RUMORS FROM WINENEWS: HERE ARE THE GAMBERO ROSSO 2014 SPECIAL AWARDS TOP WINERY? COLLEMASSARI. TOP RED? AMARONE GUERRIERI RIZZARDI. TOP WHITE? PINOT BIANCO NALS MARGREID. NUMBER 1 SWEET? ORVIETO BARBERANI. TOP BUBBLY? ALTA LANGA ZERO ENRICO SERAFINO

These are the awards that might take an entire career in the world of Italian wine to win. They are a kind of the "award of awards" ("Tre Bicchieri"): they are the "special prizes" by the "Gambero Rosso" guide "Italian Wines" and are among the most sought after awards in the Italian wine world. And Wine News is able to list the names of the winners in preview of these important "titles" issued by one of the top editors of an Italian wine & food magazine.

The "special prizes" for the 2014 edition of the Guide (which will be presented as usual in Rome on the third weekend in October) have been indicated by the curators Marco Sabellico, Eleonora Guerini and Gianni Fabrizio, who have chosen the "white of the year”, Alto Adige Pinot Bianco Sirmian 2012 by the Nals Margreid winery; the "red of the year", Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Calcarole 2009 by Guerrieri Rizzardi; the "bubbles of the year", Alta Langa Metodo Classico Zero 2007 by Enrico Serafino and the "sweet wine of the year", Orvieto Classico Superiore Muffa Nobile Calcaia 2010 by Barberani.

The "Winery of the Year" is Collemassari, the Tuscan company based in Poggi del Sasso at the heart of the appellation of Montecucco in Maremma that is the leader, but also owns Grattamacco in Bolgheri and Poggio di Sotto in Montalcino.
The "wine of the year" is the Friulian Princic Doro, a pioneer in viticulture in the Collio area and one of the most rigorous winemakers in Italy. The " emerging winery " is the Sardinian Pala Estate. The "Award for Sustainable Viticulture" is in Tuscany, the Salcheto firm in Montepulciano. Sicily takes the recognition for "wine with the best quality / price ratio”, Bianco Maggiore 2012, Grillo in purity by Cantine Rallo.