The most expensive Italian Wines
Barolo Monfortino, Amarone Quintarelli, Barbaresco Roagna, Brunello Case Basse, here is the list of the most expensive Italian wines from 1287$, downwards
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By Donatella Cinelli Colombini
There are a fine number of rich consumers who buy wine just because it is very expensive. The price is a simple message, clear but with many symbolic components such as exclusivity, prestige, luxury … perhaps intrinsic quality.
THE MOST EXPENSIVE ITALIAN BOTTLES DETECTED BY WINE SEARCHER
Sometimes it is enough to determine the choice of bottle, especially when they are to be gifted.
Italian wine offers a huge range of prices, types and quality levels. The winning element is the relationship between the intrinsic quality and the sales tag, which is better than bottles from the rest of the world. Italy knows how to create millions of small wine masterpieces, within everyone’s reach and in recent years has been able to increase the international reputation of denominations and individual brands arousing the interest of collectors and investors: Brunello, Barolo, Amarone, Sassicaia, and Masseto …
From this new interest of the richest segment of the market towards Italy comes the WineSearcher ranking regarding the most expensive wines present in the huge portal that brings together the price lists of all the major retailers in the world. The list is published every year and shows us a rather stable situation highlighting how collectors are fond of some brands and continue to buy them.
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TOP 5 – THE MOST EXPENSIVE ITALIAN BOTTLES IN INTERNATIONAL WINE STORES
The first names on the list are:
Giacomo Conterno Monfortino, Barolo Riserva 1.287$
Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Selezione 1.265$
Roagna Crichet Paje, Barbaresco 918$
Case Basse di Gianfranco Soldera Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 911$
Masseto Toscana IGT 910$
Then there are the wines from two wineries that you do not expect, perhaps because they are small, alternative, developed as great challenges: Barolo Cappellano Otin Fiorin Pie Franco-Michet, (740$) and Miani Refosco Colli Orientali del Friuli (709$).
CAPPELLANO, MIANI, CASE BASSE, MASCARELLO, GIACOSA – CELLARS WITH GREAT CHARACTERS
The first is in the Langhe and has a great history; it was awarded with a bronze medal at the Paris exhibition of 1889 which saw the construction of the Eiffel Tower. In the following years it made extreme choices such as that of the un-grafted vine that exposes the roots to the risk of phylloxera. Teobaldo, known as Baldo, father of the current owner, was president of the “Vini veri” association and tireless paladin of the naturalness of the vineyard and wine. Currently it is on the rise and I often see the photo of its Barolo in the photo galleries of wine lovers from all over the world.
Enzo Pontoni-Miani is a winemaker from Buttrio. Shy and allergic to journalists, he has never left Friuli Venezia Giulia in the last 15 years. Passionate and attentive, he dedicates his whole life to the vineyards with amazing results.
Another excellent name comes out of the ranking but rather alternative with respect to the big brands: Montevertine Pergole Torte.
EXPENSIVE BOTTLES ARE INCREASING IN PRICE
The sharp increase in prices compared to last year is striking and among the 10 most expensive wines there is a 10% increase in value. Not a lot but not even a little. The Cappellano is the main architect of this increase because his price tag has grown by 36.4% in a year, but also the Case Basse di Gianfraco Soldera Brunello Riserva ($ 911) has made a leap forward of 17% and the Masseto ($ 910) of 13.3%.
It is striking how all the wines in this ranking of Italian luxury in the bottle, from which the very limited and celebratory series are excluded, such as Vendemmia d’Artista by Frescobaldi, can be connected to a visionary and innovative person: Bepi Quintarelli and Bruno Giacosa for example or small wineries that “stand out from the crowd” doing something different from their neighbours.
Equally surprising is the lack of Sassicaia and Tignanello the two Superstars among Supertuscans. One wonders if their absence from the price lists on which the WineSearcher ranking is formed depends on the fact that many retailers do not publicly declare the price, given the number of zeros behind it.