Great Wines of Italy returned to New York City on Sept. 8 and 9 with a multi-session grand tasting and a record-breaking attendance of 1,800. The annual grand tasting, which began in 2014, is one of the largest and most prestigious Italian wine events in North America.

More than 180 top-tier Italian producers were present at the event, with owners and winemakers flying in from Italy to meet with the market. Wine lovers and trade were equally eager to taste the lineup of exceptional wines. On show were 450-plus superb references that the JamesSuckling.com team tasted over the course of the past year.

Many appear on JamesSuckling.com’s list of the Top 100 Italian Wines of 2021 including Fattoria Le Pupille Maremma Toscana Saffredi 2019, Petrolo Valdarno di Sopra Galatrona 2019, Renieri Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016, Livio Sassetti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016, Tua Rita Toscana Redigaffi 2019, Jermann Venezia-Giulia Vintage Tunina 2019, Schiopetto Friulano Collio Mario Schiopetto M 2020, Donnafugata Etna Rosso Contrada Montelaguardia Fragore 2018, Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura Riserva 2016, Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino Millecento Riserva 2016, Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Costasera 2016 and Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella Maternigo Riserva 2016.

Dozens more were Top-100 awardees showing new market releases, and Valdicava showed their perfect-scoring Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva 2010 and 2015 – what a real treat for all wine lovers to experience these two superlative vintages side by side!

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Tasting Notes, Scores and Winery Profiles – Download the Grand Tasting Official Guidebook:

Great Wines of Italy New York – OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK (Day 1)
Great Wines of Italy New York – OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK (Day 2)
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“It has never been a better time to buy and drink Italian wine,” Suckling told the crowd. “I spent the last four months in Europe tasting and rating wines with various members of my team, and we found hundreds of fabulous wines. We scored almost 6,000 Italian wines this year, and Italy is really at the top of its game now.”

Please check the JamesSuckling.com website and newsletters for information about upcoming events. We will return to the United States in 2023 with our two flagship events, Great Wines of Italy and Great Wines of the World. Stay tuned for details.

Read more:
Top 100 Wines of Italy in 2021

JamesSuckling.com donates 100% of trade ticket sales to Sea Shepherd, the ocean conservancy group
James Suckling addressing the crowd
Bibi Graetz with his family and James Suckling
More than 1,800 trade professionals and wine lovers attended over the course of the two-day tasting event
Alessandro Cardini, General Manager of Castello di Grevepesa (2nd from left) and Francesco Zonin from, Owner of Castello di Albola (2nd from right)
Alberto Moretti Cuseri of Tenuta Sette Ponti, Orma and Feudo Maccari
Andi Punter of Franz Haas and Maximilian Neumair of St. Michel-Eppan - both wineries are top wines from the Alto Adige wine region
Anna and Valentina Abbona of Marchesi di Barolo
Felix Jermann of Jermann winery in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Armin Gratle of Cantina Valle Isarco
Bibi Graetz with two of his daugthers
Carlotta Casarotto Fittipaldi Menarini, Owner of Dinne Fittipaldi
Cesare Bevenuto Pio, Owner of Pio Cesare
Daniel Fabbro, Winemaker and second generation owner of Brunello estate San Polino
Eliabetta Gepetti (Owner) of Fattoria Le Pupille and Helen de Cesare of Ethica Wines
Ermenegildo Giusti, Founder and CEO with a guest
Francesco Dal Cero - Owner of Dal Cero and Tenuta Corte Giacobbe
For wine lovers, the Grand Tasting was a unique opportunity to taste, to have fun and to learn about great Italian wines
Guido Andretta of Andretta and Vitanza
Giovanni Frascolla - Second generation owner of Tua Rita
Giulia Cecchi of Cecchi winery
Guests were able to meet in person with producers who flew in from Italy in specifically for the tasting
Günther Neumair (CEO St. Michel-Eppan)
Ilaria and Michaela Bettarini (Owners of Piazzano)
Lisa Pecchenino (Owner) of Pecchinio
Luca Sanjust of Petrolo
A representative from Maddalena Cordella
Marianne Higgins of Vias Wine and Lisa Pecchenino - Owner of Pecchenino
Maximilian Neumair (next generation owner of St Michael-Eppan)
Melissa di Giovanna of Di Giovanna
Michelangelo and Mario Piccini of Valiano
More than 400 wines were on showcase for guests to taste during the two-day Grand Tasting event
The Grand Tasting took place over the course of two days and four sessions at the Altman Building in Manhattan
Olga Peluso of Donna Olga
PierFilippo Abbruzese of Valdicava pours wine for a guest
Roberto Voerzio poured his Barbera d'Alba Pozzo dell'Annunziata and two of his sought-after Barolos
Silvia Franco, owner of Nino Franco winery, with a guest
The tasting was an unique opportunity to taste a selection of the best currently coming from italy spanning all key wine regions
Thomas Francioni and Sergio Zingarelli (President) of Rocca delle Macie
Tony Sasa, owner and winemaker of Tony Sasa in Tuscany
Trade professional could meet and network directly with producers and representatives of the wineries
Wine lovers and trade were equally eager to taste the lineup of exceptional wines

WE THANK OUR EVENT PARTNERS

+ + + SPECIAL OFFER FROM OUR FRIENDS AT WINE.COM + + +

Enjoy a special offer from Wine.com who have put together a selection of wines featured at the Great Wines of Italy New York! Check it out at bit.ly/GWOI2022 before, during or after the event with our exclusive deal for 10% off when you buy 6+ bottles. Use code “GWITALY” at checkout. You can download the Wine.com app before the event so that you can save, rate and shop for your favorites!

GREAT WINES OF ITALY USA SEES RECORD-BREAKING CROWD EMBRACE ITS VINO AMORE