Wines from Tuscany

Poggio Landis Brunello Riserva from the dream vintage 2016 is rich in fascinating floral notes. This wine is a statement of elegance and sensory freshness. Elderflower, geranium, noble magnolia and camphor on the nose. Full-bodied, powerful and lively on the palate, it is bursting with vigour and healthy tension with fine-grained, velvety tannins and a long, ethereal finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1997, Francesco Ricasoli planted the first vines on a 7.6-hectare plot near Gaiole as part of a project aimed at exploring Sangiovese and its diverse soils. Ten years later, in 2007, the first single-vineyard cru was bottled from these vines – the first of a total of three vineyards identified through the estate’s comprehensive soil mapping. The vines are situated at an altitude of 380 metres with a south-easterly aspect, on calcareous-clay Alberese soil – one of the most characteristic soils of Chianti Classico – which is stony and low in organic matter. A single-varietal Sangiovese, comprising three different clones, is grown here at a high density of 6,600 vines per hectare. After around two weeks of fermentation and maceration with daily punching down, the wine matures for 22 months inLiters, 30% of which are new, before being released following further bottle ageing.

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.

Deep ruby red colour, as expected from a good traditionally and organically produced wine. A wonderful, elegant and open-hearted aroma spectrum between sour cherry and nutmeg. Clear and savoury on the palate, beautifully balanced and with plenty of youthful freshness and minerality on the long finish. This medium-bodied Riserva is already drinking well today, but also has enough energy to develop positively in the bottle for at least a handful of years. SUPERIORE.DE

In the southern Arbia Valley lies one of Brolio's rarest soils: an ancient river terrace dating from the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs, shaped by water that has long since taken a different course. Francesco Ricasoli also included this site in his Cru project in 2015, through which the estate aims to reveal the character of its Sangiovese plot by plot, moving beyond any generalised narrative about Chianti. The vines are planted at an altitude of 300 metres with a south-west aspect, on silty, clay-rich soils with a low stone content, covering around 6.35 hectares with a high planting density of just under 6,000 vines per hectare, a single-varietal Sangiovese comprising three clones, each of which develops its own distinctive character on this rare terraced soil. After around two weeks of fermentation and maceration with daily punching down, the wine matures for 22 months inLiters, 30% of which are new, before being released following further bottle ageing.

Just 3,500 bottles from the oldest vines of the Salco vineyard are only sold in the best vintages. In the glass, we are delighted by an extremely elegant Sangiovese with a very harmonious texture and very classic, earthy and spicy notes. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1991, Luigi Fabbro and Katia Nussbaum discovered an abandoned hilltop south-east of Montalcino: no water, no electricity – but 600-year-old olive trees and soil that had not seen any chemicals for decades. That was exactly what they were looking for. Gigi, a Friulian with experience in mapping biodiversity in the Amazon, and Katia, a London-based anthropologist, became pioneers of the biodynamic movement in Montalcino. All vintages have been certified organic since 2001. Of the 35 hectares, only four and a half are planted with vines. The rest: woodland, wilderness, corridors for animals and insects. "I see every bottle as a work of performance art," says Katia. "Our entire philosophy of life is embodied in the wine." The entry-level Brunello comes from the northern slopes, on loamy-marly soils. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, followed by three-and-a-half years' ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels.

Cellole Gran Selezione impresses with its usual elegance and sophistication. Its masterfully balanced flavour profile of wild berry and blackberry with cassis, blueberry and candied rose is fantastic. On closer inspection, the wine reveals orange peel, rosemary and iron ore. It is a silky and elegant wine with some firm tannin, lots of bright fruit and a hint of crisp acidity. Undoubtedly a great wine with great potential! SUPERIORE.DE

"Pianrosso" – the red plain. When Giuseppe Bianchini began planting this vineyard in 1985, he knew that the heart of his heritage would beat here, on the iron-rich Galestro soils above the Orcia Valley. Eleven hectares between 240 and 360 metres, supported by the slate and marl subsoil that was once seabed before the nearby Monte Amiata left behind its volcanic minerality. Today, his son Paolo and his son Alex continue this legacy – three generations of Bianchini, who face Montalcino's hottest zone with organic cultivation and prudent restraint. The 2020 vintage demanded everything: July heat, which led to 15.5 per cent alcohol, but underneath lies the elegance for which Castelnuovo dell'Abate is famous.

