“Top 100 Wines of Italy 2022” by James Suckling: Barolo at no. 1, but 21 out of 100 wines are Igt Toscana

Inseparably linked to that Toscana brand which is among the strongest of Italian wine (and not only) in the world (and which it is no coincidence that many denominations such as Bolgheri and Nobile di Montepulciano have added to labels, and others, probably, will arrive ed), the Tuscan Igt is an open sea of oenological freedom and experimentation, a diamond with a thousand facets, and which under its vast mantle (1,400 bottler producers, 90 million bottles, 12,500 hectares and an estimated production value of around 500 million euros, according to the Consorzio Igt Toscana, led by Cesare Cecchi), is capable of expressing absolute excellence. Highly appreciated on the collectors’ market as well as on the more “pop” consumer market, and increasingly by international critics. As already seen in James Suckling’s “Top 100 Wines of The World 2022” (with 5 Igt Toscana out of 11 labels present), and as confirmed by the “Top 100 Wines of Italy 2022” by the American critic based in Asia, where it has become one of the most followed and listened to voices in a few years. 21 out of 100 of the best Italian wines of 2022, in fact, according to James Suckling’s Italian ranking, fall under the Toscana Igt. More than 1 out of 5, with the geographical indication flag of the Region, followed, in terms of denominations, by Brunello di Montalcino, with 14 labels, and Barolo, Barbaresco, and Alto Adige, each with 8, ahead of Chianti Classico with 7, in Bolgheri with 6, and at Etna, which is now confirmed among the great territories of Italian wine, with 5 labels.
Coming to the list, which partly follows the outcome of the world ranking, the best Italian wine is Paolo Scavino’s Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata Riserva 2016, ahead of Barone Ricasoli’s Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Ceniprimo 2019, and Bertinga’s Toscana Volta 2019 by Bertinga. To follow, in the “top 10”, the Syrah Costa Toscana Suisassi 2019 by Duemani, the Teroldego Vigneti delle Dolomiti Granato 2019 by Foradori, the Toscana Luce 2019 by Luce della Vite (Frescobaldi), the Trebbiano Toscana Bòggina B 2022 by Petrolo, the Syrah Toscana Per Sempre 2020 by Tua Rita, Pinot Nero Alto Adige Mason di Mason 2019 by Manincor and Sassicaia 2019 by Tenuta San Guido. And then the wines of many Italian wine brands, from Damilano to Mazzei, from Antinori to Masseto, from Pio Cesare to Barone Ricasoli, from Zenato to Masi, from Altesino to Castello di Ama, from Voerzio to Tenuta di Biserno, from Bibi Graetz to Bruno Giacosa, from Isole e Olena to Benanti, from Montevetrano to Argentiera, from Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona to Casanova di Neri, from Ornellaia to San Michele Appiano, from Masciarelli to Poggio al Tesoro (Allegrini), from Biondi Santi to Grattamacco, from Tenuta Sette Ponti to Castiglion del Bosco, to name a few.
“In our ranking of the 100 best wines of Italy, there is no longer only Tuscany. Even though the region continues to dominate the rankings this year, many high-quality wines from Piedmont, Sicily, Alto Adige, and other parts of the country are making inroads. While much of our 2022 best Italian wines list comes from Tuscany, it’s not just Brunello di Montalcino that stands out, with many Supertuscans and even a few whites, such as Petrolo’s barrel-fermented Trebbiano and blends produced on the Isle of Gorgona”, explains Suckling himself. He also adds: “the diversity and consistency of the quality in the bottle of the best names in Italy impressed us this year. And this was a remarkable result given that producers released wines from less than stellar vintages in the recent past. It was difficult to follow exceptional vintages such as 2015 and 2016. For example, in our recent tastings we found some excellent 2018 Brunellos, more balanced and fresher than the richer and denser 2017s, but a step behind the great 2015s and 2016s. The same goes for the 2018 Barolos, which are wines to be drunk early and do not have the aptitude for aging as such vintages as 2017, 2016, and 2015”.

