wines

450 metres above sea level, on stony limestone soils around Tramin and Montan: this is where Sauvignon Blanc finds those striking day-night fluctuations that make its aromatic intensity possible in the first place. The mild, sunny climate of Bassa Atesina ensures optimum ripeness, while cool nights preserve the flavours. In the cellar, the grapes undergo an 8–10-hour cold maceration – longer than the other white wines from the estate –to release the full flavour potential from the skins. After gentle pressing and natural sedimentation, the must ferments at 19 °C in stainless steel.

The Negroamaro grapes for the extremely delicate Calafuria come from vineyards that stretch along the Adriatic coast in Salento. The region boasts a long tradition of producing rosé wines from Negroamaro, a grape variety that best expresses its potential near the sea. Pale pink in colour, the bouquet has fruity citrus notes of grapefruit and orange blossom with hints of jasmine. Pleasantly fresh on the palate with excellent aromatic persistence and a delicate flavour. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine that was voluntarily relegated. Munus was the flagship among the Bardolino red wines from Guerrieri Rizzardi – a Bardolino Superiore DOCG, Italy's highest classification level. Since 2021, it has borne the seemingly more modest title of Rosso Veronese IGT. Not out of negligence, but out of conviction: The DOCG required at least twelve months of wood in each vintage, and Giuseppe Rizzardi decided that the wine should dictate the ageing process – not the regulations.

Grignolino is one of the most underrated grape varieties in Piedmont – and Braida firmly believes in it. The name reveals where the structure comes from: "Limo" means silt, and the soil on the hills of Rocchetta Tanaro contains plenty of it. 40% silt, 30% sand and 30% clay give the wine its unmistakable backbone. The vines planted in 2010 are densely planted – 5,500 per hectare – and face south and east. Vinified exclusively in steel, four months of tank ageing and two months of bottle ageing preserve freshness and varietal character.

Behind the Castello di Soave, invisible to the tourists enjoying the view of the plain, lies a vineyard that epitomises the opposite of what Soave has been for decades. No mass product, no compromise. Ferra is single-varietal Garganega from volcanic gravel – of a hilltop that has belonged to the Rizzardi family since 1977 and has been bottled as a single vineyard since 2014. What makes this Soave stand out from the standard, pleasing wines: Garganega gets the full stage here. Fermentation in glazed cement tanks preserves the mineral precision, while six months in large foudres give the wine texture, depth and richness that go far beyond what is expected from the appellation.

The 2023 vintage brought a balanced climate with warm days and cool nights, which harmoniously combined freshness and ripeness. Martin Foradori's Merlot is characterised by cool noblesse and a clear structure. Dark berries, fine herbs and a hint of graphite characterise the bouquet. The ageing partly in large wooden barrels and partly in cement eggs gives the wine depth without excess weight. The palate is juicy, precise and supported by silky tannins - a South Tyrolean Merlot of quiet sovereignty and terroir-related elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

In the 1820s, wine merchants knew three Bardolino crus that existed in Switzerland's grand hotels alongside Burgundy and Beaujolais. In 1968, they were lost in the DOC regulations. They have been back since 2021 – and Montebaldo, the northernmost and highest subzone on the foothills of Monte Baldo, is perhaps the most exciting. Guerrieri Rizzardi's response to this rediscovery: 95 per cent Corvina – the highest percentage the winery has ever bottled –complemented by a touch of Rondinella, vinified completely without wood. This is not a concession to light summer enjoyment. It is a statement about transparency: the grape speaks exclusively here, and the moraine soil of Cavaion gives it a resonance chamber.

While the Rive wines from Andreola each bring a single vineyard to the glass, the Dirupo tells a different story: that of the entire denominazione. For this brut, Stefano Pola draws on the privilege of a vineyard network that extends across all 15 municipalities of the Valdobbiadene DOCG – from gentle slopes at 200 metres to extreme steep slopes at 500 metres, on limestone marls, sandstones, conglomerates and deep clay soils. No other wine of the house represents the territory so completely. The choice of grape varieties emphasises this approach: 90% Glera, supplemented by Bianchetta and Perera – two indigenous varieties of the hills, which have long since disappeared from standard Prosecco, but here they quietly contribute to the aromatic depth.

In the hills of Parteòlla, where a salty inland lake shimmers between centuries-old olive trees and the Romanesque church of Santa Maria di Sibiola sends its silent prayers to heaven, lies the enchanting Tenuta Iselis. Here, the Argiolas family is realising a very special project: the rediscovery of Nasco, an almost forgotten indigenous grape variety that was once brought to Sardinia by Phoenician seafarers. The name Nasco is probably derived from the Latin "muscus" – musk – a tribute to the extraordinary fragrance of this rare grape. While Nasco is traditionally vinified into sweet wines, Argiolas has chosen the innovative method of dry vinification: the grapes are harvest a month earlier, resulting in a modern white wine of particular elegance.

Rhine Riesling in South Tyrol? What sounds unusual at first glance makes perfect sense in the valley floor around Kurtinig. The loose, well-aerated sandy soils with calcareous gravel offer ideal conditions for the demanding Rheinriesling. The microclimate does the rest: the warm afternoon wind from Lake Garda alternates with cool morning breezes from the north, ensuring constant ventilation from April to October. The grapes undergo a 6–8-hour cold maceration before pressing – a process that releases the fine fruit flavours from the skins. Fermentation takes place at a controlled 19 °C in stainless steel.

