Wines from Tuscany

In the sun-drenched hills of Castelnuovo Berardenga, where Fèlsina has been one of the undisputed stars of Chianti Classico since 1966, the Poggiali family is writing another story: that of a world-class Tuscan Chardonnay. I Sistri – named after the traditional rattling instruments of the ancient mystery cults – epitomises the experimental passion that led Fèlsina to plant French Chardonnay clones on the nearby Farnetella vineyard back in the early 1980s. Between the Ombrone river and the Poggiolo farm, various plots with different clones, rootstocks and soil formations produce the grapes that have formed the heart of I Sistri since 1987.

The triel is a shy bird found in the dunes and sandbanks of Marina di Bibbona – sand-coloured, almost invisible, with large yellow eyes. Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi has dedicated Tenuta Campo di Sasso's only white wine to it: unassuming at first glance, yet displaying great character upon closer inspection. 100% Vermentino from sandy, gravelly soils at an altitude of 50 metres – close enough to the coast for the sea breezes to sweep over the vines every day. Hand-harvested in the cool morning hours, fermented in stainless steel at a controlled temperature, 30 days on the fine lees with daily batonnage, followed by a further two months in steel.

In 1987, Castello Romitorio was not yet a winery. Just a castle, an artist and an idea. Sandro Chia bought grapes from his friend and cellar master Franco Martini and had the first wine vinified – even before a single vine of his own had ripened. That was the Romitorio: not a reaction, but an attitude. Today it grows at Tenuta Ghiaccio Forte in Scansano, 25 kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea, at an altitude of 170 metres. The soils are of Pliocene origin – galestro, clay, Alberese, interspersed with fossils and shell remains, remnants of a primeval seabed. Petit Verdot and Syrah give the wine its profile: fermentation in steel, ageing in cement and oak.

With this exceptional Chianti Classico Riserva, the Mazzei family pays tribute to their famous ancestor, Ser Lapo, in whose writings the name "Chianti" is mentioned for the very first time. The upper part of the label features a faithful reproduction of one of his writings (dated 1398) in beautiful calligraphy. "Do not worry about the cost of this wine, even though it was expensive: its quality will more than make up for it."

Volpaia – the foxhole. High above Radda in Chianti, at 450 to 650 metres above sea level, the vineyards of Castello di Volpaia are located on the highest slopes of the appellation. The medieval borgo, first mentioned in a document in 1172, has belonged to the Mascheroni-Stianti family since 1966, who consistently farm organically here. The altitude shapes the character: sandstone soils, cool nights and long ripening periods give the Sangiovese (supplemented by 10% Merlot) a freshness and elegance that would be hard to achieve in warmer locations. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, matured for twelve months in large oak barrels.

In school philosophy, A quo denotes the starting point of an argument – the place from which everything else begins. Fabio Chiarelotto has dedicated a wine to this Latin thought. And what he meant was: Montepeloso begins here. The Swiss national with a Tuscan mother bought the estate in Suvereto, near Bolgheri – one of the hottest wine-growing regions in Tuscany. What others drown in heat, he wanted to translate into elegance. He replanted, pruned, worked biodynamically and bet that it was possible to make wines that glow instead of sweat on these limestone-rich, fossilised clay and silex soils. 2024 shows that he was right. The blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malvasia Nera and other varieties is fermented in steel, then matured for twelve months in used barriques – no wood to cover the fruit, just one that polishes delicately. Bottled unfiltered.

There are wineries that you don't find through advertising, but through word of mouth from people who know exactly what they are talking about. Sesta di Sopra is one of them. Ettore Spina was a banker in Turin for more than forty years before he bought an abandoned farmstead south of Montalcino in the 1980s and replanted it – not out of calculation, but out of conviction. Today, he and his family cultivate 2.5 hectares of Sangiovese at an altitude of 350 metres near Castelnuovo dell'Abate: calcareous marl, biodynamic cultivation, hand-picking and an annual production that fits into a single large barrel. Ian d'Agata has no hesitation in calling this vineyard one of the best Montalcinos in the world.

