Dessert wine from Italy

This seductive Goldmuskateller is produced from carefully selected, sun-exposed hillside vineyards around Bolzano at an altitude of 300-550 metres, continuing the centuries-old tradition of this aromatic grape variety in South Tyrol. In the warm, well-ventilated sites, the Moscato Giallo grapes thrive under ideal conditions until the end of September and develop the intense muscat flavour that makes this variety so unmistakable.

This still Muscat, which was conceived as the "little brother" of Torcolato and Acininobili, is a masterpiece and proves once again that Fausto Maculan is one of the world's best producers of dessert wines. Dindarello enchants with a marvellous blend of peach sorbet, kiwi and fresh mint. These aromas accompany the wonderfully full flavour right through to the finish. Its perfect balance between sweetness and acidity will ennoble any meal. SUPERIORE.DE

The indigenous Verduzzo grape variety unfolds its full potential here: the grapes dry directly on the vine, naturally concentrating sugar and flavours. After a late harvest, fermentation takes place in barriques - a rare, traditional style. A bright golden yellow colour in the glass. The aroma is enticing with notes of candied apricot, acacia honey, vanilla and a fine spiciness from the wood. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, soft and harmonious, with a balanced sweetness and creamy flavour. An expressive, elegant dessert wine with a long finish and regional character. SUPERIORE.DE

Giardino Pantesco is a liquid short holiday on Pantelleria – as golden as a last ray of sunshine at sunset, carried by the history and terroir of this magical island. The name refers to the "Giardini Panteschi", the centuries-old dry stone walls built in a round shape that intercept the wind and stabilise the microclimate for crops such as the gnarled Zibibbo vine. Those who savour this passito will feel the reverence for this landscape and tradition with every sip.

La Bella Estate (The Beautiful Summer) is named after a work by Cesare Pavese. This Moscato Passito is the result of over 20 years of experience. "Over time," explains the president of the company, Piero Quadrumolo, "we have managed to find an optimal balance with the aim of obtaining an aromatic wine with the clear varietal character of a Moscato that is not too broad or boring and also has good acidity." Today, just 15,000 bottles are bottled per vintage, most of which are delivered directly to the haute cuisine of Piedmont.

The enterprising British merchant Benjamin, known as "Bip", founded a company after arriving in Sicily in 1806, which was instrumental in the rise of Marsala in the world. The fermentation of this fine Marsala is interrupted by the enrichment with brandy matured for at least 5 years in oak barrels. Intense golden yellow with amber reflections. Ethereal bouquet with notes of melon and honey. In the multi-layered taste, we find notes of dried apricots and stewed pears in addition to an appealing sweetness. SUPERIORE.DE

Here comes a wine that completely tantalises the senses: Maximo is a sweet wine rarity based on Sauvignon Blanc, harvested at the height of the Villa Bianchi estate – where humidity and dry winds favour the noblest form of Botrytis cinerea. The grapes ripen on the cool Colli del Verdicchio before they are hand-picked several times and brought to the cellar, where they are gently pressed in a small Vaslin press basket. Spontaneous fermentation takes place at 15 °C for around a month. After static clarification, the wine matures in small stainless steel tanks for around a year.

Torcolato is made from botrytised Vespaiola grapes and matures in French oak barrels, a third of which are new. It has been one of the best sweet wines in Italy for decades. Aromas of dried apricots, white truffle, honey and sage on the nose, virtuoso and exotic on the palate. Class and elegance with a great value and outstanding ageing potential. A monument in the Italian wine world every year. SUPERIORE.DE

Brigaldara's Recioto presents itself beautifully with a warm aroma spectrum of preserved cherries, roses, herbs and traces of honey. It shows its true class on the palate: wonderfully balanced with its interplay of fruit and acidity and never dominant sweetness, it presents distinctive notes of small dark berries, creamy spicy flavours and dark chocolate right through to a never-ending, warming finish. A classic meditation wine! SUPERIORE.DE

A rare gem from the Colli Orientali: "Noans" is Tunella's rare cuvée made from noble sweet fermented, vine-dried grapes - a prime example of Friuli's underestimated talent in the field of high-quality sweet wines. The vines grow on calcareous marl (Ponca), which in this region not only produces delicate white wines, but also sweet wines with a cool balance. The carefully selected grapes - mostly Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco and Friulano - remain on the vine until well into late autumn. The natural loss of water through dehydration leads to an enormous concentration of sugar, acidity and flavour. After manual harvesting, the wine is fermented and matured in small barriques, where it slowly ferments for months. The result: a finely structured, deeply flavoured Trockenbeerenauslese of impressive elegance.

A rare gem from the Colli Orientali: "Noans" is Tunella's rare cuvée made from noble sweet fermented, vine-dried grapes - a prime example of Friuli's underestimated talent in the field of high-quality sweet wines. The vines grow on calcareous marl (Ponca), which in this region not only produces delicate white wines, but also sweet wines with a cool balance. The carefully selected grapes - mostly Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco and Friulano - remain on the vine until well into late autumn. The natural loss of water through dehydration leads to an enormous concentration of sugar, acidity and flavour. After manual harvesting, the wine is fermented and matured in small barriques, where it slowly ferments for months. The result: a finely structured, deeply flavoured Trockenbeerenauslese of impressive elegance.

South Tyrol's Gewürztraminer has some top-class competition here: this unique white wine is made from one hundred per cent Albana grapes, 20% of which is only harvested as a late harvest after botrytis infestation in November. Only 2,800 bottles are sold.

In Roman-medieval times, they called this sweet wine monument Acinatium – from the Latin "acinus", the grape berry. A name that encapsulates the essence of this extraordinary wine: made only from the very best and ripest individual Garganega berries, a selection of such precision that it borders on obsession. For the Tessari sisters, this rare Recioto is more than just a wine. It is the centrepiece of their family history, the wine of holidays and family gatherings, the first drop you would give a child to taste, if it were allowed and appropriate ...

Copper-coloured with light brown reflections. The bouquet is floral, sweet and complex. On the palate, its typical Moscato flavours are carried by honey, dried fruit, caramel and a hint of musk. Creamy and dense on the palate with a well-balanced acidity that gives it plenty of freshness. Overall, Aestas Passito is a dessert wine for us that is hard to beat in terms of excitement and speciality and where you can feel the dedication and certain wine craziness with every sip. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1773, a rich and resourceful merchant named John happened to land on the Marsala Coast. He was the first to produce the classic Marsala known to this day by adding brandy, refining it so that he could take it back to England without the risk of early spoilage. Intense amber colour. On the nose notes of apricot and carob, some thyme and black pepper. Full and warm on the palate with a fine apricot touch and candied fruit notes. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes are harvested at the end of August when they are ripe and then dried in the fruit cellar in 5kg crates at 23⁰C. After around 40 days, when half their weight has been lost, the grapes are pressed and the resulting must, which is particularly rich in sugar, ferments slowly at 18°C for over a month in stainless steel containers, where it remains until bottling. Light golden yellow in colour, with a fine bouquet of orange blossom, some quince, apricot and peach. Sparkling on the palate with surprisingly lively acidity, spreads out beautifully, with orange peel and some grapefruit on the long final. SUPERIORE.DE

Piera Dolza means "soft stone" and is the name of a very rare, historic dessert wine that was first produced in the traditional Prosecco region around Conegliano around 1600. It is only thanks to the initiative of 7 small local producers that it is being produced again today.