Wine

"Foot of the meadow" – the name alone reveals that this vineyard is something special. Six hectares in Spinetoli, 120 metres above sea level, facing south-southwest on medium-heavy soils. Here, where the gentle hills of Piceno merge into fertile plains, the vines for one of the most consistent red wines in the Marche have been growing for over 30 years. 50% Montepulciano, 50% Sangiovese is the perfect Rosso-Piceno formula. Montepulciano provides the power and structure, Sangiovese the elegance and flavour. A liaison that has worked in the Marche region for centuries and which Saladini Pilastri has brought to organic perfection. 3,800 vines per hectare ensure the right concentration, and the grapes are hand-picked at the end of October when both varieties have reached optimum ripeness.

Montepulciano has two faces. One has large wooden barrels, decades of cellar time and the name Nobile. The other is younger, more direct – and often the more honest pleasure. The Rosso di Gracciano comes from the Casale and Maramai crus, at 280 to 300 metres in north-eastern exposure: somewhat cooler, somewhat slower ripening than the Nobile sites, with medium-heavy soils that produce freshness rather than vigour. 90 per cent Prugnolo Gentile – this stubborn Sangiovese clone, which only shows its full temperament here – supplemented by ten per cent Merlot for fullness and texture. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in steel, ten days of maceration at a controlled temperature, no wood. A wine that does not wait.

Delicate, bright pink colour with a lively, fine perlage. Vigna del Cristo reveals the elegant and dry side of Lambrusco di Sorbara: fresh, subtle and full of character. Redcurrants, fresh raspberries, pink grapefruit and a hint of white flowers on the nose. Dry, lively and clear on the palate, with animating acidity and mineral tension. A finely sparkling, stylish Lambrusco – refreshing, pleasantly tart and with impressive lightness. Perfect with summer meat dishes, antipasti, seafood or simply as a sophisticated aperitif. Beautiful length and even greater drinking pleasure. SUPERIORE.DE

Neré comes from organic cultivation on volcanic soils near Noto, where the vines benefit from cool breezes and intense sunlight – a terroir that balances ripeness and freshness. Rich ruby-violet colour, very clear and intense bouquet with strong notes of dark fruit and a hint of violets. Juicy, fresh with lots of ripe berry fruit on the palate. Round, supple and dense with a fruity, savoury final, preferably served slightly chilled. SUPERIORE.DE

This could be your perfect white house wine: Light straw yellow with greenish reflections. The Bianco "Ceregio" from Zerbina is made from pure Trebbiano Romagnolo and matured in stainless steel tanks. The nose has a fresh aroma of green apple, white blossom, a little lemon and a hint of freshly cut hay. On the palate, the wine is dry, clear and straightforward, with lively acidity, a delicate flavour and fine minerality. A fresh, typical regional white wine with organic certification that focuses entirely on the grape variety and the terroir of Emilia-Romagna – unpretentious, honest and pleasantly enjoyable to drink. SUPERIORE.DE

Cannonau is part of Sardinia's DNA – and Sartiglia is Contini's accessible expression of this traditional grape variety. The grapes come from vineyards in the province of Oristano, near the west coast, where sea breezes and sandy soils create a warm but balanced microclimate. The wine is aged partly in stainless steel and partly for six months in used barriques – this allows the fruit to remain in the foreground, supported by subtle ripeness and depth.

An exciting Sicilian duo: Angimbé combines Inzolia and Chardonnay to create a white cuvée that combines island flavours with international elegance. The grapes come from Tenuta Ficuzza at an altitude of around 700 metres – a cooler terroir with clay-limestone soils that lend freshness and structure. Pale straw yellow in the glass with golden reflections. Yellow pear, pineapple, citrus, some honeydew melon and floral notes on the nose. Juicy, round and balanced on the palate, with mild acidity, fine fruit sweetness and a harmonious, slightly spicy final. A versatile, accessible white wine that accompanies Mediterranean cuisine just as effortlessly as relaxed evenings on the terrace. Very good value. SUPERIORE.DE

The name reveals more than any label. Passamante – the forest right next to the Negroamaro vineyards of Masseria Li Veli near Cellino San Marco. A forest that bears its name from times gone by: "passare" and "amante" – the lover who steals away here unobserved. There are hardly any more romantic names for a wine. 100% Negroamaro, the great grape variety of Salento, on calcareous clay, 10 to 20-year-old vines, harvested in mid-September. Fermentation in temperature-controlled steel, six months in barrique – no more, no less. The Falvo family, who have been at the masseria since 1999, with Roberto Cotarella as Oenologist, do not experiment here. They make authentic wine far from the mainstream.

Castel del Monte Bombino Nero is the only DOCG in Italy reserved exclusively for rosé wines – made from at least 90% indigenous Bombino Nero grapes. The vineyards are located at 400–500 metres around Castel del Monte, the octagonal Staufer castle of Frederick II, whose mysterious geometry inspired the Torrevento logo. Limestone karst soils, Mediterranean sun, a constant sea breeze from 13 kilometres away – ideal conditions for a variety that tolerates heat, retains freshness and always remains light and direct in the glass. Gentle pressing, controlled temperature, four months of ageing in steel.

Montepulciano thinks in red. The Prugnolo Gentile, this stubborn Sangiovese clone, is bred for the long haul – for Nobile, for Riserva, for decades in the cellar. The fact that it is also so convincing as a rosato has to do with the terroir: the Toraia and Casale cru sites at 300 to 350 metres, clayey-silty soils, south to south-east exposure. Hand-picked at the end of September, cryomaceration for four to five hours.

