Wines from Tuscany

Pergolaia consists mainly of Sangiovese with smaller proportions of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wine opens with a medium-bodied attack and a bright bouquet characterised by notes of cherry, wild plum, ploughed earth and pressed blue flowers. This very Mediterranean-style red with a strong personality envelops the palate with a delicate, silky intensity. SUPERIORE.DE

"After working with Sangiovese for ten years, I finally decided to produce a single-varietal wine. For too long I had unjustly relegated this grape variety to a marginal role in my production. It is not only the expression of pure Tuscan tradition, but also the most technically difficult grape, capable of producing great emotions. The name (Der Knappe) is a tribute to its famous teacher, the Sangiovese pioneer of Bolgheri, Cavaliere Michele Satta, to whom I will always be grateful." Fabio Motta

How could it be otherwise: Tenuta Meraviglia's Bolgheri Rosso is vinified from 100% (!) Cabernet Franc. Bright, deep ruby red colour with violet reflections. Intense and pronounced aroma of blackcurrant, wild blackberry, cherry and raspberry, enriched by notes of tobacco, liquorice, undergrowth and roasted aromas. Warm and persistent on the palate, with a fine texture and sweet, spicy tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

Crognolo is a wonderfully balanced wine that offers the tangy freshness and acidity of Sangiovese, which is balanced and softened by the small proportion of Merlot. The wine smells of cherry, blackberry and plum. Its primary intensity is bright and cheerful. The juicy finish shows a nice density, extraction and well-integrated tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

In the Conca d'Oro, the golden amphitheatre of Panzano, around 400 olive trees per hectare grow alongside the famous Sangiovese vines. Giovanni Manetti, the mastermind behind the legendary Flaccianello della Pieve and president of the Chianti Classico Consortium, applies the same precision to his olive oil as he does to his wines. The cuvée of 80% Correggiolo and 20% Moraiolo is harvested by hand and gently pressed on the same day – freshness and fruitiness are thus fully preserved. Fontodi has not used herbicides or pesticides since it was founded and has been certified organic since 2008.

Dark ruby red with a delicately brightening rim. Elegant bouquet of dried cherries, followed by notes of chocolate and flowers. Radiant and juicy on the palate, showing pithy, savoury tannins, tightly woven, spanning a wide range. The zesty acidity provides a fantastic balance, while it finishes long and grippy with liquorice and a balsamic herbal flavour. All it needs is a little more time to fully develop. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all: Badilante honours those workers who, with their spades – the "badili" – for generations to drain and reclaim the marshland of the Maremma. Simone Castelli, son of the legendary OenologistMaurizio, vinifies this single-varietal Sangiovese on the organically farmed Podere 414 vineyard near Scansano. The grapes grow at an altitude of 230 metres in clayey, loamy soils with a high proportion of skeleton. Spontaneous fermentation in cement, 15–18 days maceration with délestage and remontage, followed by maturation partly in cement and partly in wood.

Light, dense ruby colour. A cool Cabernet profile with blue fruit on the nose: Blackberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, plus cedar wood, graphite, laurel and a hint of juniper. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, yet polished: juicy, dark fruit, very fine-grained, ripe tannins and a lively acidity that benefits from the constant coastal wind and the day/night temperature gradient. The spice remains elegantly in the background, the wood is perfectly integrated and supports the texture without masking the freshness. Long, straightforward finish with a salty, mineral flavour. The 2023 shows the sunny side of the Tuscan coast with balance instead of vigour: a precise, modern Maremma Cabernet – accessible in its youth, with reserves for several years. Ideal with grilled beef, lamb chops, savoury mushroom dishes or mature pecorino. SUPERIORE.DE

Named after the "Seggio" stream, the largest watercourse in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci, this elegant Bordeaux blend epitomises the accessibility and finesse of Bolgheri DOC. The historic watercourse rises in the Etruscan Colline Metallifere near Sassetta and flows through the entire Bolgheri area, its alluvial deposits enriching the characteristic clay soils with valuable pebbles. This harmonious cuvée comes from the privileged vineyards of Le Sondraie and Via Bolgherese. The vines, which are around 19 years old, thrive on well-drained, skeleton-rich soils with a clay layer and a high magnesium and iron content – ideal conditions for the international grape variety assemblage.

A name rises: Vallenuova, previously the estate's entry-level Chianti, will become a Riserva with the 2023 vintage. The vineyard, which surrounds the winery like a natural amphitheatre, bears the place name – still the official address of Tolaini in Castelnuovo Berardenga. What has changed is the time: instead of ten months, the Riserva now matures for much longer in a triad of Tuscan, Slavonian and Austrian oak before resting in the bottle for another few months. The base is now also clearly defined: 100% Sangiovese from silty-clayey soils with limestone and stones. Double selection – by hand in the vineyard, visually in the cellar – 20 days of maceration on the skins, temperature-controlled fermentation.

