wines

"Curiosity about the future" – is the motto of this extraordinary comet, which is not just a wine, but a climate change experiment. For many years, Alois Lageder has been working on the question of which grape varieties are suitable for future higher average temperatures and more extreme weather conditions in South Tyrol. The answer: plant grape varieties from southern wine-growing regions of Europe and observe how they behave in cooler environments. The hypothesis was that these varieties would develop higher acidity and moderate sugar levels in South Tyrol. Today, VIO XIII is one of the most successful experiments in this series.

There is one decision in the cellar that says it all: no dosage. Zero grams of sugar after dégorgement – no equalisation, no softening, no correction. What goes into the bottle must stand on its own. Christian Bellei makes this decision at La Prima Volta consciously and anew every time: Dosaggio Zero is an attitude. 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara from the alluvial soils of Secchia. Only the Mosto Fiore – the first, purest part of the gentle pressing – is fermented in steel at a controlled temperature. Bottle fermentation takes place in the spring after the harvest according to the metodo classico, followed by at least 36 months on the lees at a constant 12°C. Rémuage, dégorgement – and instead of the liqueur d'expédition, the same wine is returned to the bottle. Nothing else.

Roberto Voerzio founded his cantina in La Morra in 1986. The address is Loc. Il Cerreto is the home vineyard, the house's place of origin, the plot of land where it all began. The Barbera that grows here therefore comes from the garden of the man who was one of the first to make the Langhe internationally famous as a terroir producer. Voerzio treats his Cerreto vineyard no differently to his famous Barolo vineyards: only natural manure from Alpine cows, no herbicides, no chemical intervention. A maximum of one kilogramme of grapes per vine. Hand-picked. Fermentation in steel, 12 to 14 days on the skins. Maturation in tonneaux (70% new) and large 25-hectolitre barrels for a total of 12 months, followed by a further 8 months in steel. No filtration. No intervention that changes the character of the wine – this is Voerzio's principle for every wine of the house, without exception. In his own words: "Time does not make the wine great – time unfolds what is in it from the start."

An elegant rosé with a playful balance between fine fruit and lively freshness: the Cuvée Imperiale Max Rosé is made from a balanced proportion of Pinot Nero (Saignée method) and Chardonnay, with traditional bottle fermentation and around 24 months of ageing on the lees ensuring a fine texture and expression. In the glass, it is a delicate old rose colour with a bright shimmer and a lively, creamy perlage. The nose opens with redcurrants and raspberries, a hint of red grapefruit and floral nuances such as rose petals. On the palate, the Extra Dry enchants with its racy freshness, compact fruit structure, integrated residual sweetness and delicate flavour. The finish is dry, mineral and long, with a lingering hint of red fruit. Charming, present and stylishly balanced – perfect with salmon, red tuna or as an invigorating aperitif. SUPERIORE.DE

It was no coincidence, but opportunity, that Roberto Voerzio embarked on a new adventure in Monferrato a few years ago. As the latest addition to his exquisite collection, he put himself to the test as a passionate Barbera lover by acquiring some plots of land near Canelli and Nizza Monferrato. These are vineyards that are around 35 years old with clay and limestone soil, which gives the wine complexity and minerality. The old planting was then greatly reduced according to his modus operandi: to 3,500 to 8,000 vines per hectare with a production of less than 1 kg (!) per plant. Fermentation and maceration take place in steel tanks using indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation and ageing take place in barriques (70% used) for 12 months and then in steel tanks for a few months before bottling without filtration.

Pinot Grigio Unterebner is an exceptional wine: golden yellow in colour, elegant aromas of blossom honey, lavender and tropical fruit. Delicate buttery notes, very balanced and charismatic, long and powerful on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Pure Syrah from the volcano? This is not a matter of course, but a courageous commitment to the international grape variety, embedded in the alpine character of the northern slope of Etna. Sole di Sesta refers to the midday sun that hits the vines with full force in the terraced vineyards around Castiglione di Sicilia – flanked by cold downdraughts from Mount Etna, which balance out the day at night. The vines are rooted at 750 metres above sea level in sandy volcanic soil with a high stone content. The result is a Syrah that brings together the special origin and the international variety in an exciting balance.

In the dizzying heights of Lamole, one of the highest appellations in Chianti Classico, the Sangiovese grapes for this exceptional Riserva grow at 470 to 655 metres. The historic terraces of local Macigno del Chianti – the characteristic sandstone that stores the sun's heat during the day and releases it again at night – create a unique microclimate for this organically certified wine. Lareale combines grapes from two of Lamole's best vineyards: "Il Prato" and "Le Masse". 95 per cent Sangiovese, supplemented by five per cent Canaiolo Nero, produce a Chianti Classico of remarkable elegance and oysteriness after optical berry selection and two weeks of maceration. Maturation in oak barrels for over two years gives the wine additional complexity and structure.

When the first snow powders the peaks and most winegrowers have long since closed their cellars, the real work begins on Mount Roen. At the end of November, sometimes not until the beginning of December, grapes are still hanging on the vines here – golden-brown, raisined, concentrated to the essence. Every year it is a new bet with the weather, a calculated risk that the Tramin winery has been taking for decades. Because what matures here on the eastern and south-eastern slopes above Söll at an altitude of 300 to 500 metres is no ordinary sweet wine. The 15 to 25-year-old vines are deeply rooted in calcareous gravel and loamy soil, interspersed with porphyry rock. The extreme climate – mediterranean-sunny days, followed by icy downdraughts from the Dolomites – forces the grapes to concentrate, squeezing everything they have to give. The yield? A meagre 25 hectolitres per hectare. Luxury in liquid form. harvest is followed by careful maceration, then gentle pressing at just 1.2 bar. The must matures in barriques for a whole year before being left to rest in the bottle for a further few months.