Gròttolo means "small grotto". A fitting reference for an estate whose cellar is dug deep into the rock – four levels, designed according to the principles of bio-architecture by Edoardo Milesi. No pump, just gravity. This Rosato also matures down there, where the temperature remains the same and time runs differently. Sangiovese, gently pressed, short maceration at cool temperatures, steel – this is how Montecucco's most important grape variety is transformed into a rosé that expresses the character of the terroir in a different colour.

I Vini del Mare Belvento – this name stands for the still young project of the Moretti family and explains which wines are produced here in the Maremma near the coast: The wines of the Sea of Fair Winds. "According to legend, this is the sea into which Aphrodite scattered the pearls of her necklace and from which Tuscany was born. The beauty of the region makes us believe this legend! But scientifically speaking, the Belvento, the beautiful wind, is an important factor in the development of grape quality, as it is precisely this wind that ensures good ventilation of the vineyard, the cooling breeze that keeps the freshness in the grapes and makes these wines so pleasantly invigorating." Flavours and aromas are always created here from the interplay of land and sea. This is why the labels of Belvento wines depict the animal species that live on the coast, in the waters and in the nearby nature reserve.

Sicily and rosé – that sounds like a beach bar and a sea view at first. Not here. Tenuta Regaleali is located in the heart of the island, on a wooded high plateau of the Contea di Sclafani, around 500 metres above sea level, far away from any coastline. Large temperature fluctuations between day and night, calcareous-clay soils, vines with a history. The Tasca d'Almerita family has been growing Nerello Mascalese here for this rosé since the 1970s – a grape variety that is unrivalled in Sicily: Delicately fruity, lively, with a natural floral fragrance that gave the wine its name. The roses that have always grown on Regaleali are the inspiration. Gentle pressing, fermentation in steel at 14°C, three months of ageing, fruit and freshness.

For over 190 years, the Tasca d'Almerita family has been running the Regaleali estate – deep in the heart of Sicily, on the hills between Palermo and Caltanissetta, where the island shows its true character: tart, warm, incorruptible. This white wine has been the flagship of the house for over 60 vintages – and it is something like the most honest business card that Sicily can issue. Inzolia, Catarratto, Grecanico – three indigenous grape varieties of the island, rounded off with a touch of Chardonnay – grow at the higher altitudes of the estate, where cooler nights sharpen the flavour and preserve the natural acidity. Matured in stainless steel, cool and precise, without wood, without distraction.

Capezzana is opening a new chapter with the Monna 1475 series – fresh, accessible and uncomplicated, without abandoning the quality standards of the traditional Tenuta. The Bianco combines Vermentino and Sauvignon Blanc to create a Mediterranean cuvée that is vinified in stainless steel tanks to preserve the lively fruitiness and freshness of the grapes. A wine for the moment, to be drunk young and a perfect match for Capezzana's vision of getting younger wine lovers excited about Carmignano. In the glass, the 2024 is bright yellow in colour with green reflections. The bouquet is fruity with notes of tropical fruit – pineapple, banana – and delicate hints of white and yellow flowers. Soft and full on the palate, with beautiful harmony and balance. The structure is pleasantly present, the refreshing acidity is perfectly balanced, the finish is medium-long and fruity with floral notes. An uncomplicated, elegant white wine that is just as convincing as an aperitif as it is with light fish dishes and seafood – tuscan lifestyle in a glass, naturally from the best vineyards! SUPERIORE.DE

Bright ruby red with violet reflections. This Primitivo has a fresh and uncomplicated fruit flavour of ripe cherries, blackberries and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. Soft and harmonious on the palate, with a juicy texture, gentle tannins and well-integrated acidity. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves freshness and varietal character. "Neprica" stands for uncomplicated drinking pleasure with Apulian soul - ideal with pasta, pizza or simply in the company of good friends. SUPERIORE.DE

Classic rosato with character: Terre Lontane is made from Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon – an unusual but extremely successful combination that creates depth and tension. The vines grow on chalky and clayey soils near the Ionian coast, whose proximity to the sea favours ripeness while retaining freshness. Brilliant raspberry pink with salmon-coloured shimmer. The bouquet is inviting and fragrant, with notes of redcurrants, pink grapefruit, wild roses and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. Lively, dry and precise on the palate, with a delicate tannic grip, good juiciness and a fine fruity finish.

From vineyards at an altitude of 250 metres in the midst of the majestic Dolomite landscape comes this charming Rosato, which embodies the carefree lightness of the South Tyrolean summer. The composition of carefully selected regional red grape varieties – mainly Lagrein – thrives in the warm, well-ventilated vineyards around Bolzano, where the mild climate and mineral-rich soils create ideal conditions for fresh, elegant rosé wines.

From the youngest vineyards of the 530-hectare Camigliano estate – where the tufa soils on the south-western slope of Montalcino give the Sangiovese particularly juicy fruit and fragrant flavour. 80% Sangiovese, supplemented by 20% Merlot for supple fullness. After gentle pressing, the wine ferments at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, then matures in large barrels and rests in the bottle for a few weeks before bottling. Vivid ruby red with garnet nuances, aromas of sour cherry, wild berries and a hint of liquorice, fruity and fresh on the palate, with soft tannins and animating length. SUPERIORE.DE

Brigaldara's Valpolicella is mainly made from Corvina and Corvinone grapes. The timing of the harvest is very important for this wine, so that its flavours are very delicate and its sensory balance is influenced by the precisely measured acidity. It expresses the characteristic flavours of the valley: from cherries to spicy notes, which are more or less pronounced depending on the vintage. Its beautiful and radiant balance is achieved by a short maturation in steel, which perfectly enhances its sensory characteristics. SUPERIORE.DE