Wines from Lombardy

A Grand Cru of Franciacorta – from a single, high-altitude Pinot Nero parcel, selected and vinified with the utmost precision. The 2013 matured on the lees for more than seven years and was disgorged without dosage in order to reveal the pure character of the vineyard. In the glass, it shines in a rich gold colour with copper reflections, interspersed with an ultra-fine, persistent perlage. The nose is deep and multi-faceted: ripe apricot, candied orange peel, rosehip, fine brioche notes, hazelnut and a hint of smoke. Powerful and focussed on the palate, carried by taut, crystal-clear acidity and a silky texture. The fruit remains subtle, while salty minerality and fine toasted notes create great inner tension. The final is long, cool and complex, with hints of dried herbs and citrus zest. A Franciacorta of rare depth and nobility – uncompromising, clear and of impressive longevity. SUPERIORE.DE

A cool spring with little rainfall noticeably delayed the phenological development of the vines in 2021. The summer was changeable, with warm, dry spells alternating with cool, damp ones, but a steady supply of water ensured that the Nebbiolo reached an excellent state of ripeness by the end of September. The harvest began in the last week of September – an average time by the standards of the last twenty years – yet the quality of the grapes proved to be high: marked temperature fluctuations and a rain-free October ensured healthy, concentrated berries.

On 18 and 19 April 2017, the temperature dropped to minus 4.5 degrees; the frost damaged two-thirds of the estate's vineyards, whilst in August the temperature soared to 39 degrees. The yield was 4,800 kilograms of grapes per hectare – 38% – and from these came a wine bearing the name of the estate’s founder: Annamaria Clementi Zanella, mother of Maurizio Zanella. In 1989, the cuvée was dedicated to her; it is produced only in the best vintages and exclusively from the finest plots, at that time still known as the Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Riserva. Since the 2008 vintage, it has been simply called Annamaria Clementi and is bottled without dosage.

"Selva della Tesa" is no ordinary Chardonnay - it is the quiet antithesis to Ca' del Bosco's world of sparkling wines, a solitary vineyard, a monolith of fruit, minerality and ageing potential. Situated in the hilly landscape of Erbusco, the plot - planted with old vines on clay-limestone soils - produces the estate's most concentrated harvestyear after year. After manual harvesting and the typical washing process, the grapes are gently pressed and placed in small French barriques, where fermentation begins spontaneously. This is followed by eleven months of ageing on the fine lees, with regular bâtonnage. No new wood influence for its own sake, but targeted structural work. This is followed by bottle ageing - long enough to bring out the inner architecture of the wine.

"When we taste the Riserva Franco Ziliani, we hear our father's voice: direct, brooding and rigorous." – Paolo Ziliani. Created as a tribute to the 90th birthday of the visionary who, together with Guido Berlucchi, bottled the first 3,000 bottles of Franciacorta Metodo Classico in 1961, thereby changing the destiny of an entire region. With the 2011 vintage – only the second bottling since its debut in 2008 – this Riserva now becomes part of the permanent collection. A limited special edition becomes a living legacy. The philosophy behind it: time perfects. "Art is Timeless" is the mantra, and indeed, every bottle resembles a work of art. The hand-crafted brass label transforms it into a collector's item, of which only 4,732 exist.

The "Sassorosso" vineyard is located on a rocky promontory that is separated from the rest of the mountain and has been almost completely eroded by the glacier over the centuries. It is visually characterised by the unmistakable red colour of the ferrous inclusions in the rock. The overlying shallow soil layer consists of clay and sand and lies on friable, metamorphic rock into which the roots can penetrate. The unmistakably elegant and mineral character of the terroir is therefore particularly evident in this Nebbiolo.

The Ca' Guicciardi vineyard takes its name from the farmhouse situated at its centre. This single-vineyard plot is characterised by small, very steep valleys. Impressive rock faces alternate with terraces supported by some of the highest dry stone walls in the Valtellina. The distinctive colour of the rock, which tends towards a quartz-like white, significantly intensifies the sun's heat, resulting in higher temperatures and more light here than in other parts of the valley.

The Fracia vineyard has belonged to Nino Negri since it was established in 1897. It lies at the confluence of several Alpine valleys, and the vegetation in this area – with its lavender and rosemary – is distinctly Mediterranean. The result is a wine that is flavourful and floral, with a distinctive, spicy aroma. An intense ruby red colour with garnet-red highlights. On the nose, complex aromas of dog rose and violets, which develop into spicy notes such as rosemary and lavender. On the palate, it is dense, rich and has well-structured tannins. The well-balanced and fresh acidity leads into a long, very flavourful finish. An Alpine red that is already a delight to drink today, but with further bottle ageing, its complexity and power will really come into their own. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1400, the Duke of Milan gifted Captain Stefano Quadrio a castle in Chiuro. Quadrio became governor of the Valtellina, planted vines, sold wine and had cellars built on four levels beneath the house. Just under five hundred years later, in 1897, Nino Negri arrived from Aprica, married Amelia Galli and established a winery in the same village. The old cellars still exist today, and they are an integral part of the wine: Castel Chiuro matures there in barrels and bottles for at least ten years. It is produced only in the finest vintages.

