Librandi | Calabria

Critone is one of the best-known white wine cuvées in southern Italy and combines the elegance of Chardonnay with the aromatic freshness of Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes come from well-ventilated vineyards around Cirò Marina, on calcareous flysch soils with a clay subsoil – ideal conditions for clarity and structure. The colour in the glass is pale straw yellow with a greenish tinge. The nose reveals green apple skin, citrus, some peach and fine vegetal notes. The palate is dry, clear and lively, with crisp acidity and a fine mineral vein. Maturation in stainless steel tanks emphasises the fresh, fruity character.

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.

Intense, bright ruby red colour. The full and tantalising bouquet seduces the senses with a potpourri of ripe red fruits, plums, cherries and a hint of spices. The palate is rich, fruity and smooth with subtle notes of liquorice, vanilla and fine wood. This red wine combines the character of the region with the appeal of international varieties. SUPERIORE.DE

A bestseller and classic with a reputation: "Duca Sanfelice" is a flagship for the indigenous Gaglioppo grape variety and demonstrates the expressive wines that can be produced from the sun-kissed hills around Cirò. The Riserva comes from old vines on clayey and calcareous soils, vinified in steel tanks and then matured in stainless steel for 24 months. Deep ruby red in colour. Dark cherry, dried plums, herbs, some liquorice and a hint of tobacco on the nose – spicy and Mediterranean flavours. Dry on the palate, with ripe fruit, pithy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long, powerful and carried by earthy warmth and fine spice.

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.

Efeso is probably Librandi's most elegant white wine – a single-varietal Mantonico, an old Calabrian grape variety with a long history and great potential. The grapes come from high-altitude, well-ventilated vineyards around Strongoli, where the warmth of the south meets night-time freshness and ripening is slow and controlled. The 2023 vintage was warm but balanced, with healthy grapes and precise flavours. The ageing takes place in barriques with regular bâtonnage – a deliberately Burgundian approach for an indigenous wine.

Gravello is the great red classic of the Librandi house – and has been a pioneering wine for the region since the 1980s. The cuvée of Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon is a symbol of modern Calabria: powerful, structured and of international calibre, without denying its origins. The 2022 vintage was characterised by a warm, dry summer with cool nights, resulting in ripe, healthy grapes with dense fruit and good freshness. The wine is aged for twelve months in French barriques, giving it depth and elegance.