Wines from Tuscany

It is not just any wine that is set aside for the Frescobaldi family's newborns: Nipozzano Vecchie Viti is part of a small, family-exclusive selection traditionally set aside for the youngest members of the family, made from the estate's oldest vines, whose roots dig deep into the soil of Nipozzano. These old vineyards, planted with Sangiovese and traditional companion varieties, are situated high above the Arno Valley in Chianti Rufina, where the altitude and the contrast between day and night lend the grapes exceptional concentration and freshness. Fermented naturally in concrete tanks, the wine is then aged for 24 months in wooden barrels before being bottled, allowing its flavours to come together.

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

From the 25 hectares of organically cultivated olive groves of the Castello di Camigliano – nestled in the gently rolling hills south-west of Montalcino, where the mild climate of the Ombrone Valley creates ideal ripening conditions. Four classic Tuscan varieties characterise the oil: Leccino, Frantoio, Moraiolo and Correggiolo, harvested by hand and cold-pressed at a controlled temperature immediately after harvesting. Bright green-gold in the glass, fruity aroma of fresh herbs and green almonds, subtle spiciness on the palate and that fine, bitter aftertaste that characterises the best oils from the Terre di Siena. Certified organic – a beautiful piece of Montalcino beyond the wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Swiss precision meets Tuscan passion: since 1990, Monika and Thomas Baer-Bettschart have been realising their dream at the Antico Podere Gagliole in Castellina in Chianti. Rubiolo is the certified organic tribute to over three decades of winegrowing in one of Tuscany's most beautiful terroirs. Made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes sourced from both the historic terraces around Castellina and the famous Conca d'Oro in Panzano, this wine embodies the synthesis of two exceptional vineyards.

A photo from 1955 adorns the bottle: Elliott Erwitt's "California Kiss", two lovers in the mirror of a car. When Trudie Styler tasted the first sip of this Vermentino, she spontaneously found the name – "like a kiss on the lips". The fact that the wine was released in March 2021, when the world was hungry for closeness, lends it additional poetry. Incidentally, it is the first white wine that Riccardo Cotarella vinified for Il Palagio – a tribute to Trudie's love of elegant Bianchi. The hand-picked Vermentino grapes ferment at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, and a short maturation period preserves the vibrant freshness.

Since 1141, the Ricasoli family has shaped the history of Chianti Classico – longer than any other winery in Italy. In 1872, Baron Bettino Ricasoli defined the legendary Chianti formula, which remains in force to this day. Rocca Guicciarda was once one of Barone most important feudal estates and today embodies the classic interpretation of this tradition-steeped appellation. The grapes for this Riserva come from vineyards situated on the five most representative soil types of Brolios, at altitudes ranging from 280 to 480 metres: Macigno del Chianti (sandstone), Scaglia Toscana (galestro), Monte Morello (alberese), as well as marine and fluvial deposits, create a complex mosaic of terroirs. 90% Sangiovese forms the backbone, complemented by 5% each of Merlot and Canaiolo. Following controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks with 14 to 16 days' contact with the skins, the wine matures for 21 months in tonneaux and large casks. The result is a Chianti Classico of an intense ruby red colour with subtle garnet hues, whose bouquet combines ripe red fruits, raspberry, pomegranate and delicate spicy notes. On the palate, it displays its traditional character: juicy, with notes of red berries, fresh acidity and silky tannins – a versatile wine to accompany food, offering well-balanced drinkability. SUPERIORE.DE

Giovanni Neri founded the winery in Montalcino in 1971. What he built and his sons continue to run is one of the most precise houses in the appellation – known for its Brunelli, but also for the high standards that run through all its wines, regardless of the denominazione on the label. The IrRosso is Casanova di Neri's most accessible wine – a Toscana IGT that applies the house's craft to younger vines. Sangiovese from the Fiesole vineyard, right next to the estate, complemented by a small proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot from the southern Montalcino parcels. Hand-picked, hand-selected and optically sorted, spontaneous fermentation in open conical steel tanks, 13 days of maceration with regular pumping over.

In Montepulciano, they have called it that for centuries – the "noble plum". Prugnolo Gentile, an old Sangiovese biotype that does not develop this finesse anywhere else. When the Rivetti family came to Tuscany from Piedmont, they recognised immediately that this grape variety deserves to be called a pure variety. Thirty-year-old vines are rooted at an altitude of 250 metres in sandy soils whose marine sediments tell of the former ocean. What ends up in the glass surprises even connoisseurs: the tannin structure is reminiscent of Nebbiolo – a bridge between the two worlds of the Rivettis. 24 months in French oak give the wine time to explore this relationship. Plum and violets on the nose, then that silky delicacy on the palate that explains the name. Not a loud wine, but one that whispers – and therefore makes itself heard. Only 6,000 bottles, each one a document of Tuscan vineyard history. SUPERIORE.DE

Cortona is only thirty kilometres from Montepulciano – and yet it is a different world. Here, on the high plateau with its dense Pliocene clays and iron oxide soils, around 300 metres above sea level, Merlot grows as if it had never been at home anywhere else. Federico Carletti recognised the potential early on – and In Violas was created in 2006. This was catalysed by his friendship with the Aliotti Tommasi family, owners of the same land. A Merlot that Carletti himself calls "con un'anima toscana". With a Tuscan soul. 100% Merlot, certified organic, 5,600 vines per hectare. Hand-picked, careful selection in the vineyard and in the cellar, fermentation and maceration in conical vats for 18 to 22 days, ageing in large oak barrels.

