Wine

The latest wine from Manetti – and yet one that bears the Montevertine hallmark like a second skin. Pian del Ciampolo is more than just an entry-level wine: it is the accessible side of that uncompromising philosophy for which Sergio Manetti abandoned the Chianti Classico DOCG in 1981, because he refused to blend white Trebbiano into his Sangiovese. This wine comes from parts of the two major bottlings – le Pergole Torte and Montevertine – as well as from grapes grown on younger vines. What elsewhere would be called a second or third wine is here pure Sangiovese character in its freshest form.

The new name suffix reveals what is important: Praun – which means "brown" in the local dialect – refers to the dark brown, phenolically fully ripe grape seeds and the brownish-woody structure of the stems. A sign of optimum physiological ripeness, a sign of exceptional grape quality. In the sun-drenched Siebeneich near Terlan, at an altitude of around 250 metres, Merlot finds ideal conditions. The warm, fertile alluvial soils of the Adige with their quartz porphyry content and the dry, hot microclimate produce concentrated, storable wines. After fermentation in wooden barrels, the wine matures for around a year in French barriques and large oak barrels – a combination that combines structure with elegance.

After 35 years at the helm of Vietti, Luca Currado and Elena Penna ventured a new beginning in 2023: Cascina Penna-Currado, an artisanal boutique winery in Serralunga d'Alba, founded together with their children Michele and Giulia. A cascina dating back to 1554, once owned by the Marchesi Falletti, with a 360° view over the Langhe – and a wine that epitomises Elena's long-standing passion: Timorasso. The almost extinct, indigenous white wine variety of Piedmont, revived in the Colli Tortonesi, where Sant'Agata fossilised marl – 20 million years old compacted limestone – provide the typical salinity and minerality. The 15-year-old vines grow in Berzano di Tortona on east-facing slopes. The vinification is ground-breaking: spontaneous fermentation with innovative "submerged cap maceration" – the skins remain submerged, which enables perfect extraction without oxidative notes. 40-45% skin maceration, then maturation on the fine lees in clayver ceramic vats, partial malolactic fermentation.

The Vieris vineyard covers 9.4 hectares with predominantly French clones, planted at the highest density: 0.7 kilograms yield per vine. On the same glacial gravel soils in the Isonzo Valley, with the same Bora coolness and the same Adriatic light – but with a yield that forces the wine to search deeper. Gianfranco Gallo deliberately vinifies the Vieris for a creamier texture: less focussed on varietal character, more on terroir. Short cold maceration, controlled fermentation, nine months in large wooden barrels on the lees, natural clarification, no malolactic.

Vigna Spuntali is located in the south-west of Montalcino, at 300 metres, less than 30 kilometres from the sea. This is no small matter. Where other locations are characterised by continental influences, the Mediterranean reigns here: dry heat, constant ventilation, salty breeze. Olive trees, myrtle, rosemary, sea lilacs – the Mediterranean maquis begins just behind the vines. The soil consists of sandy soils of weathered Pietraforte rock, well drained, rich in minerals, warm. Sangiovese Grosso thrives here unlike anywhere else in Montalcino – riper, more voluminous, with an iodised sea breeze on the finish that is unmistakable. The Rosso Vigna Spuntali is a new chapter in the Val di Suga portfolio: a single-vineyard Rosso that expresses the character of this exceptional terroir directly and without detours. Hand-picked in the morning, fermentation lasts twelve days, followed by a ten-day post-fermentation phase. Ageing: six months in 40-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels, then twelve months in concrete vats – an ageing process that preserves freshness and develops depth at the same time. Twelve months of bottle ageing complete the circle.

COS makes sparkling wine in small batches. That sounds like a surprise – and it is. But anyone who knows the company immediately understands the logic: not because Sicily needs sparkling wine, but because COS wants to get everything out of Frappato that this grape variety has to say. And Frappato has a lot to say. The base wine is pressed directly, fermented spontaneously in terracotta amphorae and then stabilised in concrete vats. What follows is the most unusual: neither sugar nor pure yeast is added for the bottle fermentation. Instead, fresh must from the following vintage – the most natural form of tirage available in the Metodo Classico. Matured for 20 months on the lees in the bottle, disgorged in June 2025, no dosage. What comes into the glass is exclusively Frappato, a hint of yeast and time.

Nerobaronj is no ordinary Nero d'Avola, but a deeply rooted homage to origin and style. The name plays with the aristocratic title and grape variety – and refers to the self-confident profile of a wine that sets new standards with its concentration and elegance. The grapes come from the south of Sicily, not far from Noto, from old bush vines on calcareous clay soil. Organic cultivation, hand-picking and strict selection ensure a high degree of precision. The wine is matured for 24 months in barriques and tonneaux, followed by long bottle ageing.

