Wine Spectator Reveals Selection of OperaWine 2019 Italian Producers at wine2wine

Dic 3, 2018 | Blog, Press Release

The names of the Italian wine producers selected by leading American magazine Wine Spectator to take part in the 2019 edition of OperaWine have been announced during wine business forum wine2wine on Monday 26 November. For the 2019 line-up, significant changes include the listing of 15 wineries selected for the very first time and the introduction of 6 completely different Brunello di Montalcino producers compared to last year’s.

“All together it’s a beautiful group of wines with representation from every region of Italy, encompassing more than 70 red wines, 15 whites, and 10 sparkling and dessert wines, and including bottlings all the way back to the 1998 vintage” – Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator

Wine Spectator’s senior editor and tasting director Alison Napjus announced the 103 wineries that will pour their signature wines during OperaWine 2019, Vinitaly’s opening gala to be held in collaboration with the prestigious wine magazine in Verona, Italy, on Saturday 6 April next year. As is been customary for the past three years, the announcement has been made in Verona during the wine business convention wine2wine organized by Veronafiere, Vinitaly, and Vinitaly International. Napjus proclaimed the 103 finest Italian producers for 2019 on Monday 26 November at wine2wine in the presence of Maurizio Danese (President of Veronafiere), Giovanni Mantovani (CEO of Veronafiere), Gianni Bruno (Area Manager of Vinitaly), and Stevie Kim (Managing Director of Vinitaly International), and called the wineries’ representatives on stage for the traditional group photograph.

Every year, Wine Spectator’s selection of Italian wineries strives to showcase both the high quality and regional diversity of Italian wines. For the 2019 selection Wine Spectator chose 15 producers that had never participated before. Moreover, as Napjus pointed out in her announcement speech, the Montalcino area and its Brunello producers have undergone the most significant change in the magazine’s selection process: “To keep the tasting interesting and fresh we change part of that roster of producers every year. Over the course of 7 OperaWine, we highlighted more than 200 different producers and this year 15 producers will be pouring at OperaWine for the very first time. The biggest change in this line up is seen from Brunello. All 6 of the Brunello producers who poured at last year’s OperaWine will not be there in 2019, instead we will see 6 faces who are making equally outstanding examples from Montalcino. We also have 7 wineries returning to OperaWine after a hiatus of a year or two and all together it’s a beautiful group of wines with representation from every region of Italy, encompassing more than 70 red wines, 15 whites, and 10 sparkling and dessert wines, and including bottlings all the way back to the 1998 vintage.”

The 100 top Italian wines have been selected among 2600 samples from Italy that Napjus along with Wine Spectator Senior Editor Bruce Sanderson received in 2018. Criteria for the selection are the quality of the wines as showcased during the rigorous blind tasting process the magazine is famous for as well as, in Napjus’s words, “leadership, historical significance, diversity for the tasting itself.” The wines will be poured to a select cohort of press and trade professionals during the 8th edition of OperaWine Grand Tasting that will take place in the heart of Verona city center in the historic Palazzo Gran della Guardia on Saturday 6 April 2019.

Wine Spectator’s list of the 2019 100 best Italian wine producers is available below and additional information on OperaWine can be accessed on its website.

OperaWine: 100 Great Producers
1.    Aldo Conterno | Barolo Romirasco 2010
2.    Allegrini | Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2013
3.    Antoniolo | Gattinara San Francesco 2012
4.    Argiolas | Isola dei Nuraghi Turriga 2013
5.    Arnaldo Caprai | Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni 2012
6.    Avignonesi | Merlot Toscana Desiderio 2013
7.    Baricci | Brunello di Montalcino 2010
8.    Bastianich | Venezia Gulia Plus 2009
9.    Bellavista | Brut Franciacorta La Scala 2013
10.    Benanti | Etna Rovitello 2004
11.    Binomio | Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva 2008
12.    Bisci | Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva Senex 2010
13.    Bortolotti | Dry Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze U. Bortolotti NV
14.    Boscarelli | Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2012
15.    Braida di Giacomo Bologna | Barbera d’Asti Bricco dell’Uccellone 2016
16.    Ca’ del Bosco | Franciacorta Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Riserva 2008
17.    Canalicchio di Sopra | Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2006
18.    Cantina Sociale di Santadi | Carignano del Sulcis Superiore Terre Brune 2012
19.    Cantina Terlano | Sauvignon Alto Adige Terlano Quarz 2013
20.    Cantine Lunae Bosoni | Vermentino Colli di Luni-Liguria Black Label 2015
21.    Carpineto | Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva 2013
22.    Castellare di Castellina | Toscana I Sodi di San Niccolò 2014
23.    Castello d’Albola | Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2013
24.    Castello di Ama | Chianti Classico Vigneto Bellavista Gran Selezione 2015
25.    Castello di Volpaia | Chianti Classico Coltassala Riserva 2015
26.    Cavallotto | Barolo Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe Riserva 2011
27.    Cesari | Corvina Veronese Jèma 2010
28.    Cleto Chiarli e Figli | Secco Lambrusco di Sorbara Vecchia Modena Premium 2017
29.    Di Majo Norante | Molise Don Luigi Riserva 2015
30.    Donnafugata | Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé 2015
31.    Elena Fucci | Aglianico del Vulture Titolo 2003
32.    Elena Walch | Alto Adige Beyond the Clouds 2016
33.    Elvio Cogno | to be confirmed
34.    Eredi Fuligni | Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2007
35.    Falesco | Lazio Montiano 2005
36.    Falletto di Bruno Giacosa | Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche Riserva 2012
37.    Fattoria di Fèlsina | Chianti Classico Berardenga Rancia Riserva 2009
38.    Ferrari | Extra Brut Trento Perlè Nero 2008
39.    Feudi di San Gregorio | to be confirmed
40.    Feudo Maccari | Sicilia Saia 2015

