When it come’s to Italy’s most wanted, it’s a red, red world.
Continuing on from last week’s Spanish sea of red, we enter an Italian ocean of – you’ve guessed it – red. When it comes to Italy’s most wanted wines, what people want are wave after wave of Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Bordeaux blends.
As ever, the thirst for the Super Tuscans is still strong, with several along with various Sangiovese wines nabbing a spot on the list. The remaining two are made up of that other great Italian grape – Nebbiolo.
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So, when going through the world’s most wanted Italian wines, it’s worth noting a few things, firstly the scores are collected for each vintage of each wine from our comprehensive database of critics and are then aggregated to give an overall score. It must be noted, however, that not all critics are weighted equally, with some held in higher value depending on their reputation and knowledge.
The prices too, require a mention, the global average retail price (GARP) listed for each wine is in US$ and may fluctuate from the time of this writing.
So which wines have made this year’s most wanted Italian wines? Let’s take a look.
First up is that famed Super Tuscan powerhouse – Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri. Entire books have been written about Sassicaia – there’s both so much to say and so much that has already been said, but I will recap all the same.
The first iteration of Sassicaia was created in the 1940s by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta who wanted to make an Italian rival to the great reds of Bordeaux. He believed the terroir of Tenuta San Guido bore enough similarity to the gravels of the left bank that Cabernet Sauvignon would work.
However the initial reception was lukewarm and it wasn’t until 1968 – which saw the first commercial release of Sassicaia – that production and consumption began to be taken seriously. Since then, the wine has gone from success to success and is rightly considered one of Italy’s superstar wines.
With a score of 95 points, the wine comes in at an arguably very reasonable $322, when considering other regions and their rockstar Bordeaux blends – Napa, we’re looking at you. Ten years ago, the wine was $214.
Next is the Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT. Produced by Antinori, one of Italy’s most prominent estates with a history dating back to 1385 when Giovanni di Piero Antinori became part of the Florentine Winemakers’ Guild, the estate has seen a total of 26 generations.
Since its founding in Chianti Classico, Antinori has various other estates in Tuscany, Bolgheri, Montalcino and Florence, however, it is the Tignanello in their Chianti Classico heartland that we’ll be focusing on.
The Tignanello estate has 165 hectares of vineyard – split into both the Solaia and Tignanello vineyards – on ancient marine and limestone soils. Known for their beauty, the vineyards are home to Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc as well various olive groves.
Considered a bit of an ongoing experiment since the ’70s, their signature Tignanello wine is a blend of all three and has, since its inception, won rave reviews, scoring an aggregate of 94 points for $189. Ten years back, it was $93.
Number three is another Super Tuscan, the Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore. Nestled in Tuscany’s Bolgheri appellation, and neighbours to Sassicaia, Ornellaia was founded in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori, with the first vintage in 1985. It is now owned by the Frescobaldi family, who have a history of winemaking dating back 700 years.
The marine and volcanic soils have proven perfect for the Bordeaux varieties that make up Ornellaia – being Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, with decreasing quantities of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The wine then spends 18 months in oak.
The resulting wine has an aggregated score of 95 points, and a price point of $267, 10 years ago it was $187.
Number four is Masseto Toscana IGT, also owned by the Frescobaldi family. Along the coastline in Bolgheri, Masseto is famously produced from a single vineyard planted entirely to Merlot. First released in 1984, the wine has built a reputation for its luxuriant fruit and complex structure.
A hit with the critics, the wine has a score of 96 points, however, unlike the first three, it also comes in at quite the price of $983. A decade ago it was $648.
Five is another Marchesi Antinori, this time the Solaia Toscana IGT grown from the same plot of land as the Tignanello. The Solaia is a blend of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, although occasionally Sangiovese might not make the mix.
Popular with the critics, the wine has an aggregated score of 95 points, the Solaia has a price-point of $381 showing a slow rise from $224 ten years ago.
Six is the Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT. Fontodi lies in the heart of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico region, in the Conca d’Oro valley, a natural amphitheatre that’s often so bathed in sun its name means “golden shell”.
The estate has been in the ownership of the Manetti family since 1968, the family also has a history of producing terracotta tiles. The Flaccianello della Pieve – made distinct by the ornamental gold cross on the night blue label – is made from pure Sangiovese selected from the best vineyards. The wine then spends 24 months aging in French oak.
The resulting wine scores very well with the critics at 95 points, however, it also comes in at $171, almost doubling since 2015’s $94.
Number seven is the Monfortino by Giacomo Conterno. The first Barolo to make this list, Giacomo Conterno based in Piedmont‘s Monforte d’Alba has roots that date back to 1908 when the estate’s namesake opened a tavern in the village of San Giuseppe and supplied it with Barolo.
Those early days saw the first Riserva bottled around World War I, and the estate eventually passed from Giacomo to his son Giovanni after his death in 1934. After Giovanni’s death in 1961, his own sons Giovanni and Aldo continued to run the estate until 1969 when they split over stylistic differences. Giacomo’s grandson, Roberto Conterno has been at the helm since 2003.
During that time, the estate established a reputation for world-class Barolo. The Monfortino Riserva is only made in the very best years when it is then aged for seven years in large Slovenian oak casks called botti, their size minimizing the impact of sweetness that oak can bring.
The resulting wine has a very impressive score of 96 points, and is also the most expensive on the list, coming in at $1352. Ten years ago, it was still a pricey $643.
Number eight is another of Italy’s great names, Gaja with their Barbaresco DOCG. Originating and largely based in Barbaresco – although Gaja now has production in Tuscany – the estate was founded in 1859 by Giovanni Gaja. It is his descendant, Angelo Gaja who took the reins in 1970, and has helped cement the estate’s modern reputation for both Nebbiolo-based wines – like Barbaresco – as well as international varieties.
The Barbaresco has consistently held high scores, currently scoring 93 points. It also remains relatively affordable, coming in at $278, while ten years ago it came in at $176.
Number nine is Tenuta Greppo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG by Biondi Santi. Based in Tuscany, Biondi Santi has built its formidable reputation on the wines of Brunello di Montalcino, so much so that it claims itself the originator of the appellation.
Its vineyards are planted almost entirely to Sangiovese, with some of the oldest vines dating back to the 1930s. They also have their own Sangiovese clone, BBS11 which was registered in 1977 by Franco Biondi Santi and is still commercially available today.
Their Tenuta Greppo Brunello di Montalcino remains perennially popular with a score of 94 points. It also comes in at $224, almost double the $130 of 10 years ago.
Lastly is another Tuscan, the Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT. Montevertine traces its roots back to 1967, when Sergio Manetti bought a property in Chianti and planted two hectares of vines to make wine purely for friends and family. However, his first vintage in 1971 was such a success that it changed his career trajectory for good.
From then on Montevertine – now run by Sergio’s son Martino Manetti – has established cult status for Sangiovese-based wines that emulate the international blends of the Super Tuscans.
Their Le Pergole Torte – complete with a hand-drawn portrait on the label – is one hundred percent Sangiovese aged 12 months in Slavonian oak and 12 months in French barrique, and it has quite the reputation scoring 95 points. It also comes in at $316, ten years ago, it was $109.
All in all, despite the list being resolutely red, there is diversity in both the blends and the producers, with only Marchesi Antinori featuring twice. Price-wise there is also a fair amount of variation as the wines range from a fairly attainable $171 to a fairly ostentatious $1352, proving there’s still something for everyone.
You just have to like red.
