Wines from Tuscany

This accessible Rosso Toscana IGT comes from the high altitudes of the Chianti Classico, around a Romanesque pieve dating back to the 10th century. The cuvée from our own vineyards skilfully combines the freshness and finesse of Sangiovese with the structure and suppleness of Merlot. After separate vinification of the grape varieties, the wine matures for ten months in French and American oak barrels.

When you say Talenti, you mean Brunello – but Riccardo Talenti, grandson of the legendary Pierluigi, can also be more light-footed. His Rosso Toscana combines 80 per cent Sangiovese with 20 per cent Petit Verdot from vineyards south of Montalcino on clay-limestone soils. The Sangiovese matures for several months in oak, while the Petit Verdot brings colour, fruit and velvety volume to the cuvée. The colour in the glass is a deep ruby red with violet reflections. Ripe cherry, plum and blackberry meet a hint of spice. Smooth and surprisingly full-bodied on the palate, with round tannins and a juicy freshness on the finish – an uncomplicated Tuscan that cannot deny the signature of a great Brunello house. SUPERIORE.DE

The name says it all: "Cretum" refers to the Crete Senesi, those moon-like clay hills that stretch south of Siena. Poggio Bonelli lies on their threshold – in the extreme south of the Chianti Classico, where the vineyards of Castelnuovo Berardenga merge into the barren beauty of the Crete. Soils from the Pliocene, over five million years old, characterise the wines here: clay-rich tuff interspersed with sand. Chardonnay and Viognier come together in this terroir.

An uncomplicated Tuscan from the organically cultivated vineyards of Castello di Radda, which are south-facing on the hills behind the winery. The cuvée of 60% Merlot and 40% Sangiovese grows on clay-rich soils with a limestone content, which gives the wine its fruity and accessible character. After manual harvesting, the wine is vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with a maceration period of around ten days. The wine is matured partly in steel and partly in tonneaux, with bottling taking place in the summer after the harvest.

Vigna di Pallino offers excellent value for money. Its bouquet displays the typical fruity and spicy notes, along with well-balanced acidity. On the palate, it is lively and vibrant; the primary flavours and the juicy, soft tannins harmonise beautifully, making this Sangiovese a wonderful accompaniment to medium-bodied Tuscan cuisine.  SUPERIORE.DE

The Lohsa Estate is situated in Magliano in Toscana – deep in the Maremma, less than 30 kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Federico Carletti bought it in the 1990s and replanted the vineyards: Sangiovese as the main variety, with Ciliegiolo as its Tuscan companion. The soils here are galestro and marl, rich in mineral content and well-drained; at around 100 metres – the sea is close enough to moderate ripening without compromising the structure. Morellino di Scansano is Sangiovese in a Maremma guise: sunnier, softer and more approachable than its big brothers in the north – but with a character all of its own. Fermented in stainless steel, followed by partial ageing in wood: the wine remains fresh, losing none of its Mediterranean directness.

In the local dialect, "Melacce" means "apple orchard". Anyone familiar with the Collemassari vineyards will understand the choice: those windswept slopes near Cinigiano, where the Tyrrhenian Sea greets every breeze and bestows upon the grapes a salty freshness that no winery in the world can replicate. The vineyards lie at 320 metres; the sea is thirty kilometres away – close enough to taste. 100% Vermentino, temperature-controlled ageing in stainless steel. No oak, no intervention – everything that happens here takes place in the vineyard.

Felsina's rare white wine from the heart of Chianti Classico. pep, made from 70% Trebbiano, 15% Chardonnay and 15% Sauvignon Bianco, thrives in south-west facing vineyards at an altitude of 350 metres. After manual harvesting, the wine is fermented and matured exclusively in stainless steel tanks. Straw yellow in colour with greenish reflections. Shows floral and fruity aromas on the nose. Light and very refreshing on the palate with a natural salinity. An extremely versatile white wine for everyday enjoyment – perfect as an aperitif or with tasty fish dishes such as fritto misto or baked fish. SUPERIORE.DE

As an entry into the world of Vino Nobile, Federico Carletti's Rosso reveals all its directness without false modesty. Eighty per cent Sangiovese – here honourably called "Prugnolo Gentile" – are combined with twenty per cent Merlot to create a cuvée that expresses the character of the galestro-rich clay soils unfiltered. This organically produced composition matures only briefly in historic barriques, emphasising the youthful freshness of the Sangiovese grape. Intense ruby-coloured tones reveal the power of the Tuscan sun, while a seductive interplay of sour cherries and dark forest fruits with herbal and floral nuances unfolds on the nose. On the palate, this Rosso presents itself with the typical Poliziano balance: velvety, elegantly structured, with a subtle tannin structure that never dominates, but harmoniously envelops the fruity core. An authentic ambassador of its terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

After a break of thirty years, Federico Carletti has ventured a renaissance in recent years: Ambrae marks Poliziano's return to white grape varieties. This elegant cuvée made from ninety per cent Chardonnay and ten per cent Roussanne thrives on the clay-rich slopes around Montepulciano – a name that, like the winery itself, pays homage to the great Renaissance humanist Angelo Ambrogini. This composition matures exclusively in stainless steel without the influence of wood, allowing the mineral depth of the Pliocene soils to express itself unfiltered.

