Best Italian Wines of 2010 from Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast Magazines

The Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast magazines recently published their picks for the best wines from around the world released in 2010. Both lists of the year’s best wine offerings include a number of Italian wines and it is interesting to look at exactly what wines were included in the two lists.  However, let’s first look at the overall distribution of wines selected by each of the magazines.

The tasting staff of the Wine Spectator reviewed more than 15,800 new wine releases in 2010. Of these, approximately 3,900 wines with the highest ratings were utilized as the sample group for determining the best wines of the year.  

Wines from 14 countries are represented in the Wine Spectator’s selection of the top 100 wines. Not surprisingly, the largest number of wines selected is from the United States with slightly more than a third (35) of the top 100 wines from the U.S. The majority of the U.S. wines are from California but there are also include a goodly number from Washington and Oregon states and even one from the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

Wines from France come in second with a total of 17 wines in the Wine Spectator’s top 100 picks while Spain garners 14 listings in the top 100. Italy comes in third place with nine listings in the top 100.

With two exceptions, all of the Italian wines included in the Wine Spectator’s top 100 wines for 2010 are from Tuscany. 2007 was an outstanding year for Tuscany in general with wonderfully balanced and nuanced wines from the Chianti Classico and Bolgheri regions in particular. In addition, 2004 was also an outstanding year in southern Tuscany that resulted in a number of award-winning Brunello di Montalcino wines.

Interestingly, no Barolo or Barbaresco wines are included in thee Wine Spectators’ listing of the top 100 wines even though 2005 and 2006 were both very good years in the Piedmont region.

glass of red wine with iris in backgroundThe Wine Enthusiast’s list of the top 100 wines of the year is even more heavily weighted with U.S. wines with 37 of the top 100 selections from the U.S. The majority of these are from California but Washington and Oregon states are also well represented. France has the second-largest number of wines (16) while Italy is a close third with 15 wines and Spain is fourth with 12 wines.

With one exception, all of the Italian wines included in the Wine Spectator’s top 100 listing are from Tuscany and Piedmont. The Wine Enthusiast’s top-rated wine for the year is the “Marcenasco” Barolo from the Renato Ratti estate.     

As is the case in past years, there is virtually no overlay in the selections for the best Italian wines of 2010 put forward by the two magazines.

In any event, here are the listings of the Italian wines included in the top 100 wines for 2010 as put forward by the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast magazines.

Italian Wines in Wine Spectator Magazine's Top 100 Wines of 2010
           
Rank Score Producer Wine Year  Price
8 95 Fontodi Colli della Toscana Centrale Flaccianello 2007 $110
25 96 Ruffino Toscana Modus 2007 $35
31 96 Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2004 $95
36 94 Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2006 $70
40 93 Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva 2007 $30
47 90 Castello d'Albola Chianti Classico 2007 $17
51 91 Attems Pinot Grigio Venezia-Giulia 2008 $19
65 91 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Castello di Nipozzano Riserva 2007 $20
83 90 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2007 $25
           
Source: "The Top 100", Wine Spectator Magazine (December 31, 2010).
           

 

Italian Wines in Wine Enthusiast Magazine's Top 100 Wines of 2010
           
Rank Score Producer Wine Year  Price
1 94 Renato Ratti Marcenasco Barolo 2006 $50
12 95 Aia Vecchia Sorugo Bolgheri Superiore 2007 $40
22 95 Donnafugata Ben Rye Passito di Pantelleria 2008 $40
26 95 Tenuta Argentiera Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore 2007 $60
28 94 Bric Cenciurio Coste di Rose Barolo 2005 $43
32 95 Saffirio Persiera Barolo 2006 $70
36 94 Franco Molino Cascina Rocca Rocche dell'Annunziata Barolo 2005 $48
43 94 Poderi Elia Serracapelli Barbaresco 2007 $50
52 94 Cecchi Coevo Toscana 2997 $58
61 95 Massolino Parafada Barolo 2006 $94
64 94 PianCornello Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2004 $70
65 94 Mazzei Tenuta Belguardo Maremma 2007 $70
72 94 Poggio Antico Madre Toscana 2006 $80
73 93 Pietro Rinaldi Vigna San Cristoforo Barbaresco 2007 $45
88 93 Poggio al Tesoro Sondraia Bolgheri 2007 $50
           
Source: "The Enthusiast 100", Wine Enthusiast Magazine (December 31, 2010), pp. 25-46.
           

Richard Marcis
December 2, 2010

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