Wine enthusiasts know that Italian wines can be very expensive. This is especially true for single vineyard wines rated as crus.

Super Tuscan wines are known for their exceptional quality and steep price tags, such as Sassicaia and Masseto (made of Merlot) which have become highly coveted varieties.

1. Masseto by Tenuta dell’Ornellaia

Masseto, one of the premier Super Tuscan wines, is created using small plots of Merlot harvested from Masseto vineyard. This unique wine boasts aromatic complexity with delicate structure.

After harvest, grapes go through two selections prior to destemming and are aged in French oak barrels for one year before being blended together to capture both the distinct personality of each vineyard as well as a particular vintage.

Before being divided off as its own estate in 2004, Tenuta dell'Ornellaia's portfolio featured this wine which showcases an intensely aromatic, deeply concentrated expression of its terroir with lush fruit flavors and firm tannins, both lending it an earthy edge and long lasting taste sensations. A liquid kaleidoscope filled with Mediterranean herb notes and wood notes make this ethereal wine memorable; drink before 2022. Rating: 92 Points.

2. Monfortino by Giacomo Conterno

Giacomo Conterno Estate outside Monforte d'Alba in Piedmont has become internationally acclaimed for two stellar Barolo wines: Riserva Monfortino and Cascina Francia. Both wines embody classic Piemontese wine style combining intense fruit character with firm and austere tannins for an extraordinary experience.

Conterno wines are exquisite and require time to open up fully, while attesting to the estate's commitment to tradition through use of cutting edge technologies for sorting and destemming, marking every cork with an individual code to reduce taint risk, etc. Their elegance speaks volumes for their commitment to quality at Conterno.

Cantine Giacomo Conterno has been producing outstanding wines in Piemonte since 1908. Their Monfortino Riserva wine offers incredible depth and structure that ensures longevity in the bottle; Antonio Galloni awarded this gem an astounding 99 points rating! This classic Riserva can be found at auctions or specialty wine stores worldwide.

3. Amarone della Valpolicella by Giuseppe Quintarelli

Giuseppe Quintarelli, commonly referred to by his friends as Bepi, was an icon. A pioneer of Italian wine production, he made Tuscany and Sangiovese wines famous worldwide - known for their quality, elegance, and tradition.

Francesco and Lorenzo, Bepi's grandsons, now run his estate and continue making Amarone in its traditional manner - drying grapes in wooden boxes or on rush mats before ageing it for seven years in large Slavonian botti.

Family Alzero winemakers produce an exclusive vintage of Alzero made from slow-dried Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot harvested only during exceptional vintages. DOCG classification ensures its high-quality production through stringent rules governing yields, grape varieties, winemaking techniques and barrel/bottle maturation techniques - one of Italy's highest-rated wines!

4. Brunello di Montalcino by Gianfranco Soldera

Gianfranco Soldera has long been recognized as one of Brunello's pioneers, alongside Romano Dal Forno, Giovanni Conterno and Bruno Giacosa. When he established Case Basse estate in 1972 - and produced intensely concentrated wines that quickly caught on - he helped set off Brunello's "new wave". His wines soon earned worldwide renown.

Soldera prefers traditional cellar practices when it comes to his wines, favoring large Slavonian oak vats and bottles rather than French barriques for long aging of his wines. He selects certain barrels as Intistieti while leaving others for Riserva status.

Soldera's Brunellos and Riservas are highly sought-after Italian wines due to their limited production and dedicated following, and stand as testaments of his philosophy: from their dark glass bottles with smooth surfaces to their tight seal. In 2012 he even left the Consorzio to label his wines 100% Sangiovese; today they are widely considered among Brunello's Holy Grail alongside Diego Molinari's Cerbaiona wines.