“Decanter Wine Awards” 2024, Italy on podium behind France and Spain with 6 wines in “Best in Show”

Broccardo’s Barolo Bricco San Pietro 2020, Fratelli Monchiero’s Montanello 2020, Cesari’s Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Bosan 2015, Carpineto’s Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018, Cantina Andriano’s Juvelo Passito Gewürztraminer 2022 and Casale del Giglio’s Anthium Bellone 2023: these are the 6 Italian “Best in Show” at the “Decanter Wine Awards” 2024, or the best of wine produced in Italy according to the most prestigious wine competition in the United Kingdom and among the most important in the world, signed by “Decanter” magazine.
One bottle less than last year - when those crowned were seven - and that added to the 18 wines on the “Platinum” list (one step below the “Best in Show”, ed.) and all the other categories, make Italy the third country in the overall final ranking behind France and Spain. It is Piedmont that holds the record of the most represented region and that in all obtained 20 medals: in addition to the two Barolo wines from the 2020 vintage in the “Best in Show”, there are also four “Platinum” and 14 “Gold”, including the first ever awarded to a varietal wine: the Grignolino Le Nocche 2022 from Vinchio Vaglio. Veneto and Tuscany also did well with 17 and 15 medals respectively, driven by great classic wines: in fact, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva are among the 50 best “Best in Show” wines in the world.
Great result for Lazio, which for the first time with Casale del Giglio’s Anthium Bellone del 2023 places one of its wines among the best in the world, garnering praise from judges who describe it as “refined, solid and generous with flavors. Characteristics that give it a wide range of gastronomic applications”. In the North, wines from Trentino-Alto Adige impressed: Cantina Andriano’s Juvelo Passito Gewürztraminer 2022 is the first sweet wine from the region to rank among the top 50. In the South, however, Sicily stood out with 2 “Platinum” and 5 “Gold” medals: Sardinia, Puglia and Campania also did well, with Vernice’s Fiano di Avellino Glam sold for less than 15 pounds a bottle (nearly 18 euros) also earning a place in the Top20 “Value Gold”, the best value wines.
Globally, France is the big winner of the competition with 12 “Best in Show” and 28 “Platinum” medals, more than any other country. The regional champions are Burgundy and Champagne, with 9 awards each in the two categories, with the former placing three bottles among the world’s best (all whites and from the 2022 vintage, Château De Fuissé’s Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Le Clos Monopole, Domaine Berthelemot’s Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru and Maison Jaffelin’s Rully) against the other’s two (Castelnau’s Brut 2006 and Charles Heidsieck’s Blanc Des Millénaires Brut 2014). Australia does not repeat the exploit of 2023, but still places eight bottles among the “Best in Show” and is second only to the French. For Spain, the wines judged best in the world are 7.

Focus - Italian wines at the “Decanter Wine Awards” 2024

Best in Show

Broccardo, Barolo Bricco San Pietro 2020
Monchiero Fratelli, Barolo Montanello 2020
Cesari, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Bosan 2015
Carpineto, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018
Cantina Andriano, Juvelo Passito Gewürztraminer 2022
Casale del Giglio, Anthium Bellone 2023

Platinum

Josetta Saffirio, Barolo Perno 2019
Nals Margreid, Sirmian Pinot Bianco 2022
Gini Sandro e Claudio, Soave Classico La Froscà 2021
Muzic, Collio Valeris Friulano 2022
Carpineto, Brunello di Montalcino 2019
Castello di Spessa, Collio Santarosa 2022
Monte Rossa, Franciacorta Cabochon Brut 2016
Tenuta di Capezzana, Carmignano Vin Santo Riserva 2016
Florio, Marsala Vergine Riserva VR1898 1998
Ca’ Lojera, Lugana Superiore 2020
Cantina Terlano, Alto Adige Terlano Terlaner Primo Grande Cuvée 2021
Tenuta Meraviglia, Bolgheri Superiore Maestro di Cava 2019
Fontanafredda, Barolo Vigna La Delizia Lazzarito 2020
Tiberi David, Vino Cotto Stravecchio Occhio Di Gallo 2013
Castello Di Neive, Barbaresco Santo Stefano Albesani 2021
Icario, Rosso di Montepulciano 2021
Azienda Agricola Emanuele Gambino, Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2020
Donnafugata, Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryè 2022