“Top 100” 2023 by “Wine Spectator”: Brunello from Argiano at No. 1, but Chianti Classico triumphs

Argiano “Wine of the Year” 2023, with the most prestigious place, No. 1, with the only Brunello di Montalcino in the “Top 100” by “Wine Spectator”, where the absolute triumphant territory is Chianti Classico, with as many as 7 wines signed “Black Rooster” out of 24 Italians in the ranking (compared to 20 in 2022). On the one hand, a solo, with the Brunello di Montalcino 2018 from the historic winery that was owned by the Caetani Lovatelli family, and since a few years by the Brazilian entrepreneur Andrè Esteves, and led by Bernardino Sani, on the other hand, the chorus with many voices, of one of the territories, that of Chianti Classico, which, in recent years, has grown a great deal in quality and value, in a widespread way. This is one of the possible readings of the list of the world’s 100 best wines of the year, according to the American magazine, which, after announcing its “Top 10”, which includes Mastroberardino’s Taurasi Radici Riserva 2016 at No. 5, and Antinori’s Chianti Classico Marchese Antinori Riserva 2020 at No. 7, sees, as always, from Alto Adige to Sicily, many tricolor labels. With the top 3, over the top 10, all Chianti Classico: Castello di Bossi’s Gran Selezione 2019 at No. 11, Fattoria di Fèlsina’s Berardenga Riserva 2020 at No. 22 (and the first time of an Additional Geographical Mention for Gallo Nero in the “Top 100”) and Tenuta di Arceno’s Riserva 202 at No. 24. At No. 26, on the other hand, there is now a Langhe classic, such as G.D. Vajra’s Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2019, while going back to Tuscany at No. 34, there is Dei’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2019. At position No. 36 is Pico Maccario’s Barbera d’Asti Lavignone 2021, while at No. 39 is Giuseppe Cortese’s Barbaresco 2019. Back at No. 42 is Chianti Classico, with Castello di Querceto’s 2020 vintage, followed again by Gallo Nero, with Poggerino’s Chianti Classico 2021 at No. 45, and Ratti’s Barbera d’Asti Battaglione 2021 at No. 47. In the second half of the ranking, at No. 51, the only Italian sparkling wine in the “Top 100”, Mionetto’s Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut, followed, at No. 54, by another wine that has been repeatedly awarded by critics, Michele Chiarlo’s Nizza Cipressi 2019. At No. 59 again Chianti Classico, with Cecchi’s Storia di Famiglia 2021, while at No. 63 moving to Lombardy, there is Nino Negri’s Valtellina Superiore Inferno Ca’ Guicciardi 2019 (by Gruppo Italiano Vini – Giv). At No. 67 there is the first Italian white wine in the ranking, Bisci’s Verdicchio di Matelica 2021, ahead, at No. 70, of Abbazia di Novacella’s Kerner Alto Adige Valle Isarco 2022. Closing out the “big group” of Italians are Poggio San Polo’s Rosso di Montalcino 2020 (from the Allegrini group) at No. 72, Catabbo’s Tintilia del Molise Colle Cervino 2019 at No. 75, Paolo Scavino’s Barolo 2019 at No. 78, and again, at No. 80, Cepparello 2020 (Igt Toscana, which is still born in Chianti Classico, ed.), by Isole & Olena (which, for some time now, has been part of the Descours family’s Epi group), and Morgante’s Nero d’Avola Doc Sicilia 2020 at No. 83. A small kaleidoscope of Italian variety, with lots of Tuscany, above all, and lots of Chianti Classico as mentioned, that told by the “Top 100” 2023. Which therefore, has once again put an Italian (and, once again, Tuscan) wine, on the roof of the world, after Antinori’s 1997 Solaia, in 2000, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia’s 1998 Ornellaia, in 2001 (now by Frescobaldi, at the time by Lodovico Antinori, ed.), Casanova di Neri’s 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova, in 2006, and Tenuta San Guido’s 2015 Sassicaia, in 2018.

Focus - All of Italy in the “Top 100” 2023 by “Wine Spectator”

1 - Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 2018
5 - Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici Riserva 2016
7 - Antinori Chianti Classico Marchese Antinori Riserva 2020
11 - Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019
22 - Fattoria di Fèlsina Chianti Classico Berardenga Riserva 2020
24 - Tenuta di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva 2020
26 - G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2019
34 - Dei Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2019
36 - Pico Maccario Barbera d’Asti Lavignone 2021
39 - Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2019
42 - Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico 2020
45 - Poggerino Chianti Classico 2021
47 - Ratti Barbera d’Asti Battaglione 2021
51 - Mionetto Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore NV
54 - Michele Chiarlo Nizza Cipressi 2019
59 - Cecchi Chianti Classico Storia di Famiglia 2021
63 - Nino Negri Valtellina Superiore Inferno Ca’ Guicciardi 2019
67 - Bisci Verdicchio di Matelica 2021
70 - Abbazia di Novacella Kerner Alto Adige Valle Isarco 2022
72 - Poggio San Polo Rosso di Montalcino 2020
75 - Catabbo Tintilia del Molise Colle Cervino 2019
78 - Paolo Scavino Barolo 2019
80 - Isole & Olena Toscana Cepparello 2020
83 - Morgante Nero d’Avola Sicilia 2020