The 18 Best Italian Wines of 2021 | Wine Enthusiast
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The 18 Best Italian Wines of 2021

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Regarded as one of the premier countries for wine, Italy is home to 18 of the wines on our Best of the Year list. These bottlings come from every corner of the country: Sicily in the south; Tuscany in the center; and Piedmont and Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the country’s north.

From fruit-forward, crisp whites to full-bodied, deep reds, this list has you covered. Our top picks are all within their peak drinking window, too, so no need to save for later.

Abbazia di Novacella 2019 Praepositus Kerner (Alto Adige Valle Isarco); $21, Buy on Vivino. This gorgeous white opens with aromas of smoke, ripe yellow stone fruit, alpine herb and a hint… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Bucci 2019 (Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore); $26, Buy on Vivino. This gorgeous white opens with enticing aromas of Mediterranean herb, yellow spring flower… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Ca’ dei Zago 2020 Rifermentato in Bottiglia (Valdobbiadene Prosecco); $30. Refermented in bottle, this bone-dry, lightly sparkling wine offers enticing scents of citrus… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Castello dei Rampolla 2018 (Chianti Classico); $37, Buy on Vivino. Black-skinned fruit, new leather, tilled earth and blue flower aromas mingle with camphor on this fragrant… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Cesari 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico; $55, Buy on Vivino. New leather, truffle, menthol and baked plum aromas slowly emerge on this… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Collosorbo 2016 Brunello di Montalcino; $55, Buy on Wine.com. Balsamic aromas of camphor and cedar align with ripe plum, underbrush and new leather in this… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Ettore Germano 2017 Extra Brut Sparkling (Alta Langa); $45, Buy on Vivino. All about creamy elegance and flavor, this gorgeous sparkler has enticing scents that recall field flowers, white… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Ferrari 2012 Perlé Nero Extra Brut Riserva Pinot Nero (Trento); $85, Buy on Vivino. Radiant, polished and utterly delicious, this divine sparkler hits all the right buttons. Made entirely… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Feudi di San Gregorio 2020 Fiano di Avellino; $20, Buy on Vivino. Linear and bone-dry, this lovely white opens with delicate aromas recalling ripe yellow apple, chamomile… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Francesco Cirelli 2018 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo; $20, Buy on Vivino. Freshly pressed blackberries, cherries and cranberries take on earthy elements of crushed herbs and gravel in this… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

G D Vajra 2017 Ravera (Barolo); $90, Buy on Vivino. From the township of Novello and from what is now widely recognized as one of the denomination’s top vineyard… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Graci 2018 Rosso (Etna); $35, Buy on Vivino. Wild rose, perfumed berries, Mediterranean brush and graphite are just some of the aromas you’ll find in… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Ottella 2020 Le Creete (Lugana); $27, Buy on Vivino. Aromas of elderflower, citrus and tropical fruit lead the nose. Tangy and savory, the vibrant palate offers grapefruit… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Peter Zemmer 2020 Pinot Grigio (Alto Adige); $17, Buy on Vivino. Enticing scents of spring blossoms and summer orchard fruit waft out of the glass. On the polished, expressive… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Pieropan 2019 Soave Classico; $24, Buy on Vivino. Fragrant and delicious, this opens with heady aromas of white spring flower, citrus and tropical fruit. Vibrant and… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Rivetto 2019 Vigna Lirano (Nebbiolo d’Alba); $30. Made with certified organic and biodynamic farming methods and vinified in terra-cotta amphorae, this luminous… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Surrau 2020 Branu (Vermentino di Gallura); $20, Buy on Vivino. This savory, enticing white will transport you to the seaside thanks to aromas that recall Mediterranean brush, white… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW

Tasca d’Almerita 2020 Tenuta Regaleali Leone White (Terre Siciliane); $20, Buy on Vivino. Heady aromas of citrus, yellow stone fruit and Mediterranean scrub are front and center in… SEE SCORE AND FULL REVIEW