Tuscany

Vernaiolo is one of the oldest members of the Rocca delle Macìe family and has always been the estate's most traditional example of Chianti. Its name is derived from the Latin vernāle, which means "of spring" and indicates the season in which the Chianti was bottled after it had survived the winter. Even today, this lively, ruby-red wine is ready to drink in the spring after the harvest and retains its fresh and fruity characteristics for a long time.

For centuries, the Maremma was the land of the butteri – the Tuscan drovers who rode through the marshland on small horses and herded the large white Maremma cattle. The mandriolo, the herdsman, was their trade. Morisfarms has given this name a wine that suits it: down-to-earth, uncomplicated, straightforward. 80% Sangiovese, supplemented by Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot – a pragmatic blend from the Poggetti estate in Massa Marittima. Clay-rich, fossil-rich soils, seven kilometres of coastline, south-west exposure. Harvested in mid to late September, fermented in temperature-controlled cement vats with 15 days of maceration, pumping over twice a day. No wood. Bottled for three months. Finished.

The cuvée of 85% Sangiovese and 15% other grape varieties comes from the historic vineyards near Gaiole in Chianti. Vinified in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature, traditional ageing methods preserve the typical Sangiovese freshness and authentic Chianti character. Bright ruby red in the glass. The bouquet is characterised by dark fruit: black cherries and blackcurrants, with elegant notes of violets and balsamic hints of liquorice and mint. Juicy and refreshing on the palate with the characteristic playful acidity of Sangiovese, velvety spiciness and charming fruity notes that remain present into the finish. An uncomplicated but refined Chianti of remarkable authenticity. SUPERIORE.DE

Villa Grazianella – a 17th century villa surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and orchards on the hills of Acquaviva – stands at the heart of the Fattoria del Cerro, the largest private producer of Nobile di Montepulciano. The new wine name is both a tribute and an indication of origin. The Rosso di Montepulciano is made from Prugnolo Gentile – the local Sangiovese clone that has adapted to the climate and soil of the Colli Senesi over the centuries. Fermentation at a controlled temperature with daily pumping over, followed by maturation in the cellar for at least four months.

The name says it all: Badilante pays tribute to the workers who, for generations, used their spades to drain and cultivate the marshy lands of the Maremma. Simone Castelli, son of the legendary OenologistMaurizio, vinifies this single-varietal Sangiovese at the organically farmed Podere 414 vineyard near Scansano. The grapes grow at an altitude of 230 metres in loamy-clay soils with a high proportion of coarse material. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete, 15–18 days’ maceration with délestage and remontage, followed by ageing partly in concrete and partly in wood.

Castelnuovo dell'Abate is located at the southern tip of Montalcino – right next to the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo, one of the most important ecclesiastical monuments in Tuscany. The Fanti family has lived here for generations. When the Sant'Antimo DOC was founded in 1996, Filippo and Elisa Fanti were involved from the very beginning – out of a close bond with this place, its soil and its history. Sassomagno, named after the stony, rocky character of the terroir – is their most personal commitment to this region: a Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, which shows the versatility of Montalcino's southern location in an accessible, easy-drinking form.

Montepulciano has two faces. One has large wooden barrels, decades of cellar time and the name Nobile. The other is younger, more direct – and often the more honest pleasure. The Rosso di Gracciano comes from the Casale and Maramai crus, at 280 to 300 metres in north-eastern exposure: somewhat cooler, somewhat slower ripening than the Nobile sites, with medium-heavy soils that produce freshness rather than vigour. 90 per cent Prugnolo Gentile – this stubborn Sangiovese clone, which only shows its full temperament here – supplemented by ten per cent Merlot for fullness and texture. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in steel, ten days of maceration at a controlled temperature, no wood. A wine that does not wait.

Montepulciano thinks in red. The Prugnolo Gentile, this stubborn Sangiovese clone, is bred for the long haul – for Nobile, for Riserva, for decades in the cellar. The fact that it is also so convincing as a rosato has to do with the terroir: the Toraia and Casale cru sites at 300 to 350 metres, clayey-silty soils, south to south-east exposure. Hand-picked at the end of September, cryomaceration for four to five hours.

Gròttolo means "small grotto". A fitting reference for an estate whose cellar is dug deep into the rock – four levels, designed according to the principles of bio-architecture by Edoardo Milesi. No pump, just gravity. This Rosato also matures down there, where the temperature remains the same and time runs differently. Sangiovese, gently pressed, short maceration at cool temperatures, steel – this is how Montecucco's most important grape variety is transformed into a rosé that expresses the character of the terroir in a different colour.

I Vini del Mare Belvento – this name stands for the still young project of the Moretti family and explains which wines are produced here in the Maremma near the coast: The wines of the Sea of Fair Winds. "According to legend, this is the sea into which Aphrodite scattered the pearls of her necklace and from which Tuscany was born. The beauty of the region makes us believe this legend! But scientifically speaking, the Belvento, the beautiful wind, is an important factor in the development of grape quality, as it is precisely this wind that ensures good ventilation of the vineyard, the cooling breeze that keeps the freshness in the grapes and makes these wines so pleasantly invigorating." Flavours and aromas are always created here from the interplay of land and sea. This is why the labels of Belvento wines depict the animal species that live on the coast, in the waters and in the nearby nature reserve.

