Maremma Toscana Names Its Top Vermentino Wines

The Maremma Toscana wine consortium has named the top 10 Vermentino wines in its 2026 Grand Prix, a competition that has become a key annual showcase for one of Tuscany’s most closely watched white grapes.

The seventh edition of the contest drew 71 wines, including 17 labeled Vermentino Superiore, and was judged on March 30 in Castiglione della Pescaia by a panel made up of sommeliers from Michelin-starred restaurants, oenologists and industry technicians. The consortium said 30% of the entries were organic.

The winning wines, listed alphabetically by winery, were Belguardo Mazzei Vermentino Superiore 2022 “Belguardo V,” Bruni Vermentino 2024 “Perlaia,” Colli del Vento Vermentino 2024 “Frieda,” La Biagiola Vermentino 2022 “Cocciopesto,” Fattoria Il Casalone Vermentino 2024 “Leopoldino,” Guido F. Fendi Vermentino 2022 “Burattini,” Mantellassi Vermentino 2024 “Scalandrino,” Podere Poggio Bestiale Vermentino Superiore 2024 “PerLelo,” Rocca delle Macie Vermentino 2024 “Vigna L’Aja Bruciata” and Tenuta Casteani Vermentino Superiore 2024 “Maremmano.”

All of the wines came from the Maremma Toscana DOC and contained at least 85% Vermentino. Most were made as single-varietal wines, though some included small amounts of Viognier, Sauvignon or Trebbiano.

The competition reflects how central Vermentino has become to the denomination. The consortium said the grape now accounts for about 32% of DOC production, with more than 2.4 million bottles.

Francesco Mazzei, president of the consortium, said the Grand Prix had become “a fundamental moment of comparison and growth for the entire denomination,” adding that quality had risen steadily and that producers had become more aware of the grape’s potential. Luca Pollini, the consortium’s director, said this year’s results showed the versatility of Maremma Toscana Vermentino, from more structured wines built for aging to fresher bottlings aimed at earlier drinking.

The announcement comes as Tuscan wine sales have softened in parts of the region. The consortium said bottled Tuscan wine fell 2.4% in 2025, citing AVITO, while Maremma Toscana DOC posted a 0.5% increase. Compared with 2019, production is up 22.3%, which the consortium described as the strongest result among Tuscan denominations over that period.

Total production in Maremma Toscana now stands at nearly 7.5 million bottles. White wines make up more than 43% of bottled output. Ciliegiolo has passed 530,000 bottles and remains the third-largest category after Vermentino and red wine, while Ansonica has also grown and now exceeds 100,000 bottles.