Top 100 Italian Wines of 2014

100 TASTING NOTES

Tuesday, Nov 11, 2014

My Top 100 Italian Wines in 2014 focus heavily on the wonderful 2010 vintage for Barolo, plus plenty of excellent 2011 Tuscans and many other outstanding wines from other areas. The 2010 vintage is a unique year for Barolo that highlights how an exceptional, long growing season in the Langhe can produced balanced but structured nebbiolos that are beautiful to drink now but will improve for years ahead.

This is why I gave my top wine, the Giacomo Conterno Barolo 2010, a perfect score. The first commercial release of the winery's Barolo from the Ceretta vineyard, it epitomises the brilliance of the 2010 vintage with stunning richness but an ethereal polish and finesse. The character is incredibly multi-layered, offering an array of aromas and flavours. It really is like listening to a perfectly executed rendition of Tchaikovsky from one of the great symphony orchestras of the world: subtle but mind-expanding. It's clearly 100 points. I only wish more than 2,000 magnums had been made.

The legendary pure-merlot Masseto 2011 follows at No. 2; it was also my No. 3 Wine of the Year in 2014 (see the report). It shows extraordinary depth of fruit and structure for a young red and rivals the phenomenal 2001 Masseto, one of the most collectible Italian wines.

The next five wines, No. 3 to No. 7, are all 2010 Barolos. Like my Italian Wine of the Year, they show phenomenal richness and depth of fruit. It's their purity of fruit and balance that makes them so very special.

Bibi Graetz, at No. 8, is no newcomer to my annual list of Top 100 Italian wines. His 2011 Testamata was one of the best Tuscan wines that I tasted this year. The wine continues to intrigue me each vintage with its stealth character of ultra-fine tannins and deep, rich fruit. It's a joy to taste now, but also one to cellar for the future.

No. 9 is from a standard bearer for Italian wine, Banfi. The American-owned winery makes and sells more outstanding Brunello di Montalcino than anyone, carrying the flag for Brunello around the world. The Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio All'Oro Riserva 2007 is exceptional quality, a reminder of just how superb the vintage was for Brunello. It's a late release, so you're lucky if you buy one. There's no need to cellar it.

At No. 10 is a red that might be obscure to many people but deserves much more attention, made from lagrein, the unique grape of Alto Adige. Cantina Terlano Alto Adige Porphyr Riserva 2011 is hard to describe, with its inky colour and complex aromas of plums, liquorice and minerals. It's so rich but remains sleek and agile.

There are 90 more outstanding Italian wines in this list. Just like the Top 100 Wines in 2014, my list of the Top 100 Italian Wines in 2014 was based primarily on ratings; I was less concerned with the number of bottles produced, or with prices. The wow-factor was very important; I hope these wines have the same effect on you.

Top 100 Italian Wines of 2014

Top 100 Tasting Notes