“Top 100” 2022 by “Wine Spectator”: 20 Italian wines, Tuscany (8 wines) and Piedmont (5), lead

One out of five wines on the 100 top wines in the world ranking is Italian. The “Top 100” 2022 ranking by “Wine Spectator” gave the wines of Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo and Chianti Classico each 2 positions, together with other territories and denominations. Tuscany is the leading region, counting 8 wines and it also holds the first 7 positions of Italian wines. Piedmont has 5 wines in the ranking. Soave is in the highest position but flies the Veneto flag alone, and there are many wines from Southern Italy, from Apulia to Sicily and from Campania (with two wines) to Basilicata. The famous ranking crowned Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Double Diamond 2019 by Schrader Cellars, in Napa Valley, “Wine of the Year”, and made Italian wines sparkle in the “Top 10” with Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 from Fattoria dei Barbi at number 2, Antinori’s Tignanello 2019 at number 5 and Saffredi 2019 of Fattoria Le Pupille at number 8. Then yesterday, Wine Spectator revealed the entire ranking, and Italian wines confirmed their kaleidoscope of quality at the highest levels (there were 19 Italian wines in 2020 and 23 in 2021, ed.). So, scrolling through the rankings with an Italian lens, we find Bolgheri Superiore 2019 by Grattamacco at number 12, one of the historic wineries in the Bolgheri area, today owned by Claudio Tipa’s ColleMassari Group. Next, confirming the golden period for the Black Rooster, we find two great Chianti Classico wines, Capraia Reserve 2018 of the Rocca di Castagnoli - Tenute Calì Group, and San Felice vintage 2020, of the Allianz Insurance Group, at number 22 and 24, respectively. In position number 31, there is another great Tuscan classic wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva 2016 of the historic Boscarelli winery. Then, the first Piedmont wine, Barbaresco Muncagota Riserva 2017 of Barbaresco Producers, one of the top of Italian wine cooperatives. In position 44, another classic, Pinot Grigio Collio 2022 from the Livio Felluga brand, before going to the South, and Aglianico del Vulture 2019 from the D’Angelo winery. At number 55, Montalcino’s second standard bearer, Brunello di Montalcino 2017 from the historic Tenuta Col d’Orcia winery, ahead of Soave Classico 2020 in Suavia at number 58. Then, at position number 61another Piedmont wine, the brand Damilano’s Barbera d'Asti 2020, just ahead of an Apulian wine at number 63, Susumaniello Salento Askos 2020 of Masseria Li Veli. Yet another top name from Piedmont, Pecchenino, at number 73 with Nebbiolo Langhe Botti 2021, ahead of a Sicilian wine, Noto 2020 of Zisola, and a historic wine from the Langhe, Barolo Serralunga d'Alba 2018 of Fontanafredda. Completing the Italian list, 2 wines from Campania, Falanghina 2021 of San Salvatore at number 80 and Taurasi Radici 2017 by Mastroberardino at number 84, and from Langhe, Elvio Cogno’s Barolo Ravera Vigna Elena Riserva 2016 at number 96.
This year’s ranking confirms Italian wines’ constant quality and excellence in their diversity of native vines, but not only, as well as from north to south. The "Top 100" ranking, by "Wine Spectator", is the most influential ranking on the world market, and ranks the best wines tasted during the year by the editorial staff of the magazine. Plus, "Wine Spectator” also considers what they call the "X factor", i.e., interest and enthusiasm generated around a wine, in addition, of course, to quality (based on score), value (based on price) and availability (based on the number of cases produced or imported into the United States).

Focus - All the Italian wines in the “Top 100” 2022 by “Wine Spectator”

2 - Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016
5 - Antinori Toscana Tignanello 2019
8 - Fattoria Le Pupille Toscana Saffredi 2019
12 - Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore 2019
22 - Capraia Chianti Classico Riserva 2018
24 - San Felice Chianti Classico 2020
31 - Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva 2016
40 - Producers of Barbaresco Barbaresco Muncagota Riserva 2017
44 - Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio Collio 2020
49 - D'Angelo Aglianico del Vulture 2019
55 - Col d 'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino 2017
58 - Suavia Garganega Soave Classico 2020
61 - Damilano Barbera d'Asti 2020
63 - Masseria Li Veli Susumaniello Salento Askos 2020
73 - Pecchenino Nebbiolo Langhe Botti 2021
76 - Zisola Noto 2020
78 - Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga d'Alba 2018
80 - San Salvatore Falanghina Campania 2021
84 - Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici 2017
96 - Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera Vigna Elena Riserva 2016