Alto Adige wines score top marks

Italian wine guides: More top scores for more wines

More top scores for more wines from more producers: A look at the latest ratings from the most important wine guides and competitions in Italy highlights not only the high standard of wine production, but also the astonishing breadth at this level. With a total of 387 top scores, not only were 42 more achieved than in the previous year, but the number of award-winning wines (234; +25) and producers (95; +17) also increased.

The wine that received the most awards in the new editions of the guides, with six top ratings, is the 2021 Chardonnay Riserva Kreuzweg Family Reserve Alto Adige DOC from Castelfeder. With five top marks each, these Alto Adige DOC wines follow: 2023 Lagrein Riserva Taber (Cantina Bozen), 2021 Chardonnay Nama (Nals Margreid), 2021 LR Riserva and 2022 Sauvignon Riserva Gran Lafóa (Cantina Colterenzio), 2020 Appius and 2021 Sauvignon The Wine Collection (St. Michael-Eppan Winery), 2012 Terlano Pinot Blanc Rarity and 2022 Terlano I Primo Grande Cuvée (Cantina Terlano), 2017 Gewürztraminer vendemmia tardiva Epokale (Cantina Tramin) and 2022 Müller-Thurgau Vigna Feldmarschall von Fenner (Winery Tiefenbrunner | Schlosskellerei Turmhof).

It is hardly surprising that 189 of the 387 top ratings went to white wines in Alto Adige, a region renowned for its white wines. However, it is a red variety, Pinot Noir, that tops the list of award-winning wines. The two indigenous Alto Adige varieties Schiava and Lagrein occupy second and third place with 24 and 22 top ratings respectively.

A total of 95 producers can claim at least one wine with top marks. Ranking the wineries according to the number of top marks, Cantina Terlano once again takes first place this year with 20, while Cantina Girlan and Cantina Tramin lead the ranking for the most different labels with top marks, each with seven wines.

Bibenda

The “Fondazione Italiana Sommelier”, the Italian sommelier foundation, also publishes its own wine guide each year under the name “Bibenda”. The best rating from the Bibenda sommeliers is the “Cinque Grappoli”. It also selects its ten best Italian wines each year.

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Doctor Wine

Daniele Cernilli, the “Pope of Italian wine”, is behind the launch of the online platform Doctor Wine, which not only provides news about wine in Italy, but also publishes its own wine guide. Wines are rated with “faccini”, with a maximum score of 100: the top wines are rated at 95+.

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Gambero Rosso

The “Vini d’Italia” wine guide, published by Gambero Rosso, is considered THE guide to Italian wines. First appearing in 1988 and issued each year ever since, it is Italy’s best-known wine guide. The highest mark awarded by the Gambero Rosso is the “Tre Bicchieri” that indicates an “exceptional wine”.

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Guida Bio

As it becomes already evident from the name, with little to no difficulty, the Guida Bio wine guide revolves only around organic wines. Guida Bio is therefore unique within the landscape of guides to Italian wine. And according to its own statement, it aims to contribute towards green, sustainable approaches in the wine industry. The best reward offered by Guida Bio is the “Foglia d'Oro."

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I Vini di Veronelli

The Permanent Luigi Veronelli Seminar publishes the guide "I Vini di Veronelli." Each year, more than 15,000 wines are evaluated for it. The top ratings are "Tre Stelle Oro" (three gold stars), newcomers are listed under "Grandi Esordi" and starting with the 2026 edition, the "Stella Polare" is an award for top wines scoring more than 97 out of 100 points.

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Le Guide de L’Espresso

The renowned magazine L'Espresso has been publishing a wine guide for decades now. Since 2023, it has changed format to show off the one thousand best wines from all over Italy. Over five hundred pages, complemented by digital media, the guide presents both the top products of Italian wine production and their producers.

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Slow Wine

Slow Wine originated as an offshoot of Italy’s Slow Food gourmet movement. The association focuses on enjoyment, sustainability and regionality and produces a comprehensive directory of Italian wines and wineries. It publishes an annual pocketbook containing current ratings, with the highest listing being that of “Top Wine”.

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Sparkle

The Sparkle guide, published annually for the last two decades, is dedicated solely to sparkling wines. Products in this category are given a maximum of “Cinque Sfere."

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Vinibuoni d’Italia

The guide “Vinibuoni d’Italia” is the only one in Italy that focuses on native grape varieties—those grown locally and with at least 300 years of history in their respective wine regions. The highest award, “Le Corone”, is given to the best Italian wines and sparkling wines (produced using traditional methods) during a public event.

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Vitae

The guide “Vitae”, published by the Italian sommelier association AIS, is impressive not only for its statistics. No fewer than 900 tasters participate in the evaluations, assessing more than 10.000 wines from 2.000 selected producers. According to Vitae, the best wines are those that score over 90 out of 100 points.

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The Search for the Best

The best Pinot Noirs, Rieslings, Sauvignon Blancs, and Schiavas: competitions are held throughout the year in Alto Adige at which the search is on to find the best wines. And for the most part, that search for the best ranges far beyond the province’s borders. A goal that The WineHunter has also set for itself as it, too, evaluates wines that can be tasted by the public at the Merano WineFestival.

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Overview Awards Italian Wine Guides