After a break of thirty years, Federico Carletti has ventured a renaissance in recent years: Ambrae marks Poliziano's return to white grape varieties. This elegant cuvée made from ninety per cent Chardonnay and ten per cent Roussanne thrives on the clay-rich slopes around Montepulciano – a name that, like the winery itself, pays homage to the great Renaissance humanist Angelo Ambrogini. This composition matures exclusively in stainless steel without the influence of wood, allowing the mineral depth of the Pliocene soils to express itself unfiltered.

Morisfarms is located seven kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. And you can taste it. The Vermentino from the Poggetti estate carries the coast in the glass: salty, mineral, fresh, with that characteristic crispness that distinguishes Vermentino from the Tuscan coast from its more opulent relatives from Sardinia or Piedmont. The wine is not a pure Vermentino, but a harmonious blend: 90 per cent Vermentino, 10 per cent Viognier – the indigenous coastal variety and an aromatic northern player. The Viognier is harvested at the end of August, the Vermentino in mid-September. Both are cold clarified separately and fermented together in steel at 18 degrees. Matured lean, short fine lees, fresh in the bottle.

Elisabetta Geppetti is more than just a winemaker – she is the "Signora del Morellino", the energetic woman who took over the reins of the family winery at the age of just 20 and helped the Maremma region to achieve international renown. When she pressed the first Morellino in 1985, she laid the foundations for a success story that continues to this day. This wine is the quantitative and qualitative calling card of Le Pupille – a constant, authentic expression of the terroir between Pereta and Magliano in Tuscany. The Morellino combines Sangiovese (90%) with Alicante and the autochthonous Ciliegiolo (5% each) from vineyards exposed to the south-west at an altitude of 50 to 250 metres. The vines, some of which are over 40 years old, are rooted in skeleton-rich, clayey and ferrous soils, cooled by sea breezes and strengthened by pronounced day-night temperature differences. After the harvest at the end of September, the must ferments on the skins for 15 days and matures for eight months, mainly in stainless steel tanks with a small proportion in used barriques.

This Sangiovese expression full of character, which bears the authentic face of Chianti Classico, comes from the privileged vineyards around Castellina in Chianti. The Zingarelli family, who have been dedicated to this exceptional terroir for five decades, rely on hand-picked grapes, predominantly Sangiovese with a subtle proportion of Merlot, for their classic wine. Lively ruby red in the glass with a youthful brilliance. The intense bouquet develops ripe aromas of raspberries and wild strawberries, accompanied by notes of violets and an elegant spiciness with subtle nuances of wood. On the palate, the wine is balanced, structured and warm, with a silky body and fine, never intrusive tannins. The lively freshness harmonises perfectly with the fruity concentration and leads to a lingering aromatic finish. A Chianti Classico that masterfully combines tradition and modernity and expresses the typicality of its origin with youthful purity. SUPERIORE.DE

In the Middle Ages, it was a monk from Montepulciano Abbey who was the first to write down how to make wine from the local grapes. Sabatino Lulli, known as Sabazio, did not leave behind any great works – just a few lines about the local varieties and their processing. La Braccesca has given its name to a wine that reflects this modesty: direct, fresh and straightforward. The Marchesi Antinori estate extends over 500 hectares on the border between the Val di Chiana and the hills of Montepulciano, at an altitude of around 280 metres. 85 per cent Prugnolo Gentile – the local Sangiovese clone that gives the Rosso di Montepulciano its characteristic freshness and fruitiness – supplemented by 15 per cent Merlot, which contributes body and softness. The two varieties are harvested separately: the Merlot in mid-September and the Prugnolo Gentile a month later. Separate fermentation in steel, short malolactic fermentation in large barrels, then four months of ageing. Fresh, light, without a hint of wood.

Poggio al Lupo brings the trendy white Vermentino variety in its sunny, Mediterranean form with clear elegance. A light, slightly golden straw yellow colour in the glass. The aroma is reminiscent of green mandarin, lemon zest, white peach and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. The palate is fresh, with animating acidity, delicate salty minerality, ripe fruit and crisp drinkability. Fruit sweetness and freshness balance each other out. An uncomplicated, reliable Tuscan from the west coast – lean, typical of the region and ideal with seafood, grilled vegetables or light fish. SUPERIORE.DE

As a gateway to the world of Vino Nobile, Federico Carletti’s Rosso reveals its full directness without any false modesty. Eighty per cent Sangiovese – known in the region as Prugnolo Gentile – is blended with 20 per cent Merlot to create a cuvée that unfiltered expresses the character of the galestro-rich clay soils. This organically produced blend is aged only briefly in historic barriques, allowing the youthful freshness of the Sangiovese grape to take centre stage.

Between Bolgheri and Scansano, on the hills of Gavorrano in the central Maremma, two worlds came together: Paolo Panerai of Castellare di Castellina and Baron Eric de Rothschild of Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Lafite. The first Italian-French joint venture in viticulture was born – and with it, on the estate's highest hill, a cellar designed by Renzo Piano. The only one of its kind. Beneath it, carved 50 metres into the rock, lie up to 2,000 barriques. On the hill: Etruscan artefacts proving that wine has been made here for 3,000 years.