"According to legend, this is the sea into which Aphrodite scattered the pearls of her necklace and from which Tuscany was born. The beauty of the region makes us believe this legend! But scientifically speaking, the Belvento, the beautiful wind, is an important factor in the development of grape quality, as it is precisely this wind that ensures good ventilation of the vineyard, the cooling breeze that keeps the freshness in the grapes and makes these wines so pleasantly invigorating." Flavours and aromas are always created here from the interplay of land and sea. This is why the labels of Belvento wines depict the animal species that live on the coast, in the waters and in the nearby nature reserve. I Vini del Mare Belvento – this name stands for the still young project of the Moretti family and explains which wines are produced here in the Maremma near the coast: The wines of the Sea of Fair Winds.

The name says it all, as this is a rosato that is reminiscent of the unconventional times of 1968 in terms of its lightness and vivacity. In the glass, it has a radiant, delicate peach-pink colour – almost as if a sunrise had taken wing. A floral bouquet of grapefruit, pineapple, apricot and wild meadow flowers heralds various adventures. On the palate, it remains dancingly light, with bone-clear acidity and crisp fruit, slightly salty notes and an expression of redcurrants round off the picture. Unfiltered, direct, fresh – an invigorating counterpoint to everyday grey life. Flower Power combines Sangiovese with reductive clarity, drinkability and catchiness – puristic, pink and full of emotion. SUPERIORE.DE

From the youngest vineyards of the 530-hectare Camigliano estate – where the tufa soils on the south-western slope of Montalcino give the Sangiovese particularly juicy fruit and fragrant flavour. 80% Sangiovese, supplemented by 20% Merlot for supple fullness. After gentle pressing, the wine ferments at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, then matures in large barrels and rests in the bottle for a few weeks before bottling. Vivid ruby red with garnet nuances, aromas of sour cherry, wild berries and a hint of liquorice, fruity and fresh on the palate, with soft tannins and animating length. SUPERIORE.DE

In Renaissance Florence, the Spezieri were merchants of spices and rare essences – masters of the art of blending. Col d'Orcia has dedicated a wine to this profession, and the name fits well: Spezieri combines Sangiovese with Ciliegiolo – the cherry grape variety that has been at home in Montalcino for centuries – and small quantities of other varieties from the estate. A Tuscan blend, organically grown on 140 hectares around the hamlet of Sant'Angelo in Colle. Col d'Orcia is one of Montalcino's most important estates. Spezieri is its most accessible wine – fruity, flavoursome, light-footed, intended for everyday drinking. In summer, it can be enjoyed slightly chilled, in winter at a table setting.

Avignonesi's uncomplicated everyday wine combines Tuscan tradition with international grape varieties: Sangiovese and Merlot form the backbone, complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon, Colorino and Syrah. The grapes undergo an eight-day maceration at a controlled temperature, with the alcoholic fermentation guided by natural yeasts from the company's own pied-de-cuve selection. After eight months of ageing in stainless steel, the wine is ruby red in colour with inviting aromas of ripe cherries and blackberries, with a hint of liquorice. On the palate, it is lively and full-bodied with direct fruit, carried by velvety-soft tannins and a pleasant persistence reminiscent of Mediterranean scrub. A versatile and animating companion for every day. SUPERIORE.DE

I Vini del Mare Belvento - this name stands for the still young project of the Moretti family, as it describes the wines they harvest and press here in the Maremma, close to the sea: the wines of the Sea of Fair Winds. "According to legend, this is the sea into which Aphrodite scattered the pearls of her necklace and from which Tuscany was born. The beauty of the region makes us believe this legend! But scientifically speaking, the Belvento, the beautiful wind, is an important factor in the development of grape quality, as it is precisely this wind that ensures good ventilation of the vineyard, the cooling breeze that keeps the freshness in the grapes and makes these wines so pleasantly invigorating." Flavours and aromas are always created here from the interplay of land and sea. This is why the labels of Belvento wines depict the animal species that live on the coast, in the waters and in the nearby nature reserve.

Belvento – the good wind. This is the name of Petra's maritime wine project, born from the narrow landscape where the metal hills of the Val di Cornia meet the Tyrrhenian Sea. Velarosa is its rosé and the name itself is both an image and a promise: a pink sail that picks up speed. 100% Grenache, hand-picked at the beginning of September, briefly crushed and fermented in steel at a controlled temperature.

Pure Sangiovese-Rosato, with fine floral nuances, strawberry and violet notes on the nose. Fresh on the palate, well-structured and with clear, red berry flavours through to the delicate, salty, spicy finish. SUPERIORE.DE