Tre Bicchieri 2024, Aosta Valley's best wines awarded by Gambero Rosso

Here are the wines that this year received Tre Bicchieri, the highest award given by Gambero Rosso's Vini d'Italia guide.

Tre Bicchieri 2024 of the Aosta Valley. A region with immense untapped potential

The glass-half-full observer sees a dynamic region allowing its most renowned wines to venture into markets that seemed unreachable until recently. The pessimist, on the other hand, believes that only a handful of Aosta's wineries find success abroad, and that this fortune graces only the largest and best organized producers. Upon deeper reflection, it becomes evident that the region's small output inevitably means that most of it stays within its borders and is largely available only to those foreign enthusiasts who come to visit. Both viewpoints have their merits, yet, in the end, it's the winemaker's mindset that makes the difference: some dare to venture, while others simply settle.

This, in essence, captures the wine landscape of Valle d'Aosta. The potential bestowed by its mountain climate and diverse soils is undeniable, yet many prefer the comfort of not taking risks, waiting patiently instead. The dilemma here is that such an approach hinders growth; instead of aggressively pursuing the market, you end up merely accommodating it. Many local wines, while pleasant, tend to be unremarkable, often straying into the realm of the mundane. They either can't or won't take steps that would usher them into the echelons of great wines. As in many other of our country’s regions, too many vineyard owners spread themselves thin, cultivating various grape varietals purely for commercial reasons, never truly discerning the land's calling. The market dictates the price of these wines, and more often than not, the inherent character of the place remains concealed. This is the true tragedy; apart from a few instances where a strong bond has formed between grape and land—often due to geographic reasons, like the case of nebbiolo in Donnas in the lower valley, bordering Piedmont—it's the market that influences decisions.

What's truly disheartening is that for the first time the region's exceptional wines (and thankfully there are many) owe more to the endeavors of individual vintners, like brothers Laurent and André Cunéaz, who clinch the prestigious "Tre Bicchieri" for their refined Pinot Noir Cave Gargantua, than to a broader collective effort. In this manner, the vast potential of the region remains only partially tapped.