Sammarco occupies a special place in the history of Super Tuscans – not only as one of the first of its kind, but as a testament to a visionary rebellion against tradition. When Alceo di Napoli presented the first vintage of this extraordinary Bordeaux blend in 1980, he made wine history: with the legendary Giacomo Tachis at his side – the architect behind Sassicaia, Tignanello and Solaia – he created a wine that would change Italy forever. The name honours Marco di Napoli, the brother of the current owners Maurizia and Luca, and embodies the continuity of a family whose land has been rooted in the golden Conca d'Oro near Panzano since 1739. Here, on calcareous Galestro soils at an altitude of 360 metres, the vines thrive according to biodynamic principles – a philosophy that makes Sammarco the first fully biodynamic Super Tuscan.

Where vines grow today, the sea once lay: the soils of Roncicone consist of Pliocene marine deposits, interspersed with shell fossils and lignite – a geological archive that was formed here long before the first vine was planted. In 2015, Francesco Ricasoli included this site in his 'Cru' project, which aims to showcase the diversity of the soils around Brolio on a plot-by-plot basis, with each plot telling its own geological story. At an altitude of 320 metres, facing south-east, the vines grow across almost eleven hectares, planted between 1998 and 2000, pure Sangiovese comprising two clones, densely planted at 6,600 vines per hectare, on subsoil that is unusually rich in organic matter for the region. After around two weeks of fermentation and maceration with daily punching down, the wine matures for 22 months inLiters, 30% of which are new, followed by further ageing in bottle before release.

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.

When Virginie Saverys and Max De Zarobe realised that Montepulciano could only regain its historic reputation by working together, they founded Alleanza Vinum. Six prestigious estates – Salcheto, Poliziano, La Braccesca, Dei, Boscarelli and Avignonesi – joined forces in 2017 with a shared mission: Each would create its own 100% Sangiovese cru every year, embodying the rediscovery of Vino Nobile. Avignonesi's contribution comes from the legendary Caprile vineyard, planted in 1978 at an altitude of 300 metres. The soil tells a story spanning millions of years: marine sediments from the Pliocene, interlaced with deep veins of blue sodium clay, rich in silt and limestone – a terroir that lends the Sangiovese exceptional depth. After 28 days of controlled maceration with natural yeasts selected from the 'pied-de-cuve', the wine matures for 24 months in large oak casks.

At 618 metres above sea level, where the air already carries the coolness of the mountains and the view sweeps over the entire Chianti Valley, lies one of the most venerable vineyards in Tuscany: Coltassala – once born as a rebellious Supertuscan, today ennobled as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from the UGA Radda, embodies the revolution and evolution of Tuscan viticulture like no other wine. In 1980, Federica Mascheroni Stianti's family took the plunge: when the DOC system was still forcing Trebbiano and Malvasia into Chianti, they pressed a pure Sangiovese wine up here in small barriques based on the French model instead of the traditional large Slavonia barrels. What was then still misjudged as Vino da Tavola heralded a new era. Today, with the new UGA rules of Chianti Classico (Unita Geografiche Aggiunte, in Germany one would say Lage, in France Cru), Coltassala is finally finding its well-deserved home – as a Gran Selezione from the Radda geographical unit, which stands for the most extreme and elegant expressions of Chianti Classico. The altitude gives the 2021 vintage that characteristic freshness that makes Radda so unique – despite the warm weather, the wine retains its crystalline acidity and vibrancy.

Mulino comes from a lower-lying vineyard with a high proportion of marine fossils in the soil. It is dark and rich in the glass, with notes of plum jam, balsamic herbs, pine shavings and cloves, but also with a mentholated freshness that centres the whole experience. On the palate, it glides like pure silk, elegant and supple, with ripe, balsamic fruit and a hint of sweet mint. Finishes with a powerful structure and persistence, leaving behind nuances of cedar wood and red plums. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that you count – by points, by vintages and, every now and then, by price. And then there's VinSanGiusto. That one is counted and judged by rare experiences. Malvasia and Trebbiano are harvested by hand once the grapes have reached the desired level of ripeness. Then comes the most unusual part: the grapes are dried on racks in well-ventilated rooms. Not just a few weeks – around 140 days. For almost five months, they lose water, concentrating their sugars, acids and aromas. Then they are pressed. What follows is a true anachronism in the best sense of the word. The must is transferred to small chestnut barrels – 40 to 180 Liters – and stored in attics, where it is exposed to seasonal temperature fluctuations. Summer and winter, heat and cold, year after year. Six years. During this time, it ferments and develops slowly, without any intervention. 40% of the liquid evaporates, which also explains its extraordinary concentration. No rush, no control, no shortcuts. Then comes filtration: drop by drop through Dutch cloth. Then 18 months in the bottle. And not a single gram of added sulphur.

