Sometimes good news. The new “Top 100” by Wine Spectator confirms that, despite a complex period for exports to the United States, Italian wines maintain a central role in the judgment of American criticism. The 2025 edition of the list includes 20 labels from Italy, giving us the continuity of a consolidated relationship with one of the most competitive markets in the world. The United States remains the country with the largest number of wines on the charts, while Italy and France get the same number of entries, confirming the still significant weight of European productions in the international scene.
To be oriented in the ranking it is necessary to remember that Wine Spectator realizes its selection by evaluating quality, availability on the market and price, a method that over the years has contributed to making the ranking a reference for traders and consumers. Among the Italian regions, Tuscany is the most represented with ten wines, followed by Piedmont with three presences. The remaining labels come from Veneto, Lazio, Liguria, Sicily, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige and Campania, with a wider territorial distribution than other vintages.
In the first ten places are two Italian wines already anticipated in recent days: the Barbaresco 2021 of the Producers of Barbaresco, seventh, and the Chianti Classico San Lorenzo Gran Selection 2021 of the Castle of Ama, ninth. However, the top 10 positions remain dominated by US manufacturers, particularly California, with three labels between second and fourth. Then, a French wine from St.-Émilion and a Chilean red appear, while no other Italian wine enters the highest class.
Most Italian labels are concentrated in the middle of the list. The Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 in Viticcio is fourteenth, in front of the Chianti Classico Ducale Riserva 2021 in Ruffino. Several other Chianti Classico enter the top 50 positions, confirming the stability of this denomination in the US market. Among the most important reds are the Brunello di Montalcino 2020 of Camigliano, the Maremma Toscana Ornello 2023 of Rocca di Frassinello, the Barolo Cannubi 2021 of Damilano and two further Piedmont labels in the following positions.
Italian appearances over half of the ranking show a greater variety of types. The Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore 2023 by BiancaVigna is the first Italian sparkling wine of the list, while Vermentino Colli di Luni Grey Label 2023 by Cantine Lunae Bosoni is the first national white wine mentioned. The Etna Rosato 2024 from Graci for South Italy, a Pinot Noir from Oltrepò Pavese, a Manzoni Bianco trentino and a Taurasi from Campania, confirming that even less present regions in U.S. trade flows are able to gain recognition from American criticism.
L’articolo Twenty Italian wines in the Top 100 Wine Spectator proviene da IlNewyorkese.
