I've tasted 6 exceptional Italian wines in 2024.

AKA my perfect Italian wine case of the year.

6. 2014 Arnione, Campo alla Sughera (Bolgheri, Tuscany)

In the category of Sassicaia alternatives, I don’t know why we don't talk about Arnione. It offers elegance with bright red and black fruits and oak complexity with already some hints of cigar and smoke for a fraction of the price of the region’s big dogs. This year it was my favourite wine, after Sassicaia, of the vintage 2021 in Bolgheri and their 2014 was the star of our "Tuscany 10 Year After" tasting.

5. 2015 Riecine di Riecine, Riecine (Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany)

People have been talking about the finesse of Chianti Classico for years, and to be honest, I rarely saw it—until I drank the 2015 Riecine di Riecine. You could call this wine a total experiment, as no other vintage of this wine is like this one. Pale in color, vibrant fruit, countless nuances: if Fourrier had made a wine in Chianti Classico, this would be it.

4. 2020 Barolo del Comune di Monforte d'Alba, Diego Conterno (Barolo, Piedmont)

Balancing the two distinct styles of Monforte—the austere south and the earthier north—is quite rare, but Diego Conterno nailed it. Without a doubt, this wine delivers complexity, purity, and a clear expression of terroir at its best. For the price, this is the best Barolo you can buy right now.

3. 2021 Orestilla, Montonale (Lugana, Veneto)

The Lugana Orestilla from Montonale is now one of the first wines that comes to mind when I think of a great Italian wine with remarkable consistency. It’s so consistent that it’s hard to recommend a specific vintage - each one is exceptional yet unique in style. The tertiary notes of Alsace with the oaky finesse of Burgundy, the floral aromas of Valle d'Aosta, and the honeyed tones of Bordeaux. Rarely have I seen an Italian white wine punch so far above its weight and age so gracefully.

2. 2021 Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido (Bolgheri, Tuscany)

The wine discussion of the year: some people hated it, others loved it. I’m firmly in the latter camp. The 2021 Sassicaia is the greatest vintage I’ve tasted from Tenuta San Guido since 2015. How on earth did they achieve such finesse and fruit quality without sacrificing the mid-palate and body?

1. 2022 Contrada Tomassucci, Contrada Contro (Monti Sibillini, Le Marche)

I’ve tasted this wine at least 30 times this year - for work, with friends, and, most of the time, for my bloody pleasure. I've never seen fruit evolve in a glass like this from white peach to apple juice, from yellow apple to orange peel, all dancing around a veil of reduction. Whether I’ve shared it with colleagues in the wine trade, at the end of long tastings - surrounded by other incredible bottles - we always found ourselves wanting another sip. And right now, I’d gladly drink a bottle of it as I write this.

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