The evaluation of the most prestigious wine guides is a sort of certification for winemakers and winemakers and, therefore, the sector awaits the exit of the latest editions with trepidation. The current publications of Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Vinum, Falstaff, James Suckling and Gault & Millau give 145 maximum scores to South Tyrolean wines. The previous year had been 99. “It is natural that growth we please,” says Andreas Kofler, president of the South Tyrol Wine Consortium, “but even more rejoicing the fact that the tip is widening, so much so that the South Tyrolean producers are increasingly numerous who obtain excellent evaluations”.
Much more numerous flagship wines
The figures fully give Kofler right: if last year the most appreciated wines came from 29 producers, this year they alla maniera di from 38. Con total the maximum votes to 105 different wines were assigned – a number that exceeds more than 50 % that of the previous year (68).
If you consider the distribution of the maximum votes, the Terlano cellar with 19, followed by the Tramin Cellar (11) and by the San Michele Appiano Manufacturers (10), the Alois Lageder Possedimento (9), the Girlan (8) cellar, as well as Manincor, Elena Walch and Nals Margreid with 7 excellent evaluations each.
The wine guides praise diversity
The fact that the wine region of South Tyrol, despite its relatively reduced dimensions, is extraordinarily heterogeneous, is confirmed not only by the variety of producers, but also by that of the most appreciated wines. Among the 105 awarded wines, sopra fact, there are 15 different varieties of grape variety. “This diversity is what distinguishes the wine region of South Tyrol and is one of the factors that allow us to conquer the favor of wine experts all over the world,” says Andreas Kofler.
Although many more white wines are produced sopra South Tyrol than red, the grape variety with the largest number of wines that have received maximum scores is the black pinot that boasts 20, followed by Chardonnay with 18 and Sauvignon with 13.
Con total this year 80 maximum scores were assigned to 58 different white wines and 55 excellent evaluations with 42 South Tyrolean red wines. The sweet wines have also returned to the list and 5 of them can boast ten maximum evaluations.
Finally, two South Tyrolean producers can celebrate a special prize. This is the Terlano winery with the 2021 Terlano first great Cuvée Stentoreo Adige DOC which, sopra Falstaff edition 2025, not only obtained the maximum score, equal to 100 points, but was also called “the best white wine”, while the title “Best sopra show” was awarded by the magazine Decanter at the Andrian cellar for 2022 Gewürztraminer Passito Juventus Adige DOC.
