The Pinot Nero Riserva Abtei Muri from Tenuta Cantina Convento Muri‑Gries is Italy’s Best Pinot Noir of the 2023 vintage. The wine prevailed over more than 100 labels from 10 Italian wine regions in the National Pinot Noir Competition, the event that officially opens the Pinot Noir Days in Alto Adige. The result confirms an increasingly clear trend: Alto Adige dominates the national Pinot Noir scene, securing all the positions in the Top 5.
Best Italian Pinot Noir 2023: a Top 5 entirely from Alto Adige
The podium of the competition reveals a clear hierarchy, entirely concentrated in Alto Adige. Behind the winner comes the Pinot Nero Riserva Sanct Valentin from Cantina Produttori San Michele Appiano, followed by the Pinot Nero Riserva Linticlarus from Tiefenbrunner Schlosskellerei Turmhof.
Fourth and fifth place also remain firmly in Alto Adige, with the Pinot Nero Riserva Monticol from Cantina Terlano and the Pinot Nero Riserva Lahn from Bergmannhof.
A Top 5 that highlights a rare continuity of quality and underscores the region’s ability to interpret Pinot Noir with precision, elegance and identity.
The national competition and the central role of the Pinot Noir Days
Now in its 28th edition, the National Pinot Noir Competition is one of Italy’s most authoritative events dedicated to the variety. The competition, directed by Ulrich Pedri of the Laimburg Research Centre, traditionally opens the Pinot Noir Days, which begin on 15 May between Egna and Montagna.
The competition is not only an opportunity for comparison, but also a tool for reading the Italian production landscape, offering an updated snapshot of the many interpretations of Pinot Noir.
Alongside the overall ranking, the competition also awards the best Pinot Noir from each participating region — a recognition that highlights the nationwide spread of the variety and the diversity of its territorial expressions.
For Trentino, the award went to Cantina Mori Colli Zugna; for Valle d’Aosta to Grosjeans Vins; for Piedmont to Castello di Gabiano; for Lombardy to Tenuta Conte Vistarino; for Veneto to Borgo Stajnbech; for Friuli Venezia Giulia to Castello di Spessa; for Emilia‑Romagna to La Collina del Tesoro; for Tuscany to Fattoria di Cortevecchia; and for Umbria to Tenuta Poggio Petroso.
Tastings and program: Pinot Noir as a widespread experience between masterclasses, trekking and picnics
The winning and finalist wines take center stage at the Pinot Noir Days, running until 18 May at the Ospizio di San Floriano in Laghetti, where visitors can taste the full spectrum of the competition.
The program unfolds through a series of experiences that go beyond traditional tasting, with technical insights, masterclasses and activities across the territory.
Ines Giovanett, president of the organizing committee, explains the spirit of the event:
“This is not just a tasting: our event is a journey through Italy’s finest Pinot Noirs. With these days we offer all wine lovers the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the varietal landscape of Pinot Noir and to experience firsthand how these wines reflect terroir, tradition and style.”
The Pinot Noir Days feature a rich calendar including masterclasses dedicated to regional winners and to the Pinot Noirs of Pfitscher, as well as the Pinot Noir Experience, a guided route through the vineyards of Gleno, Pinzano and Mazzon.
Alongside the technical appointments, the program also embraces a more convivial dimension with the Pinot Noir Nights, involving selected restaurants in gastronomic pairings, as well as events such as the Pinot Noir Picnic and the Pinot Noir Party.
