Tasting Report: Spotlight on 2026 Italian Wine Releases
We didn’t make it to Wine Paris this year, but Wine Paris made it to us, courtesy of Communicare il Vino, which sent along 12 selections from its Italian portfolio which were showcased at the event. These hail from all over Italy, and we’re breaking them down by broad category, then order of preference.
Sparkling
2025 Sant’Anna dei Bricchetti Vino Spumante Incanto Pas Dosè – Rather dry and initially innocuous, the wine opens up with time to reveal a core of lemon and melon, though it’s all rather buried under a heavy layer of doughy yeast. An initially intense fizz takes some time to settle down, but it takes a lot of that fruit with it. B / $17
Whites
2023 Rosset Petite Arvine Valle d’Aoste – Petite arvine is a white grape varietal designed to thrive in cold climates. This unoaked offering showcases a mix of honeysuckle and fresh fruit, namely apple and aromatic pear notes, with touches of Meyer lemon. Lightly perfumed as the finish builds, notes of sandalwood give it a slightly smoldering vibe that hints at incense. Outstanding as an aperitif. A- / $35
2022 Querceto di Castellina Livia IGT – A quirky blend of viognier and roussanne, two grapes I rarely associate with Italy at all. The more Rhone-leaning side of this blend dominates here, offering a floral-herbal character that emerges as quite dry and pastoral. Elements of hay and lemongrass give the finish a massive length, but one that plays in the forest and the dust, merely tiptoeing into the orchard to grab a fig or an apricot from time to time. B+ / $45
2024 La Regola Steccaia IGT – Vermentino doesn’t often acquit itself as this gentle and supple, layers of nougat and pastry cream evoking notes of melon, covered in white flowers. A sharper, zippier note hints at the heavy acidity that vermentino is so well-known for, but it never breaks out of its more undulating groove, concluding on notes of coconut cream. A light grind of lemon peel across the top finishes things out on a lighter note. B+ / $40
Reds
2023 Sassotondo Monte Calvo Ciliegiolo – There are a few Monte Calvos in Italy; this one is a small volcano in Tuscany’s Maremma region, where ciliegiolo grapes (purportedly a progenitor of sangiovese, though this is disputed) grow in the volcanic soil. Aged in large barrels for a year, this wine is a delight. Light on its feet, this effortless expression of the grape showcases cherry fruit at its brightest and most maraschino-like, gently sweet and layered with light notes of almond syrup, red flowers, and a pinch of peppery spice. Its flavors are beautifully integrated from start to finish, culminating in a seductive creaminess you don’t often find in a wine the light in body. Delightful. A / $45
2024 San Gregorio Chianti Colli Senesi (pictured) – Bright berries kick things off with a rush of cherry, followed by some surprising blueberry notes, all swirled together with cinnamon syrup. Light notes of graphite and tar add just enough tannic gravity to the wine, which finishes a bit on the tart side with a punch of fresh cranberry juice. This gentle sourness becomes more insistent as the wine fades, but it maintains a lively balance throughout that invites repeated visits. A shockingly good value. A / $15
2021 Ricordi Sant’Anna dei Bricchetti Barbera d’Asti DOCG – A bolder and denser barbera than you’re likely to encounter in the wild, this is a rich and more fruit-forward experience that shocks as it evokes barbera’s big brother grapes far more than expected. Unctuous notes of plum and cherry meld with black tea and bittersweet chocolate, but ample acidity linger throughout the experience — well into the finish. Tart boysenberry and spice elements give the conclusion a holiday feel that, again, doesn’t connect with the classic barbera experience — but which isn’t at all unwelcome. A- / $10
2021 Capezzana Ghiaie della Furba IGT – An unusual super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot, this is one of the more intense and brooding wines I’ve encountered in recent memory, overloaded with tar and turned earth, punctuated throughout with anise. Dark chocolate, coffee bean, and blackstrap molasses notes meld fitfully as the palate develops, culminating in rich, impossibly black fruit overtones that somehow get more intense as the wine develops. Let this monster linger in the cellar for another decade and you are likely to be rewarded with a lithe experience that shows Tuscany at the top of its game. Ands yet, surprisingly, it’s still approachable now, as long as you are prepared for what you’re getting in to. A- / $70
2021 Monchiero Barolo Rocche di Castiglione DOCG – Amazingly floral on the nose, infused with roses that telegraph where this wine might end up, but the palate is tight as a fist for now. Airtime or decanting is a help, tempering tannins and the more balsamic elements of the wine, revealing a layer of turned earth waiting underneath. Bright cherry emerges after that, although slightly underripe, a further sign of how many years this wine has ahead of it. There’s joy to be had now with ample patience, but I’d likely try it again around 2031. B+/ $64
2019 Pardi Montefalco Rosso Riserva DOC – Intense cherry backed with rhubarb kicks things off on this intense yet approachable wine, which fades slowly into notes of plum, bittersweet chocolate, and rum raisin elements. Brooding with green herbs and turned earth as the finish approaches, a slightly leathery character awaits as the finish approaches. The experience remains tart to an extreme, with licks of anise ringing the edges of the wine. Ideally paired with a lively dinner. B+ / $27
2018 Antonelli Chiusa di Pannone Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG – A well-aged sagrantino, this wine hits hard with notes of raisin and dried currants, increasingly tarry as it develops in glass. The tannins remain firm to the point of being nearly overbearing, giving the back end a heavy character of tar and asphalt, somewhat bitter at times. The finish echoes blackberry and prune notes, with dark chocolate making a brief appearance. Though aggressive, this could be an interesting choice today with the right meal pairing, but something that probably needs 5 to 10 more years in cellar to develop. B+ / $57
2022 Castello La Leccia Chianti Classico – Quite dry on the attack, with a balsamic edge and overtones of turned earth, anise, and late-stage basil. Graphite and slate inform an enduringly bone-dry palate that sees some dried florals developing but which never quite come to fruition. Cherry fruit on the finish is rather underripe, laced with tar and pencil lead. B / $20
2024 San Gregorio Chianti Colli Senesi
USD15
