Montalcino and Montepulciano at the top, with Ciacci Piccolomini and Dei, in “The Enthusiast 100”

Brunello di Montalcino, once again, at the top of the world wine critics’ rankings: the Brunello di Montalcino 2015 of the Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona brand of the Bianchini family, one of the qualitative references of one of the most prestigious territories in the world, climbs the podium of “The Enthusiast 100”, the ranking of the best wines ever tasted by the Wine Enthusiast team (whose Italian editor is Kerin O’Keefe). And, as always, in a ranking that this year sees in first place overall the Blueprint Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 of Californian Lail, from Napa Valley, and the second the Sélection de Vieilles Vignes Riesling 2017 of Trimbach, from French Alsace, many are the Italian wines. 16, on the whole, with the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016 of the winery Dei at n. 13, another reference and standard bearer of the territory, which confirms itself as one of the pearls of the qualitative elite of Tuscany and Italian wine.
“It is a great joy for the winery, an award (yet another one, ed.), which gratifies the great work of my family, and of our entire team, but above all it is a recognition of the value of the entire Montalcino territory, which, over the years, with many other wineries has received awards of the highest level, which all together testify to the great qualitative growth of Montalcino wine. And then in a difficult moment for everyone like this the satisfaction is double, we enjoy it even more”, comments Paolo Bianchini (Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona) to WineNews.
“It is a beautiful light that lights up on the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and also confirms the goodness of the 2016 vintage, really a great vintage. And it is a prize that pleases us above all because it recognizes the value and importance of the territory. And then it is certainly good news for the company and for our partners, distributors and importers, a further impetus on the market, especially in the U.S., in a year obviously difficult, where there was no Italy, but abroad as a whole has held and the consumption of wine, from our observatory, has not fallen. And this is a very significative signal”, adds Caterina Dei.
Going back to the ranking, for Italy, scrolling through the list there are the Barolo Garblèt Suè 2016 by Brovia at n. 18, the Lambrusco di Sorbara Radice 2019 by Paltrinieri at n. 21, and again the Barbaresco Albesani Santo Stefano 2017 by Castello di Neive at n. 23, and the Chianti Classico 2017 by Fontodi at n. 27. Again, in the first 50 positions, going down to Sicily and up to Mount Etna with the Contrada R Nerello Mascalese 2018 by Passopisciaro at n. 29, and with Pietrarizzo Bianco 2019 by Tornatore at n. 33. Position n. 35 for Nizza Cipressi 2017 of the Piedmontese Michele Chiarlo, while at n. 36 you go to Alto Adige, with the Sylvaner 2019 of Abbazia di Novacella. At n. 40 there is the Friuli Venezia Giulia with the Collio, with the Sauvignon 2016 Riserva Russiz Superiore (Marco Felluga), and at n. 43 there is the Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Docg Rive di Refrontolo Brut Nature by De Stefani. At n. 64 there is Abruzzo, with the Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 2019 by Tiberio, while at n. 89 there is Puglia, with the Lirica Primitivo di Manduria 2017 by Produttori di Manduria. To close the large group of Italians, the Pinot Bianco dell’Alto Adige 2019 of the brand Kettmeir (of the Santa Margherita group), at n. 92, and the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Ilico 2017 of Illuminati, at n. 96. With a ranking that confirms, once again, the ability of Italian wine to express excellence from North to South, in many territories and with many different grape varieties.

Focus - All Italian wines in “The Enthusiast 100” 2020 by Wine Enthusiast
3 - Brunello di Montalcino 2015 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona
13 - Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016 Dei
18 - Barolo Garblèt Suè 2016 Brovia
21 - Lambrusco di Sorbara Radice 2019 Paltrinieri
23 - Barbaresco Albesani Santo Stefano 2017 Castello di Neive
27 - Chianti Classico 2017 Fontodi
29 - Contrada R Nerello Mascalese 2018 Passopisciaro
33 - Pietrarizzo Bianco 2019 Tornatore
35 - Nizza Cipressi 2017 Michele Chiarlo
36 - Sylvaner 2019 di Abbazia Novacella
40 - Sauvignon 2016 Riserva Russiz Superiore
43 - Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Docg Rive di Refrontolo Brut Nature NV De Stefani
64 - Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 2019 Tiberio
89 - Lirica Primitivo di Manduria 2017 Produttori di Manduria
92 - Pinot Bianco dell’Alto Adige 2019 Kettmeir (Santa Margherita)
96 - Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva Ilico 2017 Illuminati