Wine Spectator is a leading website compiling the top 100 wines of the year available on the international markets, capable of swinging sales on a global scale.

The experts of this American publication (namely James Suckling in charge of Italian and European wines) have tasted and evaluated 19,500 wines coming from all corners of the world.

Evaluation is based on criteria:

1. Quality (based on points assigned, minimum 93 points)
2. Value (price)
3. Availability (production) and the X factor defined by journalists of Wine Spectator as “excitement”

First prize was awarded to a Chilean wine the Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley 2005 of the Lapostolle Winery. Only Italian wine in the top 10 list is the Barolo 2004 of Pio Cesare.

Tuscany has surrendered past top positioning with excellent wines such as:

• Marchesi Antinori, Solaia 1997 (in 2000)
• Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
• Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 1998 (in 2001)
• Casanova di Neri
• Brunello di Montalcino “Tenuta Nuova” 2001 (in 2006)

On the list of the top 100 wines Italy was rewarded with 14 placements and Tuscany with 7:

• # 15 (price $110) Sette Ponti Toscana Oreno 2006
• # 22 (price $63) Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Grandi Annate Riserva 2004
• # 31 (price $28) La Massa Toscana 2006
• # 51 (price $17) Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Classico Berardenga 2006
• # 76 (price $25) Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Castello di Nipozzano Riserva 2005
• # 81 (price $32) Querciabella Chianti Classico 2006
• # 96 (price $60) Cabreo Toscana Il Borgo 2006