“Best Buys 2023” by “The Wine Enthusiast”, 17 Italian labels presented, Planeta and Tommasi at the top in the USA

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from tasting the enormous amount of Italian wine in the last few months, is that it’s the best ever. It currently provides the best value for money on the global market”. Thus wrote, in August, Danielle Callegari, a taster of Tuscan and Southern Italian wines for the US magazine “The Wine Enthusiast”. Words later confirmed, in an interview with WineNews, in some ways prophetic, given that, once again, there are many Italian labels, from Alto Adige to Sicily, that are present in the “Best Buys 2023”, of the American magazine, which has lined up the best wines that can be found at prices of up to 20 dollars on the shelf (compared to 15 dollars, imposed as a limit in previous editions), and which includes wines valued with at least 90 points, inaugurating, as a tradition, the release of the great “Top 100” of international critics. 17, to be precise, with La Segreta il Rosso 2020 by Planeta, among the reference companies in Sicily, at no. 3. And two other labels among the top 10 such as the Suoli Cataldi Lambrusco dell’Emilia 2023 from Podere Giardino at no. 5, and the Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne 2020 from Vietti, one of the most famous wineries in the Langhe (for several years now owned by the American family Krause) at no. 8. At no. 11 another historical name from Piedmont, that of Chiarlo, with his Barbera d’Asti Le Orme 2021. Following that, at n. 13, Emilia Romagna again, with the Labrusca Bianco Lambrusco Salamino NV by Lini 910, while at no. 28 there is Giovanna Tantini’s Rosè Bardolino Chiaretto 2022. Then we return again to Northern Italy, with Il Moscato d’Asti 2022 by Saracco at no. 38,
Mezzacorona’s Pinot Noir 2021, among the leading cooperatives of Trentino at no. 41, with Elena Walch’s Pinot Grigio 2022, among the icons of Alto Adige, at no. 42. Then again Piedmont, with the Barbera del Monferrato Maraia 2021 from the historic Marchesi di Barolo at no. 47, with Pico Maccario’s Lavignone Rosato 2022 at no. 58. Then we go down to Puglia, with the Primitivo di Manduria 2020 by Masseria Surani, one of the pearls of the Tommasi Family Estates group, now among the reference companies of Italian wine, at no. 72, followed by the Pilùna Primitivo del Salento 2021 by Castello Monaci from Gruppo Italiano Vini – Giv, an Italian wine giant, at no. 75. Obviously, Prosecco Doc could not be missing, with Mionetto’s Brut Nv, at no. 78, while Tuscany is present with the Chianti Classico Basilica Cafaggio 2021 by Cafaggio at no. 87.
Closing, the “list” of Italian wines with all the South, with Sicily and the Catarratto Naturally Bio 2023 by Caruso & Minini at no. 88, and Basilicata, with the Vulcanico Falanghina 2021 from Paternoster (again from Tommasi Family Estates, the only Italian brand with two labels in the ranking, ed.), at no. 92.
At the top of the list of one of the most followed magazines in the USA and the world “Wine Enthusiast”, at no. 1 the South Ridge Syrah Paso Robles 2021 by J. Lohr, and the Côtes du Rhône 2021 Réserve by Famille Perrin, at no. 2, in a “top 10” completed by Noble Wines’ 337 Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 at no. 4, González Byass’s Tio Pepe Fino en Rama Palomino NV at no. 6, NSO By Dusty Nabor’s Syrah 2021 no. 7, Ponzi’s Pinot Gris 2021 at n. 9, and Barton & Guestier’s Bistro Chardonnay 2021 at n. 10.

Focus - “The Wine Enthusiast”: italian wines in the “Best Buys 2023” list
3 - La Segreta Il Rosso 2020 di Planeta
5 - Suoli Cataldi Lambrusco dell’Emilia 2023 di Podere Giardino
8 - Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne 2020 di Vietti
11 - Le Orme Barbera d’Asti 2021 di Chiarlo
13 - Labrusca Bianco Lambrusco Salamino NV di Lini 910
28 - Rosè Bardolino Chiaretto 2022 di Giovanna Tantini
38 - Moscato d’Asti 2022 di Saracco
41 - Pinot Nero 2021 di Mezzacorona
42 - Pinot Grigio 2022 di Elena Walch
47 - Barbera del Monferrato Maraia 2021 di Marchesi di Barolo
58 - Lavignone Rosato 2022 di Pico Maccario
72 - Masseria Surani Primitivo di Manduria 2020 di Tommasi
75 - Pilùna Primitivo del Salento 2021 di Castello Monaci
78 - Prosecco Doc Brut NV di Mionetto
87 - Chianti Classico Basilica Cafaggio 2021 di Cafaggio
88 - Catarratto Naturalmente Bio 2023 di Caruso & Minini
92 - Vulcanico Falanghina 2021 di Paternoster