Salcheto's garnet-red sparkling Vino Nobile delights us with a classic blend of dusty black cherries, cedar shavings, worn leather and sour citrus notes. On the palate, there is plenty of present fruit, a soft texture and a cool note, with savoury red fruits and cedar spice accompanied by lively acidity. Fine, sweet mellowness on the long finish. An authentic and pleasantly elegant organic wine from the heart of the Montepulciano region that is ready to drink when young. SUPERIORE.DE

44 hectares, six parcels and one goal: to express Sangiovese Grosso as precisely as possible in a Rosso di Montalcino. Altesino extends over the eastern hills of the municipality – altesino, Macina, Pianezzine, Castelnuovo dell'Abate, Cerbaia and the legendary Montosoli, the first cru in the history of Brunello. The Rosso di Montalcino comes from the younger vines of these parcels – the same grape variety, the same terroir, an earlier moment in the life of the vine. 100% Sangiovese Grosso, the Brunello clone that has been cultivated here for decades. Fermentation in steel at a controlled temperature, then 6 to 8 months maturation in large Slavonian oak barrels of various ages – no barrique, no wood pressure, but that gentle structure that carries the Sangiovese without masking it. Three months in the bottle before release.

In 1872, Bettino Ricasoli wrote down his famous formula – the blueprint of what Chianti Classico should be: Sangiovese as the heart, structure as the backbone, terroir as the argument. The fact that his descendants have named this wine after him is not nostalgia. It is a commitment. Brolio Bettino is a single-varietal Sangiovese – and that is intentional. No blending, no corrective. The grapes grow on five geological formations: Sandstone, Galestro, Alberese, marine sediments and old river terraces – a terroir mosaic that combines depth and complexity in one glass. Fermentation in small stainless steel tanks, 18 months of ageing in large barrels: classic, without compromise. The 2022 vintage was capricious – mild winter, dry spring, a hailstorm in July, but it ended on a mild note.

In 1985, estate manager Giuseppe Bianchini inherited this estate in Castelnuovo dell'Abate from the childless Countess Elda Ciacci Piccolomini. His dream: to produce great Brunello. Today, his children Paolo and Lucia run the estate, which comprises 55 hectares of vines overlooking the Abbey of Sant'Antimo. Their Rosso di Montalcino comes from the 'Fonte' vineyard. 100% Sangiovese, aged in Slavonian oak. Bright ruby red in colour, with aromas of raspberry and wild strawberry on the nose; on the palate, it is medium-bodied with fine tannins and lively acidity. It embodies the estate's elegance without the need for ageing, and is a Rosso that allows one to experience Piccolomini's greatness even when young. SUPERIORE.DE

Scalabrone is generous on the nose, yet incredibly fresh. It reveals ripe strawberries with a hint of sweet cream, tropical kiwi and lime. It washes over the palate with ease, carrying ripe red fruits, a hint of melon and a zesty minerality. The finish is long, accompanied by lively acidity and salty minerality. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah is perfectly balanced, making this delicious rosé one of the most vibrant in the appellation year after year. SUPERIORE.DE

Forcole is produced in a surprisingly small quantity for a Chianti Classico - just 15,000 bottles. The bouquet begins with a slender texture and aromas of wild berries, sour cherries, pressed violets and sweet earth. Supple, generous and inviting on the palate, it captures all the natural intensity of the vintage. Its attractive silky tannins and the rather darker and crispy-cool Sangiovese flavour profile of the Panzano region make it a great soloist as well as food companion. SUPERIORE.DE

The name already reveals the philosophy: DA-DI means "great earth" in Chinese – virginie Saverys' homage to the yin-yang principle that characterises her biodynamic work at Avignonesi. This experimental white wine from Cortona combines four indigenous grape varieties in just as many vinifications: Orpicchio matures in amphorae and used barriques, Vermentino exclusively in amphorae, Grechetto undergoes a six-day carbonic maceration, while Trebbiano macerates for 48 hours. After ageing on the fine lees, the components are assembled in the summer.

