From Valle d’Aosta to Etna, the best wine of the “Autochtona Award 2021”

A distinctive characteristic of Italian wine, the many wines from native vines are one of the aspects that makes Italy so fascinating for wine lovers around the world. And to choose the best, as it has been happening for some years, are the “Award”, clou of “Autochtona” 2021, the most important fair dedicated to the production of indigenous or historicized grapes of the Italian territories, on stage recently in Bolzano. The best bubbles are those of Cantina della Volta, with Lambrusco di Sorbara Spumante Doc Brut Rosè 2016. Still talking about bubbles, but this time obtained with the Ancestral Method, one of two new entries 2021, the winner is once again the Emilian Lambrusco di Sorbara, that produced by the winery Marchesi di Ravarino, with the year 2020. Moving to Etna for another two prizes: the best white wine is Etna Bianco Ddoc Ante 2018, obtained with the Carricante grape and produced by I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna company, while the best rose wine is won by the Etna Rosato Doc “Piano dei Daini” 2019, produced by Tenute Bosco, with the Nerello Mascalese variety. It is a 2015 vintage Malvasia di Candia Aromatica dei Colli Piacentini the wine that, wins, for the first time, the award for the best Orange wine, again new entry 2021, produced by the emilian company Torre Fornello. It comes from Valle d’Aosta, native land of indigenous vines with great personality, the award for best red wine: it is Mayolet della Cantina di Barrò, with the vintage 2019. For the second consecutive year the best sweet wine is Vin Santo di Vigoleno, that is of Alberto Lusignani, obtained with Santa Maria, Melara and in minimal blends also Bervedino and Ortrugo.
The “Tasting Lagrein” section, dedicated to the native South Tyrolean red grape variety, saw three wines excel in the three categories of this award: the best Lagrein Rosé is Mitterberg Igt Lagrein Rosé 2020 by Pfannenstielhof, the best Lagrein Vintage is Südtirol-Alto Adige Lagrein Doc Riserva 2015 of Tenuta St. Quirinus, while the best Lagrein Riserva is Südtirol-Alto Adige Lagrein Doc Riserva 2015 by St. Peter di Roland Gamper company.
The special mentions of the “Autochtona Award” were awarded, as the Terroir Award, to the friulian company Damijam Podversic, with the Igt Venezia Giulia Ribolla Gialla 2017, while the Spirito diVino Award (of the Spirito diVino magazine) goes to Buranco, with his Sciacchetrà 2018; the Giovani Vignaioli Vinarius Award, that the historic association of Italian wine shop Vinarius assign to the best “Under 40”, goes to Alberto Zini by Tenuta La Riva, with the Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto Docg Spumante Pinus Leatus 2016; in the end, the Tannico Award, assigned by the famous online wine shop, goes to the Valle d’Aosta Fumin Doc 2019 by Les Cretes. So decided the jury of the “Autochtona Award”, chaired by Daniele Cernilli (DoctorWine), and shaped by Giuseppe Carrus (Gambero Rosso), Fabio Giavedoni (Slow Wine), Andrea Gori (Intravino), Christine Mayr (Vitae-AIS), Alessandra Piubello (I Vini di Veronelli), Marco Rossi (Tannico), Leila Salimbeni (Spirito diVino), Alessandro Franceschini (Viniplus di Lombardia), Pierluigi Gorgoni (giornalista, enologo e docente della scuola Alma) and by international palates (thanks to the collaboration with AGenzia Ice) Richard Baudains (Decanter), Paula Bosch (sommelier, journalist and writer), John Brunton (The Guardian), Sigi Hiss (Vinum) and Anders Levander (DinVinguide).
“This year we were able to use the new “Autochtona” formula that was devised in 2020 – explained Thomas Mur, director of Fiera Bolzano – and many producers, whom we thank, have trusted us and sent their samples not only to partecipate to the “Autochtona Award”, but also to take part in what has become the largest tasting counter dedicated to wines from indigenous vines in Italy. An opportunity that everyone has greatly appreciated and that has enhanced the work that many vignerons carry out every day and that deserves to be told, as we have been doing for 18 years”.