wines

In 1987, Paolo Foradori coined a term that changed South Tyrol's wine world: "Vigna". Not as a marketing idea, but as a conviction – that a wine only shows its true character when it comes from a single, clearly defined vineyard. Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano was the first South Tyrolean winery to put this philosophy on its label. Today, a generation later, Martin Foradori-Hofstätter continues to pursue this idea with the same rigour and the term "Vigna" has found its way throughout South Tyrol. Mazon is the absolute cru location for South Tyrolean Pinot Nero – a gentle high plateau on the cooler eastern side of the Adige Valley, at 450 metres, where clay-limestone soils lie above the so-called Werfen formation: heterogeneous sedimentary rocks that give the soil a mineral depth that is unmistakably evident in the wine. The vines at Vigna San Urbano are over 65 years old – roots that reach deep enough to keep calm even in difficult years.

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.

The wine comes from a single, gently sloping vineyard above Rocchetta Tanaro, called Bricco dell'Uccellone, named after an elderly local woman who always kept a sharp eye on the vineyards, dressed in black. Here, old vines grow on barren, chalky soils that produce low yields but highly concentrated harvest. With tireless dedication, the Bologna family fulfils the legacy of Giacomo Bologna, who is rightly described as the father of modern Barbera d'Asti. 2021 began with a cool spring, followed by a warm, stable summer that ensured slow, even ripening. The grapes were hand-picked in perfect condition, followed by a long maceration and 12 months of ageing in French barriques.

At 618 metres above sea level, where the air already carries the coolness of the mountains and the view sweeps over the entire Chianti Valley, lies one of the most venerable vineyards in Tuscany: Coltassala – once born as a rebellious Supertuscan, today ennobled as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from the UGA Radda, embodies the revolution and evolution of Tuscan viticulture like no other wine. In 1980, Federica Mascheroni Stianti's family took the plunge: when the DOC system was still forcing Trebbiano and Malvasia into Chianti, they pressed a pure Sangiovese wine up here in small barriques based on the French model instead of the traditional large Slavonia barrels. What was then still misjudged as Vino da Tavola heralded a new era. Today, with the new UGA rules of Chianti Classico (Unita Geografiche Aggiunte, in Germany one would say Lage, in France Cru), Coltassala is finally finding its well-deserved home – as a Gran Selezione from the Radda geographical unit, which stands for the most extreme and elegant expressions of Chianti Classico. The altitude gives the 2021 vintage that characteristic freshness that makes Radda so unique – despite the warm weather, the wine retains its crystalline acidity and vibrancy.

There are wines that change a grape variety forever. Granato is one of them. The legendary Teroldego that has been convincing the wine world since 1987 that Italy's Alpine heights can produce red wines of international calibre. Its name is both programme and poetry: Granato – the pomegranate, the ancient Mediterranean fruit that, like the vine, came to Italy thousands of years ago and whose ruby-coloured seeds remind Elisabetta Foradori of the essence of perfect grapes. In the historic Noval, Regin and Pedot vineyards of Campo Rotaliano, where Teroldego vines over seventy years old sink their roots deep into the Dolomite soil, a wine of monumental proportions is created. Here, on the alluvial sediments of prehistoric times, these ancient vines have grown in complexity decade after decade. Elisabetta's biodynamic philosophy reaches its purest form with these Methuselah vines: Not to intervene, but to guide nature to its peak.

Walter Massa's single-vineyard Timorasso Montecitorio is produced through a cold maceration of approx. 40 hours, followed by a fermentation of approx. 12 months in stainless steel tanks with regular batonnage of the yeast for approx. 12 months.

The indigenous white grape variety Timorasso led a shadowy existence for many years, but today some winegrowers are already calling it the "white Barolo". This is partly due to its great complexity and finesse, and partly due to the excellent ageing potential of the wines.

A red wine with energy and contour: "Rosso del Gnemiz" combines Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon – a classic cuvée that has its very own Friulian character. The grapes come from various plots around San Giovanni al Natisone, whose Ponca soils lend depth and structure. The 2022 vintage produced ripe, healthy berries that retained their tension thanks to cool nights. Brilliant ruby red in the glass with a youthful glow. The bouquet opens with fresh black cherry, sour cherry and plum, as well as herbs, tobacco, violets and a subtle graphite note. On the palate, it shows taut, juicy fruit, concise, still youthful tannins and a lively acidity that gives it a clear contour. The barrel ageing provides additional depth, but remains discreetly in the background.

