The wine produced by the Lonardo family conquers the top ahead of Giacomo Conterno's Barolo "Monfortino" Riserva 2019 (99 points)
A winning vintage does not change and so also in 2023, exactly like the previous year, it is the 2016 harvest to express the best taste in the "Best Italian Wines of 2023" ranking by Ian D'Agata, one of the most experienced wine writers and who boasts a great knowledge of Italian wine, already a signature of magazines such as "Decanter" and "Vinous" and today editor-in-chief "TerroirSense Wine Review" and president of "TerroirSense Academy".
If in 2022 it was Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino that shared the seat of best wine, this year at the top of the "Wine of the year" there is a surprise that comes from Southern Italy, and precisely from Campania, namely the Taurasi "Coste" 2016 by Contrade di Taurasi produced by the Lonardo family, a family-run business that has 5 hectares and has been on the market since 1998. The Taurasi "Coste", a 100% Aglianico wine, was born with the grapes harvested only in the Costa locality in Taurasi (Avellino) and is the "cru" of the company with a production limited to 1,300 bottles. It is the only wine to which Ian d'Agata has awarded top marks.
Sicily, together with Tuscany, can also celebrate another prestigious award, namely the "Winery of the year 2023", the award given by Ian d'Agata to the best wineries that saw two important wineries such as Tua Rita and Planeta excel.
Tua Rita, a company based in Suvereto in Val di Cornia, between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Metalliferous Hills, was founded in 1984 by Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti, who found, in this corner of Tuscany, the place to live in contact with nature. The passion for the fruits of this land, however, first and foremost the grapes, led the couple to become winemakers, followed from the beginning by the oenologist Luca D'Attoma. Planeta, led by Alessio Planeta (former oenologist of the year 2023 for the famous American magazine Wine Enthusiast), is one of the most brilliant realities in Italy that touches all the most important territories of wine-making Sicily, from Vittoria to Noto, from Etna to Menfi and Capo Milazzo, also becoming a reference point for hospitality, in Sicily, with realities such as La Foresteria in Menfi, Palazzo Planeta in Palermo (and beyond) with a strong commitment to sustainability.
Returning to the scores of the "Wine of the Year", one step away from perfection, with 99 points, there is a wine accustomed to being at the top of the rankings, namely Giacomo Conterno's Barolo "Monfortino" Riserva 2019 which precedes a "trident" (98 points), composed of the "Redigaffi" 2021, Igt produced in Tuscany by Tua Rita who made a pure Merlot that soon became a "cult"; from the Barbaresco "Rabajà" 2019 by Bruno Giacosa, another symbolic name of Piedmont wine and from the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2015 by Quintarelli, one of the most iconic Venetian wineries in the world of wine. This is the podium chosen by the Italian-Canadian critic while, going down a step, at 97 points we find Aldo Conterno's Barolo "Bussia Romirasco" 2019; Fontanavecchia's Aglianico del Taburno "Vigna Cataratte" Riserva 2018; Gravner's Venezia Giulia Ribolla Gialla 2013; Masi's Amarone della Valpolicella "Campolongo di Torbe" 2016; Miani's Ribolla Gialla "Pettarin" 2020 Friuli Colli Orientali. At 96 points the "Solengo" IGT of Argiano (winery of the Brazilian entrepreneur André Santos Esteves, and led by Bernardino Sani who with Brunello di Montalcino 2018 won Wine Spectator's "Wine of The Year"); Arnaldo Rivera's Barolo "Cannubi" 2019; Benanti's "Pietra Marina" Etna Bianco Superiore 2018; Diego Morra's Barolo "San Lorenzo di Verduno" 2019; Donnafugata's Passito di Pantelleria "Ben Ryé" 2019; the "Coda di Volpe Sannio" 2022 by Fattoria La Rivolta; the Barbaresco Riserva "Rabajà" 2016 by Giuseppe Cortese; the Barbaresco Riserva "Camp Gros Martinenga" 2016 by Marchesi di Gresy; Radikon's Venezia Giulia "Jakot" 2018; Roagna's Barbaresco "Montefico" 2017.
Focus - The "Best Italian Wines of 2023" by Ian D'Agata, from 100 to 96 points
Contrade di Taurasi - Taurasi "Coste" 2016 - 100
Giacomo Conterno - Barolo "Monfortino" Riserva - 99
Tua Rita - "Redigaffi" 2021 - 98
Bruno Giacosa - Barbaresco "Rabajà" 2019 - 98
Quintarelli - Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2015 - 98
Aldo Conterno - Barolo "Bussia Romirasco" 2019 - 97
Fontanavecchia - Aglianico del Taburno "Vigna Cataratte" Riserva 2018 - 97
Gravner - Venezia Giulia Ribolla Gialla 2013 - 97
Masi - Amarone della Valpolicella "Campolongo di Torbe" 2016 - 97
Miani - Ribolla Gialla "Pettarin" 2020 Friuli Colli Orientali - 97
Argiano - "Solengo" - 96
Arnaldo Rivera - Barolo "Cannubi" 2019 - 96
Benanti - "Pietra Marina" Etna Bianco Superiore 2018 - 96
Diego Morra - Barolo "San Lorenzo di Verduno" 2019 - 96
Donnafugata - Passito di Pantelleria "Ben Ryé" 2019 - 96
Fattoria La Rivolta - "Coda di Volpe Sannio" 2022 - 96
Giuseppe Cortese - Barbaresco Riserva "Rabajà" 2016 - 96
Marchesi di Gresy - Barbaresco Riserva "Camp Gros Martinenga" 2016 - 96
Radikon - Venezia Giulia "Jakot" 2018 - 96
Roagna - Barbaresco "Montefico" 2017 - 96
"Winery of the year" 2023 by Ian D'Agata
Tua Rita (Tuscany)
Planeta (Sicily)
Source: WineNews.it
