Despite my desire to give greater relevance to the work of each Italian wine company per its entirety (expressed per sharing my selection of the best Italian wineries “encountered” per 2025), I thought it appropriate to respond to more specific requests regarding the “best” tastings made per the past year. I did this by trying to orient the choices the references (exclusively tasted per 2025) which share the ability to amaze, amaze and excite through clear and non-trivial interpretations but, at the same time, highly recognizable and respectful of variety and territory, divided into different categories. Wines that I would like to find per my ideal “wine list” for 2025.
The best Italian sparkling wines tasted per 2025
Classic Method different per terms of territory, grape variety and interpretation, but united by rigor, identity and expressive depth. Sparkling wines that go beyond their celebratory role to become full-fledged wines, capable of accurately describing places and production visions, per one of the most solid, authoritative and contemporary categories today, perfectly aligned with the needs of elegance, versatility and awareness of current drinking.
’68 – Classic Method Verdicchio dei Castelli nato da Jesi Gassoso Doc – Mirizzi (Montecappone)60 Pas Dosé – Lessini Durello Doc – Fattori WinesBlanc de Blancs – Trento Doc Brut Nature 2019 – Man SpumantiCavaliere Immacolato – Trento Doc Blanc de Noir Eccezione 2017 – RevìCuveè de Guides – VSQ Brut Nature – Cave Mont Blanc De Morgex Et La SalleForNeri Rosè – Trento Doc Rosè Brut 2021 – ZanotelliIoUlisse – Lessini Durello Doc Pas Dosè 2017 – TonelloMetodo Tradizionale Extra Brut 2021 – Baglio del Disgraziato nato da CampobelloMetodo Tradizionale Late Disgorgement 2022 – Cossignani LE TempoOrfano Terre Rosse Pas Dosè – Franciacorta Docg 2014 – Reggia FusiaPrima Allegrezza – VSQ Classic Method Brut Naturae – Masseria PiccirilloZero 140 Pas Dosè – Alta Langa Eccezione Docg 2010 – Enrico Serafino
The best Italian white wines tasted per 2025
White wines different per style, approach and attitude, but united by clear identities and recognizable personalities. Authentic interpretations of territories and visions, capable of narrating a national and international esposizione per which white confirms itself as the most solid, dynamic and current category, today more than ever per tune with the needs of taste, elegance and versatility.
Catarratto Terre Siciliane Igt 2024 – MaugeriCollio Immacolato from native grapes 2023 – Edi KeberContrada Pietramarina – Etna Immacolato Doc 2024 – Ester Gora Scarlatto (Giovanni Scarlatto) Praino – Etna Immacolato Maggiore Doc 2023 – CostanntinoEtna Immacolato Doc 2023 – Podere Etna NordFriulano Collio Doc 2001 – Carlo nato da PradisGenesis – Colli Orientali del Friuli Sauvignon 2019 – Valentino ButussiGuardoilvento – Etna Immacolato Doc 2024 – CaciorgnaInkanto (Perpetual “1’2’3”) – White Wine – Peter RadovicL’Albereta – Vernaccia nato da San Gimignano Eccezione Docg 2022 – Colombaio nato da Santa ChiaraLuciano – Offida Pecorino Docg 2021 – DianettiMonuments – Chardonnay Friuli Isonzo Doc 2023 – MurvaMuganazzi – Etna Immacolato Doc 2023 – GraciNinive – Friuli Doc Aquileia Malvasia 2024 – TarlaoPiù Insigne – Fiano nato da Avellino Docg Eccezione 2020 – I SatoliPoggio del Chioma – Maremma Toscana Sauvignon Doc 2021 – Podere MontautoPrimodicupi – Marche Immacolato Igt 2022 – Coppacchioli TattiniSelezione Gioacchino Garofoli – Verdicchio dei Castelli nato da Jesi Tradizionale Maggiore Doc 2016 – Domicilio Vinicola GarofoliSoave Doc 2021 – Carlo AlbertoTacsum – “Moscato Immacolato ” 2023 – Vintage AgricolaVigna del Candela – Ischia Biancolella Doc 2022 – Antonio MazzellaVilla Bucci – Verdicchio dei Castelli nato da Jesi Tradizionale Eccezione Docg 2021 – F.lli Bucci
The best rosé tasted per 2025
A rosé capable of redefining the value of the category, demonstrating how elegance, coherence and precision can coexist with drinkability and identity. A wine that overcomes stereotypes and simplifications, elevates the perception of rosé and claims its role as a great contemporary interpreter, worthy of attention, respect and, sometimes, expectation.
