wines

On the south-facing slopes between 260 and 380 metres above the Adige Valley, South Tyrol's most aromatic white wine unfolds its full seductive power. The unique terroir of Andriano – reddish-loamy limestone soils interspersed with angular dolomite rock – gives Movado its characteristic mineral base. Here, where the continental climate meets Mediterranean influences, the reddish-grey berries of the famous Traminer grape ripen to aromatic perfection. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, followed by six months of refinement on the fine lees, which gives Movado its characteristic texture and complexity.

Clean and refined white wine (Riesling & Durella) from volcanic soils with aromas of ripe yellow grapefruit, melon and a hint of wet straw. Medium-bodied with a silky texture that becomes slightly phenolic towards the end. A note of bitter lemon on the finish is exciting. Lots of crisp flavour, good freshness and length. SUPERIORE.DE

Grandiose Cannonau with a clear will: Sincaru ("serious") has a beautiful dialectic in its name and the sunny elegance of the Gallura terraces in the glass. 100% Cannonau from sun-drenched vineyards near Arzachena, on calcareous-sandy granite soil, clear mineral depth. The sea breeze with its cool nights ensures lively freshness and varietal typicity. In the glass, Sincaru has a dark ruby red colour with a subtle garnet rim. The aroma is open and aromatic: blackcurrant, ripe sour cherry, Mediterranean herbal notes and a hint of bergamot, carried by a fine, salty minerality. On the palate, the wine is round and supple, with lively acidity and softly coated tannins. The finish is clear, persistent and savoury-mineral – typically Gallura, elegant and full-bodied. A masterful Cannonau with a charming, contemplative character that makes you want to discover it. SUPERIORE.DE

Soligo and Col San Martino share the same geological origin – the same system of steep ridges between Vidor and Vittorio Veneto, the same limestone conglomerate rocks, the same heroic steepness of 300 to 500 metres. And yet the Más de Fer is a different wine. The difference lies in the soil. The plots on Col de Fer and San Gallo – around five hectares on a single contiguous slope, exposed to the south-east – grow exclusively on pure limestone conglomerate, without the marl inclusions that give Col San Martino its aromatic intensity. The thinnest soils, roots directly in the rock, constant light stress – but the result is not less, but different: fine elegance instead of power, verticality instead of breadth, a purity of expression that Andreola deliberately responds to with the extra dry dosage. The 14 g/l residual sugar is not a concession to the mass taste – they are the exact balance that this finesse needs.

One of the most characterful white wines in southern Italy comes from the high vineyards around Tufo – the Riserva Cutizzi version of Greco di Tufo is particularly elegant and brooding. The mineral soils of volcanic origin, the cool nights at 500 to 600 metres above sea level and the selective harvest characterise the distinctive profile of this exceptional white wine. Light golden yellow with silvery reflections in the glass. The bouquet reveals a dense yet focussed aroma: ripe yellow citrus fruit, nectarine, green fennel and a hint of wet chalk. Clear and structured on the palate, with a salty freshness and creamy texture that comes from ageing on the fine lees. Finishes with a fine almond note and a delicate, almost sparse mineral grip.

The Cotarellas dedicate a second Verdeluce to the "green heart of Italy": pure Vermentino from the hills around Montecchio near Orvieto. While the Bianco blend emphasises complexity and depth, the Vermentino plays the card of freshness and immediacy. Pale straw yellow in colour with greenish reflections. The nose is clean and delicate: camomile, kumquat, yellow peach, a hint of Mediterranean herbs. Slender and light-footed on the palate, with lively acidity and that salty undertone that characterises good Vermentino. Uncomplicated in the best sense of the word – a wine for an aperitif, for seafood, for summer evenings. SUPERIORE.DE

Col Fondo has been part of the Adami product family since the early 1900s. Initially, grandfather Abele and later father Adriano bottled the wine in spring. This then began to ferment again in the warmer months of May and June, producing what is known in Veneto as "vin col fondo". The origin of the name is easy to explain: it is due to the yeasts that settle at the bottom of the bottle after all the residual sugar has been consumed, causing the wine to develop in an exciting way over time. It always comes onto the market about a year later.

The name is the programme – and a promise. "Tre Filer": three rows, three grape varieties, one idea. Turbiana, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grow on the chalky, clayey soils of Lugana di Sirmione, the southern shore of Lake Garda, which Ca' dei Frati has understood like no other winery in the region for generations. What is made from these grapes follows an old logic with modern self-confidence. The harvest takes place late – deliberately too late, one might say. What is left over goes into the fruttaio, the drying room, and rests there for at least ninety days. During this time, the berries shrink and everything concentrates: sugar, flavours, character. Then comes the surprise: no wooden barrels, no barriques – instead, twelve to fourteen months in steel on the fine lees, followed by a year of ageing in the bottle. A sweet wine that dispenses with any opulent wood flavour and instead focuses on purity.

When a princess decided to bottle wine in 1958, she didn't do it just like that, but with ambition. Eleonora Ruspoli Berlingieri, who brought the historic Lilliano estate near Castellina in Chianti into family ownership back in 1920, was the first to recognise the oenological potential of this location. At her side: Giulio Gambelli, legendary Sangiovese guru and one of the great interpreters of Tuscan wines. Today, the brothers Giulio and Pietro Ruspoli carry on the legacy – the family still resides in the historic Palazzo Ruspoli in the heart of Rome. The Chianti Classico, which is named after them, comes from around 40 hectares of vineyards on calcareous, stony Alberese soils, which delay the ripening of the grapes at an altitude of around 300 metres and thus preserve acidity and aromatic freshness. The organically farmed vineyards produce a cuvée of 90 per cent Sangiovese, supplemented by five per cent each of Colorino and Merlot – a classic blend that complies with the DOCG statute and emphasises the typicality of the zone.

In May, when the iris – tuscan "giaggiolo" – the vineyards of Lamole are bathed in violet light, the soul of this wine is revealed. The name Maggiolo was born from the fusion of flower and month: a Chianti Classico that expresses the sunny generosity of the altitudes between 420 and 655 metres in liquid form. Unlike the purist Duelame, Maggiolo is a blend of 80% Sangiovese with 10% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. After visual berry selection, the grapes ferment separately in stainless steel. The Sangiovese matures for 18 months in large oak barrels, the international varieties in barriques – a marriage that combines structure and suppleness.

Rive di Rolle lies in the shelter of the Trevigian Prealps – warmer than the more open sites of the Denominazione, with higher average annual temperatures and deep, fine-grained clay-marl soils that retain moisture and ensure a consistent water balance for the vines even in dry years. The result is a Glera that matures differently than elsewhere: more opulent, more fruit-driven, with an aromatic spectrum that goes far beyond the floral notes of the limestone vineyards. The Vigna Ochera is the most perfect representative of this terroir logic in the Andreola portfolio.

Refrontolo lies on the eastern edge of the denominazione – quieter, warmer, a half tone lower than the steep slopes of the core zone. The Col del Forno vineyard is a natural amphitheatre of around four hectares at 250 metres, nestled between forests and terraced slopes. Andreola acquired the plot in 2016 – and the wine was one of the most convincing of the entire Rive line right from the start. What distinguishes Refrontolo from Col San Martino is not quality, but character. The clayey, marly soils with karst formations dating back to before the last ice age reliably retain moisture – providing a stable water supply for the vines even in dry years. Temperatures are slightly higher than in the west of the denomination and ripening begins earlier. The result is not intense floral wines, but Glera with ripe fruit: hawthorn, wisteria, apple, peach and yellow citrus fruits – a warmer, more complex spectrum of flavours.