Tedeschi places its Amarone among the one hundred Italian wines chosen by James Suckling
Capitel Monte Olmi scores 97 points, a score reserved for only three Amarone.
Monday, September 21, 2026
The 2026 edition of James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of Italy includes Tedeschi's Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico Riserva Capitel Monte Olmi 2019, with 97 points. The selection, organized under the theme "Pride of Place," brings together wines that, in the critic's opinion, clearly express the identity of their vineyard and the terroir from which they originate.
For Tedeschi, based in Pedemonte di Valpolicella, in the province of Verona, inclusion on this list represents international recognition for one of the wines most closely linked to the winery's history. The company notes that the ranking was compiled from 7,000 Italian wines and specifies that Capitel Monte Olmi 2019 is among the three Amarone wines selected. Six wines from the Veneto region appear on the list: three Amarone, one Valpolicella, and two Soave.
The 2019 vintage scored 97 points. James Suckling describes the wine as an Amarone that combines richness, purity, and freshness, with notes of mandarin, orange blossom, cherry, and chocolate, along with a mineral profile and a long, serene finish. This assessment aligns with this year's list, which focuses on the connection between wine and its place of origin.
Monte Olmi is a historic vineyard located on the slopes of Pedemonte. For decades, Tedeschi has made it a central element of his work exploring the diverse expressions of Valpolicella. The winery links this approach to a zoning project that studies how the terroir, microclimate, and location of each plot influence the final wine profile.
The Tedeschi family traces its relationship with Monte Olmi back to 1964. According to the company, it was then that Lorenzo Tedeschi decided to vinify those grapes separately, a choice the winery presents as the origin of the first single-vineyard Amarone. That decision remains alive in the Capitel Monte Olmi Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico Riserva, which the winery considers one of the symbols of its history.
Sabrina Tedeschi, who runs the company with her siblings Antonietta and Riccardo, says the inclusion is especially significant because James Suckling's list focuses on "sense of place." In her view, the identity of a great wine is born first in the vineyard, and Monte Olmi embodies that idea very clearly. She adds that the family has studied and interpreted this plot for generations and that the recognition validates their commitment to reflecting the origin and personality of specific vineyards in Valpolicella.
In addition to Tedeschi, the 2026 edition includes two other Amarone wines. Verona's presence is rounded out by a Valpolicella and two Soave wines, bringing the total number of Veneto wines on the list to six.