While Italy makes wines of all shades and styles, its reds remain among its most beloved, from the powerfully tannic Montepulcianos of Abruzzo to rustic Chiantis of Tuscany and, of course, the elegant Barolos of Piedmont. Simply put, no matter the occasion, you can’t go wrong with a red wine from Italy.
“There has never been a better time to explore the red wines of Italy,” says Jeff Porter, a Wine Enthusiast writer-at-large who reviews wines from the region. “North to south and east to west, the country is producing wines that will please the palate and rock the soul. We are in the golden age of Italian wine! Do not miss out.”
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Danielle Callegari, another Wine Enthusiast writer-at-large who reviews Italian wine, agrees. “Italian red wine is firing on all cylinders right now—from the ethereal, nuanced expressions of Tuscan reds you can find in Suvereto and south Bolgheri to the precise, profound cru Aglianico coming from Vulture in Basilicata, it’s a perfect moment to take a shot at random because you’ll be sure to hit your target,” she says.
Keeping Callegari and Porter’s comments in mind, we selected twelve bottles to keep on your radar. Most of them are the very best of our recently reviewed Italian reds, splurges intended to be savored, including a 99-point Barbaresco and a $200 Tuscan Syrah with “debonair” tannins. There’s also an option for a casual weeknight dinner (a $30 Nerello Cappuccio that pairs well with margherita pizza), plus many standouts to stash in your cellar.
Produttori del Barbaresco 2016 Riserva Don Fiorino Nebbiolo (Barbaresco)
This is a must-have for any Nebbiolo lover, opening with aromas of reconstituted cherries bathed in sweet and savory spices and dried rosebuds. Supple tannins gently coat the palate, while the plush red fruit notes roll around with sweet tea and dried leaf notes on the sublime finish. Drink now in perpetuity. 99 points. Cellar Selection. — Jeff Porter
Masseto 2021 Massetino Red (Toscana)
The Masseto 2021 and the Massetino 2020 bring to mind the Duomo of Florence and the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica—both magnificent, imposing and equally beautiful. And if the Masseto is more architecturally sophisticated, the Massetino seems to do more with less. The Cabernet Franc works like an ice plunge after a hot sauna, tempering the almost terrifying intensity of the Merlot. A work of art, in any case. Gorgeous now, better in 2031. 98 points. Cellar Selection. — Danielle Callegari
Tua Rita 2019 Per Sempre Syrah Syrah (Toscana)
Deep, almost brooding blackberries, blueberries, black plum, cigar box and dark chocolate on the nose, but still a certain freshness carries through. Lush, dense fruit continues on the palate but notes of top soil and pepper maintain a lively spiciness picked up and elevated by the heat through the finish. The iconic satin tannins of Tua Rita deliver a mouthfeel somewhere between crème brûlée and clouds. 98 points. — D.C.
Giacomo Fenocchio 2019 Villero Nebbiolo (Barolo)
The precision and beauty that Claudio Fenocchio is able to coax out of his wines is astonishing and this 2019 Villero is an opus. Dark cherry aromas lift from the glass, with layers of sweet and savory spice, black tea and rose bud. The wine is so generous and giving with a combination of wild red fruits and dark berries that meld perfectly with notes of cinchona bark, camphor, thyme and a distinct chalkiness. A sublime wine. Drink now–2050. 98 points. Cellar Selection. — J.P.
Vietti 2015 Riserva Nebbiolo (Barolo)
This vintage is the first time Vietti has made a “best of the best” Riserva only making 5,000 bottles. The wine opens with aromas of dried cherries being reconstituted with sweet spice as hints of truffle, dried violets and bay leaf swirl around. Dynamic and energized on the palate, the wine lifts off with higher-toned red fruits, savory herbs and spices that all genuflect the mineral and earth-driven finish where fine tannins shape this wine for the future. Drink 2025–2050. 98 points. Cellar Selection. — J.P.
G D Vajra 2019 Coste di Rose Nebbiolo (Barolo)
This wine lifts from the glass with poise and confidence from the get go. Macerated and dried raspberries capture the attention, as wildflowers, herbs and truffles draw you deep into the glass. The textured palate offers layers of mixed red berries that are framed by fine, yet firm tannins and crunchy acidity. The wine ends with tart red fruits, mint and dusty chalk. Drink 2026–2045. 96 points. Cellar Selection. — J.P.
Le Macchiole 2020 Scrio Syrah (Toscana)
The nose is sleek and dark, like a well-tailored suit, as the chewy saltiness of black olives waltzes with the tartness of blackberries and blueberries, while fireworks of black pepper burst in the night sky above. The olives and dark fruit keep dancing on the palate, until the song ends with a spicy, bitter chocolate crescendo. Debonair tannins watch you from across the ballroom, while acid simmers on the balcony, inconspicuous but unforgettable. 96 points. — D.C.
Tenuta Sette Ponti 2018 Vigna dell Impero Est 1935 Sangiovese (Toscana)
Warm earth greets the nose at first, then gives way to bing cherries, orange zest, licorice candy and just a momentary hint of vanilla. Cherries that still have snap in their skin and bitter orange jam on the palate, then dark chocolate and spices, before the metallic tang of coffee corrected by Sambuca on the finish. Tannins and acid are like perfect valets—almost invisible but immediately there when called upon. 96 points. — D.C.
Benanti 2019 Nerello Cappuccio Nerello Cappuccio (Terre Siciliane)
An alluring play between the sweetness of strawberries and rose water and the savory, vegetal aromas of tomato leaf, oregano and tea leaves on the nose rolls onto a palate that takes the fruit and herbaceousness and adds a liberal sprinkling of sea salt, while tannins watch enviously as acid lunges unrestrained. 95 points. Editor’s Choice. — D.C.
SassodiSole 2018 Sasso di Luna Sangiovese (Brunello di Montalcino)
The nose is deep and lush, with sweet yet nuanced aromas of black cherries and dark chocolate, and savory notes of tobacco, soil and espresso. On the palate, a smear of raspberry jam emphasizes the fruit, but that astringent earthiness lingers before giving way to a warm mocha finish. Acid swirls around tannins that are coiled and ready to strike. 95 points. — D.C.
Grifalco 2019 Daginestra Aglianico (Aglianico del Vulture Superiore)
The nose is sophisticated and almost melancholic, yet still warm, with aromas of leather, rust, oregano, dried cherries and orange zest. On the palate, the textured cherry and orange elements are underscored by emergent dried cranberry and dark chocolate notes. Firm tannins channel a stream of chili pepper that becomes a flood on the finish. 94 points. — D.C.
San Felice 2019 Pugnitello (Toscana)
The nose starts intensely sanguine and almost metallic, like meat fresh off the grill, then lightens into sweet aromas of vanilla and gentler savory notes of earth and herbs. On the palate, a current of astringent fruit ties together the herbaceousness with that metallic quality, while a peppery heat blazes around unrelenting tannins. 94 points. — D.C.
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