapes are gently pressed and clarified by natural sedimentation before controlled fermentation takes place at 18°C in stainless steel tanks.

A Traminer with cool elegance and moderate flavour - far removed from the baroque and broad opulence of many representatives of this variety. The grapes come from selected vineyards in the Venezie region with calcareous, well-drained soils. The 2021 vintage brought balanced proportions between ripeness and acidity - good conditions for an aromatic white wine with finesse and potential. Ageing in stainless steel tanks preserves the clarity and expression of the grape variety.

A Chardonnay with Friulian soul: the combination of high altitudes, barren flysch soils and temperate climate gives this wine freshness, finesse and character. Light golden yellow in the glass with a greenish tinge. The bouquet is inviting and balanced: yellow apple, white flowers, lemon and a hint of exotic fruit - underpinned by delicate almond and a hint of vanilla, without ever appearing overloaded. On the palate, it is dry, harmonious and clearly contoured, with lively acidity and a fine melting texture. The ageing in stainless steel preserves precision and varietal typicity. A Chardonnay that moves stylistically between freshness and substance - elegant, straightforward and with a noticeable imprint of origin and winemaker's craft. SUPERIORE.DE

A Sauvignon Blanc from the Collio that seduces rather than provokes. Pale straw yellow with a green tinge in the glass. The nose is complex but never overpowering: elderflower, grapefruit, green pepper, whitecurrant and a hint of sage. Juicy and precise on the palate, with lively acidity, firm structure and cool mineral depth. The maturation in stainless steel tanks emphasises the clarity and aromatic tension of the wine, without tipping over into a garish "gooseberry" flavour. A stylistically finely balanced Sauvignon that brings the potential of the Collio into the bottle with quiet sophistication and authentic terroir expression. Good ageing potential, as is to be expected with all Livio Felluga whites. SUPERIORE.DE

The Barbera grape belongs to Piedmont like the fog in October and tartufo in November. A natural companion of everyday life – the grape variety that has set the table on the hills of the Langhe for centuries. Ceretto has dedicated its own vineyard to this conviction: "La Piana", a flat valley on the edge of Alba on the Tenuta Monsordo Bernardina, traditionally known as one of the best addresses for Barbera in the municipality. The name is precise. 100% Barbera, organically farmed, harvested by hand and selected in the vineyard. Vinification follows the same principle as the vineyard itself: Only steel, controlled temperatures, no wood seasoning to overlay. Barbera does not need this – it has its own language, and it is expressive enough.

The grapes for Vignota come from five selected vineyards in Monforte d'Alba, whose calcareous marl soils with loamy and sandy inclusions give the Barbera grapes expression and depth. Bright ruby red colour with a purple hue. Aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry and plum, underpinned by violets, herbs and a hint of liquorice. Juicy and balanced on the palate, with present, well-integrated acidity and soft, fine-grained tannins. After fermentation, the wine matures for several months in used French barriques, which gives it additional harmony and fine spicy notes. An exciting and very serious Barbera with a regional profile and good structure. SUPERIORE.DE

A Rosso from Meroi is never just a cuvée - it is a calling card for the quiet precision with which this small, uncompromising family winery in the heart of the Colli Orientali del Friuli works. "Nestri" - Friulian for "ours" - combines Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Refosco in a stylistically clear but broodingcomposition that harmonises origin, ambition and personality. The vines grow on the typical Ponca soil, a mixture of marl and sandstone, which gives the wine mineral tension and fine structure. The wine is matured in French barriques, but always with the aim of preserving fruit and freshness - no loud wood, no bold display of vigour.

Carricante from Planeta's Etna vineyard is an exceptional wine full of freshness, energy and minerality. This noble grape variety thrives in exclusive conditions, on volcanic soils and at altitudes of 870 metres. A wonderfully complex pleasure that is only ever released for sale two years after the harvest. The eruption of 1614 is legendary in the history of Etna, as it lasted ten years, making it the longest recorded eruption of the active volcano to date. A very impressive and fitting name for Planeta's Etna series of equally impressive wines. SUPERIORE.DE

This single-varietal Carricante from Tenuta Tascante comes from the districts of Feudo in Castiglione di Sicilia and Salice in Milo. The vineyards grow at an altitude of 600 metres on the north side of Mount Etna on volcanic sedimentary soils from different eras. The majority of the grapes grow on a terrace in Contrada Sciaranuova. Vinified in cool stainless steel, this white wine retains the mineral clarity and sulphurous notes of the indigenous grape variety. Linear and vertical, it presents itself with the characteristic acidity of Carricante, showing volcanic vigour in elegant purity. An authentic Etna character with four months of ageing on the lees that brings the aura of the volcano directly into the glass. SUPERIORE.DE

The only thing that has actually changed is the name. The Unterthiner family have always vinified their Pinot Noir in the manner befitting a serious Pinot Noir – with the necessary time in the cellar. The wine matures in small wooden barrels for at least twelve months, often longer, because at the Ebnerhof decisions are never made according to the calendar, but according to taste. This ageing period meets the DOC requirements for a Riserva, so the wine now bears this designation. The approach remains unchanged: following a selective hand-harvest from the limestone-rich, sandy south-facing slopes, the wine undergoes controlled maceration in stainless-steel tanks before being transferred to small wooden barrels, which lend it depth and complexity.

On the sand – the name already reveals the secret of this extraordinary interpretation of Gewürztraminer. A work of art of aromatic perfection springs from the sandy, calcareous soils of various locations in the lowlands between 240 and 370 metres. From Tramin to the Margreider Schuttkegel to Lake Kaltern and the Eisack Valley, Lageder combines the many facets of this traditional grape variety into a harmonious composition. The biodynamic Demeter cultivation of these selected plots follows the natural rhythms of the landscape. The secret lies in the staggered harvest: As the southern sites are all very hot, Lageder deliberately sets early accents and harvests the grapes at different stages of ripeness – sometimes even with noble rot. One part is vinified spontaneously with whole grapes, the rest matures for nine months partly in stainless steel and partly in large wooden barrels on the fine lees.

2023 was a year of contrasts in Friuli: after a changeable spring, a warm summer with sporadic rainfall and a cool, dry September made for exceptionally well-balanced grapes. These conditions particularly favoured the late-ripening Ribolla Gialla – which is clearly noticeable in this cru. The wine comes from the historic Zuc di Volpe vineyard – a hill with old vines, clayey marl soils and a striking south-east exposure. Maturation in stainless steel with prolonged ageing on fine lees preserves the varietal typicity and at the same time gives the wine depth and suppleness.

βιαηκΩ is an exceptionally precise white wine made from Erbaluce grapes from the Boca micro-region; it is so rare and sought-after that it is allocated each year. Aged in large oak and acacia barrels, this wonderfully fresh and distinctive white wine has reached its peak with this vintage. It is well-structured, with good length, a floral, rich bouquet and plenty of charm. The fresh acidity on the finish makes the wine lively and long-lasting. Aromas of wild Alpine herbs and pears, with a hint of exotic fruits, are framed by a creamy texture and lead into a lingering final. SUPERIORE.DE