The 2024 vintage marks a turning point: Piancornello's Rosso bears the organic label for the first time. Not that much has changed in the vineyard – claudio Monaci and Silvia Batazzi have been farming organically for years, and now it's official. A silent confirmation of what has long been common practice here in the southern tip of Montalcino. The location near Sant'Angelo in Colle is one of the warmest in the appellation. The Orcia Valley channels the sea breeze from the Tyrrhenian Sea into the vineyards and enables an early harvest before the autumn rains. Twenty-eight days of maceration on the skins, spontaneous fermentation with the vineyard's own yeasts, followed by ten months of ageing – partly in tonneaux, partly in concrete.

Istine's Chianti Classico is, year after year, one of the most spirited and authentic examples of its kind. Its lightness and, at the same time, precision account for much of its appeal. A finely woven bouquet of red berries, flowers, chalk and white pepper. Medium-bodied on the palate; with further aeration, its delicate fruit, creamy tannins and plenty of character come to the fore. A red that takes hearts by storm with its lively, dancing quality and exquisite finesse! SUPERIORE.DE

In 1672, the Bishop of Montalcino, Fabivs de' Vecchis, wanted to build a palace. The result is what is now the Palazzo Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona itself. Giuseppe Bianchini named this wine after the bishop – a small tribute to the history of the estate, where a single-varietal Syrah has been produced from the Vigna del Conte since 1998. The French vines grow on medium-grained soils rich in Eocene marl, at altitudes of 240 to 360 metres. The terroir and microclimate of this plot are exceptionally well-suited to this grape variety, which remains a rarity in Tuscany. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel and glazed concrete tanks, with temperature control via cooling plates. Ageing occurs in small 3-hectolitre oak barrels – a size that combines intense extraction with a fine structure.

The cork oaks still grow today on the hills of Gavorrano – silent, gnarled, steadfast. They gave this wine its name: "Le Sughere": the cork oaks. A tribute to the landscape that sustains and shapes this estate, long before a Renzo Piano wine cellar was carved into the rock here. The wine itself is Rocca di Frassinello's second label – and what Oenologist Alessandro Cellai might call the heart of the estate: not the grand gesture, not the entry-level wine, but the essence. Sangioveto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot – the same trio found throughout the estate, the same philosophy of blending Tuscany and Bordeaux. But here, for the first time, oak comes into play. Twelve months in partly new barriques, then nine months in the bottle: patience as a method.

The Riserva embodies the roots of Fattoria Le Pupille – it is the very first wine the estate produced and marketed. Originally launched in 1978 as "Rosso di Pereta", it became, with the establishment of the Morellino di Scansano appellation regulations, the cornerstone of a terroir that Elisabetta Geppetti led to international recognition with passion and vision. As the first woman to head the Consorzio Morellino di Scansano, she shaped not only the appellation but the entire wine culture of the Maremma. Sangiovese (90%) blended with Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) from the La Carla, Maiano, Bozzino and Vecchie Pupille, at altitudes of 50 to 250 metres. The soils vary from clay-silt to sandy loam with a significant limestone-marl component. After 25 to 30 days of maceration at 26 degrees, the wine is aged for twelve months in Slavonian oak casks with a capacity of 20 to 40 hectolitres.

A wine that made history. When the first vintage of La Selvanella Riserva was presented in 1969, it was a revolution in Chianti Classico – the very first cru from a single vineyard in the entire region. Today, over 50 years later, this Sangiovese classic is still regarded as a benchmark for the elegance and purity of the Radda terroirs. The 50 hectares of the La Selvanella vineyard sit at an altitude of 350 to 550 metres above Radda in Chianti in one of the most privileged positions in the entire region. Wines of exceptional structure and lively acidity are produced here. The perfect south-west exposure and the temperate continental climate create ideal conditions for the capricious Sangiovese to develop its full aromatic complexity.

In 2008, the Mazzei family embarked on an agronomic and oenological research project designed to answer a single question: can Vermentino truly be a great wine in the Maremma? Not merely pleasant or agreeable – but great. Deep, complex and suitable for ageing. The answer came with the 2021 vintage. The former "Codice V" became "Belguardo V" – and with it, the very first Vermentino Superiore Maremma Toscana DOC ever to appear on the market. The "Superiore" stands for a conviction that took 13 years to realise, until the wine had earned that designation.

It took great courage when Michele Satta produced the first Vermentino in Bolgheri in 1984 – at a time when the appellation had only just been established and white wine still seemed unthinkable in a region dominated by red wine. Costa di Giulia, named after a vineyard at the foot of Castagneto Carducci, began life as a single-varietal gem made from Vermentino, until Satta took a far-reaching decision in 1997: the addition of 40% Sauvignon Blanc was intended to give the wine more character and a sweeter, more extract-driven, broader finesse.

"My research into the world of white wines led to the creation of this unconventional wine. I have always realised that the most interesting aspect of Vermentino is in the skin. It is a delicious grape to eat, rich in aromatic notes. That's why I wanted to vinify Vermentino from the Le Gonnare vineyard, a small plot planted in 1987, and leave the skins to macerate with the must for 6 days during alcoholic fermentation. This has led to more aroma and the characteristic golden colour without making it heavy. A full-bodied and at the same time very cheerful wine." Fabio Motta