This wine bears the small print name Viola delle Viole, although its fruit comes from the Bricco delle Viole and Bricco Bertone vineyards, two sites with different soil types, one of which provides structure and the other aromatic purity. Opens with a dark, almost impenetrable appearance. Powerful aromas of blackberry jam and preserved cherries unfold on the nose. You can feel its warmth and richness and there is no way around it. It is a super-sized Barbera that goes one better in terms of extraction and intensity. The finish is almost sweet, followed by good acidity. It shows great aromatic perfection, length and a very accentuated style. SUPERIORE.DE

Bright ruby red colour. Warm, balsamic bouquet of black cherry, some plum and blackcurrant syrup, then firm, complex and spicy on the palate, the fruit beautifully present and with a wonderfully long finish with notes of leather and sweet tobacco. The well-structured tannins perfectly round off the overall picture of a serious red with personality and character. The 20/24-month ageing in French oak barrels (25-35 hl), followed by a further year in the bottle, enriches the aromatic complexity of the wine with a clear focus on balance and elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Antonio Bragato, born in Germany but with an absolute Friulian identity, joined forces 20 years ago with Gianni Maccari, who was cellar master at Livio Felluga for many years and founded his own winery Ronco della Rocca at the beginning of the millennium. Maccari, who has a degree in agronomy and Oenologist, is considered one of the best-trained viticultural experts in Friuli. The profound knowledge of his own 12 hectares of vineyards as well as the leased plots and the radical precision in the execution of every operation characterise the clear style and the reliable quality of the wines that Antonio Bragato creates there together with him.

A wine born from a love story between two worlds: When Thomas Bär acquired the La Valletta estate in Panzano in 2011, he not only completed his family's legacy, but also created the basis for a unique cuvée that combines two exceptional terroirs in perfect harmony. Valletta is the liquid manifesto of this visionary decision: half Sangiovese from the galestro-rich terraces of Castellina and half Merlot from the stone-rich soils of Conca d'Oro. On the one hand, the centuries-old, UNESCO-protected dry stone walls of Gagliole, where the vines find an ecological balance between olive trees and roses. On the other, the sun-drenched heights of La Valletta at the upper edge of the Golden Valley, where the shell-shaped amphitheatre develops its famous microclimate.

San Sebastiano. A small church south-west of Monforte d'Alba, surrounded by vineyards that flow gently down to the only natural lake in the Langhe. "Bricco Lago" – the hill by the lake. Here, on clay and limestone soils, in an area of unrivalled biodiversity, the Nebbiolo vines that produce Lucas and Elena's "Baby Barolo" take root. Plots planted in 1969 and 1995 – old vines that give depth and complexity. Monforte's ferrous character, its reddish colour, its spicy nose – can all be found here. However, Luca deliberately vinifies differently to his upcoming Barolos. Not whole-cluster fermentation, but whole berries – to avoid excessive vigour and preserve finesse. Five days of cold maceration, then 21 days of simple, traditional, non-invasive fermentation with minimal pumping over. After fermentation, the grape skins remain submerged in the wine for another five days to gently extract further flavours and silky tannins – an innovative technique for more complexity without bitterness. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Matured for one year in small barrels, then bottled in autumn.

Calderara is a wine with 100% volcanic DNA. Born on one of the most prestigious single vineyards (Contrada) of northern Etna. The site is located at an altitude of around 750 metres near Randazzo, where barren, dark soils of lava rock and basalt are weathered and large porous stones flank the rows of vines. The name is derived from "caldera" – a heat-accumulating rock structure that stores heat during the day and releases it again at night. It is this interplay of volcanic power and cool mountain climate that gives Calderara its incredible precision and depth.

In 1984, a silent act of rebellion against convention took place on a nameless podium in the hills between Gaiole and Radda. Marco Pallanti, the visionary Oenologist at Castello di Ama, dared to do the impossible: He planted Pinot Nero clones from Morey-Saint-Denis, the heart of Burgundy, in the chalky soils of Tuscany. What began as a bold experiment became a legend – il Chiuso, named after the secretive, mysterious place where Burgundy's noblest grape variety found its Tuscan soul. Five hundred metres above sea level, on intensely limestone soils reminiscent of the Grands Crus of the Côte d'Or, the descendants of those Burgundian pioneers thrive today. Clones 111, 114 and 115 from Morey-Saint-Denis have found a new identity in this exceptional terroir – tuscan in their warmth from the sun, Burgundian in their finesse. The cool microclimate of this altitude, tempered by the Chianti winds, preserves the elegance and acidity structure that help Pinot Nero achieve its purest expression.

Fumin epitomises the soul of alpine wine with a peppery palette of sage, rosemary and mint giving way to rose petals and a hint of camphor. It is refined yet full of life, with red berries reminiscent of citrus and a core of minerals and vibrant acidity. Finishes remarkably clean yet perfumed, with a lingering tension of sour berries. SUPERIORE.DE

They could hardly have come from more different places: Caroline Pobitzer grew up in South Tyrol, in a Renaissance castle, and was the guardian of a 600-year-old wine cellar there for decades – the oldest and largest in Europe. Jan Hendrik Erbach came from Karlsruhe, studied viticulture and oenology and gained experience in France. In 1997, the two of them jointly founded Pian dell'Orino – a small estate of just under six hectares of Sangiovese, right on the border of Montalcino's most famous address: the Tenuta il Greppo of the Biondi-Santi family. Not a bad neighbour. Biodynamic since 2003, Demeter-certified since 2018. 22 different Sangiovese clones on seven plots, lunar calendar for pruning, nettle and camomile tea for the soil. Jan and Caroline work on an area that only allows for around 17,000 bottles a year – for all the estate's wines combined.