At Podere le Ripi, the grapes for the Rosso di Montalcino are given more time in the cellar than elsewhere, making the wine more similar to a Brunello than a Rosso. Deep ruby red in colour with orange reflections. A captivating symphony of aromas on the nose, ranging from cherry, strawberry and violet to fresh balsamic herbs. On the palate, an impressive, broad structure, beautifully interwoven primary and secondary flavours, a fine minerality and a remarkably long finish. The longer ageing period really pays off! SUPERIORE.DE

Two names characterise this Riserva: Il Corno and Poggio Selvale. The Sangiovese grapes from which Castello di Radda creates its classic Riserva style come from these two top vineyards, situated between 350 and 450 metres above sea level. The clayey-calcareous soils with their high proportion of Galestro and Alberese – the characteristic limestone slate of the region – give the wine mineral depth and structural complexity. In this coolest zone of the Chianti Classico, where dense forests surround the vineyards and the temperature fluctuations between day and night are particularly pronounced, the Sangiovese reveals its most elegant side. After manual harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and fermented in 50-hectolitre stainless steel tanks. Maceration on the skins lasts three to four weeks – a luxury that only fully ripe grapes from top vineyards allow. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood before the wine begins its 20-month maturation: in French second and third passage tonneaux and in 20-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels. A nine-month bottle maturation completes the development.

The grapes for this Supertuscan come from the San Giovanni vineyard near San Giovanni a Cerreto. In the church next to the vineyard there is a painting by Rutilo Manetti depicting St John the Baptist (San Giovanni). Deep ruby red, youthful, rich, dark fruit, berry and cassis flavours meld with French oak. On the palate with deep, subtle fruit flavours and an excellent balance of fruit and tannin, plus some smoke, liquorice and tar. A rich but not too heavy red with excellent structure and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Trebianco is a golden yellow "natural/orange wine" made from Chardonnay, Traminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Trebbiano and matured in clay barrels. The initially reductive bouquet has hints of sweet tobacco, nutmeg, leather, honey, orange peel and spicy herbs. Fresh on the palate with vibrant acidity. Note: The wine is unsulphurised, unfiltered and fascinatingly special. An oxidative note and lees in the wine do not represent a lack of quality. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Potazzine: this is the name given in Montalcino dialect to the little tits that flutter through the vineyards. It was the pet name given by a grandmother to her lively granddaughters: Viola and Sofia. Today, together with their mother Gigliola Giannetti, the two run one of the most purist wineries in the appellation. The vines grow at an altitude of 450 to 530 metres – sites that were once considered too cool and are now considered a blessing. This Sangiovese is the youthful entry: pure stainless steel ageing, twelve months, no oak, just the grape.

Very rarely do even the traditionalists relax their strict rules. Fuligni, synonymous with classic Brunello di Montalcino for over a century, has taken a step with this rosato that surprises and enchants – and enchants. Only around a thousand bottles of this Sangiovese rosé are produced, which grows on the north-eastern slopes of Montalcino, where the family has cultivated its vineyards since the beginning of the 20th century. Maria Flora Fuligni, who has managed the estate with philosophical calm since 1971, was guided by the joy of experimentation. The vinification follows the classic Rosato method: short maceration, gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel.

A Bolgheri-Rosso with a strong character and a clear origin: the vines for this cuvée of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grow on chalky, well-drained soils near Castagneto Carducci. Rich ruby colour with violet reflections. Ripe cherry, blackberry, Mediterranean herbs and a hint of cedar characterise the bouquet. Powerful on the palate, with dense fruit, well-integrated acidity and fine tannins. The finish is long, spicy and characterised by mineral freshness. A young Bolgheri-Rosso with profile, accessibility and remarkable depth. Be sure to aerate. SUPERIORE.DE

Uccelliera's Rosso di Montalcino slowly comes to life with a beguiling blend of mentholated herbs, pine shavings and dried strawberries. It glides over the palate with a texture of pure silk, caressing everything it touches with ripe red fruits and rosy flowers accompanied by a lively acidity. Structured, powerful and long on the final – as always, it far exceeds its weight class and is a top-class Rosso di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

San Filippo is located in the east of Montalcino – the part of the region known for its particular elegance and longevity. Roberto Giannelli, who acquired the winery in 2003 and has consistently favoured organic cultivation and minimal wood intervention ever since, has developed a style with Oenologist Paolo Caciorgna that shows Sangiovese Grosso in its purest form. Lo Scorno is the opening to the first movement – accessible, direct and full of character.