The aromatic soul of South Tyrol. Gewürztraminer is considered the most typical of all South Tyrolean white wines – full-bodied and unmistakably aromatic. At Peter Zemmer, this grape variety grows on low-growing rootstock in the Guyot system, in the best vineyard sites on the valley floor around Kurtinig at 220–230 metres above sea level. The favourable location, ideal sunshine and good aeration of the grapes create ideal conditions for this demanding variety. After destemming, a six to eight-hour cold maceration follows, which transfers the valuable flavours from the skins into the must and intensifies the characteristic bouquet. Gentle pressing and subsequent fermentation at a controlled temperature of 19 °C in stainless steel preserve the varietal aromas in all their splendour.

Arneis – once almost extinct, today Piedmont's white pride. The Poggio di Caro comes from the heart of the Roero: the 20 to 25-year-old vines are rooted in the characteristic sandy soils around Canale, where Enrico Serafino has been at home since 1878. After being harvested by hand, the grapes are cooled with carbonic acid snow and undergo a 12 to 15-hour cold maceration before being gently fermented in stainless steel. Three months of bottle ageing round off the wine.

Zisola is the Tuscan dream of the Mazzei family in the south of Sicily. The winery's bestseller is made from 100% Nero d'Avola from traditional Alberello vines near Noto, where chalky soils and proximity to the sea balance the natural exuberance of this indigenous grape variety with freshness and elegance. The Marchesi Mazzei, one of Italy's most historic winegrowing families with over 600 years of tradition, have been continuing their Sicilian project since 2003. 24 hectares of vineyards surround the historic bagli of the 50-hectare tenuta with a view of the baroque UNESCO World Heritage Site of Noto. Hand-picked and fermented for 14-16 days at 26-28°C, the wine matures for 10 months in French oak barrels (33% new).

Barbaspinosa comes from the hills around Poggio la Mozza – characterised by ferruginous clay soils that give the Sangiovese backbone and depth. The wine is aged for twelve months, partly in barriques and partly in large wooden barrels. Ruby red in colour with a slightly lighter rim. The bouquet smells of black cherry, plum, Maremma herbs, some tobacco and a hint of leather. Powerful but well-balanced on the palate, with ripe fruit, grippy tannins and fine spice. The vintage gives fullness, but remains surprisingly fresh thanks to the cool nights. A Sangiovese full of character with a Tuscan soul – down-to-earth, honest and with a distinctive expression of the Maremma. SUPERIORE.DE

Trebbiano can be more than just a fresh summer wine – as Zaccagnini's San Clemente has been proving for years. Named after the Romanesque abbey of San Clemente a Casauria, a national monument in the heart of the Valle Casauria, this wine is a commitment to the depth of an often underestimated grape variety. The grapes come from old vines on clayey soils with a south-westerly exposure, where the constant ventilation between the Apennines and the Adriatic ensures perfect ripeness. The grapes are harvested by hand at the end of September, beginning of October – later than Tralcetto, riper and more concentrated. The actual transformation begins in the cellar: 14 days of maceration at a cool 14-16°C extract texture and complexity without sacrificing freshness. The wine then matures for six months in untoasted barriques – the wood provides structure, not flavour.

Nas-cëtta, also known as Anas-Cetta, is a rare, indigenous white wine variety from Piedmont that was almost forgotten. Originally native to the Novello region, it is characterised by its fine structure, aromatic complexity and good ageing potential. For Il Fiore, it is combined with 70% Chardonnay to harmonise fruit and texture. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the purity of the fruit and the clear expression of its Piedmontese origins.

A red wine with character – irresistible in its depth and yet with supple elegance. Noras comes from 90% Cannonau (Grenache) and 10% Carignano and is harvested from old vines rooted in sandy-granitic soils deep in the Sulcis terroir. After late manual harvesting, the must ferments at a controlled 22-24 °C for 12 days in stainless steel tanks, accompanied by regular pumping over to optimise extraction. Malolactic fermentation takes place early and spontaneously, followed by around six months of maturation in used French barriques. Before it is released for sale, Noras matures for a further six months in the bottle – a maturation and ageing process that gives it depth and elegance.

"Sogni al Campo" – dreams in the field. A name that reveals what drives this co-operative: 180 Piedmontese winegrowers who work together to cultivate around 300 hectares in the best vineyards in the region and make wine in the ultra-modern winery in Barolo. What unites them is the belief that co-operation does not have to mean compromise, but concentration on the essentials. This Langhe Nebbiolo shows how cleverly Piedmont handles its grape varieties: 85 per cent Nebbiolo provides structure and those typical aromas of cherry, violet and a hint of tar. But the 15 per cent Barbera is the secret – they bring juiciness and a lively acidity that makes the Nebbiolo more accessible in its youth without taking away its soul. After traditional fermentation, the wine matures for twelve months in barriques, which give it a subtle spiciness and finely polished tannins.

Documented since 1370, Lagrein epitomises authentic South Tyrol like no other grape variety. This autochthonous variety, related to Syrah and resulting from a natural cross with Teroldego, finds optimal conditions in the alluvial soils of Bolzano, Ora and Magreid. The natural cultivation of the selected partner farms respects the characteristic intensity of this Burgundy-coloured variety. Traditional mash fermentation at a controlled temperature in steel tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation and twelve months of ageing in large wooden barrels, results in a Lagrein with a classic character.

The name says it all: Due lame – two terraces – refers to the extreme altitude range of the vineyards between 420 and 655 metres. These are the highest Sangiovese vineyards in the whole of Tuscany, arroccati on the mineral-rich steps that gave the village of Lamole its name. The ochre-coloured "Macigno Toscano" soils, interspersed with Galestro and Alberese, give the wine its characteristic sharpness and elegance. The winery in the heart of Chianti Classico has been part of the Santa Margherita Group (Herita Wines) since 1993 and vinifies in the historic cellars of a Castello dating back to 1350. The grapes undergo optical selection, ferment in stainless steel with 7-10 days of maceration and mature on the lees until late winter. A short maturation in large oak barrels rounds off the process.