In the mysterious Etruscan caves under the hill of Decugnano, a sparkling wine matures at a constant 13° Celsius, which is only produced in extremely limited quantities. Claudio Barbi produced this Metodo Classico in 1978 as the first bottle fermenter in Umbria. At that time, it was still made from Procanico and Verdello grapes. Over the years, it has developed into something even more special by using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and extending the ageing period on the lees to 4 years. The entire production process is artisanal: riddling and disgorging are still done manually and are carried out with noticeable care and passion.

The Praesulis Pinot Nero is the latest addition to the Gump Hof wine family – a challenge that Markus Prackwieser has only been taking on for a few years. Because Pinot Noir in the cool altitudes of the southern Eisack Valley is a venture that requires patience and courage. The grapes grow at 550 metres above sea level on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry – those steep slopes that benefit from Mediterranean warmth during the day but are ventilated at night by the cool downdraughts from the Dolomites. A week of cold maceration is followed by two weeks of fermentation and maceration on the skins. The wine then matures for twelve months in barriques with malolactic fermentation.

Some vineyards become the property of a family through strategic acquisition, others through a marriage that unites two Piedmontese families. When Aldo Pola took Luisella from nearby Serracapelli as his wife, this union not only brought two people together, but also the Pola family with the cru that is now one of the most sought-after in the municipality of Neive: Serraboella. Here, on calcareous soils of medium structure, 300 metres above sea level, Nebbiolo thrives in an interpretation that differs from the powerful Bordini – more reserved in its youth, almost shy, but with an elegance that comes to full fruition over the years. What Matteo Pola vinifies from the 30-year-old vines of this single vineyard is a Barbaresco of remarkable harmony – a wine that impresses not with its volume, but with the crystalline precision that characterises great terroirs.

1992 was the last vintage of Boscarelli's first Riserva era. This was followed by a break of almost two decades – this was not a period of inactivity, but a lot of work and research: replanting the historic vineyards, selecting clones, researching the climatic variations of the Cervognano terroir. It was not until 2010, when the young vines of the autochthonous new plantings first showed the complexity that had been awaited, that the Riserva returned. Just like in the 1970s and 80s: exclusively from indigenous grape varieties. Prugnolo Gentile and Colorino. Vines over 20 years old from the historic core of the Boscarelli vineyards in Cervognano – calcareous, alluvial sandy soils with silt, clay, minerals and a rich stone skeleton that varies depending on the location and altitude. 6,500 vines per hectare.

Nubiola is a Barbaresco with inner tension: differentiated, unagitated, but with a clear character. The name refers to historical roots: Vitis Nubiola was the name given to Nebbiolo in the 13th century. Pelissero has revived this term – not out of sentimentality, but because it suits the style of the wine: Complexity instead of posturing, depth instead of effect. The grapes come from various plots around Treiso, on soils of calcareous marl with a fine clay content. The sites complement each other – altitude, exposure, microclimate – to create a complex but harmonious overall picture. The wine is fermented with natural yeast and matured for 18 months in large barrels and tonneaux, all with deliberate restraint so that the structure and origin remain visible.

1943 – the year in which Angelo Maci was born in Salento. It is therefore no coincidence that this wine bears his name: The "Rosso del Fondatore" is the personal project of the founder of Due Palme, an assemblage that he oversees himself and that expresses his own standards for Puglia. Primitivo and Aglianico in equal parts – two temperaments that complement each other. The Primitivo brings dark fruit and warmth, the Aglianico structure, acidity and length. The grapes are harvested late, fermented in steel and then aged for nine months in new barriques – followed by further bottle ageing. The numbered bottles are not a marketing gimmick: they are an expression of a wine that is owed and given attention.

The world of Sauvignon Blanc knows two great voices: the Loire Valley and Marlborough. Gianfranco Gallo has added a third – the Isonzo Valley. Not because he wanted to, but because the Piere vineyard decided so. 11.5 hectares in Mariano del Friuli at 34 metres, predominantly Italian clones with loose grapes on deep, gravelly-sandy soils with conglomerate components. The bora brings coolness, the Adriatic Sea brings ripeness, the Isonzo brings minerals. Short cold maceration, fermentation at 16–19 °C, eight months on the yeasts, no malolactic fermentation, ten months in the bottle.

"From the most important grape variety in the Langhe comes a wine that is an introduction to the king of wines." This is how Chiara Boschis describes her Langhe Nebbiolo – and this modesty is programmatic. The winery is located in Castiglione Falletto, one of the seven Barolo communes, overlooking vineyards such as Via Nuova and Mosconi. The Langhe Nebbiolo comes from its own vineyard and the so-called "fasce di rispetto" – those rows that border on conventionally cultivated neighbouring vineyards and are treated with particular care in terms of organic farming. 100% Nebbiolo, soils of calcareous clay in characteristic pale grey and pink-coloured rock – the same geological basis as the Barolo vineyards.