Between the hills of Gaiole and Radda in Chianti, at an altitude of 460 to 525 metres, lies one of the most extraordinary wine estates in Tuscany. Since 1982, Marco Pallanti and Lorenza Sebasti have shaped the fortunes of Castello di Ama – a winemaking couple who have helped Chianti Classico achieve worldwide recognition. "Ama" was created in 2010 with the introduction of the Gran Selezione as an independent line and represents the essence of the estate's younger Sangiovese clones. Made from 96% Sangiovese and 4% Merlot, the wine comes from densely planted vineyards on chalky, clayey soils. The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand, fermented spontaneously with natural yeasts and matured for twelve months in second-use barriques.

There are wines whose history is also told through their label. It used to say "Joanni" here, today it says "Ioanni" – a subtle shift that reveals more than just a preference for a particular spelling. "Merlot" used to be proudly displayed on the label, today, it simply reads "Rosso Toscana IGT". The reasons may lie in the intricacies of wine legislation or in the family's strategic considerations – yet the wine itself remains what it always was: a rarity, an experiment, a statement – a top-class Merlot! The small "Bandita" vineyard is situated in the south-eastern part of Montalcino, where the tuff and clay soils provide this international grape variety with the fertile ground it needs. Low yields, late harvest at optimal ripeness – the prerequisites for concentration and depth. Paolo Vagaggini, who has shaped Fuligni's oenological signature for decades, vinifies this Merlot with the same meticulous care that characterises the great Brunellos. Yet here he allows himself more time: the grapes mature for three years in French Allier tonneaux, followed by a further year in the bottle, before the wine leaves the estate.

Gentle balsamic notes with rosemary and lavender scents on the nose. When it opens in the glass, you can get a clear picture of the dark fruit at its centre and the delicate particles of chalk dust that frame the bouquet. The fruit for this wine comes from a five-hectare plot with alkaline soils that are rich in numerous mineral components. The complexity of the soils is reflected in the attractive bouquet, and this outstanding Riserva vintage offers a rich structure, velvety tannins and persistent intensity. SUPERIORE.DE

Pieve refers to the old ecclesiastical administrative units of medieval Tuscany, the hubs around which rural life was organised long before modern appellations existed. The Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has taken these historical toponyms as the basis for twelve Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive – the UGA system, which officially came into force in February 2025. The 2021 vintage is the first to be allowed to bear this designation. Boscarelli has been based in Cervognano since 1962 – one of the twelve Pievi, named after the Romanesque Pieve di Sant'Albino, which has defined the area for centuries.

Maestro di Cava is a Bolgheri Rosso Superiore and a great example of Cabernet Franc, an expression of the volcanic soils and ageing in large barrels. Intense ruby red colour. The nose is clean, elegant and typical of the variety, characterised by a very intense bouquet of aromas with hints of red fruit, tobacco and leather. The palate is savoury, with great freshness. Excellent tannins, natural and perfectly integrated with the body of the wine. Persistent finish with mineral notes. SUPERIORE.DE

Medium, radiant ruby red. Complex nose of sweet and cedar wood, paired with Mediterranean maquis and delicate sweet cherry. In the mouth, balsamic notes, very finely woven tannins and a wonderful complexity that envelops the juicy fruit core and gives the wine an impressive depth and length. The elegance is also very impressive and will certainly increase with further maturity. SUPERIORE.DE

In the early 14th century, a document from Castelnuovo dell'Abate mentions a place name: "Vallocchio Brunello" – situated between the fields known as "Podio Rubeo" and "Piage di Monte Caprile". This is the earliest documented reference to viticulture in this municipality. Seven centuries later, the five oldest vineyards of Tenuta Fanti stand on precisely this land. History has never ceased here. Filippo Fanti has studied, tended and observed this terroir for decades. In 2010, the time had come – the first Vallocchio. Since then, it has been released only in exceptional vintages: no pressure, no annual promise, but a selective statement of what the site truly has to offer in a particular season. Five hectares, vines aged between 20 and 35 years, well-drained, medium-textured galestro soils at an altitude of 230 to 250 metres above sea level. Hand-harvested from the second half of September until mid-October, depending on the aspect and plot.

Neris Edel-Rosso was born with the purchase of a very special vineyard. True to the winery's philosophy of only producing wines from the best terroirs around Montalcino, the small 7-hectare plot with over 45-year-old vines was acquired in 2018. This was preceded by over 40 years of friendship with the previous owners, with whom Giovanni Neri planted the vines and nurtured and cared for them over the past decades. Incidentally, the best grapes from this vineyard have been used for a small quantity of the eponymous Brunello di Montalcino since the 2018 vintage.