Dark and powerful in the glass with full-bodied flavours of black cherry and blackberry. Spices, leather and balsamic herbs are evident in the background. Medium to full-bodied with very fine tannins that are polished and attractive and melt into the wine. What beautiful purity and finesse! SUPERIORE.DE

The Winkl has been vinified as a single variety since 1956 – at a time when Sauvignon Blanc was still a rarity in South Tyrol. Winery manager Rudi Kofler says that this grape variety has always felt at home around the oldest farms in the Terlan DOC area. You believe him when you taste the wine. The vineyards lie at 280 to 580 metres above sea level, exposed to the south-southwest, on steep to very steep slopes. The soil is quartz porphyry – volcanic primary rock, crystalline-mineral, with a slightly acidic pH value and an almost natural self-limitation in yields. It is precisely this microstress that produces the terroir's own polyphenols, which give Terlano wines their characteristic saltiness and tension. No other soil, no other result. Hand-picked, gentle whole-cluster pressing, slow fermentation – then 7 to 8 months on the fine lees, 80 per cent in steel, 20 per cent in large wooden barrels. This silent wood component only serves the texture, it gives the wine substance without masking its origin.

Maestro di Cava is a Bolgheri Rosso Superiore and a great example of Cabernet Franc, an expression of the volcanic soils and ageing in large barrels. Intense ruby red colour. The nose is clean, elegant and typical of the variety, characterised by a very intense bouquet of aromas with hints of red fruit, tobacco and leather. The palate is savoury, with great freshness. Excellent tannins, natural and perfectly integrated with the body of the wine. Persistent finish with mineral notes. SUPERIORE.DE

A prime example of perfect balance: elegance and structure harmonise perfectly.

There are wines whose story is also told on the label. It used to say "Joanni", today "Ioanni" – a subtle shift that reveals more than just spelling preferences. In the past, "Merlot" was confidently emblazoned on the label, today it is just "Rosso Toscana IGT". The reasons may lie in the depths of wine law or in the strategic considerations of the family – but the wine itself remains what it always was: a rarity, an experiment, a statement – a top Merlot! The small "Bandita" vineyard is located in the south-eastern part of Montalcino, where the tuff and clay soils provide the international grape variety with the fertile soil it needs. Low yields, late harvest at optimum ripeness – the conditions for concentration and depth. Paolo Vagaggini, who has been shaping Fuligni's oenological signature for decades, vinifies this Merlot with the same meticulousness that characterises the great Brunellos. But here he allows himself more time: the grapes mature for three years in French Allier tonneaux, followed by a further year in the bottle before the wine leaves the estate.

For some years now, Riccardo Cotarella's Montiano has been characterised by great freshness and dark, concentrated fruit. In contrast to the vintages of the early 1990s, the wine has become much livelier and more dynamic. And the 2021 vintage brings a new nuance to this characterful Merlot: riper, denser and finer at the same time. The climatic conditions – an early summer temperature rise followed by cooler evening hours – allowed for slow, even ripening with perfect concentration levels. As always, the Montefiascone region delivers mineral-structured fruit and precise floral components.

There are wines that tell stories before you have even tasted them. Poggio alle Gazze is one of them. Its name – the hill of the magpies – refers to the special vineyard where these elegant birds build their nests and from where the view sweeps unhindered over the Tyrrhenian Sea. Here, where the Mediterranean salt wind meets volcanic soil, one of Tuscany's most innovative white wines has been produced for more than two decades. It embodies a refreshing spirit that is, quote: "as delicate as the breeze, but at the same time lush and self-confident". This poetic description hits the nail on the head: Poggio alle Gazze is Ornellaia's answer to the question of what a white wine in Bolgheri can look like when it has the elegance and depth of the great reds. Six months of ageing on the fine lees with regular bâtonnage, followed by the assembly of the final blend and a further 12 months of bottle ageing, complete this masterpiece of white wine art.

A wine that breathes history and yet floats lightly through the modern style: Sito Moresco bears his name in memory of the former family that owned the legendary cru near Barbaresco. For Angelo Gaja, this wine – first vinified in 1991 – marked the entry into a new class: an everyday Langhe, elegantly balanced between regionality and internationality. Since the 2020 edition, the cuvée has consisted exclusively of Nebbiolo and Barbera from selected parcels in Barbaresco and Barolo. Here, the delicate structure and mineral depth of Nebbiolo are combined with the rounder fruit and accessibility of Barbera – without ever appearing too harmonious, but rather complementary and sharpened. Sito Moresco is a modern classic, clear in character, elegant in style, and a Gaja reference in which authenticity and readability merge wonderfully.