C'eragià – which is Sicilian and means: "Once upon a time." An allusion to something improbable that nevertheless came true. Because Chardonnay on the northern slope of Mount Etna, at an altitude of 740 metres, in the Contrada Rampante – sounds like an experiment that shouldn't actually work. And yet it is exactly the opposite: proof that the volcanic soil of this mountain moulds grape varieties that behave differently elsewhere.

From the highest corner of the Vigna Istine (the name 550 refers to the metres above sea level), surrounded by cool forests, this balanced Merlot is vinified in concrete before spending around 15 months in lightly toasted tonneaux. Due to the cool location, it is – unusually – harvested after the Sangiovese so that it has more time to mature on the vine. The result is a wine with a fine tannic structure and juicy, ripe blue fruit, with a hint of red fruit and some coffee notes leading to a long, graceful finish. Production is 2,600 bottles per vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

The harvested Malvasia grapes remain in shaded drying chambers for several weeks under good ventilation. Without moisture and hot sun, the grapes dry slowly and thus retain their acidity and very moderate alcohol levels. Capofaro is an impressive dessert wine that comes from vines that once belonged to the late winemaker Carlo Hauner, who made Malvasia from the island of Salina famous.

The name Deimassi comes from the large stone blocks that make up the terrace wall that supports the vineyard. These were dug out of the ground during the preparatory work for the planting in 2008. The large stones and the friable clay still mark this small parcel of land, originally intended for the production of Brunello di Montalcino, the results of which are now being marketed without the longer ageing period prescribed for Brunello.

Deep ruby red in colour. Cenito seduces with complex aromas of dark red fruits, cinnamon and cloves mingling with earthy tones, mint, chalk dust and camphor. The palate is seamlessly smooth and elegant, with ripe wild berries flowing over a core of vibrant acidity, while a hint of acidic citrus adds tension towards the end. The finish is structured and long, with fine-grained tannins and floral notes of sour plums and violets. Cenito is Cilento Aglianico at its best. It is deceptively accessible and gentle, but the tension increases with every sip. Be patient and savour this great Aglianico! SUPERIORE.DE

Anagallis arvensis – is the correct botanical name for the small, inconspicuous flower with bright orange petals that grows between the rows of vines in the vineyard plots around Lilliano. When the Ruspoli family decided to give their Bordeaux-inspired cuvée a name, they chose this humble wildflower – a symbol of its roots in the terroir, even though the grape varieties themselves originate from France. While Chianti Classico embodies the soul of Lillliano, Anagallis represents the Tuscan courage to embrace modernity that revolutionised the wine world in the 1970s and 1980s: international varieties on Tuscan soil, vinified with respect for origin and craftsmanship. The blend of 50 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 40 per cent Merlot and ten per cent Petit Verdot comes from the Tenuta's best plots, selectively harvested by hand and fermented separately in small stainless steel tanks. Each grape variety undergoes its own cycle before being transferred to French barriques after malolactic fermentation, where it matures for 14 months – not in new barrels, but in used ones, which give the wine structure without dominating it.

Animardente is a pure Nerello Mascalese produced from vines planted in bushes at an altitude of 700 metres on partly sandy and ashy, partly gravelly and pebbly soils that are exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night. The name of the wine is derived from the bowels of the volcano, from its incessant activity, the heat and the colour of the magma. The vines grow in a kind of amphitheatre created by volcanic eruptions, which over the centuries have produced a valuable substrate for viticulture: On dark volcanic soils formed from lava flows, mainly free-living, rootless vines develop here, which are exposed to the most extreme climatic influences. Animardente was born a few years ago in this almost moon-like landscape. A name that tells of the soul of the silent volcano, unexpected and incandescent, breathing life into perpetual motion. An irrepressible and seductive force of nature, the expression of a unique terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

Lagrein is South Tyrolean through and through. The grape variety grows almost exclusively in this region, with a genetic origin that stretches further back in history than most other Central European varieties: pre-Roman, documented in historical records and unmistakable in character. Its historical home is Gries, now a district of Bolzano, where its potential was recognised early on and which gave it its name. The Pfitscher family has its roots in Montan, a municipality in the South Tyrolean Unterland, known above all for the Mazon vineyards and Pinot Nero. The fact that a Lagrein of this calibre is also produced here demonstrates the breadth of the terroir. The Griesfeld is the most consistent expression of this: 15 months in small oak barrels, which lend the Lagrein character and refined spice without overpowering it.