Wines from Tuscany

The organically certified Sangiovese grapes for this Chianti Classico are grown in the legendary Conca d'Oro south of Panzano, that amphitheatrical Golden Valley with its unique microclimate of warm days and cool nights. Giovanni Manetti, president of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, vinifies exclusively hand-picked grapes in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts on the chalky Galestro soils of his 170-hectare Tenuta. After three weeks of maceration, the wine matures for 18 months in French oak barrels of various sizes.

Eneo is supposed to be the "Grand Vin" of Montepeloso, the Italian answer to the globalisation of wines. And Eneo can do it. The blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon unmistakably expresses its terroir and is recognised worldwide. Aromas of blackcurrant and cherry with fresh flowers and orange peel are followed by a medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins that are wonderfully integrated into the wine and leave a bright, concentrated impression. SUPERIORE.DE

This is certainly unique: one year's production. One cask. Thirty hectolitres of Slavonian oak – and within it, the Spina family's entire ambition for their Brunello Annata. No second cask as a reserve. No possibility of correcting, topping up or diluting. What matures in this vessel is the annual production of the Annata: the 2.5-hectare Brunello vineyard at 380 metres near Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the calcareous marl, four decades of manual labour, and the decisions made each year. Sesta di Sopra produces around 4,000 bottles of vintage Brunello – that is less than some estates quietly allow to disappear into their blends. 2021 was the year of transparency in Montalcino. Cool nights and warm days gave the Sangiovese that nervous tension which critics describe as "vertical" – energy rather than mass, precision rather than opulence. In the single barrel in which Sesta di Sopra allowed its grapes to mature, this vintage was simply outstanding!

"Fragrant, precise and vertical." This is how some Masters of Wine describe the 2021 Brunello vintage – fragrant, precise, vertical. Rarely does an official assessment capture the very essence of a wine so accurately. Yet 2021 was no easy year. An unusual late frost in April decimated yields, delayed growth – and, quietly, did the wine a world of good. No extreme heatwaves followed. No drought stress to send the vines into a panic. Instead: a steady summer, dry ripening, and a relaxed harvest from the end of September onwards. The soils of Montalcino's eastern slopes – that mixture of red clay, limestone and slate – came into their own in 2021. San Filippo's organic certification pays particular dividends in years like these: living soils that retain water and deliver precision.

Montalcino is a hill. To be more precise: a single large cone of limestone, marl, slate and sand, rising above the Val d'Orcia – facing north, south-east and south-west, and characterised by three completely different climates. Most producers in the appellation have access to one of these slopes. Val di Suga boasts all three: Vigna del Lago in the north-west, Poggio al Granchio in the south-east and Vigna Spuntali in the south-west. Three soils, three microclimates, three characters – and a single winery that brings them all together under one roof. The entry-level Brunello is the result of this unique location: a cuvée blending all three vineyards, aiming not for simplification but for synthesis. Fermentation lasts eight to twelve days at a controlled temperature, with maceration continuing for a further two to three weeks. The wine is aged for 24 months in traditional 50-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels, followed by six months in concrete, then bottled. The 2021 vintage saw a late frost in April – the harvest was reduced, the quality concentrated. A dry summer without extreme heat, followed by a long, steady autumn. The Consorzio and a jury of eight Masters of Wine agreed on three words to characterise the vintage: fragrant, precise, vertical.

Every year, Le Cupole offers excellent value. You get a glass full of sunny Tuscany and rich intensity at an affordable price. The wine is packed with black fruits, spices and leather, resulting in a classic bouquet, particularly for a warm corner of Tuscany, off the beaten track, in Sarteano. SUPERIORE.DE

Chianti Classico by Giovanni Manetti offers a profound, densely woven and still very youthful bouquet of dark and red berries and fine spicy notes. The dry, cherry flavour with long-lasting impressions, well-extracted tannins and the acidity typical of Sangiovese show a clearly recognisable terroir character. Very clear, straightforward, long, always fresh and juicy, with excellent strength and balance. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1090, while Leif Erikson was discovering America and the first universities in Europe were being established, two friends of Abbot Rolando paid "two capons, three loaves of bread and six silver denarii from Lucca" for the annual lease of a vineyard in the divine valley of Dievole. Nine hundred (Novecento) years later, in 1990, this wine was created as a reminiscence of the incredible journey through the centuries. The grapes thrive between 300 and 420 metres above sea level on stony soils of marl, limestone and galestro. The vines, which are on average 15 years old and cultivated organically as in the early days of this domain, undergo a 14-day spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in cement vats before maturing for 18 months in large, unroasted French Allier oak barrels.

