wines

The structure of Cabernet Sauvignon, the spiciness of Cabernet Franc, the power of Syrah and the softness of Merlot combine here to create a red wine full of character, Mediterranean aromas and elegance. Dark red with a violet edge, fresh fruit bouquet of pomegranate and red currant with balanced hints of thyme, bay leaf and cedar. Initially very fresh and powerful on the palate with memories of raspberry and redcurrant, then round and harmonious, well structured and with soft tannin. SUPERIORE.DE

The Brunate vineyard, located between La Morra and Barolo, is considered one of the region's great Grand Cru. The combination of calcareous marl soils, optimal south to south-east exposure and the altitude gives the wine a fine interplay of ripe fruit, spicy depth and silky-textured tannin structure. The 2016 vintage produced wines of rare harmony in the Barolo region: a cool spring, balanced summer weeks and a long, golden autumn created conditions in which Nebbiolo could mature slowly. The result is wines of precision, depth and longevity.

Manfro's bouquet combines dark ripe fruits, sweet spices, some mocha with spicy herbs and violet flowers. Silky, full-bodied and energetic on the palate with cooling acidity and minerals that play superbly around the ripe black cherries. Finishes on an elegant bitter note, fresh with violet flowers and wild berries. SUPERIORE.DE

A rare and very limited wine that is more than just a Barbera: it is a living monument. The vines come from a tiny plot in the hamlet of Berri near La Morra, which was planted before the phylloxera catastrophe (prefilossera) and survived it – the vines are ungrafted, without rootstocks, a rare treasure that is almost unique in Italy today. The sandy, chalky soils and southern exposure give these grapes an intensity and clarity that is incomparable to any younger vineyard. The 2022 vintage brought sunny, warm days in which the old vines used their deep roots to tap into water reserves. harvest was strictly selective and in small crates to preserve the delicate structure of the berries.

The vineyard on the western side of the Montalcino hills is so secluded that you can enjoy the starry sky to the full without being disturbed. It is therefore not surprising that this supple, very classic Brunello bears the name "Sky of Ulysses". As is well known, Odysseus had the ability to navigate the seas without a compass and by simply orientating himself by the stars.

Renaissance – the name says it all. Markus Prackwieser leaves it to historians to decide whether Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli or Michelangelo were wine lovers. But their universal genius inspires him: only in the very best years, when all the factors are in perfect harmony, does he create these artistic wines – masterpieces that shine with versatility and finesse. The Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Renaissance represents this philosophy in its purest form. The grapes grow on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres, where Mediterranean warmth prevails during the day and cool Dolomite winds provide crystalline freshness at night. After a short maceration and gentle pressing, the wine ferments completely in tonneau. Then comes the decisive step: twelve months of ageing in large oak barrels on the first lees, followed by a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees. This patient maturation gives the wine that extra mellowness and finesse that sets it apart from all others.

Pinot Blanc – the supreme discipline of South Tyrol. The grape variety is considered the "number one white wine in South Tyrol" for good reason, and Markus Prackwieser's Renaissance Pinot Blanc Riserva elevates it to a level that few can match. Once again, it is the philosophy of the great Renaissance masters that is the inspiration here: universal expertise, perfection in detail, timeless beauty. Only in the very best years, when the terroir is at its most expressive, is this wine created – a work of art that needs two years to mature to perfection. The grapes come from the steepest plots of the Gump Hof, where calcareous moraines lie on solid quartz porphyry and the vines are exposed to the winds at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres. After gentle pressing, the must ferments completely in the large tonneau. Then comes the time that sets this wine apart from all others: twelve months in large wooden barrels on the first lees, a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees, followed by at least one year of bottle ageing before release. This patient ageing, which lasts over two years, gives the wine that extra mellowness, depth and finesse that distinguishes greatness from greatness.

This impressive red comes from the single vineyard "Vitticciana", which was created by the "Godfather of Carmignano" Ugo Contini Bonacossi especially for a pure Sangiovese wine due to its perfect orientation. It is only produced in the best years, when it presents itself as a multi-layered wine with fine fruit and fine-grained tannins. After a few years of ageing in the bottle, it can easily hold its own with some of the best Brunello di Montalcino. SUPERIORE.DE

Francesco Illy came to Montalcino as a nature photographer – and stayed. What began as a personal project in 1997 is now one of the most exciting biodynamic wineries in the denomination. Demeter-certified, run by a young team, with a philosophy that does not see perfection and joie de vivre as a contradiction. The "Cielo d'Ulisse" – the sky of Ulysses – comes from the western parcels of Montalcino, near Camigliano. Clayey-sandy soils with Galestro influence, evening sun, cool forest climate: a combination that gives Sangiovese freshness and elegance rather than power. Fermentation takes place spontaneously, ageing lasts three years in large used Slavonian oak barrels.

