Wines from Tuscany | Chianti

Piaggia Riserva is pure elegance in a bottle: clear ruby red colour, almost impenetrable, very consistent. Raspberry compote, dried orange peel, roses, exotic spices and a hint of cocoa on the broodingbouquet. Silky and refined on the palate, with notes of violets, ripe red and black fruits in rapid succession. Its lively acidity retains exceptional finesse, although the primary fruit slowly asserts itself. Finishes long with a layer of sweet tannins and balsamic cherry flavours. Its finesse and balance are already astonishing at a young age, and the best will only come in a few years. SUPERIORE.DE

Ricasoli's Vin Santo is the sublime interpretation of one of the historic grape varieties of Chianti Classico, the Malvasia del Chianti, and at the same time a masterpiece of centuries-old Tuscan craftsmanship. Here, the 880-year-old winemaking tradition of the Ricasoli family merges with the mystical art of passito making to create a wine of rare nobility. The grapes come from vines over forty years old on well-drained alluvial soils at an altitude of 200 metres with southern exposure. At the beginning of October, at the end of the harvest, the Malvasia grapes are hand-picked together with small quantities of Trebbiano and Sangiovese grapes with an optimum sugar content and perfect flavour concentration. Only the best, loose-berried grapes with sparse berries are transported in 18-kilogramme crates to specially ventilated chambers at Castello di Brolio. This is where the magic of time begins: the grapes hang to dry for three months while the water content slowly dwindles and the flavours concentrate. The must from the gentle pressing then ferments for months - a process that takes years and requires the utmost patience. The young wine then matures for nine years in oak caratelli of various sizes, where it develops its characteristic amber colour and complex aromas.

Smells intensely of redcurrants and black cherries, leather, spices and liquorice. Lush and flowing on the palate, all elements merge into a great, striking wine. Great potential! SUPERIORE.DE

In the history of the Campolungo vineyard, thousands of years of Tuscan viticultural culture merge with visionary dedication to perfection. These historic terraces between 420 and 580 metres above sea level were already recognised as exceptional by the Romans and have been considered one of the cradles of fine Chianti since the 19th century. The 2018 tells the story of a special climatic favour: after a hot, dry summer, the extreme altitude of Lamole preserved the crystalline freshness that makes Campolungo one of the most exceptional single vineyards in Tuscany. Pure Sangiovese from hand-picked grapes of exceptional aromatic intensity. After careful hand-picking and visual selection of the best grapes, a two-week fermentation with skin contact takes place in traditional wooden vats. Thirty months of ageing in oak barrels, supplemented by a small proportion in French barriques, create a wine of multi-layered complexity and elegance.

The top wine Cavalli Rosso comes from loose marl soils at an altitude of 400 metres facing south. It reveals a dark and lush fruit profile with intense blackberry, sour cherry, plum and graphite flavours. On the palate, it has a high primary intensity and medium weight, finishing with a very crisp acidity. It is polished and deep, balanced and supple with plenty of fruity power, weight and length. SUPERIORE.DE

Deep, dark ruby violet colour. Pugnitello impresses with intense notes of elderberry and blackberry, interspersed with subtle smoky notes, slightly peppery in the background. Juicy attack with a well-structured body, dense, gripping tannins, long and persistent with a salty component. SUPERIORE.DE

Normally, the Sangiovese grapes from the 14-hectare single vineyard are mainly harvested in Ama and San Lorenzo. Since the 2018 harvest, Lorenza and Marco have decided to vinify a small quantity separately. Deep, dark ruby red colour with violet reflections. Extroverted bouquet of blackberry, raspberry and redcurrant, with notes of crushed gravel, tobacco and traces of young leather. Very powerful and beautifully textured on the palate, the various layers of primary fruit only gradually unfold, the wood pleasantly receding into the background. Finely granulated tannins and a well-integrated acidity flank this very harmonious red on an elegant, long final. There is a lot to like here, for us it is once again a typical Ama wine: racy, powerful and elegant! SUPERIORE.DE

Historically, the vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli are located in the areas of three neighbouring municipalities of Chianti Classico: Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Radda in Chianti. With the 2017 vintage, the Mazzei family vinified all three large vineyards separately as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione for the first time in order to recognise the diversity of the terroir: Castello di Fonterutoli, Vicoregio 36 and Badiola.

This artisan grappa rarity from Felsina is made from the finest Sangiovese grape marc from the legendary Fontalloro. The fresh, carefully selected vinacce are distilled using traditional steam distillation in a discontinuous copper alambic (pot still) – a centuries-old art that allows the highest concentration while retaining elegance. After careful distillation, the grappa matures for years in oak barrels, using natural decantation without refrigeration or mechanical filtration. This patient ageing process respects the balances that develop during the long resting period in barrels – a sign of true mastery.

