Les Crêtes – Valle d’Aosta, Italy

The Charrere family first arrived in the Aosta valley from France in the 1700s. Nestled against Italy’s border with France and Switzerland and situated high in the Alps, Valle d’Aosta is, at about 1,260 square miles, Italy’s smallest and least densely populated region. The valley runs on the flanks of the Dora Baltea river southeast from Europe’s highest peak, the Mont Blanc, down to the border with Piemonte.

Current proprietor Constantino, his wife Imelda and their two daughters Elena & Eleonora champion the values of his father, Antoine, his grandfather, Etienne, and the generations before who first planted vineyards here in 1810. Close attention is paid to the environment, cultivation techniques, specialized research & experimentation and their interaction with surrounding habitats. Constantino is one of Italy’s leading forces in protecting and innovating regional varieties. The current quality of wine from Alpine varieties such as their prized Fumin and Petite Rouge for reds and Petite Arvine & Prie Blanc for whites owe much to the energy and ability of the estate. The wines from more widely recognisable varieties – Chardonnay, Nebbiolo (locally grown as Picotener) & Pinot Gris to name but a few – number amongst the region and Italy’s best examples. The winery & cellar are based in Aymavilles and vines range at altitudes of 600 to 1000 metres. At around 24 hectares under vine in six villages, Les Crêtes (translates as ‘the crests’ or ‘the peaks’) are the most prominent company in a valley where 67% of growers have 0.2 ha or less of vines. Total production is around 10,000 cases only.

Cantina Cingilia – Abruzzo, Italy

Vines, winemakers and great wines all flourish from strong roots. Still in his 30s, Fabio Di Donato’s roots are strong. He was born in his valley, at the foot of a historic pass, halfway between the most impressive mountains of Abruzzo and over 20 miles in from the coast with the chill impact of the peaks felt in the changing seasons. Fabio started Cingilia in 2013, fresh from a degree in oenology at Pescara, with 4 hectares first acquired by his grandparents a century ago, with additions of both older parcels and his own younger plantings. His time is spent mostly working and nurturing his organic vineyards, many of them classic, high-trained pergola Abruzzese. The wines are made in the converted garage at his home. Wild yeasts, minimal additions and gentle basket presses exemplify the hand at work here, allowing the grapes to speak of themselves and their footing.The name Cingilia itself alludes to an ancient name for local town Civitella Casanova, mentioned by Roman historian Livy as home to the Vestini people, in confilict with Rome in 325BC.

“One of the questions I ask nearly every producer is if there are any winemakers within their own region that are doing things that they believe are inspiring or exciting. In Abruzzo, the answer was Cingilia, Cingilia, Cingilia. With that said, I knew I had to pay a visit to Fabio Di Donato and his small, garage-styled winery in Cugnoli… I can’t wait to see how this winery evolves as Donato works to slowly increase production to meet a growing demand.”
Eric Guido, Vinous, August 2022

The range includes no more than 4,000 bottles each of Pecorino, Cococciola & Passerina from his younger plantings, simply fermented and aged on fine lees in steel, and a tiny 700 bottles from 1/3 hectare of 45 year old Trebbiano Abruzzo. The bottle fermented Cococciola is left on its lees in bottle in the Col Fondo style. The Cerasuolo Rosato is from his young red Montepulciano vines with older vines providing the 5,000 bottles of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, again all stainless steel.

Sordo – Barolo, Italy

Sordo was founded in 1912 by Giuseppe Sordo, the present owner’s grandfather, and is now under the guidance of it’s third generation, Giorgio Sordo, with his daughter Paola by his side. Situated in the district of Castiglione Falleto and overlooking the slopes of La Morra, Sordo is unique in that it bottles 8 Barolo Cru wines, the only producer able to do this in the entire region.

