Guides: 8 out of 9 for Sassicaia 2018 & Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie 2016 Marroneto

There are many Italian wines capable of distinguishing themselves and many interpretations that characterize the many sector guides published in Italy. A double track that crosses the whole of Italy in bottles and that is, first and foremost, a messenger of complexity and richness, but also of difficulty when one wants to construct a consolidated and summarised hierarchy of absolute excellence, with the result that tracing labels capable of receiving the highest recognition from all the most important publications (9 of those examined in the 16th edition of our comparison), is an increasingly arduous operation. And even this year, from the WineNews cross-check, no label has managed to make the “en plein” (the last time it did, in 2014, was Tenuta San Guido’s Bolgheri Sassicaia 2011).
And Tenuta San Guido's Bolgheri Sassicaia 2018 came close to achieving the feat, winning the top award from 8 out of 9 guides (Slow Wine, Gambero Rosso, Veronelli, Doctor Wine, Bibenda, Ais, Maroni and Corriere della Sera’s “I migliori 100 vini”), together with Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie 2016 from Il Marroneto (which received the imprimatur from Slow Wine, Gambero Rosso, Veronelli, Doctor Wine, Bibenda, Ais, Touring and Corriere della Sera’s “I migliori 100 vini”). Two other labels, albeit with different vintages, also received awards from 8 out of 9 guides, namely Marisa Cuomo’s Costa d’Amalfi Furore Bianco Fiorduva (awarded by Gambero Rosso, Veronelli, Doctor Wine, Bibenda, Ais, Touring Club, Maroni and Corriere della Sera's “I migliori 100 vini”), with the annotation that some guides have taken into consideration the 2019 vintage and others the 2020), and the Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore 2010 of Ferrari Trento of the Lunelli family, which only Maroni is missing, taking into account that the Ferraro-Gardini duo has chosen, however, the 2009 vintage in its ranking.
As usual, the criterion of comparison did not take into account the scales of scores (hundredths, tenths, etc.) or the different criteria of judgement, sometimes very different, but simply crossed all the lists of the best tastings starting from those of the “classic guides”, for “seniority of service” and tendential affinity of evaluation (the “Tre Bicchieri” of the guide “Vini d’Italia Gambero Rosso”, the “Tre Stelle” of the guide “I Vini di Veronelli” of the Seminario Permanente Luigi Veronelli, the “Cinque Grappoli” of the guide “Bibenda” of the Fondazione Italiana Sommelier - Fis, the “faccino” awarded to wines rated 95/100 or more by the “Guida Essenziale ai Vini d’Italia” by Daniele Cernilli - Doctor Wine, the “Quattro Viti”, the highest award of “Vitae - La Guida dei Vini” by Ais Sommeliers, the “Top Wines” of Slow Wine, or the best of the Chiocciola team’s tastings alongside the usual “Vini Slow” and “Vini Quotidiani”), to which, to complete the overview consisting of a total of 9 national publications, three guides with their own particular characteristics have been added: the Touring Club’s “Vinibuoni d’Italia” guide, which by its own precise editorial choice awards the “Corona” only to wines made from indigenous grape varieties, Luca Maroni’s “Annuario dei migliori vini italiani”, with its highly personal approach to evaluation (the “pleasantness index” expresses a wine’s “the pleasantness of its flavour, or its fruitiness”, ed) and “I migliori 100 vini e vignaioli d’Italia” by “Corriere della Sera”, edited by Luciano Ferraro and Luca Gardini, which is also a special publication considering the fact that it condenses the best of the Italian wine scene, offering a restricted selection of wines. Excluded in this edition is the selection of “I Ristoranti e i Vini d’Italia” by “L’Espresso”, which published its 2021 edition in May and has not yet come out with the 2022 edition (which will probably be out again in the spring), unlike all the others examined.
Crossing all the available guides, the scenario of the world of Italian wine is confirmed as fluid and very articulated, with the oenological geography of Italy well represented, with only three regions absent (Calabria, Molise, Liguria and Emilia Romagna), obviously not entirely but only in the specific context of this comparison. Convincing 7 guides out of 9 are Cavallotto’s Barolo Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe Riserva 2015, Poggio di Sotto’s Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015, Tenuta San Leonardo’s San Leonardo 2016, Bertani’s Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012, Gianfranco Fino’s Es 2019, Argiolas’s Turriga 2017 (awarded, however, by the Corriere guide with the 2016 vintage), Donnafugata’s Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryè 2018, Sette Ponti’s Oreno 2019, Il Marroneto’s Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie 2016, Elena Fucci’s Aglianico del Vulture Titolo 2019 (but awarded by the Gardini-Ferraro duo with the 2018 vintage), Lungarotti’s Torgiano Rubesco Vigna Monticchio Riserva 2017, Casanova di Neri’s Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto 2015, Argiano’s Solengo 2019 and Podere Forte’s Guardiavigna (which some guides award with the 2017 vintage and others with 2016).