This Riserva is only made available each year in very small quantities to hand-picked specialist retailers and top restaurants. Brilliant ruby red colour. Fine raspberry and floral notes dominate the spicy nose. Very juicy on the palate, tannins and acidity are well integrated. Riecines Riserva has length and suppleness right through to the long fruity finish. The elegance and fine melting texture are impressive. Once again, this is Sangiovese at the top level that Riecine is known for! SUPERIORE.DE

Al Passo is named after the small forest on the highest hill of Tolaini - a magical place with a breathtaking view of the countryside and the sunsets over the towers of Siena. The wine is as unique as the forest, showcasing the natural affinity of Sangiovese and Merlot. Rich garnet with ruby colour. Intense and enticing bouquet of ripe fruit, orange zest and spicy oak notes, on the palate with ripe fruit and fresh acidity, balanced, medium body, long final with a fine salty vein. SUPERIORE.DE

Bright ruby red colour, open-hearted notes of cherry, raspberry and violet, paired with green pepper and cloves. Delicate on the palate, with a nice tang. Delicate, fine tannins, vivaciously supported by a fresh acidity structure with subtle extract sweetness, round off this incredibly authentic and juicy Tuscan experience. SUPERIORE.DE

Strong ruby red. Pinot Nero Case Via exudes a varietal bouquet of wild berries and pipe tobacco, which combines harmoniously with the barrel spice. The soft, characterful taste is based on the strength of the tannin and the excellent aroma structure of the Pinot Pinot Noir. SUPERIORE.DE

The Moraiolo is the soul of Chianti oil. A variety with compact growth and modest vigour, it produces roundish olives with a strikingly large stone – and therefore benefits particularly from pit removal. Because without the bitter stone, the pure flesh of the fruit comes into its own, and in the Moraiolo this is of remarkable complexity. Felsina's oldest trees have been standing since the 1960s. The variety ripens medium-early, earlier than the Correggiolo, and is harvested when the polyphenol content is at its peak. The olives reach the mill within four hours, are pitted (denocciolato) and pressed at 25 degrees. The oil is stored under nitrogen, vacuum bottled only when ordered.

The Pendolino is the "servant" among the olive varieties – and at the same time the indispensable one. It owes its name to its characteristically drooping branches, but its importance lies in its role as a pollinator: the flowers produce enormous quantities of pollen and thus enable the other varieties to bear fruit. In many groves, the Pendolino is a silent helper whose own oil is hardly ever bottled. At Felsina it is allowed to shine. The trees are in the Poderi Valli (planted in 1986) and Arcidosso (2005), cold-resistant and early-maturing. It is the first variety to be harvested, it is de-seeded (denocciolato) and pressed at 25 degrees.

The grapes for Istine's cult Riserva come exclusively from the estate's own vineyards Istine (Radda), Casanova dell'Aia (Radda) and Cavarchione (Gaiole). Only 4,000 bottles of this breathtaking wine, which matures for 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, are bottled each year.

Fresh, vibrant and full of energy, Geremia 2019 is highly entertaining and lively. Its flavours are remarkably intense, yet it also has a certain lightness that keeps it balanced and brilliant with every sip. Crushed stones, menthol, liquorice, sage and gravel envelop its core of blue and violet fruits, the tannins are well-built and it convinces not least with its beautiful length. Geremia always has something magical about it and its special personality makes it one of the most remarkable red wines from the Chianti Classico region for us every year. SUPERIORE.DE

The story begins with a drunk and Shakespeare. When a staggering reveller once pestered Sting – "How beautiful is the moon?" –the musician replied with a verse from sonnet 130: "My mistress's eyes are nothing like the sun." The man was satisfied and disappeared into the darkness. This nocturnal encounter gave rise to a song dedicated to all moon addicts in 1987 – "for the lunatics everywhere, for all those whose sanity is dependent on the phases of the moon." It seems only logical that this title of all things should become Il Palagio's flagship: the winery's first great Supertuscan also unfolds its magic in the twilight between day and night. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon merge in equal parts – tuscan tradition meets international elegance without one side dominating. The biodynamically cultivated vines on the hills of Figline Valdarno provide the foundation; fifteen to eighteen months in new French barriques lend depth and polish.

The top-quality Vigneto Erchi Riserva comes from the small vineyard of the same name, which has belonged to Fattoria Selvapiana since 1998. The owners spent a long time searching for a vineyard whose terroir impressively demonstrates the complexity of Sangiovese in the Rufina region, making this wine a high-calibre addition to the famous Selvapiana collection.

A name that breathes history: since 2011, the grapes for Marchese Antinori have come exclusively from the vineyards of Tenuta Tignanello – the legendary location that lies at the heart of the Chianti Classico between the gentle hills of the Greve and Pesa valleys. Here, where the Medici once walked and where the Antinori family has been realising its visionary wine philosophy since 1850, one of the purest interpretations of Sangiovese thrives on stony limestone soils. The 2022 vintage tells of a summer of extremes – little rain until August, hot spells in June and July. But the old vines proved resilient: even budding, regular flowering, perfectly ripe grapes for harvest. In the winery's cellars, winemaking was carried out with classic precision: gentle destemming, gentle pressing, one week of fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Ten days of maceration using gentle methods – an extraction that combines intensity with elegant, supple tannins. Natural acid degradation until the end of the year, then twelve months of ageing in French and Hungarian oak barrels, followed by a further twelve months of bottle ageing before release.