Wines from Tuscany

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.

Since 2006, Pelofino has represented the youthful, carefree side of Fattoria Le Pupille – a counterpoint to the more serious, oak-influenced flagship wines Saffredi and Poggio Valente, with which Elisabetta Geppetti has put the Maremma on the world's wine map. Sixty% Sangiovese forms the Tuscan foundation, complemented by equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from various plots on the estate, whose soils range from clay-silt to sandy-loam in structure, interspersed with marl-limestone. Harvesting follows the respective ripening stages: Merlot and Sangiovese are harvested in the first half of September, whilst the later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon is not harvested until the first week of October. In the cellar, the Pelofino is deliberately kept light: fermentation at 24°C in stainless steel, 15 days' contact with the skins, followed by five months' ageing – also in stainless steel, without any contact with wood. What counts here is fruit, not heavy tannins.

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

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.

Poggio al Lupo presents the trendy white variety Vermentino in its sunny, Mediterranean form with a distinct elegance. In the glass, it is a pale, slightly golden straw yellow. The aroma is reminiscent of green mandarin, lemon zest, white peach and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. On the palate, it is fresh, with lively acidity, a delicate salty minerality, ripe fruit and a crisp, easy-drinking character. Fruity sweetness and freshness are perfectly balanced. An uncomplicated, reliable Tuscan wine from the west coast – sleek, typical of the region and ideal with seafood, grilled vegetables or light fish dishes. SUPERIORE.DE

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.

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, left behind no major works – just a few lines about the local grape varieties and how they were processed. La Braccesca has given its name to a wine that reflects this modesty: direct, fresh and uncomplicated. The Marchesi Antinori estate covers 500 hectares on the border between the Val di Chiana and the hills of Montepulciano, at an altitude of around 280 metres. 85% Prugnolo Gentile – the local Sangiovese clone that gives Rosso di Montepulciano its characteristic freshness and fruitiness – complemented by 15% Merlot, which contributes body and smoothness. Both varieties are harvested separately: the Merlot in mid-September, the Prugnolo Gentile a month later. Separate fermentation in steel, short malolactic fermentation in large casks, followed by four months' ageing. Fresh, light, with no hint of oak.

Elisabetta Geppetti is more than just a winemaker – she is the "Signora del Morellino", that dynamic woman who, at the age of just 20, took the reins of the family-owned winery and helped bring the Maremma to international prominence. When she pressed the first Morellino in 1985, she laid the foundations for a success story that continues to this day. This wine is Le Pupille's calling card, both in terms of quantity and quality – a consistent, authentic expression of the terroir between Pereta and Magliano in Toscana.

Felsina's entry-level wine, made from 100% Sangiovese from the border between Chianti Classico and the Colli Senesi. The estate, acquired by Domenico Poggiali in 1966, is situated in Castelnuovo Berardenga on diverse soils comprising sandstone, marl and limestone. Following temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is aged for twelve months in medium-sized Slovenian oak barrels. Ruby red with violet hues in the glass. On the nose, fruity aromas of wild berries and blackcurrant, complemented by pleasant spicy notes. On the palate, it is round and supple, with well-structured tannins and a delicate final of red fruits and vanilla. A classic Chianti from the Colli Senesi, perfect for everyday enjoyment with meat dishes. 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.

Antonio Moretti Cuseri had known the Maremma since childhood, from holidays and fishing trips. Around the turn of the millennium, he established his estate near Magliano in Toscana, which features the rosette from the capital of the nearby Abbey of San Bruzio as its logo. The Sangiovese grapes grow here on the first row of hills overlooking the sea, on stony soils, with a breeze that sweeps through the rows in the mornings and evenings. After 15 days of fermentation on the skins, the wine matures for seven months in stainless-steel tanks, followed by two to three months of bottle ageing.

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.