Some vineyards carry their history within them like annual rings in an old tree. Vigna 10 on the Brancaia hill near Castellina is such a place. When Brigitte and Bruno Widmer bought the abandoned estate in 1981, they immediately recognised the potential of this plot of land – a gentle south-facing slope at 230 metres, clay soils that retain water and an exposure that allows the Sangiovese to reach full maturity without overtaxing it. Eighteen years later, in 1999, the vineyard was replanted – not with just any clones, but with five of the most promising Sangiovese selections from the ambitious "Chianti Classico 2000" research project, which has been researching and preserving the genetic diversity of this grape variety since the 1980s.

Montalcino, November 2008. Gianni Brunelli's thread was severed – as Laura herself puts it (he passed away). Anyone familiar with the elegance with which the estate has been run since then will understand that this was not the beginning of an end, but rather a different kind of continuity: quieter, more focused, perhaps even more resolute. Laura Brunelli, a biologist from Sardinia who has been the driving force behind two institutions for decades – the Osteria Le Logge in Siena and the vineyards on the slopes of Montalcino – has not replaced Gianni. She has carried on. And that is a difference you can taste in the glass.

Prètto. A word from the Tuscan dialect – true, sincere, schietto. Carlo Ferrini could not have chosen a more fitting name for a wine that is exactly that: no pretence, no posturing, but Sangiovese in its most direct form. The Prètto is a collaborative effort – born out of a dialogue between father and daughter, between three decades of experience and a younger generation that sees Montalcino through fresh eyes. Bianca Ferrini, born in 1990, has given the Giodo project a very special voice with this wine. Four hectares of Sangiovese in Sant'Angelo in Colle, south-west of Montalcino, at an altitude of 360 metres with a south-easterly aspect. Medium-heavy, stony soil, 6,600 vines per hectare – a density that creates stress and forces concentration. Hand-harvested, 20 days' maceration in steel and concrete, with délestage halfway through fermentation. This is followed by around 30 months' ageing in wooden barrels of 500, 700 and 2,500 Liters– medium to large vessels that give the wine structure without imparting excessive oak character. Followed by six months in concrete tanks, then a further 12 months in bottle. 12,000 bottles were produced.

Normally, the Sangiovese grapes from the 14-hectare single vineyard are mainly harvested in Ama and San Lorenzo. Since the 2018 harvest, Lorenza and Marco have decided to vinify a small quantity separately. Deep, dark ruby red colour with violet reflections. Extroverted bouquet of blackberry, raspberry and redcurrant, with notes of crushed gravel, tobacco and traces of young leather. Very powerful and beautifully textured on the palate, the various layers of primary fruit only gradually unfold, the wood pleasantly receding into the background. Finely granulated tannins and a well-integrated acidity flank this very harmonious red on an elegant, long final. There is a lot to like here, for us it is once again a typical Ama wine: racy, powerful and elegant! SUPERIORE.DE

A wine of great personality that embodies the entire philosophy of Poggio Bonelli. Poggiassai is the Supertuscan of the house – a modern interpretation of Tuscan winemaking that masterfully combines tradition and innovation. It demonstrates the expertise of a winery that has been honoured over the centuries by the most important noble families in Siena. The vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 metres in the hills around Castelnuovo Berardenga with a perfect south-west exposure. The carefully hand-picked grapes thrive in ideal conditions on these special soils, where sandy subsoils ensure optimum drainage. Strict selection limits the yield to just 50 centners per hectare - a commitment to uncompromising quality.

In 1981, Bruno and Brigitte Widmer from Switzerland bought an estate in Castellina in Chianti. They were not from a family of winegrowers, nor did they have any local roots – just the conviction that this patch of land held something extraordinary. The vineyard, which the estate refers to internally as "Vigna 10" or "Blocco 10" immediately caught their eye: a south-east-facing plot at an altitude of 240 to 265 metres, on clay-rich galestro soil, which gives the Sangiovese in Chianti Classico its characteristic balance between intensity and freshness. The Widmers knew this. Yet they waited. For before a vineyard can give its best, it needs vines with roots that run deep enough. In 1999, the plot was replanted – with five of the finest Sangiovese clones, which the ambitious "Chianti Classico 2000" research project had selected from across the entire Chianti region in the 1980s. This was no quick fix, but a commitment that took decades to fulfil.

