Trophy and gold medals: the best of Italy at the “International Wine Challenge”

Capezzana’s Vinsanto Riserva 2013 (Italian Sweet Trophy), Santa Sofia’s Amarone Della Valpolicella Riserva 2012 (Italian Red Trophy), Tenuta Aquilaia’s Vermentino Maremma Toscana 2020 (Tuscan White Trophy and Italian White Trophy) and Belisarsio’s Verdicchio di Matelica Vigneti B. 2019 (Verdicchio di Matelica Trophy): these are the top Italian wines at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2021 in London, one of the most long-lived and authoritative wine competitions in the world. There are not yet the “Champions” of 2021, they will be revealed only on June 30, after a further tasting session among the winners of the single “Trophy”.
For Italy, in all, there were 17 gold medals: in addition to the winners of the individual categories, Silvio Carta’s Vernaccia di Oristano Riserva 2006, Vinicola Tombacco’s Pecorino Terre di Chieti 2020, Colesel’s Cartizze Prosecco, La Togata’s Brunello di Montalcino Seconda Stella a Destra 2016, Cantina di Soave’s Amarone della Valpolicella 2017, Panizzi’s Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva 2016, Cantine San Silvestro’s Barolo Patres 2017, Banfi’s Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio alle Mura 2015, Cantine Settesoli’s Mandrarossa Bertolino Soprano 2018, Agricola Fiorini’s Andy’19 2019, Conti Di San Bonifacio’s Docet 2014, Cantina di Valpantena’s Valpolicella Rispasso 2018 and a Vermouth, Cinzano Classico.
For Italy there were also 166 silver medals and 446 bronze medals, but it is France to rise to the top of the most awarded wine producing countries, with 77 gold medals, 419 silver medals and 681 bronze medals. Burgundy alone won 33 gold medals, and the “Trophy” for the best Pinot Noir and the best Chardonnay. Another 282 medals, however, ended up in Champagne, where Piper-Heidsieck’s 2008 vintage stood out as the best sparkling wine in the region. Among the emerging territories, Tasmania, which produces just 1% of Australian wine, but with increasingly important qualitative peaks. Spain won 966 medals, 38 of which gold, less than France and Australia, with 49 medals.