Wine

On the lower slopes of Ronco, where the hills of Rosazzo gently fade into the valley, lies a plot of land that Christian Patat planted in 2001 with a mission: to make the best Chardonnay in Friuli. Not a modest ambition, but anyone who knows the wines of Ronco del Gnemiz knows that nobody bakes small rolls here. The vines come from Selezione Massale, vegetatively propagated from the estate's oldest Chardonnay vines. They are rooted in the Ponca, Friuli's famous marl soil, which gives the wines their mineral tension. Exposed to the south-west, they capture the warmth of the afternoon sun – and yet they retain the freshness that only the Adriatic breeze and the proximity of the Alps can provide. What distinguishes Ronco Basso from the other white wines of the estate: It is the only one to undergo malolactic fermentation. Christian Patat gives it this creamy dimension because the Chardonnay can take it – no, because it needs it. Whole-cluster pressing, then eleven months in French barriques, a third of them new, the rest second and third vintages. Rare bâtonnage, a lot of patience.

At Ronco del Gnemiz, Sauvignon is the queen. Not Chardonnay, not Friulano – sauvignon Bianco. And the Sol is its purest embodiment. The name is initially misleading: unlike Chardonnay Sol, this wine does not come from the historic vineyard between the world wars. Its terrain is younger – around thirty years old, planted with Selezione Massale from the estate's oldest Sauvignon vines. What makes it special lies beneath the surface: calcareous soils, where the other Sauvignons of the estate are rooted on the famous Ponca of marl and sandstone. You can taste the difference. Where Peri and Salici show mineral tension, the Sol responds with an almost luminous clarity. Christian Patat treats it like all of the estate's white wines: whole bunch pressing, then fermentation exclusively in wood – used barriques and Liters barrels. No malolactic fermentation, no bâtonnage. The wine should speak, not the winemaker.

What does it mean to elicit the highest form of expression from a grape variety? For the Ferragamos, it is the essence of their wine philosophy – and this Chardonnay is their white manifesto. In a region that, since Cosimo III de' Medici's decree of 1716, has been one of the four noblest wine zones in Tuscany, Il Borro dares to do the unexpected: a white wine that wants to compete with the great Burgundies. The vines are rooted in metamorphic soils interspersed with fossilised sea shells – witnesses to a time when water still covered the land here. At the foot of the Pratomagno, they find that balance of warmth and night-time coolness that gives the Chardonnay both ripeness and freshness. After being harvested by hand in small crates, an unrivalled ageing process begins: part of the must ferments in stainless steel, while the rest is divided between clayver, acacia and oak barriques. Maturation on the fine lees lends texture and depth – each vessel contributes its own nuance before merging into the final cuvée.

Luca Roagna likes to call it his worst wine. "It's made from all the leftovers," he says with a smile. But what Roagna considers "leftovers" would be considered a jewel elsewhere: The Langhe Rosso combines Nebbiolo from Barbaresco and Barolo – from Pajé, from Pira, from young vines that have not yet reached the magical age of 25 years. Vines that have only recently been planted in plots that were damaged by landslides in the 1990s. Luca says of himself: "I'm a thick skull." This entry-level wine is pure provocation. Technically speaking, it could be categorised as Barolo or Barbaresco – were it not a blend of both appellations. And here comes the amazing thing: Langhe Rosso undergoes exactly the same rigorous vinification and ageing programme as the great cru wines – 60 to 70 days of maceration with a submerged cap, followed by five years of ageing in neutral French oak and cement barrels. Five years for an "entry-level wine" – well, nobody else really does that.

Oro – golden name, golden essence. This passito is a real masterpiece, with its bright amber colour and copper reflections, visually announcing its precious concentration and depth. The grapes (100% Moscato Bianco) undergo a deliberate drying process: Harvested late and stored dry until December before undergoing fermentation – including malolactic fermentation and maturation for 24 months in new barriques. A complex process during which the wine matures to a balsamic, honey-saturated elegance.

Some wines are not created out of planning, but out of respect for what old vines can give. In Neive, where the Pola family has run the Fontanabianca winery since 1969, there is a plot of Barbera vines that have taken root in the limestone and clay soils for half a century. From these old vines – uncompromisingly selected and only vinified in exceptional vintages – brunet is the result: a Barbera wine of such concentration and structure that it redefines the conventional notions of this grape variety. The limited production is bottled exclusively in magnums, a format that gives the wine the space to develop that its density and complexity demand.

