In January 2025, I attended an insightful Italian wine masterclass and an exceptional wine tasting experience. Daniele Cernilli, known as Doctor Wine, is a leading Italian wine expert, award-winning journalist, author and educator. He co-founded Gambero Rosso and edited its annual wine guide for 24 years. In 2011, he launched the Doctor Wine web magazine, where he shares his extensive knowledge of Italian wine.
The event marked the launch of The Essential Guide to Italian Wine 2025, a publication curated by editor Daniele Cernilli and his expert team. This guide highlights their selection of the best and must-have wines for the year. For 2025, 1,300 wineries were chosen from thousands analysed, resulting in 3,254 wines reviewed from over 20,000 tasted.
Daniele Cernilli brought some of Italy’s finest wines to London, not only to promote The Essential Guide to Italian Wine 2025 but also to showcase producers, many of whom are not yet represented in the UK market. I began the event by attending a masterclass, which provided an insightful overview of the wines and producers featured in the tasting.
As an aside, the event was held in The Gladstone Library, a historic venue located within the Royal Horseguards Hotel at One Whitehall Place in London. Originally constructed as the home of the National Liberal Club, the library was founded by William Gladstone, a four-time British Prime Minister. This Grade I listed space is renowned for its stunning Victorian architecture, providing a magnificent and fitting backdrop for the occasion.
The event featured an impressive lineup of producers: Antica Masseria Jorche, Audarya, Boschetto Campacci, Cantina Valtidone, Castellare di Castellina, Castello di Volpaia, Di Sante, Gianfranco Fino Viticoltore, Il Pollenza, Le Vigne di Zamò, Palari, Panizzi, Giovanni Rosso, Tenute del Cerro, Tenute Muròla, Velenosi, and Villa Sandi.
The masterclass included a curated selection of 18 wines, although it ultimately included 17 due to one being unavailable. The tasting comprised 6 whites and 12 reds, nearly all of which were exceptional. In an unusual step, I’m sharing the original list here to highlight the calibre of wines presented. Note that the Audarya (No 3) wine was the one missing.
I was particularly impressed with the Villa Sandi-Borgo Conventi Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Extra Brut La Rivetta 120. Unlike the more common DOC Proseccos, this wine carries the prestigious DOCG designation, reflecting its superior quality. The “120” refers to the days spent on lees, which is double the usual time, adding depth and complexity. Despite being classified as Extra Brut, its vibrant flavour masks the dryness, with high acidity and flavours of pear, citrus and a subtle hint of mandarin.
My favourite red from the tasting was the Antica Masseria Jorche Primitivo di Manduria Riserva 2020. As a fan of Primitivo, I found this to be the best example I have ever tried. Daniele Cernilli mentioned that this wine, alongside the Gianfranco Fino Viticoltore Salento Primitivo, is among the best Primitivos in the world.
The Riserva has aromas of oak, spice, and chocolate, with an incredibly deep fruit profile that has a slightly herbal edge. It has an excellent, lengthy finish and is notably not as sweet as other UK examples I’ve encountered. While it is also slightly more tannic, this adds structure and balance. Daniele highlighted the wine’s acidity, comparable to that of a white wine, a characteristic attributed to the use of green berries, which offsets its high 16% ABV. I have since discovered that this wine has an impressive 4.4 score on Vivino and, surprisingly, is not overly expensive, priced at €29 on their website, fantastic value for such a premium wine. More about this producer later.
I also particularly enjoyed the Cantina Valtidone Gutturnio Classico Superiore Bollo Rosso 2020. This wine offered delightful hints of plum jam, leather and liquorice, with a rich and memorable mid-palate showcasing flavours of caramel.
The Giovanni Rosso Barolo Cerretta was the only wine that fell slightly below expectations. Daniele described it as one of the finest Barolos available but also explained that it was still very young and needed more time to develop fully, which accounts for its current restraint.
During the walk-around tasting, I was particularly impressed by the Tenute Muròla Colli Maceratesi Ribona Baccius 2023. This wine stood out for its use of the Ribona grape, a rare variety from a small denominazione. It was highly aromatic, with notes of pear and passionfruit and flavours of sweet herbs and aniseed. Unfortunately, it is not currently imported to the UK, but it is available in Italy for around €11.
Returning to the Antica Masseria, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dalili during the walk-around tasting. The estate is run by sisters Dalili and Emanuela, the latest in five generations of the Gianfreda family dedicated to winemaking. Dalili explained that while Puglia has always experienced hot weather, a natural respite occurs at night, with temperatures dropping to around 15°C. This high temperatures cause some grapes on each bunch to shrivel naturally on the vine (see photo above), rather than through manual appassimento, contributing to the wine’s intensity and richness. However, in recent years, cooler nights have become less frequent, with unusually warm night time temperatures. As a result, the vines are now ripening up to ten days earlier than previously.
The event offered a unique opportunity to explore exceptional wines and producers, providing an insightful experience into the possibilities of Italian winemaking at its finest.