Since the exceptional 2019 harvest, Luca Sanjust has taken another step towards "quality without compromise" with his Boggina C. The yields per plant have been reduced even further and the selection of grapes from the identified parcel has been made even stricter. This led to a reduction in the number of bottles available to around 3,000. The same meticulousness was also applied in the cellar by selecting the most suitable 7 hectolitre barrels for ageing "sur lie". Great attention was paid to their wood grain and toasting in order to achieve the harmony and flavour that a pure Grand Cru Sangiovese should have.

Giacomo Neri's Pietradonice is Cabernet Sauvignon at the highest level and has become a legend, as there is hardly a wine in Montalcino that can even come close to it. Monumental and very concentrated, with hints of sour cherries and a fine cedar and liquorice note. The exciting thing: Pietradonice is clearly recognisable as a Montalcino growth and yet, with its herbaceous spiciness, it is just as typical of Neri as it is of the grape variety and thus again as if from another larger world. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the winery's 6 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, which is divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all the grapes are harvested at the perfect point of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

In the heart of the Val d'Arno lies Campo Asciutto – that "dry field" which agronomist Giorgio Perrin described in 1834 as the jewel of this terroir, once praised by Cosimo III de' Medici. It was here that engineer Gastone Bazzocchi planted his vision of a great Sangiovese in 1952 – a dream spanning five hectares, which is now regarded as Petrolo's oldest and finest Sangiovese vineyard. The "C" stands for Classico – the traditional interpretation of this exceptional cru.

Sondraie, from which the wine takes its name, is a large plateau from Aurelia to Bellaria in the north of the appellation and one of the best sites for Cabernet in Bolgheri. The Oenologist Luca d'Attoma is considered one of the best interpreters of Cabernet Franc in Italy and his wines are always a clear buy. Bright violet colour. The nose is leafy, with dark chocolate and a characteristic aroma of coffee powder, plus blueberry, raspberry, black cherry and undergrowth. On the palate, melted cloves and cassis in perfect balance. Smooth and ripe, with a hint of chalk thanks to the oak tannins on the finish. Amazingly fresh and endlessly long, simply superb! SUPERIORE.DE

The De Ferrari brothers select their Riserva from the oldest vines on the estate's best plots. Ruby red in colour with a garnet hue. The wine opens discreetly with subtle but captivating hints of sage, leather and allspice. On the palate, it is supple and agile and feels confidently extracted, with firm, straightforward tannins, but not overdone. The wood supports rather than imposes on the wine, and the vibrant acidity of the vintage comes through nicely. Long, seductive and delicately spicy on the final. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the winery's 6 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, which is divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all the grapes are harvested at the perfect point of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

On warm days, a resinous, musky scent rises from the edges of the hedges. Helichrysum – the strawflower, which the Italians also call "Immortelle", meaning "the immortal". It grows wild amongst the rocks and shrubs that line San Polino's highest vineyards. When Katia and Gigi were looking for a name for their finest wine, they didn't have to look far. The five hectares surrounding the farmhouse lie at an altitude of 450 metres, facing south and surrounded by Mediterranean scrub and woodland. The view stretches towards Monte Amiata – the sacred mountain of the Etruscans, seat of their highest gods, the Tuscan Olympus. The soils bear witness to two mighty forces: the volcanic eruption of Monte Amiata 180,000 years ago, which left behind quartz and metamorphic clay, and the retreat of the Pliocene Sea, which left behind sandy loam and shell fossils. Thin, complex soil – poor in nutrients, rich in character. Up here, the sirocco blows in from the Sahara. The temperature differences between day and night are enormous. The grapes ripen slowly, developing thick skins and concentrated aromas. "Ah ... 2018', Katia once said of a cooler vintage, 'at last you can smell Sangiovese grapes instead of just blackcurrants and undergrowth.' Helichrysum is all about precisely this clarity – about terroir rather than heat, about soil rather than opulence.

The wine icon, rare every year and very highly rated, presents itself in a shiny, rich ruby. On the nose, crisp berry fruit, ripe dark cherries, sweet plums and delicate notes of cinnamon. In the mouth it is full-bodied and firm, very juicy, unfolds a finely woven tannin and glides in a wide arc into a powerful, long final. A great wine full of tension and elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Deep dark ruby-purple colour. On the nose, cassis, blackcurrants and a strong herbal spice with a good dose of pipe tobacco, tar and crushed gravel. On the palate, dark berries, chocolate and a cornucopia of herbs define the full-bodied palate. This juicy wine monument has precisely integrated tannins, an enormous silkiness and an almost endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE