The daily countdown by Wine Spectator of the Top 100, which began on November 6th and runs until November 10th, reveals the first ten positions before unveiling the remaining 90 wines on November 13th. Following the entrance of Chianti Classico Marchese Antinori Riserva '20 from the eponymous winery at the seventh position, another Italian wine, Mastroberardino's Taurasi Radici Riserva '16, enters the ranking, "surpassing" the Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2019 at number six and securing the fifth spot in the top 10 of the American magazine. It's a significant leap forward for the winery compared to last year when it was placed at number 84 with the Taurasi Radici 2017. Once again, it's a great achievement and an important recognition for Italy.
Wine Profile
Made from 100% Aglianico, it was first produced in 1986. The grapes come from the highest part of the Montemarano vineyard at an altitude of about 550 meters above sea level. The vines' roots delve into a clay and limestone soil with a strong presence of skeletal material. The wine's production involves a long maceration on the skins for about 25 days, and after fermentation, it undergoes aging in French oak barriques and Slavonian barrels for a period of 30 months. As the final production phase, an extended bottle aging of 40 months precedes its release to the market. Tobacco, spices, sensations of ripe plum, and balsamic notes dominate the nose, while the taste is of great elegance, enveloping with flavours of cherry, black pepper, and licorice.