A historic Barolo from the estate (first produced in 1905!), composed from Nebbiolo parcels in the heart of the appellation. The grapes are selectively harvested by hand, the lots are carefully destemmed and fermented; maceration takes around eight days at moderate temperatures and malolactic fermentation is completed before the onset of winter. The wine then matures for at least 18 months in large oak barrels of various sizes – an ageing process that preserves balance, transparency and expression of origin. The 2021 vintage began with a mild winter and abundant rainfall, which created valuable water reserves. A light frost in mid-April reduced the yields, but without affecting the quality. This was followed by a long, stable summer without heat peaks; scattered thunderstorms in June/July and pronounced day/night amplitudes during the ripening phase ensured a precise harvest from 6 to 15 October. The grapes achieved excellent phenolic ripeness with bright acidity.

Rich, dark ruby colour with a slight garnet sheen, very dense bouquet, clear, concentrated and inviting, of fine dark chocolate, lots of blackberry, flowers and liquorice. Intense dark berry fruit flavours on the palate, fine-grained tannins, subtle mineral tones. A great, smooth and very characterful Merlot from the Cortona region with a long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Some wines are not created out of planning, but out of respect for what old vines can give. In Neive, where the Pola family has run the Fontanabianca winery since 1969, there is a plot of Barbera vines that have taken root in the limestone and clay soils for half a century. From these old vines – uncompromisingly selected and only vinified in exceptional vintages – brunet is the result: a Barbera wine of such concentration and structure that it redefines the conventional notions of this grape variety. The limited production is bottled exclusively in magnums, a format that gives the wine the space to develop that its density and complexity demand.

Here comes the new top Gran Selezione from San Felice: intense ruby red in colour, with broad and persistent aromas on the nose. Notes of violets and blackcurrants mingle with a sweet spiciness of tobacco and liquorice. Full-bodied, supple, well-structured wine, characterised by ripe and juicy tannins that harmonise with the acidic component. SUPERIORE.DE

1976: A young man called Gordon Sumner sits in a small flat in Newcastle, with no money, no prospects, nothing but an acoustic guitar and a dream. He writes a song about the magic that emanates from a woman – about those small gestures that enchant the everyday. When he later plays the song to his future bandmates, they wave it off: too soft, too gentle for the rough punk sound that London is currently celebrating. The song goes into the drawer. Five years later, when The Police had long since become global stars, they brought it out again. "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" becomes a number one hit in four countries and wins the Ivor Novello Award.

In the heart of Valdarno, where history and vision merge in a timeless act of faith, Il Borro – the flagship wine of a dream that began in 1993, when Ferruccio Ferragamo acquired the abandoned medieval village and brought it back to life. This exceptional blend not only embodies the essence of the Il Borro estate, but also the unshakeable conviction that wines of global appeal can be created from careful terroir analysis and a visionary grape variety philosophy. After meticulous geological studies, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah were planted on the soils that promise them optimal development: Merlot on the clay-rich layers, Cabernet Sauvignon in the alluvial sand, Syrah on the mineral-rich, stony terraces at the foot of Monte Pratomagno. Between 300 and 500 metres above sea level, the vines thrive on sandstone subsoil over a loamy-sandy matrix – a rare combination that was already considered ideal for great wines during the Renaissance. The dense planting of 4,500 vines per hectare forces each vine to fight for nutrients and concentrates the flavours in the berries.