As well as bottling traditional varieties such as Dolcetto and Barbera, they also produce the peppery Verduno Pelaverga, one of the smallest DOCs in Italy. The whites comprise the region’s historic Arneis, along with Chardonnay, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc, which as well as being bottled separately go to make the captivating Rapujè Bianco. They also produce a Barbaresco from several plots in Barbaresco, Treiso and Neive.3 hectares, covering the areas of Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba, Barolo, Novello, La Morra, Verduno, Grinzane Cavour and Vezza d’Alba. Tradition and terroir lay at the heart of Sordo. Giorgio makes wine in a very similar way to his grandfather; after a gentle pressing and fermentation at around 30C, the wines continue to macerate for around 40 to 50 days, after which they are matured in large Slovenian oak barrels, which range from 50hl to 120hl and are used to preserve the unique essence of each cru.

Tenuta Santa Maria – Veneto

Tenuta Santa Maria is a private estate of the Bertani family. Located in the Arbizzano frazione of Negrar, one of the most highly regarded terroirs of the Valpolicella Classica, the 16th century Villa Mosconi Bertani and its vineyards are intertwined with the history of the regions’ most famous wine – Amarone. The great grandfather of today’s proprietor, Gaetano Bertani, along with his brother Giovan Battista, founded the estate in 1857. The family was responsbile for the introduction of the term ‘Amarone’, coined in 1936 within the very cellars of the villa complex in reference to a wine the Bertani family had been producing since the early 1900s under the name ‘Recioto Secco’.

The estate, along with the Colognola ai Colli property in the Val d’illasi to the east, were retained post 2013 when the Gruppo Bertani was sold. Today Gaetano, along with his sons Giovanni & Guglielmo, work to express the quality of this land by combining traditional methods, selected technology, and experience passed down through generations of family tradition. The vineyards are in organic conversion.

Bonavita – Sicily

The Faro DOC is located on Sicily’s northeastern tip overlooking the Strait of Messina. At only 34 hectares and with production of 4000 cases annually it is dwarfed even by Etna – 1100ha & 321,000 cases. Only 5 producers make wines here and the 3 plots of Bonavita that make up their 2.5 hectares are located on the vertiginous upper slopes of Faro Superiore. The steep terraces are between 250 and 300 masl surrounded by a wood of centuries-old oak and chestnut trees, forming a natural amphitheatre for their organic vines. Here, only the indigenous grapes are cultivated (Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Nocera). One of the main priorities is to protect the environment, thus they avoid the use of chemical substances, using only natural organic fertilizers and biodynamic preparations. The oldest vines are 80 years old and planted in Alberello style, the younger are 10 years old, trained to the espalier system The work here is manual and tough and production is low. The sandy, calcareous soils ensure the wines are stylistically different from those made on the neighbouring volcanic slopes of Etna, leaning towards more grace and elegance.

After returning to the family land from his studies in Bologna, Giovanni Scarfone started vinifying grapes from a few vines belonging to his father in a tiny room next to the family home. Fermentations now take place in stainless steel with wild yeasts just a few hundred metres from the vines’ terraces. Aging takes place in one large conical oak barrel along with some concrete, wines then being bottled unfiltered. His efforts produce around 1,000 cases each year and recognition of their excellence has rightly followed in the few years since his first vintage.

Cantine Polvanera – Puglia

A long family tradition characterizes the history of Polvanera, founded in 2002 through the determination of its owner and oenologist Filippo Cassano. He has always been well aware of the potential of his territory and its typical grapes. Thanks to his father’s skills in viticulture and his own traning at “Basile Caramia” School of Agriculture in Locorotondo, Filippo decided to bet on pure vinification, a process that enhances the peculiar characteristics of both vines and terroir. Located between Acquaviva delle Fonti and Gioia del Colle, Polvanera is surrounded by a singular countryside, with typical dry stone walls, downy oaks and vineyards. The cellar itself is uncommon: excavated into 8 meters of limestone rock, this charming structure allows the ageing of wines at a constant temperature. The annexed building is a 1820 manor in which tourists and guests are welcomed to taste wines. Polvanera is placed next to a famous touristic area of Apulia, 30 minutes far from Itria Valley and Matera. The harvest of grapes takes place during the first ten days of September. Latest equipment for pressing and vinification contributes to the BIO selection offered by Polvanera. Thanks to his worthy co-workers and the fundamental backing of his family, Filippo Cassano holds on his ambitious project of promoting and enhancing the quality of Primitivo and other autochthonous vines.