Focus - The “Top 100 Wines of Italy 2022” by JamesSuckling.com

1 - Paolo Scavino Barolo Rocche dell’annunziata Riserva 2016
2 - Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Ceniprimo 2019
3 - Bertinga Toscana Volta di Bertinga 2019
4 - Duemani Syrah Costa Toscana Suisassi 2019
5 - Foradori Teroldego Vigneti delle Dolomiti Granato 2019
6 - Luce della Vite Toscana Luce 2019
7 - Petrolo Trebbiano Toscana Bòggina B 2020
8 - Tua Rita Syrah Toscana Per Sempre 2020
9 - Manincor Pinot Nero Alto Adige Mason di Mason 2019
10 - Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri-Sassicaia Sassicaia 2019
11 - Damilano Barolo Cannubi Riserva 1752 2015
12 - Mazzei Toscana Siepi 2020
13 - Fattoria Le Pupille Maremma Toscana Saffre di 2020
14 - Marchesi Antinori Umbria Nibbio 2019
15 - Masseto Toscana 2019
16 - Foradori Manzoni Bianco Vigneti delle Dolomiti Fontanasanta 2021
17 - Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva 2016
18 - Pio Cesare Chardonnay Langhe Piodilei 2020
19 - Le Vigne di Zamò Merlot Friuli Colli Orientali Vigne Cinquant’anni 2019
20 - Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Roncicone 2019
21 - Kuenhof Peter Pliger Grüner Veltliner Südtirol Eisacktal 2020
22 - Frank Cornelissen Terre Siciliane Munjebel 2020
23 - Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Il Poggio 2017
24 - Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sergio Zenato Riserva 2016
25 - Antonella Corda Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva 2019
26 - Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Dagala di Bocca d’Orzo Monopole 2020
27 - Frescobaldi Toscana Giramonte 2019
28 - Marchesi Antinori Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso 2019
29 - Il Borro Toscana 2018
30 - Orma Toscana 2020
31 - Brancaia Toscana Ilatraia 2019
32 - Luce della Vite Toscana Lux Vitis 2018
33 - Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 2018
34 - Roberto Voerzio Barbera d’Alba Pozzo del’Annunziata 2017
35 - Castello di Ama Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo 2019
36 - Tenuta di Biserno Toscana Biserno 2019
37 - Manincor Sauvignon Alto Adige Lieben Aich 2020
38 - Duemani Cabernet Franc Costa Toscana 2019
39 - Bruno Giacosa Falletto Barbaresco Asili 2019
40 - Bibi Graetz Toscana Colore 2020
41 - Pietro Caciorgna Etna Rosso Guardoilvento 2020
42 - Bruno Giacosa Falletto Barbaresco Rabajà 2019
43 - Benanti Etna Rosso Rovitello Particella No. 341 Alberello Centenario Riserva 2016
44 - Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio 2018
45 - Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy Barbaresco Martinenga Camp Gros Riserva 2017
46 - Montevetrano Colli di Salerno 2020
47 - Frescobaldi Toscana Gorgona 2021
48 - Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva 2017
49 - Schiopetto Friulano Collio Mario Schiopetto M 2021
50 - Isole E Olena Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana Collezione Privata 2018
51 - Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore 2019
52 - La Massa Toscana Giorgio Primo 2019
53 - Capanna Brunello di Montalcino Nicco 2016
54 - Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso 2018
55 - Cantina Terlan Lagrein Alto Adige Porphyr Riserva 2019
56 - Petrolo Valdarno di Sopra Galatrona 2020
57 - Salicutti Brunello di Montalcino Sorgente 2017
58 - Tenuta Sette Ponti Toscana Oreno 2020
59 - Cantina Terlan Alto Adige Terlaner Rarity 2009
60 - Pio Cesare Barbaresco Il Bricco 2019
61 - Nals Margreid Alto Adige Nama 2019
62 - Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore ’Alberello 2019
63 - Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino 2020
64 - Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche del’annunziata 2016
65 - Gagliole Colli della Toscana Centrale Gagliole 2019
66 - Parusso Barolo Mosconi 2018
67 - La Spinetta Barbaresco Vürsù Starderi 2019
68 - Galar di Campania Terra di Lavoro 2020
69 - Inama Carmenere Colli Berici Capital O Riserva 2018
70 - Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Villa Gemma Riserva 2017
71 - Brancaia Toscana Il Blu 2019
72 - Caiarossa Toscana 2019
73 - Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino Zodiac Riserva 2015
74 - Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Giovanni Neri 2018
75 - Cogno Barolo Ravera Vigna Elena Riserva 2016
76 - Il Palagio Toscana Sacred Love 2020
77 - Cantina Andrian Gewürztraminer Alto Adige Juvelo Passito 2020
78 - Elena Walch Alto Adige Beyond The Clouds 2020
79 - Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe 2013
80 - Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016
81 - Palazzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016
82 - Tua Rita Toscana Giusto di Notri 2020
83 - Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino Anemone Al Sole Riserva 2016
84 - Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille 2018
85 - Elio Grasso Barolo Runcot Riserva 2015
86 - Riecine Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Gittori 2019
87 - Girolamo Russo Etna Rosso San Lorenzo Piano delle Colombe 2019
88 - Livio Sassetti Brunello di Montalcino 2018
89 - Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore 2019
90 - Vietti Barbaresco Masseria 2019
91 - St. Michael-Eppan Alto Adige Appius 2017
92 - Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva 2016
93 - Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne 2018
94 - Ampeleia Merlot Costa Toscana Empatia 2018
95 - Poggio al Tesoro Bolgheri Superiore Dedicato A Walter 2018
96 - Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa 2018
97 - Argiano Toscana Solengo 2020
98 - Querciabella Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2018
99 - Ipsus Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2018
100 - Argiano Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo 2018