Wines from Tuscany

Deep ruby red colour, lush notes of cherries, strawberries and sweet oak spice, vanilla and black pepper. The Sangiovese gives the blend great freshness and is in perfect balance with the silky and soft tannins of the Merlot. Overall rich, but always elegant and with great persistence. A complex, excellently structured red wine in absolute Super Tuscan quality and produced in a limited edition of just under 3,000 bottles. SUPERIORE.DE

Moscadello was originally the first wine from the Montalcino appellation, long before the triumphant rise of Brunello. Mastrojanni's Moscadello di Montalcino is a blend of late harvested Moscato, Malvasia di Candia and Sauvignon Bianco. The wine matures for two years in barriques and tonneaux. Intensely fragrant bouquet with plenty of power and character, aromas of candied fruit, honey and brown sugar. These notes are reproduced with every sip with impressively brilliant precision and astonishing freshness. This rare wine (only 1,300 bottles were filled) matures for two years in barriques and tonneaux and is traditionally enjoyed instead of a dessert or with cantuccini. Very delicate. SUPERIORE.DE

The fifth vineyard. Such is the simple origin of this name – and so direct is Carlo Ferrini's philosophy behind it. La Quinta is not the little sister of Brunello, but its self-confident counterpart: the same address in Sant'Angelo in Colle at 400 metres, the same Sangiovese from skeleton-rich soils with a south-easterly orientation, the same care in the cellar and ageing. Only the time horizon is different. 2020 brought Montalcino warm, balanced conditions with a good night-day temperature amplitude – a vintage that favoured depth and drinkability in equal measure. 7 days of fermentation, 13 days of maceration in steel, then 12 months in a combination of 700-litre Liters, 2,500-litre Liters barrels and cocciopesto amphorae, rounded off in cement tanks. The baked clay amphora provides the breathable openness that keeps the wine alive without oxidising it.

Montalcino is Brunello country. Anyone who has anything to do with wine knows that. This makes the decision that Conte Alberto Marone Cinzano made in the early 1980s all the more remarkable: he planted Cabernet Sauvignon in the hills above Sant'Angelo in Colle – in a region that has belonged to Sangiovese for centuries. Not an experiment, not a whim, but out of conviction: That the exceptional terroir of Montalcino can give this grape variety what it cannot find elsewhere. The vineyard bears the name of the Elm grove that accompanies it – olmaia. The denomination has changed over the decades: what once appeared under Sant'Antimo DOC is now labelled Toscana IGT. The wine has remained the same. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, organically grown on 140 hectares of the estate, on soils of galestro and clay, which give the Cabernet the concentrated minerality that has always characterised Col d'Orcia. The grapes ripen slowly, under the dry heat of summer, surrounded by maquis, olive trees and the silence of the hill.

Le Baròncole Riserva impresses with its juicy fruit and stone fruit flavours on the nose and continues this beautiful impression on the palate. Cherry, sour cherries, blackberry, very juicy and powerful in appearance, completely fills the palate, but always remains lively and elegant. Silky, fine-grained tannins and a long, balsamic finish whet the appetite for the next glass. Good substance. Good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Montalcino and Cabernet Sauvignon – at first sounds like a marriage against nature. Sangiovese reigns here, Brunello grows here, the grape variety has found its expression here for centuries. The fact that Count Alberto Marone Cinzano nevertheless planted Cabernet Sauvignon on the hills of his estate in the early 1980s was neither a coincidence nor an experiment – it was a conviction. The conviction that this terroir, these soils, this altitude are capable of more than just one wine. Today, Olmaia is a monument to this vision. The vineyard – 365 metres above sea level, planted in 2005 – bears his name. The DOC Sant'Antimo, founded in 1996, created the legal framework for just such wines: international grape varieties, grown in Montalcino's chalky soil, with the ambition not to imitate, but to interpret.

On the hill of Riparbella, which smells of the sea and the forest, one principle holds true: what is done by hand in the vineyard at the right time of year determines what can be created in the cellar. Luca D'Attoma's work in the vines sets the stage for everything that follows. The clay soils with their pronounced salinity, the limestone gravel, the sea breezes, the constant temperature range – the terroir of Duemani is characterised by a tranquillity that carries over into the glass. Altrovino follows the same approach as it always has: Merlot and Cabernet Franc fermented spontaneously, separately, in concrete, with 20 days' maceration. Part of the Cabernet Franc is aged in terracotta amphorae, which lend volume to the fruit and allow the floral notes to unfold. Then comes the blending, followed by eight months in oak vats. No fining, no filtration.