"Rich, brooding and convincing: Colle Sant'Antonio is a small selection of Garganega that I carefully choose in the vineyard and patiently wait for in the cellar." Graziano Prà

Vigna San Marcellino Gran Selezione is both youthfully fresh and ripe and complexly muscular. It contains a healthy dose of the deeply coloured Pugnitello grape, and on the nose liquorice, tarragon and broom mingle with lush plum and subtle roasted aromas that are highly seductive in their complexity. Deep, taut and lively on the palate, loaded with black cherry and rich, velvety tannins. The texture is silky, while subtle chalky notes and a salty minerality give it plenty of energy and lead it into a juicy, refreshing finish. Vigna San Marcellino is a convincing wine with enormous ageing potential every year. SUPERIORE.DE

The Paesaggio Inatteso selection comes from Camigliano's 3.5-hectare "La Magia" vineyard, which has mineral and calcareous soils. Only just under 3,000 bottles are bottled. It offers a more robust style and a stronger aromatic intensity than the Annata. Bright red with an amber-coloured rim. On the nose, round notes of walnut shells, roasted hazelnuts and linseed, as well as red plums, pomegranate seeds and green olives. Traces of incense and cardamom in the background. Full-bodied, lively tannins on the palate, with hints of red berries and flowers leading to an intense and long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Il Favot bears the name of the estate that Aldo acquired in 1969: "Cascina Favot" in Bussia. It is the only wine in the portfolio that is named after the family estate, and this naming reveals the Conternos' personal attachment to this Nebbiolo. But why not call it Barolo? After all, the grapes come from the same legendary Bussia vineyards that produce Bussia and Granbussia. The answer lies in the age: Il Favot is made exclusively from vines under 15 years of age – the young vines that will one day produce the great Barolo. A baby Barolo with pedigree. The vinification is deliberately designed for earlier drinking maturity: only six to eight days of maceration to extract less tannin and more colour, followed by a few months in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then aged for 15 to 18 months in new French Allier barriques – an unusually opulent treatment for a Langhe Nebbiolo, which gives the wine depth and structure. Aldo Conterno once said: "Vanilla, toast and spice do not belong in Barolo." But in Il Favot? Please, with pleasure.

The single-vineyard Sauvignon Bianco Lozeta is the result of the avant-garde planting system, which, in contrast to the cultivation method previously practised in Friuli, not only means a higher planting density, but also the intelligent use of clones and biotypes that have been married with French offshoots. It is a further uncompromising and consistent step towards complexity and personality, with optimal utilisation and expression of the existing terroir and microclimate.

There are wines that bear the name of their place. And there is this one – it bears the name of the beginning. "Campo delle Piane" was the name of the half hectare of land that Antonio Cerri farmed into old age, when the world around him had long since given up. When Christoph Künzli took over this inheritance at the end of the nineties, it became Le Piane. The wine, which today is simply called Piane, is the essence of this original story – and a tribute to an almost forgotten grape variety: Croatina. The grapes come from the estate's oldest plots, planted between 1910 and 1920 on the hills of Montalbano, Traversagna and Santuario. Centenary roots that reach deep into the volcanic porphyry. Fermented spontaneously, six days on the skins, then matured for two years – first in tonneaux, then in large Slavonian oak vats. No filtration, no intervention. Just time.

Tortoniano Barolo is a blend of Nebbiolo, 50% of which comes from the Cerequio vineyard, the other half from other plots, including some plantings in the Novello commune. It combines the complexity and nuances of the Nebbiolo grape with a fruit-driven and engaging personality. The aromatic bouquet shows hints of sweetness and richness with a potpourri of blackberries, summer cherries and spices. On the palate it is powerful and immediate, the tannins are clear and tangible. Will continue to develop towards perfection, elegance and finesse over the next few years. SUPERIORE.DE

Bianco Trinoro is made from 100% Semillon from a tiny sandy plot in the highest areas of the Trinoro vineyard. The plot is located at around 600 metres above sea level and covers approximately 5,000 square metres. The vineyard was partially planted in 2001 and completed in 2006 with vines from Bordeaux; here, as elsewhere on the estate, the vines are planted close together, one metre apart, in the Bordeaux style. Very aromatic with ripe, fruity notes balanced by a lovely freshness and acidity, great length and very good ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Archineri Bianco comes from a small, high-altitude single vineyard in the Contrada Rampante – one of the most renowned cru sites on Etna. The ungrafted vines, some of which are over 100 years old, are rooted at an altitude of 850 metres in barren, stony lava soil with north-eastern exposure. This extreme location ensures an extended growing season, pronounced day-night fluctuations and a precise, almost razor-sharp aroma spectrum. The single-varietal Carricante is selectively harvested by hand, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel and then matured on the fine lees for several months.

