Wines from Tuscany

Where the salty breezes of the Tyrrhenian Sea meet the last foothills of the Colline Metallifere, the Mediterranean character of this exceptional red wine unfolds in all its splendour. The name Mediterra says it all: it embodies the flavours of the Tuscan maquis and that enticing saltiness that only wines from the immediate vicinity of the sea are capable of developing.

The name is a landscape. "Pearl of the forest" – those ancient strips of scrubland between the vineyards and the Tyrrhenian Sea, from whose herbs, pines and wild flowers the wind carries a daily bath of flavour to the vines. Tua Rita has been vinifying Vermentino since 1992 – the estate's very first vintage. Not an experiment, not a trend, but a strong commitment. 100% Vermentino from the mineral-rich soils of the Colline Metallifere. The vines grow without pruning – they are allowed to extend their shoots as a natural umbrella over the grapes, protecting the clusters from heat stress and preserving the flavour. Fermentation and ageing in steel: no wood to come between the grape variety and the terroir. "The trick is maintaining the acidity," says Stefano Frascolla.

Expressive Vermentino from naturally farmed vineyards in Castagneto Carducci. The 2024 vintage featured mild weather with sunny days and cool nights – an ideal profile for freshness and aromatic clarity. The wine fermented in stainless steel at a low temperature and then matured for several months on the fine lees to optimise the fruit and structure.

Maurizio Castelli does not like fancy names. That's why he took a simple but original approach to naming the estate and its top wine: 414 – which is the number of the vineyard in the region's land register. His Morellino has become a true Italian classic with a modern interpretation. The grapes come from biodynamically farmed hills around Scansano with deep-rooted Sangiovese. The 2023 vintage was characterised by warm, sunny weather and moderate ripeness, ideal for aromatic clarity and balance. Temperature control during maceration and a subsequent maturation phase of around 12 months in large wooden barrels characterise this wine.

Flavours of blueberries and blackberries, with a hint of lightly toasted oak. Full-bodied with velvety tannins and lots of fruit, some caramel and vanilla pods. Expressive aftertaste. Pure Syrah. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bronzone" is the powerful yet elegant Riserva from Tenuta Belguardo – a Morellino di Scansano that epitomises the modern class of the Maremma. The Sangiovese grapes, known here as Morellino, come from south-facing slopes on clay and limestone-rich soils near Grosseto. Old vines, low yields and consistent manual harvesting form the basis for this Riserva with a strong character. The 2021 vintage in the Maremma was characterised by a cool spring, followed by a warm, dry summer with cool nights, which produced perfectly ripe, aromatically concentrated berries. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine matured for around 14 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux before finding its harmony in the bottle.

Eco di Mare is a white greeting from the Tuscan sea. Made from 100% Vermentino from the Alta Maremma, where the Etruscans once extracted silver from the earth and today the Turnauer family produces elegant wines from the mineral-rich terroir. The Tenuta is located at the southern zenith of the Bolgheri DOC, on the heights of Donoratico, part of the historic Tenuta of the Florentine Serristori family. In the red aeolian sands of Donoratico, between 20-80 metres above sea level, the Vermentino vines thrive under the protection of centuries-old pine groves along the Viale dei Pini. Fermented for 15 days, matured on the fine lees for two months and bottled for three months.

I Pianali Rosato is like a pink linen cloth blowing in the wind over the Mediterranean coast. Made from 90% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Pianali vineyards, where the breeze of the Tyrrhenian Sea sweeps over the mineral-rich soils of the former silver mines. Gentle pressing, fermentation at low temperatures in thermo-controlled steel tanks for 15 days, followed by two months of maturation on the fine lees.

Inspired by Provence, born in Tuscany. When the Rivetti family decided to create a rosé, they chose their Casanova vineyard in Terricciola as the origin – and Sangiovese with Prugnolo Gentile as grape varieties. The latter is a local Sangiovese clone which, in combination with its "big brother", produces a rosato with a surprising character. The grapes come from twenty-year-old vines on sandy soils of marine origin, organically farmed. Destemming is followed by a short maceration of just one hour before the must is gently pressed. Fermentation lasts ten days, after which the wine rests for three months on the fine lees in stainless steel.

Rosso di Montalcino exists because a count wanted it. When the Marone Cinzano family took over the estate in 1973, almost exclusively Brunello was bottled in Montalcino – the rest went into bulk. Count Alberto saw this "second wine" as more than a by-product and campaigned for the creation of an independent DOC. Rosso di Montalcino has had his name since 1983 – and Col d'Orcia played a decisive role in this. It comes from the south-facing vineyards of the estate at 250 metres, overlooking the Orcia River, which gave the estate its name. Biodynamically cultivated, calcareous soils, Sangiovese Grosso: the classic Montalcino foundation. In the cellar: temperature-controlled fermentation in shallow steel tanks for gentle extraction, then 10 to 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels and cement tanks.