Every year, Istine's Chianti Classico is one of the most racy and authentic representatives of its genre. Its weightlessness and at the same time precision make up a large part of its appeal. A finely knit bouquet of red berries, flowers, chalk and white pepper. Medium-bodied on the palate, its fine fruit, creamy tannins and plenty of personality come to light with further aeration. A red wine that takes hearts by storm with its lively, dancing and extremely fine nerve! SUPERIORE.DE

What makes Alberto Passeri's Rosso di Montalcino so special? He is a stranger to compromise. The grapes come from the same plots as the great Brunello, from the historic vineyards of Canalicchio in the cooler north and the warmer slopes of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the south. This dual origin is the secret: the elegance and finesse of the north merges with the strength and maturity of the south. Where other producers bottle their Rosso after just a few months, La Gerla allows it to mature for a full two years: six months in steel tanks, twelve months in large Slavonian barrels and a further six months in the bottle. This patience pays off.

In the vast plain surrounding Bolgheri – nestled between the rolling hills of the Alta Maremma and the nearby Tyrrhenian coast – Vermentino thrives in ideal conditions. The vines benefit from the interplay of sea breezes and warmth, from sandy, well-drained soils and careful harvest at optimal ripeness. Guado al Tasso uses these grapes to produce a precise, clearly defined white wine with a Mediterranean soul and remarkable vibrancy.

Syrah and Petit Verdot form the basis for an exciting cuvée with which the Chia family once again demonstrates its great talent for Tuscan wines. Deep dark garnet red colour. An unexpected cornucopia of dark, smoky fruit on the nose, with spicy herbs, complex and deep. Impressive texture and elegance on the palate, with spicy notes of raspberry, a salty vein and invigorating acidity. SUPERIORE.DE

The Counts Bracci left their name and coat of arms to this estate: an armoured arm raising a sword. La Braccesca – the word alludes to braccia, the arm. When the Marchesi Antinori took over the estate in 1990, they brought it into the present without alienating it from its history. The first Vino Nobile from this estate was released in the same year – since then, La Braccesca has been one of the reliable addresses in the appellation. The Nobile di Montepulciano is made from Prugnolo Gentile – the local Sangiovese clone of Montepulciano – complemented by a small proportion of Merlot, which rounds off the wine without dominating it.

Watch out, or even better - don't be afraid of the wolf: Attenti al Lupo is the exciting result of a new project by Podere le Ripi, which is specifically exploring new possibilities in the vineyard and cellar to find solutions to climate change, which is now putting all farmers and winegrowers to the test.

Il Randagio (the stray) is wonderfully complex and nuanced. Initially quite closed, the delicately spicy nose creeps up with increasing aeration and opens up further into a wonderfully complex bouquet of dark red to black berries. Rising floral, savoury and spicy accents point to a wine that says more about the style of the house than anything else. The palate is wide-ranging with delicate wild berry flavours, perfectly polished tannins and a fresh, very invigorating acid wire that uninhibitedly enhances the drinkability of this once again typically different red. The best days of this wine still lie in the future. SUPERIORE.DE

L'Olionovo – this is how the farmers describe the state of the oil when it leaves the oil mill freshly pressed after the authentic stone grinding process. The Olio di Oliva Extra Vergine from the Castellare di Castellina estate is made from fruit of the Frantoio, Pendolino, Ascolane, Moraiolo and Leccino varieties. When the olives are cold-pressed, the fruit reveals its intensely bright emerald green colour. The aroma is grassy and stimulating. The flavour is fruity, of medium intensity, with a hint of artichoke. Rich in polyphenols, it perfectly reflects the authentic spicy notes of a high-quality olive oil. This oil is a real treat for the palate with fresh bread, but also a great accompaniment to grilled vegetables or fish. SUPERIORE.DE