Wines from Tuscany

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

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

"The little boar". The name of this red speaks for itself: not a tame animal, not a wine that seeks approval. And yet it is the most approachable red of the house – the family resemblance to its big siblings Monteverro and Terra di Monteverro is clear, the demands are somewhat lighter and the pleasure is immediate. 40% Merlot provides the softness, 25% Cabernet Franc the spice, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon the structure and 10% Syrah the Mediterranean vigour. Clay-limestone with eroded stones, 7,575 vines per hectare in north-south orientation, organic cultivation, hand-picked. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks, exclusively gravity in the cellar – 100% gravity, no pumping, no pressure. 12 months in French barriques and steel tanks.

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.

The vineyards in Gaiole and Greve form the core of the blend, with a hint of fruit from Radda. On the nose, floral aromas and red fruits in the super-classic, medium-bodied style that is so typical of the Querciabella style today. Rose petals, lavender, mint and sweet raspberry fruit take centre stage. Brilliant medium ruby red colour. Enormous density on the palate, firm fruit body, with great youthful, fresh temperament, paired with a certain finesse and elegance. Finishes long with notes of juicy red berries, great! SUPERIORE.DE

"This is the wine with which my experience as a winemaker was born. A wine from a single vineyard in which I frankly find all the characteristics of Bolgheri that I love: clear and juicy fruit, balance. The Merlot brings volume and softness, the Cabernet Sauvignon structure. I give a lot of space to the very Tuscan Sangiovese, which adds complexity and drinkability." Fabio Motta

The Riserva represents the roots of Fattoria Le Pupille – it is the very first wine produced and marketed by the winery. Originally launched in 1978 as "Rosso di Pereta", it became the foundation of a terroir with the establishment of the Morellino di Scansano discipline, which Elisabetta Geppetti led to international recognition with passion and vision. As the first woman to head the Consorzio Morellino di Scansano, she not only shaped the denomination, but also the entire Maremma wine culture. Sangiovese (90%) with Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) from the La Carla, Maiano, Bozzino and Vecchie Pupille vineyards at an altitude of 50 to 250 metres. The soils vary from clayey-silty to sandy-loamy structures with a limestone marl component. After 25 to 30 days of maceration at 26 degrees, the wine matures for twelve months in Slavonian oak barrels with a capacity of 20 to 40 hectolitres.

The cork oaks still grow on the hills of Gavorrano today – silent, gnarled, enduring. They gave this wine its name. "Le Sughere": the cork oaks. A tribute to the landscape that supports and characterises this estate, long before a Renzo Piano wine cellar was dug into the rock here. The wine itself is the second label of Rocca di Frassinello – and what Oenologist Alessandro Cellai could call the heart of the estate: not the grand gesture, not the introduction, but the substance. Sangioveto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot – the same triad as in the entire estate, the same philosophy of the link between Tuscany and Bordeaux. But this is where the wood comes in for the first time. Twelve months in partly new barriques, then nine months in the bottle: patience as a method.

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 the southernmost tip of the Bolgheri appellation, where the vines almost touch the sea and rows of pine trees stand guard over the landscape, lies Tenuta Le Colonne – the winery with the vineyards closest to the sea in the entire denomination. Under the leadership of Alejandro Bulgheroni, organically certified wines of impressive clarity have been produced here since 2016. Originating from vineyards at an altitude of 50 metres with a south-westerly exposure, the vines are rooted in sandy alluvial soils with skeleton-rich inclusions. Spontaneous fermentation in truncated cone-shaped cement tanks with indigenous yeasts for 13 days, followed by twelve months of ageing in large, untoasted barrels, gives this wine its characteristic elegance.

In 2008, the Mazzei family began an agronomic and oenological research project to answer a single question: can Vermentino in Maremma really be great? Not pleasant, not pleasing – but great. Deep, complex, storable. The answer came with the 2021 vintage, when the former "Codice V" became "Belguardo V" – and with it the first ever Vermentino Superiore Maremma Toscana DOC on the market. The "Superiore" stands for a conviction that took 13 years for the wine to earn the designation.

It was very courageous when Michele Satta vinified the first Vermentino in Bolgheri in 1984 – at a time when the appellation had only just been created and white wine still seemed unthinkable in an area dominated by red wine. Costa di Giulia, named after a vineyard at the foot of Castagneto Carducci, was created as a single-varietal treasure from Vermentino until Satta made a far-reaching decision in 1997: the addition of 40 per cent Sauvignon Blanc was to give the wine more character and a more extracted, sweeter, 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