A Chianti Classico that is created when centuries-old tradition meets contemporary winemaking: organically farmed since the 1980s, the vineyards of Monti-in-Chianti and Vitignano (located slightly below) strive for expression and balance from clay-loam and limestone soils. The vines (90% Sangiovese supplemented by some Colorino, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo) are rooted at altitudes between 250 metres and 330 metres above sea level.

When a princess decided to bottle wine in 1958, she didn't do it just like that, but with ambition. Eleonora Ruspoli Berlingieri, who brought the historic Lilliano estate near Castellina in Chianti into family ownership back in 1920, was the first to recognise the oenological potential of this location. At her side: Giulio Gambelli, legendary Sangiovese guru and one of the great interpreters of Tuscan wines. Today, the brothers Giulio and Pietro Ruspoli carry on the legacy – the family still resides in the historic Palazzo Ruspoli in the heart of Rome. The Chianti Classico, which is named after them, comes from around 40 hectares of vineyards on calcareous, stony Alberese soils, which delay the ripening of the grapes at an altitude of around 300 metres and thus preserve acidity and aromatic freshness. The organically farmed vineyards produce a cuvée of 90 per cent Sangiovese, supplemented by five per cent each of Colorino and Merlot – a classic blend that complies with the DOCG statute and emphasises the typicality of the zone.

In May, when the iris – tuscan "giaggiolo" – the vineyards of Lamole are bathed in violet light, the soul of this wine is revealed. The name Maggiolo was born from the fusion of flower and month: a Chianti Classico that expresses the sunny generosity of the altitudes between 420 and 655 metres in liquid form. Unlike the purist Duelame, Maggiolo is a blend of 80% Sangiovese with 10% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. After visual berry selection, the grapes ferment separately in stainless steel. The Sangiovese matures for 18 months in large oak barrels, the international varieties in barriques – a marriage that combines structure and suppleness.

When an artist founds a winery, the spirit of this artist wafts right into the last cellar room. The Brio label shows a detail from a fresco by Sandro Chia: chessboard, violin, clock. Existence, soul, time. An unusually serious statement for an entry-level wine. The wine behind it lives up to it. Sangiovese from the Scansano vineyards of Tenuta Ghiaccio Forte – young vines on volcanic soils, close to the sea, cool nights. A few months in wooden barrels, then bottle ageing.

Il Poggiones Rosso di Montalcino is dark and youthful, with nuances of blackcurrant and liquorice balanced by ashy rock. Silky and enveloping on the palate with a savoury core of minerality and bright acids, followed by tart red berries. The wine finishes long and lightly structured, but is always fresh and asks for a short stay in the cellar before it can unfold its full charm. A truly straightforward and captivating Rosso in the style of the house. SUPERIORE.DE

Vino nero – is what the Tuscans once called their red wines. With this name, the Rivetti family takes up an old tradition and makes it the flagship of their Casanova estate in Terricciola. Twenty-year-old Sangiovese vines are rooted in sandy soils of marine origin, whose oceanic sediments give the wine its characteristic minerality. After two weeks of maceration, it matures for twelve months in French barriques that have already been filled – subtle enough not to mask the fruit.

Since the 2015 vintage, Piancornello has been producing a Ciliegiolo in small quantities of 4,000 bottles, which is solid, deep and very distinctive. Intense ruby red colour. The nose reveals very pure, straightforward aromas of ripe cherries and sour cherries, rounded off with spicy notes and hints of medicinal herbs. In the mouth it is rich, with noticeable tannins, but well integrated into the structure, with a solid body and a flavourful, long finish of good complexity. SUPERIORE.DE

A real insider tip for lovers of elegant white wines: This Trebbiano shows what this grape variety can do outside the classic norm. It comes from biodynamic vineyards in a coastal location near Scansano, characterised by the influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The 2023 vintage was characterised by alternating sunny days and cool nights - ideal for aromatic clarity and finely balanced acidity. The wine was fermented cold in stainless steel and matured briefly to preserve varietal typicity and freshness.

Where the Lombards once built their fortress and Frederick II held court, Marco Ricasoli Firidolfi now cultivates his vines – a descendant of Bettino Ricasoli, who invented the Chianti formula in the 19th century. Monti in Chianti, situated at an altitude of 340 to 510 metres, is considered one of the best vineyards in the entire region. Limestone soils, organic farming and three-phase manual harvesting form the basis for this classic Chianti: 90% Sangiovese, supplemented by Canaiolo from our own selection. Matured for twelve months in Allier oak, bottled unfiltered.