Seven hectares surrounded by a hostile world. The Vigna Fracia is located where the Alpine valleys meet, where glacial winds ensure temperatures that are below the average for the already cool Valtellina. It is historically the coldest zone in the region – and yet lavender and rosemary grow wild here between the dry stone walls. This contradiction has characterised the wine since 1897, when Nino Negri acquired this parcel: his oldest, his most idiosyncratic. Where the Sforzato Carlo Negri favours concentration through drying, the Vigna Fracia chooses the classic path. No appassimento method, no sultana sweetness – instead a pure red wine vinification that preserves the Nebbiolo's alpine freshness. After fermentation, the wine rests for twelve months in medium-sized oak barrels, followed by two years of bottle ageing in the valley. At the end of 2020, the magnums began their ascent: five years in the rock cellars of Bormio and Livigno at 3,000 metres. Two paths, one goal – altitude as the finishing touch.

After the Second World War, Felice Dal Cero moved from Verona to Lugana di Sirmione on Lake Garda, where he began making wine. His son Pietro subsequently built up Ca’ dei Frati into one of Lombardy’s most prestigious estates – and, in 1969, was one of the co-signatories of the first Lugana DOC Disciplinare, the region’s first Denomination of Controlled Origin. When Pietro died in 2012, he left his children – Igino, Gian Franco and Anna Maria – not only a vineyard – but also a legacy. The siblings acquired further vineyards in Pian di Castagnè, in the eastern part of Valpolicella, near the Luxinum vineyard, on calcareous-marly soils with white and red flake-like rocks – —a terroir with a distinctly mineral character. It marked a return to their father’s roots. They therefore dedicated the wine they produce here to him: Pietro dal Cero – the father, to whom they gave back what he himself could never see again.

In 1956, Nino Negri became the first winery in Valtellina to embark on an experiment: Nebbiolo grapes, naturally dried in the same way as for Amarone, were to produce a red wine of unprecedented concentration and power. Within a few years, this experiment had become a model for the entire region. In 1983, Casimiro Maule, Oenologist estate's Oenologist since 1971, refined this tradition into the modern Cinque Stelle – named after the highest rating that a vintage's grapes must achieve in order to be considered for this wine at all.

Named after the founder of the estate, Maurizio Zanella Rosso is much more than just a name wine - it is a personal commitment to the idea of modern Italian red wine. Bordeaux grape varieties on Lombardy soil, French vinification techniques and Italian intuition: a cuvée that has been proving since the 1980s that great red wines are not bound by borders. The 2021 vintage is in the tradition of cooler, structured years - with crystal-clear fruit, lively freshness and excellent ageing potential. The blend consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, from single vineyards with poor, chalky soils and natural yield stress. The grapes are harvest strictly and selectively by hand. After fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, the wine matures for around 13 months in small French barriques - around two thirds of which are new. It is then bottled, unfiltered, without fining.

In 1964, Annamaria Clementi Zanella bought a small house on a hill near Erbusco, along with two hectares of land, nestled amongst dense oak and chestnut woodland. The house is called Ca' del Bosc, and it continues to bear the estate's name to this day. From this wooded corner of Franciacorta – a region known primarily for its sparkling wine – comes a red wine that goes against the grain: the Pinéro, a pure Pinot Nero from six vineyards in Erbusco and Corte Franca, averaging 36 years of age. This grape variety is unforgiving; it demands patience in the vineyard and restraint in the cellar. Anyone who cultivates it in a region where sparkling wines are the norm is choosing the harder path – and must prove it in the glass, rather than explain it.

Selva della Tesa is no ordinary Chardonnay – it is the quiet counterpoint to Ca' del Bosco's world of sparkling wines, a solitary vineyard, a monolith of fruit, minerality and ageing potential. Situated in the hilly landscape of Erbusco, the plot – planted with old vines on loamy-limestone soils – produces the estate’s most concentrated harvestyear after year. Following hand-harvesting and the traditional washing process, the grapes are gently pressed and transferred to small French barriques, where spontaneous fermentation begins. This is followed by nine months' ageing on the fine lees, with regular bâtonnage. No influence from new oak for its own sake, but rather targeted work on the wine's structure. This is followed by over three years' bottle ageing to shape the wine's internal architecture.

A Grand Cru of Franciacorta – from a single, high-altitude Pinot Nero parcel, selected and vinified with the utmost precision. The 2013 matured on the lees for more than seven years and was disgorged without dosage in order to reveal the pure character of the vineyard. In the glass, it shines in a rich gold colour with copper reflections, interspersed with an ultra-fine, persistent perlage. The nose is deep and multi-faceted: ripe apricot, candied orange peel, rosehip, fine brioche notes, hazelnut and a hint of smoke. Powerful and focussed on the palate, carried by taut, crystal-clear acidity and a silky texture. The fruit remains subtle, while salty minerality and fine toasted notes create great inner tension. The final is long, cool and complex, with hints of dried herbs and citrus zest. A Franciacorta of rare depth and nobility – uncompromising, clear and of impressive longevity. SUPERIORE.DE