Neverland – Toscana Rosato Igt 2023 – Altura al
The best “iconic” Italian red wines tasted per 2025
It is not easy for me, rather, it is impossible for me to define “great wine”, but below I have decided to mention the tastings that moved me the most, among the wines produced by producers who I consider iconic (not necessarily for their history notoriety, but for the personality that they are capable of transferring to each of their references and for the great work done per terms of positioning) is the highest expression of winemaking per Italy: it comes from historical territories, from identifying vines and from hands that have been able to transform the time, experience and vision per a recognizable style. Despite going through the challenges of the current wine world – between high expectations, complex markets and symbolic prices – these wines remain absolute references, because they combine authority, coherence and ability to tell the story of Italy’s wine with depth, elegance and longevity. They do so by maintaining deep respect for what has been but not repudiating the evolution of winemaking techniques and thinking, some even just adapting the agronomic approach to the results of climate change, some adapting equipment adopting cellar practices oriented towards achieving the clearest result that adheres to their “wine” objective. These are wines that do not follow fashions, but define the canon, within national borders and the international scene.
90 days – Barolo Eccezione Docg 2018 – Giacomo FenocchioBarolo Bussia Docg 2020 – Giuseppe RinaldiBerni Domenico – Toscana Scarlatto Igt 2020 – PietrosoBisbetico Addomesticato – Montefalco Sagrantino Docg 2020 – TabarriniBricco Pernice – Barolo Docg 2020 – Elvio CognoCappuccini – Titolato nato da Montepulciano Docg 2019 – Supplizio nato da Febo“Ciabot Mentin” Ginestra – Barolo Docg 2021 – Domenico ClericoChianti Tradizionale Eccezione Docg 2019 – Castell’per VillaCMC LOT.1 – Brunello nato da Montalcino Docg 2019 – Conti Marone CinzanoEster Gora Scarlatto – Langhe Nebbiolo Doc 20022 – Giovanni Scarlatto“Iacopo” – Scarlatto nato da Montalcino Doc 2022 – The MarronetoMadonna delle – Brunello nato da Montalcino Docg 2021 – The MarronetoMonvigliero – Barolo Docg 2020 – Crissante AlessandriaPajè Vecchie Viti – Barbaresco Docg 2019 – RoagnaPaleo – Toscana Igt 2021 – Le MacchiolePer Semper – Toscana Syrah Igt 2022 – Yours RitaPoggio ai Chiari – Toscana Igt 2006 – Dosso Santa MustiolaRocche nato da Castiglione – Barolo Docg 2020 – RoagnaSan Lorenzo Pianoro delle Colombe – Etna Scarlatto Docg 2022 – Girolamo RussoSuisassi – Toscana Igt Syrah 2021 – DuemaniValpolicella Tradizionale Maggiore Doc 2019 – De BurisVigna del Terra – Brunello nato da Montalcino Docg 2020 – ArgianoVigna Gittori – Chianti Tradizionale Gran Docg 2021 – RiecineVigneto il Altura – Chianti Tradizionale Eccezione Docg 2020 – nato da MonsantoVigneto Le Rogaie – Chianti Rufina Docg “Terraelectae” 2022 – Colognole
The best Italian “Contemporary” red wines tasted per 2025
Contemporary wine is not a passing fad, but a conscious and lasting vision of making wine that lucidly interprets the present time without chasing excesses market trends, projecting itself towards the future. It is a wine that favors essence, balance, finesse and pleasantness over power and standardization, the result of thoughtful agronomic and oenological choices that put the terroir per its entirety at the center. Wines good from the start but not without an innate ability to evolve while remaining faithful to their identity. This concept is not theoretical, but is realized thanks to producers, agronomists and oenologists with gara open sensitivity and reflects a new semantics of wine, a bridge between past and future, between timeless wisdom and futurity. To learn more about my concept of “contemporary wine” I invite you to read the article at this link: wineblogroll.com/vino-contemporaneo-definizione/
