Produttori del Barbaresco’s Rabaja Riserva 2021 took No. 2 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2026
Wine Spectator placed Produttori del Barbaresco’s Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva 2021 at No. 2 and Caparzo’s Brunello di Montalcino 2021 at No. 4 in its Top 100 of 2026. WineNews reported that the No. 1 wine was due to be revealed on 13 November and the full ranking on 16 November.
Italy in the top 4
Produttori del Barbaresco’s Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva 2021 ranked No. 2, while Caparzo’s Brunello di Montalcino 2021 ranked No. 4. WineNews described Produttori del Barbaresco as one of Piedmont’s most internationally awarded cooperatives and presented the results as recognition for the Langhe and Montalcino, emblematic wine territories of Piedmont and Tuscany.2
Caparzo is one of producer Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini’s Montalcino estates. WineNews also listed Altesino in Montalcino, Borgo Scopeto in Chianti Classico and Doga delle Clavule in Morellino di Scansano among her holdings.2
The positions announced from No. 2 to No. 10
The ranking positions reported were: No. 2 Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva 2021 — Produttori del Barbaresco; No. 3 Bin 389 2024 — Penfolds, Australia; No. 4 Brunello di Montalcino 2021 — Caparzo; No. 5 Saint-Julien 2023 — Château Saint Pierre, Bordeaux.2
The remainder of the announced top 10 was: No. 6 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District Fay 2023 — Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, California; No. 7 Sagacious Adelaida District 2023 — Law Estate, California; No. 8 Pessac-Léognan White 2023 — Château Carbonnieux, Bordeaux; No. 9 Ribera del Duero 2022 — Bodegas y Viñedos Alion, Spain; No. 10 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2024 — Melville, California. WineNews noted that Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, founded by Warren Winiarski, is owned by Marchesi Antinori.2
No. 1 and Italy’s previous winners
In its 12 November report, WineNews said the wine at No. 1 was due to be revealed on 13 November and the complete Top 100 of 2026 on 16 November. With 2 Italian wines already in the top 4, the publication considered another Italian winner difficult, though not impossible.2
An Italian wine had previously taken No. 1 on 5 occasions: Antinori’s Solaia 1997 in 2000; Tenuta dell’Ornellaia’s Ornellaia 1998 in 2001, now owned by Frescobaldi and then owned by Lodovico Antinori; Casanova di Neri’s Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2001 in 2006; Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia 2015 in 2018; and Argiano’s Brunello di Montalcino 2018 in 2023.2
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