Also winning awards in 6 out of 9 guides are Valentini’s Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2017, the Famiglia Cotarella’s Montiano 2018, Il Mosnel’s Franciacorta EBB Re-edition 2010-2020, Bruno Giacosa’s Barbaresco Asili Riserva 2016, Tenuta Grattamacco’s Bolgheri Superiore Grattamacco 2018, Bucci’s Verdicchio dei Castello di Jesi Classico Villa Bucci Riserva 2018, Luigi Oddero e Figli’s Barolo Vigna Rionda 2015, Brezza’s Barolo Sarmassa Vigna Bricco Riserva 2015, Salvioni’s Brunello 2016, Antinori’s Solaia 2018, Castellare di Castellina’s I Sodi di San Niccolò 2017, Isole and Olena’s Cepparello 2018, Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni 2016 by Caprai, Amarone della Valpolicella Maternigo Riserva 2016 by Tedeschi, Amarone della Valpolicella De Buris Riserva 2010 by Tommasi and Chardonnay Cuvée Bois 2019 by Les Crêtes.
Winning the appreciation of 5 guides out of 9, still Cantina di Terlano’s Terlano Rarity 2008, Gumphof’s Pinot Bianco Renaissance Riserva 2018, Gaja’s Barbaresco 2018, Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Monfortino Riserva 2015, Tenuta Argentiera’s Bolgheri Superiore 2018, the Bolgheri Superiore 2018 by Ornellaia, the Paleo 2018 by Le Macchiole, the Carmignano Riserva 2018 by Piaggia, the Duemani 2018 by Duemani, the Tignanello 2018 by Antinori, the Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva 2013 by Capezzana, the Rosso Piceno Superiore Roggio del Filare 2018 by Velenosi, Bartolo Mascarello’s Barolo 2017, Giuseppe Rinaldi’s Barolo Brunate 2017, Cantine Santadi’s Carignano del Sulcis Superiore Terre Brune 2017, Pietradolce’s Etna Rosso Barbagalli 2018, Tasca d’Almerita’s Contea di Sclafani Rosso del Conte Riserva 2016, the Fiorfiore 2019 by Roccafiore, the Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Spuntali 2016 by Val di Suga, the Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo 2016 by Argiano, the Kurni 2019 by Oasi degli Angeli, the Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva Rocce Rosse 2013 by Ar. Pe.Pe., the Franciacorta Annamaria Clementi Dosaggio Zero Riserva 2011 by Ca’ del Bosco, the Barabresco Pajoré 2017 by Sottimano, the Brunello di Montalcino 2016 by Poggio di Sotto, the Flaccianello 2018 by Fontodi, the Galatrona 2018 by Petrolo, Cervaro della Sala 2019 from Castello della Sala, Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2017 from Vajra, Bolgheri Superiore Dedicato a Walter 2017 from Poggio al Tesoro, Aglianico del Vulture La Firma 2015 from Cantine del Notaio, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Il Poggio 2016 by Castello di Monsanto, Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Loreto 2016 by Madtrojanni, Montefalco Sagrantino Collenottolo 2016 by Tenuta Bellafonte, Chambave Muscat Flétri 2019 by La Vrille, La Poja 2017 by Allegrini, Amarone Classico Fumetto Riserva 2008 by Secondo Marco, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sant'Urbano 2017 by Speri and Soave Classico Calvarino 2019 by Pieropan.

Focus - WineNews cross-check: here are the wines that the Italian wine guides agreed on in past years
2020: none
2019: none
2018: none
2017: none
2016: none
2015: none
2014: Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri Sassicaia 2011
2013: Gianfranco Fino, Primitivo di Manduria Es 2011
2012: none
2011: Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri Sassicaia 2008; Gianfranco Fino, Primitivo di Manduria Es 2009
2010: Termeno, Alto Adige Gewürztraminer Vendemmia Tardiva Terminum 2007; Oasi degli Angeli, Kurni 2007
2009: Cantina di Caldaro, Moscato Giallo Passito Serenade Castel Giovanelli 2005
2008: Tenuta San Leonardo, San Leonardo 2003; Montevetrano, Montevetrano 2005; Galardi, Terra di Lavoro 2005, Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri Sassicaia 2004; Cantina di Caldaro Moscato, Giallo Passito Serenade Castel Giovanelli 2004
2007: Fattoria di Petrolo, Galatrona 2004; Montevetrano, Montevetrano 2004
2006: Gaja, Sorì San Lorenzo 2001; Casanova di Neri, Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto 1999, Masciarelli, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Villa Gemma 2001; Oasi degli Angeli, Kurni 2003; Galardi, Terra di Lavoro 2003; Montevetrano, Montevetrano 2003; Sandrone, Barolo Cannubi Boschis 2001; Foradori, Granato 2003