La Rosé de Manincor is produced using the classic saignée method – as a juice extraction from the estate's best red wine batches. The grapes come from the Manincor, Seehof, Panholzerhof and Mazzon vineyards between 250 and 500 metres above sea level. Strong clay soils, interspersed with limestone gravel and glacial rock deposits, characterise the wines. The composition of the cuvée changes slightly from year to year – in 2024, it consists of 35% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 14% Pinot Nero, 6% Syrah, 6% Tempranillo, 5% Lagrein and 4% Petit Verdot. After six to twelve hours of maceration, the must is drawn off – this is the part that makes the red wines more concentrated and gives the rosé its colour, structure and aromatic richness. Fermentation takes place in wooden barrels, partly spontaneously with wild yeasts. The wine then matures for five months on the fine lees, where the aromas are refined and the creamy texture that characterises La Rosé develops.

The Popoli vineyard bears witness to the fact that the Valle Reale plateau has been a wine-growing area since time immemorial. Several rows of this vineyard stretch out in front of the ruins of a cave cellar dating back to 1300. This is where the Benedictine monks from the monastery of San Benedetto in Perillis produced and stored their wine. A small plot of around 1 hectare is dedicated to Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.

In the past, the northern slope of Montalcino was not planted with vines, but was cultivated with cereals, olives and cherries. In this area influenced by the Apennines, the seasons are more pronounced, continental and the north wind significantly lowers the temperature in winter. It is therefore the coldest Brunello region at this time of year, but also the wettest. This northern slope is a gentle hill: a characteristic that is more reminiscent of the Crete Senesi area, right next door, than the two stiffer, steeper and warmer southern slopes of Montalcino.

Acininobili Bianco Passito is a stunning interpretation of the indigenous Vespaiola grape, offering impressive depth, complexity and personality. It is a superb dessert wine made from grapes that were air-dried for up to 120 days after harvest and developed Botrytis cinerea during the careful appassimento process. Basically, the same Vespaiola grapes are used here that are used for Torcolato. At the end of the drying process, the grapes that have developed noble rot are hand-selected and passed into this precious wine. If the noble rot does not appear, this wine is not made.

With this exceptional Chianti Classico Riserva, the Mazzei family celebrates their famous ancestor Ser Lapo, in whose writings the name "Chianti" is mentioned for the first time. The upper part of the label features a faithful reproduction of one of his writings (from 1398) with beautiful calligraphy. "Don't worry about the cost of this wine, even though it was expensive: its quality will make up for it."

The white Zero made history as the first Pas Dosé of the Alta Langa. Its pink-coloured brother goes one step further: here it is the Pinot Nero alone that carries the uncompromising philosophy – 100%, without the Chardonnay as an elegant intermediary. What remains is the pure commitment to one grape variety and one terroir. Saignée – the bloodletting. The method betrays Burgundian roots: after destemming and gentle pressing, the must rests on the skins for two to four hours in a nitrogen atmosphere, just long enough to extract that delicate copper colour that shimmers so seductively in the glass. The yield of blossom must is a maximum of 45% – concentration instead of mass. The grapes come from altitudes between 450 and 550 metres, where the calcareous soils of the Alta Langa give the Pinot Nero mineral tension and aromatic depth.

"Vintage Tunina" has been one of Italy's style-defining cuvées since the 1970s - a white monument that pushes boundaries. Silvio Jermann was one of the first people in Friuli to combine international grape varieties with local grapes and vinify them with Burgundian precision. The blend of Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana and Picolit comes from top-class vineyards near Farra d'Isonzo and Dolegna del Collio, on marl and sandstone soils with a perfect microclimate. The 2022 vintage was characterised by a warm, dry summer and occasional cool nights in August - a combination that ensured optimal ripeness, moderate yields and fine acidity levels.

In 1994, when Lodovico Antinori was looking for suitable land for the expansion of his Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, he discovered the hills of Bibbona almost by chance, which were to rewrite his destiny as a winemaker. What he found there was not just land – it was a revelation. The soils, a complex symphony of clay and the legendary Bolgheri conglomerate, the orientation of the slopes, the salty breezes of the Tyrrhenian Sea – everything spoke a different language to the familiar Ornellaia terroir. Too different, too wild, too full of character for a simple extension. And yet too fascinating to let go.

A name like a riddle, a label like an echo of pop culture and poetry – but in the glass, "W... Dreams ..." reveals a Chardonnay of remarkable clarity and depth. What began as an experiment in 1987 has long since developed into an icon. The grapes come from selected plots near Dolegna del Collio and Farra d'Isonzo, on calcareous marl soils with excellent drainage. The 2022 vintage was characterised by a hot, dry summer, but cooler nights from mid-August ensured aromatic precision and a fine acid structure.