On the classic bouquet, ripe cherry, tobacco and some damp earth. On the palate, first the pure Sangiovese feeling: beautiful small red berries, wild cherry, lively acidity. Then an impenetrable mesh of red and black fruits, which together with a fine web of tannins and minerals reveal more and more of themselves. Compressed and with each sip more open and present, the beautifully diversified taste components present themselves until they then lead into an aristocratically long and fresh finish with a hint of liquorice. SUPERIORE.DE

When we discovered this winery by chance at the beginning of the 2000s, we were immediately impressed by the modesty and purism of the Biliorsi winemaking family. This is still the case today, they remain true to themselves and their philosophy and in good years, they produce just 10,000 bottles of a "slightly different" Brunello in the cellar.

Lodano Rosso is a blend of Petit Verdot and Merlot that is seamlessly integrated with its dark fruits, blackberries and plums, which are nicely rounded off by smoke and tobacco from French oak and a smaller proportion of American oak. The Merlot comes from the winery's famous old vines, and the contemporary concentration and richness of the Lodano can be found in this wine as well as in the winery's entire portfolio. The dark fruits and spices speak in a deep baritone that calls for a juicy grilled steak, it also offers excellent value! SUPERIORE.DE

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

Piandorino, the "entry-level wine" from Pian dell'Orino, represents its noble origins with great class. Light, bright ruby red in colour, with a beautiful bouquet of dark cherry, fresh plum, peppery notes and delicate vanilla tones. Juicy fruit on the palate, accompanied by a flattering woody note, finely balanced tannins and good length. This wine is fine and beautifully delicate on the finish. The grapes for Piandorino come from the estate's younger Brunello vines and around 3,000 bottles are produced each year. SUPERIORE.DE

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

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

Pliocene clays retain moisture. In a dry, hot year like 2020, this is not merely an agricultural detail, but a survival strategy. The clay soils of Poggio Landi, situated 300 to 500 metres above Torrenieri, provided a natural buffer against the summer drought that put large parts of Montalcino under strain that year. The organically farmed vines, with their deeper, more active root systems, played their part. The result is a Brunello full of concentration and character. Herbal and spicy notes on the nose – wild herbs, fennel and oregano – followed by sweet cherry and tamarind. Two weeks of spontaneous fermentation, 38 months in large French oak barrels, and 6 months in bottle.

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.

Le Baròncole – the little manors. The name refers to the feudal division of this land in the Middle Ages, to landowners who were small enough to be forgotten, yet large enough to leave their mark on the landscape. Today, Le Baròncole is the name of San Giusto a Rentennano's finest Chianti Classico – a Riserva produced only in years when the terroir warrants it. The estate overlooks the upper Arbia Valley at an altitude of 270 metres. The soils are varied – sand, clay, limestone and mineral-rich deposits – and characterised by a microclimate that experiences marked temperature fluctuations between day and night. In such locations, Sangiovese ripens differently to elsewhere: more slowly, with greater tension, and with a freshness not found in the Maremma or the lower Chianti region. 97% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, harvested by hand in September, when the Martini di Cigalas are ready. Aged for 16 to 20 months in large oak casks and French barriques, depending on the vintage, followed by a further six months' bottle ageing.

It was almost a silent revolution when Michele Satta decided to set the stage for Sangiovese in Bolgheri. While all around him his illustrious neighbours – sassicaia, Ornellaia, Guado al Tasso – were dancing the international Bordeaux party, the non-conformist from Varese dared to do the unthinkable: he planted the pure Tuscan soul in an appellation that was supposed to breathe French elegance. Cavaliere – the knight – does not bear this name by chance. It is Michele Satta's personal crusade for the grape variety that he reveres as "Tuscany's emblem of elegance and nobility". Today, he is the only producer in Bolgheri who takes on this challenge with the same passion as the international varieties.

1975 – two years after Riecine’s first Chianti Classico – john Dunkley decided that some years and some grapes deserve more than the usual. The Riserva was born. Since then, it has only been produced when the selection allows: the best vineyards, the oldest vines, two stages of selection – in the vineyard and on the sorting table – before the grapes enter the cellar. The vines for the Riserva are between 25 and 45 years old. After selection, the must is transferred to unglazed Nomblot concrete vats. There, the must is initially kept cool with dry ice for four to five days before spontaneous fermentation begins – slowly, naturally. After fermentation, the wine spends a further ten days on the skins, with the cap submerged. Then comes the centrepiece: the entire Riserva production is transferred to a single large oak cask from Grenier. Untoasted – no toasty aromas, no vanilla, no foreign character. Just the neutral, breathable structure of the wood. 22 months. Then back into concrete for natural stabilisation and clarification. Finally, three months in bottle.