“Top 100 Cellar Selections 2026” by WE, Italy dominates (25 wines out of 100), Barolo leads (6)

Nebbiolo, in its most celebrated expression, Barolo, as well as in the mountain-grown wines of Valtellina, once again proves to be the grape variety that Italian producers are best able to transform into long-aging wines. This is the verdict of the “Top 100 Cellar Selections 2026” by “Wine Enthusiast”, which ranks the world 100 best wines to keep in the cellar until they can fully express their potential. Of the 25 Italian wines featured in the ranking (1 in 4), selected by wine writers Danielle Callegari, Jeff Porter and Michael Laudenslager, no fewer than 8 are made from Nebbiolo: 6 Barolos, the ultimate expression of the wines of the Langhe, and 2 from Valtellina. The latter boasts the same number of entries as renowned red-wine regions behind denominations such as Amarone della Valpolicella and Brunello di Montalcino. The list also ventures into territories including Franciacorta, Friuli Colli Orientali, Bolgheri and the Marche region with Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, while Alto Adige further confirms its reputation as a land of age-worthy wines, earning 3 mentions, and not only for white wines. “This year selection includes both widely celebrated labels and lesser-known wines worth watching. We believe the emerging wines featured here are on the same path as the great legends, thanks to the work of producers who focus on quality, structure and character in both vineyard and cellar, qualities that will reward years of patient ageing”, explains “Wine Enthusiast”. Thus, while Vintage Port 2024 by Ferreira takes the No. 1 position and Lithology 2023 by To Kalon Vineyard from Napa Valley ranks No. 2, the highest-ranked Italian wine, in third place overall, there is Barolo Bussia Riserva 2019 by Giacomo Fenocchio, one of the great names of the Langhe. The second-highest Italian entry is the first of Montalcino “two Poggios”: Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Riserva by Poggio Antico, produced by Dutch entrepreneur Marcel Van Poecke. At No. 20, the highest-ranked Italian white wine comes, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Riserva Bucci 2021 by Villa Bucci, now part of the Oniwines group led by Federico Veronesi. At No. 23, there is Friuli Colli Orientali Picolit del Sole 2019 by Livio Felluga, ahead of Montalcino other “Poggio”, PBrunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018 by Poggio di Sotto, owned by the ColleMassari group, at No. 24. The ranking heads to Valpolicella at No. 31 with one of the region emblematic wines, Poja 2019 by Allegrini, produced by the winery led by Francesco, Giovanni, Matteo and Silvia Allegrini. This is followed by three true icons of their respective territories: at No. 33, Valtellina Superiore Sassella Nuova Regina Riserva 2018 by Arpepe; at No. 38, Franciacorta Annamaria Clementi Dosage Zero Riserva 2017 by Ca’ del Bosco, the estate founded and led by Maurizio Zanella (now part of Herita Marzotto Wine Estates); and at No. 42, Alto Adige Nova Domus Terlaner Riserva 2022 by Cantina di Terlano, the winery which helped establish the reputation of Alto Adige age-worthy white wines. At No. 48, there is another gem, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe 2016 by Masi, from one of the Veneto region benchmark producers, while No. 50 closes the first half of the ranking with Alta Valle della Greve Igt Piantonaia 2021 by Podere Poggio Scalette. At No. 52 another historic Langhe name comes, Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata 2021 by Ratti, while No. 56 features Bolgheri Superiore Hortenese 2022 by Tenuta Fratini. Position No. 58 goes to Ettore Germano, though not with a Barolo, but with the Alta Langa Pas Dosé Blanc de Blancs 2017. At No. 60 the ranking returns to Lombardy with Valtellina Superiore Valgella Vigneto Carterìa Riserva 2021 by Sandro Fay. At No. 61, Alto Adige appears again, this time with a Pinot Noir-based red, i.e. Alto Adige Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano Riserva 2020 by J. Hofstatter, followed at No. 62 by another red wine, Romagna Sangiovese Le Lucciole Predappio Riserva 2021 by Chiara Condello. At No. 63, there is another producer usually associated with the great red wines of the Langhe, Pio Cesare, represented here instead by Colli Tortonesi Derthona Riserva 2023, while No. 66 is occupied by Toscana Igt Palaferno 2021 by Querciabella, in the heart of Chianti Classico. A quartet of outstanding single-vineyard (“cru”) Barolos follows among the Italian entries: Vignolo Riserva 2019 by Cavallotto at No. 69, Cerequio Riserva 2019 by Michele Chiarlo at No. 70, Cannubi 2021 by Poderi Luigi Einaudi at No. 78, and Monvigliero 2022 by Vietti at No. 81. At No. 82, there is another legendary name from Valpolicella, Romano Dal Forno, with Amarone della Valpolicella 2019, while the Italian presence concludes with a white wine: Tal 1930 2021 by Cantina di Bolzano, another Alto Adige excellence, ranked No. 98.

Focus - The podium and Italian wines in the “Top 100 Cellar Selections 2026” by “Wine Enthusiast”
1 - Porto Vintage 2024 by Ferreira
2 - Lithology 2023 To Kalon Vineyard (Napa Valley)
3 - Barolo Bussia Riserva 2019 Giacomo Fenocchio
17 - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019 Poggio Antico
20 - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Villa Bucci Riserva 2021 by Bucci
23 - Friuli Colli Orientali Picolit del Sole 2019 by Livio Felluga
24 - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018 by Poggio di Sotto
31 - Verona Igt La Poja 2019 by Allegrini
33 - Valtellina Superiore Sassella Nuova Regina Riserva 2018 by Arpepe
38 - Franciacorta Annamaria Clementi Dosage Zéro Riserva 2017 by Ca’ del Bosco
42 - Alto Adige Nova Domus Terlaner Riserva 2022 by Cantina Terlano
48 - Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe 2016 by Masi
50 - Alta Valle della Greve Igt Piantonaia 2021 by Podere Poggio Scalette
52 - Barolo Rocche 2021 by Ratti
56 - Bolgheri Superiore Hortense 2022 by Tenuta Fratini
58 - Alta Langa Blanc de Blanc Pas Dosé 2017 by Ettore Germano
60 - Valtellina Superiore Valgella Vigneto Carterìa Riserva 2021 by Sandro Fay
61 - Alto Adige Pinot Nero Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano Riserva 2020 by J. Hofstätter
62 - Romagna Sangiovese Predappio Le Lucciole Riserva 2021 by Chiara Condello
63 - Colli Tortonesi Derthona Timorasso Riserva 2023 by Pio Cesare
66 - Toscana Igt Palafreno 2021 by Querciabella
69 - Barolo Vignolo Riserva 2019 by Cavallotto
70 - Barolo Cerequio Riserva 2019 by Michele Chiarlo
78 - Barolo Cannubi 2021 by Poderi Luigi Einaudi
81 - Barolo Monvigliero 2022 by Vietti
82 - Amarone della Valpolicella 2019 by Dal Forno Romano
98 - Alto Adige TAL 1930 2021 by Cantina Bozen