Castiglione della Pescaia, Tuscany – The sixth edition of the Grand Prix Vermentino took place in April 2025, in the coastal city of Castiglione della Pescaia, located in the province of Grosseto, Tuscany. The prestigious competition, organized by the Consorzio Tutela Vini della Maremma Toscana, aimed to spotlight the quality and potential of Vermentino wines produced within the Maremma Toscana DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin).
This year’s event featured 67 wines, primarily from the 2023 and 2024 vintages, with some entries from as far back as 2019. Most of the wines were crafted using stainless steel, although producers also employed a variety of alternative methods, such as concrete eggs, amphorae, cocciopesto, and barrels. Notably, 12 wines earned the coveted “Superiore” designation, which signifies adherence to stricter production standards and longer aging. Four of these “Superiore” wines were selected for the competition’s top ten list.
Francesco Mazzei, president of the Consorzio, emphasized that over 30% of the DOC wines in Maremma are made from Vermentino grapes, noting that the region has become a key area for white wine production in Tuscany. He praised the grape’s ability to thrive in the coastal environment, suggesting that Vermentino has significant aging potential. The Superiore label, according to Mazzei, helps highlight the complexity and distinct characteristics of the variety.
The Grand Prix’s expert jury was chaired by Luciano Ferraro, deputy editor-in-chief of Corriere della Sera, and included sommeliers, representatives from Michelin-starred restaurants, Maremma wine retailers, consulting winemakers, and local wine experts.
Luca Pollini, director of the federation, shared that one of this year’s top ten winners was a 2019 vintage, marking the first time in the competition’s history that an aged Vermentino wine has made it to the top rankings. He also revealed that half of Tuscany’s Vermentino vineyards are located in Maremma. Of the more than 1,070 hectares of vineyards in the region, nearly 60% are under 13 years old, and more than 40% are under 8 years old, reflecting the ongoing investment in the future of the grape variety.
To be eligible for the competition, wines must be composed of at least 85% Vermentino, although many entries were made entirely from the grape. A few wines included small amounts of Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, or Trebbiano.
The ten winning wines will be featured at the Vinitaly wine festival in 2025, where they will be available for tasting alongside new vintages from local producers. The selected wines represent a broad range of styles and production methods, including organic and grand cru wines.
The top ten Vermentino wines of this year’s Grand Prix are:
- “San Bruzio” from Cantina Vignaioli di Scansano (Superiore 2023)
- “Castelprile” from Castelprile della Volpaia (Superiore Organic 2023)
- “Audace” from Cupirosso (Organic 2022)
- “Pagliatura” from Fattoria di Magliano (Organic 2023)
- “Veive” from Giovanni Valentini (Superiore 2023)
- “Unnè” from Poggio Levante (2019)
- “Maremmano” from Tenuta Casteani (Superiore Organic 2023)
- “Solo” from Tenuta Dodici (2023)
- “Limite” from Tenuta Pietramora di Colle Fagiano (2023)
The Grand Prix Vermentino continues to serve as an important platform for promoting Vermentino, an emblematic grape variety of the Maremma Toscana DOC. With increasing recognition both within Italy and on international markets, the variety is garnering growing interest from producers and consumers alike.
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