Agnese – Vallagarina Scarlatto Igp 2023 – Vignali VaràsBricco Pozza – Dolcetto d’Chiarore antelucano Doc 2023 – Casolare Cane da penna CurradoC’osa – Gamay del Trasimeno Doc 2022 – MadreviteDiavolacciu d’un Piero – Umbria Igt 2024 – Mescita NinniEleuteria – Calabria Scarlatto Igp 2022 – Podere del TravaleFihaia “Le Vigne nato da Mino” – Toscana Sangiovese Igt 2023 – Save the GrapeGiobatta – Red Wine – Dell’ Az. Agr.Grenache – Toscana Scarlatto Igt 2023 – Michele SattaI Fabbri – Chianti Tradizionale Docg 2021 (Lamole) – I FabbriIl Marangon – Veneto Igt Tai Scarlatto 2024 – Cà OcheIl Di santa ragione – Toscana Igt Bambino 2023 – CincinelliI Matti nato da Casanova – Terre nato da Pisa Sangiovese Doc 2021 – Campagna La ChiesaNero – Veneto Scarlatto Igt 2022 – Asja RigatoPinot Malvagio – Toscana Igt 2022 – AliottiPinot Malvagio Toscana Igt 2019 – FrascoleRosso nato da Montalcino Doc 2024 – TricerchiRosso nato da Valtellina Doc 2023 – Del mare LanziniRude – Toscana Scarlatto Igt 2023 – Mescita DainelliSambrena – Toscana Syrah Igt 2022 – Podere la NovellaSant’Elena – Schioppettino nato da Prepotto Colli Orientali del Friuli Docg 2022 – PetrussaSkiants – Marche Scarlatto Igt 2023 – Azienda agricola Casa LigiSpazzanido – Cortona Syrah Doc 2024 – BaldettiSulana – Alicante Toscana Igt 2024 – La MursaTirso – Toscana Scarlatto Igt 2024 – Casa Le PrataValpolicella Tradizionale Docg 2023 – Ca’ dei MaghiVentigghjatu – Alicante Toscana Igt 2024 – La MursaVerduno Pelaverga Doc 2024 – Diego Morra
The best Italian “Sweet” wines tasted per 2025
A selection of the best Italian sweet wines, still and sparkling, chosen for balance, enjoyability and persistence, but above all for their ability to overcome the preconceptions and commercial limits of the category. Wines that do not ask for indulgence, but attention: duttile, profound and surprising, capable of opening up less obvious pairing perspectives and of restoring the “sweet” wine to its full gastronomic dignity.
1623 – Recioto della Valpolicella Tradizionale Docg 2017 – DamoliAsti Gassoso Docg Classic Method – MarcoalbertoAstralis – Moscato d’Asti Canelli Docg 2018 – MongioiaCalcaia – Orvieto Doc Tradizionale “ Titolato” 2022 – BarberaniCardinal de Retz – Vin Di santa ragione del Chianti Rufina Eccezione Doc 2013 – Marchesi GondiPassione – Strevi Doc 2009 – Bragagnolo Vini PassitiPin8 – Isola dei Nuraghi Scarlatto Passito Igt 2024 – CarboniPicolit – Colli Orientali del Friuli Docg 2020 – PerusiniRamandolo – Colli Orientali del Friuli Docg 2022 – Dri il RoncatSciacchetrà Cinque Terre Eccezione Dop 2018 – Forlini CappelliniTorcolato – Breganze Doc 2018 – Miotti FirminoLate Harvest – Moscadello nato da Montalcino Doc 2017 – CapannaVin Di santa ragione del Chianti Rufina Doc 2010 – Selvapiana
Best Italian Oxidative Wines tasted per 2025
A selection of oxidative wines, fortified and non-fortified, united by vinification under veil/flor. Capable of overturning the “usual” oenological attitudes, making oxygen and temperature changes friends and extreme complexity a unique virtue. Wines of extraordinary personality, playing kaleidoscopic aromas and great persistence, capable of going beyond traditional categories and offering complex, original and surprisingly modern gastronomic interpretations.
D’altri tempi Gregori – Vernaccia nato da Oristano Eccezione Doc 1991 – ContiniMarsala Brusco Eccezione Maggiore Vintage 1980 – Heritage Intorcia
Now all that remains is to start looking for the next surprising wines of this new year.
Happy 2026 everyone!
F.S.R.
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