What begins with a seductive bouquet of delicate plums and a hint of mint gains volume and depth as grilled sage and rum-soaked blackcurrants mingle with sweet tobacco and allspice. Its texture is silky and fleshy, accompanied by a nervous acidity, while ripe black cherries and a hint of cranberry sauce create a sweet and sour tension on the palate. The concentration is astonishing, yet the energy remains incredibly high, even if the grippy tannins increase towards the end. Notes of sour citrus fruits, savoury herbs and tart wild berries linger incredibly long in the structured yet remarkably fresh final. Only around 3,000 bottles of this cru are produced and it is a real must-have for all Aglianico lovers! SUPERIORE.DE

"Historical is Umani Ronchi's highly ambitious project, created thanks to its profound knowledge of the region and the terroir, on a small, remote plot in the historic vineyards of Montecarotto in the Castelli di Jesi Classico area. The Historical Vecchie Vigne is an extreme selection that is refined for five years (including 18 months on the fine lees) before being released onto the market - with the claim of being one of the greatest white cru in Italy and the world." Michele und Massimo Bernetti

Gentle balsamic notes with rosemary and lavender scents on the nose. When it opens in the glass, you can get a clear picture of the dark fruit at its centre and the delicate particles of chalk dust that frame the bouquet. The fruit for this wine comes from a five-hectare plot with alkaline soils that are rich in numerous mineral components. The complexity of the soils is reflected in the attractive bouquet, and this outstanding Riserva vintage offers a rich structure, velvety tannins and persistent intensity. SUPERIORE.DE

Contrada Guardiola is one of the most iconic vineyards on the northern slope of Mount Etna. A high-altitude plot between 800 and 1,000 metres above sea level, where the extreme microclimate, the old bush vines and the ash, lava and pumice soils allow for an expression that is as raw as it is fascinating. The vines are deeply rooted in the porous rock and produce small-berried Nerello Mascalese grapes with an impressive aromatic concentration. The 2022 vintage was characterised by a dry spring and moderate temperatures in summer, with a late harvest that brought structure and freshness into balance. The wine is aged for 18 months in large, neutral barrels.

Grotte Alte is more than just a wine, it is a very serene and precise commitment to its homeland. Arianna Occhipinti names it after the white limestone caves above Vittoria, where her oldest vineyards are located: broodingred soils over limestone, infused with Mediterranean herbs and wind. This is where the grapes are grown from which she makes her most personal wine – a Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico that expresses the identity of this landscape in an impressive way. The cuvée of Frappato di Vittoria and Nero d'Avola is vinified separately. After spontaneous fermentation with long maceration periods, both batches mature for around 48 months in large oak barrels before being blended and bottled. No fining, no filtration – just time, patience and respect for the origin.

Medium, radiant ruby red. Complex nose of sweet and cedar wood, paired with Mediterranean maquis and delicate sweet cherry. In the mouth, balsamic notes, very finely woven tannins and a wonderful complexity that envelops the juicy fruit core and gives the wine an impressive depth and length. The elegance is also very impressive and will certainly increase with further maturity. SUPERIORE.DE

Ceretto's 2019 Barolo combines the power of the vintage with the subtle signature of the house. The grapes come from various organically farmed cru sites in La Morra, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba – a composition that emphasises diversity and balance. On the nose, a precise, deep bouquet of dark cherry, ripe raspberry, dried rose and subtle hints of tobacco, liquorice and spicy undergrowth.

When the macchia mediterranea is immersed in autumnal stillness and the first dew wets the Sardinian hills, one of the boldest stories of modern viticulture begins. At the end of September, when all other harvests had long since finished, the Ragnedda brothers waited for a few more precious weeks. Their vision at the time: to complete the first Sardinian white wine in history in French barriques. A venture that changed Sardinia's wine landscape forever. The VT – vendemmia tardiva – is both Capichera's greatest challenge and proudest achievement. Each grape waits until it is saturated with sugar and flavour components that only late October can give. What begins as a simple Vermentino is transformed into pure magic through this patient maturation and four months in fine barriques. This wine only finds its way into the world two years after the harvest – the time it needs to reveal its unmistakable, powerful character.