41.    Fontodi | Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo Riserva 2010
42.    G.B. Burlotto | Barolo Acclivi 2013
43.    Gaja | Barolo Sperss 2014
44.    Garofoli | Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Podium 2016
45.    Gianfranco Fino | Primitivo di Manduria Es Riserva 2014
46.    Gini | Soave Classico Contrada Salvarenza Vecchie Vigne 2010
47.    Giuseppe Mascarello & Figlio | Barolo Monprivato 2013
48.    Grosjean Freres | Pinot Noir Valle d’Aosta Vigne Tzeriat 2016
49.    Hofstätter | Pino Bianco Alto Adige Barthenau 2016
50.    Jermann | Venezia-Giulia Vintage Tunina 2014
51.    La Stoppa | Emilia Macchiona 2007
52.    Le Colture | Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Rive di Santo Stefano Gerardo 2016
53.    Le Macchiole | Bolgheri Paleo 2004
54.    Leone de Castris | Salice Salentino Per Lui Riserva 2014
55.    Leonildo Pieropan | Soave Classico La Rocca 2015
56.    Lisini | Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2011
57.    Livio Felluga | to be confirmed
58.    Livio Sassetti | Brunello di Montalcino Pertimali Riserva 2004
59.    Lungarotti | Torgiano Rubesco Vigna Monticchio Riserva 2011
60.    Maculan | Veneto Acininobili 2011
61.    Mamete Prevostini | Sforzato di Valtellina Albareda 2015
62.    Marchesi Antinori | Chianti Classico Badia a Passignano Gran Selezione 2013
63.    Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi | Toscana Montesodi del Castello di Nipozzano 2015
64.    Marchesi di Barolo | Barolo Sarmassa 1999
65.    Marco Felluga | Collio Russiz Superiore Col Disôre 2013
66.    Masciarelli | Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Villa Gemma Riserva 2012
67.    Masi | Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe 2009
68.    Massolino | Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva 2008
69.    Mastroberardino | Taurasi Naturalis Historia 2011
70.    Mazzei (Castello di Fonterutoli) | Chianti Classico Castello Fonterutoli Gran Selezione 2013
71.    Montevetrano | Colli di Salerno 2009
72.    Morgante | Nero d’Avola Sicilia Don Antonio 2014
73.    Nino Franco | Brut Vino Spumante Grave di Stecca 2012
74.    Nino Negri | Sforzato di Valtellina 5 Stelle Sfursat 2013
75.    Odoardi | Calabria GB 2014
76.    Ornellaia | Bolgheri Superiore 2011
77.    Paolo Scavino | Barolo Monvigliero 2011
78.    Paternoster | Aglianico del Vulture Don Anselmo 2013
79.    Pietradolce | Etna Vigna Barbagalli 2015
80.    Planeta | Etna White 2017
81.    Prà | Soave Classico Monte Grande 2016
82.    Produttori del Barbaresco | Barbaresco 2009
83.    Quintodecimo | Aglianico Irpinia Terra d’Eclano 2013
84.    Renato Ratti | Barolo Marcenasco 2010
85.    Roagna | to be confirmed
86.    Roberto Anselmi | Veneto White Capitel Foscarino 2017
87.    Rocca delle Macìe | Chianti Classico Sergio Zingarelli Gran Selezione 2014
88.    Salvatore Molettieri | Taurasi Vigna Cinque Querce Riserva 2009
89.    San Felice | Chianti Classico Poggio Rosso Gran Selezione 2015
90.    San Filippo | Brunello di Montalcino Le Lucére Riserva 2012
91.    San Martino | Aglianico del Vulture Arberesko 2013
92.    Tabarrini | Montefalco Sagrantino Colle Grimaldesco 2010
93.    Tasca d’Almerita | Contea di Sclafani Rosso del Conte 2008
94.    Tenuta delle Terre Nere | Etna Calderara Sottana 2015
95.    Tenuta di Trinoro | Toscana 1998
96.    Tenuta Pederzana | Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Cantolibero 2016
97.    Tenuta San Guido | Bolgheri-Sassicaia Sassicaia 2006
98.    Tenuta San Leonardo | Vigneti delle Dolomiti Red San Leonardo 2013
99.    Tormaresca | Aglianico Castel del Monte Bocca di Lupo 2013
100.    Umani Ronchi | Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore Casal di Serra Vecchie Vigne 2016
101.    Vietti | Barolo Lazzarito 2013
102.    Vincenzo Ippolito | Calabria 160 Anni 2013
103.    Zenato | Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sergio Zenato Riserva 2006

About: The grand Vinitaly 2019 will be held from April 7th to the 10th. Every year, Vinitaly counts more than 4,000 exhibitors on a 100,000+ square meter area and 130,000 visitors from over 140 different countries with more than 30,000 top international buyers. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine “Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers,” which will be held on the 6th of April, one day prior to Vinitaly will unite international wine professionals in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 100 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly International travels to several countries such as Russia, China, USA and Hong Kong thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA this year launched the seventh edition of its Certification Course and today counts 157 Italian Wine Ambassadors and 13 Italian Wine Experts.