Ghiaie della Furba means "pebbles of the Furba stream" and there is a reason for this, as the vines for this wine grow on the river pebbles on the banks of this stream. It is one of the very first "Supertuscans". After an hour in the carafe, this extremely complex red reveals wonderfully clear, dark fruit, blackberries and cassis, as well as coffee notes, dark chocolate and spices. Its very good structure and personality are impressive. It is already very accessible today (with aeration), but still hides its great potential for the next decade. SUPERIORE.DE

In the 1970s, seventy vines still existed. Seventy, scattered across eastern Friuli, forgotten in overgrown vineyards. What was once one of the most prized red wines in the region – first mentioned in 1282 – was on the verge of disappearing. Worse still: in 1976, the regional government banned its cultivation. A variety that was not on the official register was not allowed to exist. The rebels won. Paolo Rapuzzi collected the last vines, defied the authorities and an earthquake, and brought the first legal Schioppettino onto the market in 1977. Today, the variety is once again recognised as one of Italy's most important indigenous reds – also thanks to winegrowers like Christian Patat, who have given it a home in Rosazzo. The name? Presumably from the Friulian "scopp" – to crack, to burst. Some say because of the thick, crispy berry skin under the teeth. Others say because young wines continue to ferment in the bottle and the corks pop out. Both explanations fit a wine that has nothing quiet about it. Ronco del Gnemiz cultivates less than one hectare in two parcels: One has been bearing fruit for over sixty years, the other was planted in 2001. Christian Patat vinifies them together, with partial whole-cluster fermentation and ageing in neutral barriques. Nine months, unfiltered.

Bucine, Valdarno di Sopra – where the Arno meanders through gentle hills between Arezzo and Florence, Fattoria Petrolo lies between 250 and 500 metres above sea level. In 1988, Lucia Bazzocchi Sanjust wanted a wine that told the true identity of this terroir: the "Château" of Petrolo, a tribute to the centuries-old Tuscan tradition of combining French varieties with Sangiovese. As early as 1834, Giorgio Perrin, agronomist of Swiss origin and owner of Petrolo, reported in the "Giornale Agrario Toscano" that it was customary in Chianti to blend "uve francese" with Sangiovese, not to change the quality, but because the terroir won out over the grape varieties.

At the southern foot of the Margreider Schuttkegel is a vineyard with the dialect name "Punggl", which has been known and coveted for viticulture since time immemorial. In the mid-1950s, the former owners of the Hirschprunn estate planted a vineyard there with Merlot, as it had already produced very good results in previous decades. In 1995, the grapes from this vineyard were of such first-class quality that they inspired Luis von Dellemann, the Oenologistresponsible at the time, to vinify these grapes as a single variety - since then, and only in the best years, this strictly selected grape material has formed the basis for the MCM.

Before Sagrantino was pressed dry, it was a festive wine. A monastery wine that graced the tables of the Franciscans of Montefalco at Christmas and Easter – made from semi-dried berries, sweet and concentrated, blessed by the name itself: sacer = holy. Arnaldo Caprai still makes this oldest form of Sagrantino today – not as a nostalgia, but as a conviction that this style is perhaps the most intimate language of the grape variety. The grapes for the Passito are harvested by hand in October, the best grapes are carefully selected, then stored on wooden grates – for a good two months until the grapes have lost water and gained depth. What follows: 15 days of fermentation, 30 days of maceration on the skins, 15 months in French oak barrels, then at least one year in the bottle. From 7,000 vines per hectare, on the calcareous-clay soils of the Val di Maggio, with a yield that is limited from the outset. The 2019 vintage was one of Sagrantino's best years: a cool, slow autumn after a hot summer – for a late-ripening variety like Sagrantino, the constellation that winegrowers are waiting for. Tannins and acidity found their balance, the aromatic precision is remarkable.

There is a moment in the history of every small winery when it stops trying to prove itself – and begins to remember. Clelia Romano started in Arianello di Lapio in 1994, with a few hectares and one conviction: that Fiano on these volcanic limestone marl soils, between 480 and 620 metres, in the Apennine hills of Irpinia, can be one of the great white wines of Italy. The critics proved her right – quickly and unequivocally. Today she runs the estate together with her daughter Carmela. The wine that bears the name of the founder is the commitment of both generations.

Riccardo Dalisi worked with iron, copper and brass – with the humble materials of craftsmanship, to which he lent an archaic, almost sacred dignity through his sensitivity. He received the Compasso d’Oro twice: in 1981 for his coffee pot, and in 2014 for his social commitment. Feudi di San Gregorio owns two of his works. From this enduring connection, an idea emerged: the coloured glass mosaic ‘S.T.’ from 1990 – deep blue, vibrantly colourful, imbued with that effervescent energy that defines Dalisi’s signature style – adorns this bottle. No decorative label. A close dialogue between artist and wine.