And who said that to drink a good wine you have to pass out? The USA Magazine 'Wine Enthusiast' – and the name says it all – has selected 100 world wines to drink with satisfaction by spending a maximum of 15 dollars. It was no small selection, 1450 wines from 17 countries were tasted and evaluated using the equation quality/price as a parameter. The result is a very useful handbook especially for year-end purchases which can be found on the Magazine's website.
At the same time, however, the experts of 'Wine Enthusiast' have compiled a much more demanding high wine list, the hundred best labels to keep in the cellar to be able to taste them without haste, on special occasions, given their great longevity. Here too the result of the research concerned 22.000 wines examined in the last year. Of these – underline the editors of the Magazine – “less than four percent were considered worthy of our Selezione Cantine denomination. From that list, we have further narrowed our selection down to an exclusive 100 wines, each chosen for its prestige, age and immense quality.”
And a great surprise, the first place in this prestigious selection went to an Italian wine, the Brunello di Montalcino 2012 by Conti Costanti, a noble Sienese dynasty linked, since the 60th century, to the history of Montalcino, where the family, which owns vast estates, has always been dedicated to agriculture and viticulture. Price? Not astronomical, around 250 euros. A not insignificant satisfaction, I keep in mind that among these selections there are wines from 300, XNUMX dollars.
Another satisfaction for Italy is to have managed to place among the top 100 to keep in the cellar 19 wines among which, in sixth position we find the Barolo Brovia 2013 Garblét sué, in twelfth position the Brunello di Montalcino Marroneto 2012 Madonna delle Grazie,? in sixteenth place the Barolo Brezza 2013 Cannubi. And again the Sassicaia Tenuta San Guido 2013 Bolgheri, the Barolo Massolino 2013 Parafada, the Brunello di Montalcino Le Chiuse 2012, the Barbaresco Albino Rocca 2014 Ronchi, the Barbaresco Gaja 2013, the Urciuolo brothers 2011.
Editors' comment for this rather challenging category: “Over the past few years, wine has proven to be a more stable investment than classic automobiles, rare art and jewelry, and has outpaced the competition in price growth. With that in mind, we hope we've tempted you into converting your garage into a cellar."
Even in the list of wineries that produce cheap wines while maintaining high quality, Italy has asserted itself. With Fattoria Ambra 2015 Barco Reale di Carmignano in 14th position after a large presence of wines from Columbia, California, Oregon and Australia. In honorable positions were then Stemmari 2016 Estate Grown Grillo (Sicily), La Braccesca 2015 Sabazio (Rosso di Montepulciano), Teanum 2016 Favugne Rosato Montepulciano, Cantina di Sorbara NV Homage to Gino Friedmann (Lambrusco di Sorbara), Le Casematte 2015 Nero d'Avola (Sicilian lands). At this point you are spoiled for choice.
