Gambero Rosso is Italy’s leading authority on food, wine, and culinary culture, renowned for its annual Vini d’Italia guide, which evaluates over 45,000 wines to identify the country’s finest. The prestigious Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) award is reserved for fewer than 1% of these wines, marking them as exceptional examples of Italian winemaking. To celebrate and promote these top-tier wines, Gambero Rosso organizes the Tre Bicchieri World Tour, a global series of trade-focused events held in major cities across North America, Europe, and Asia.
In Vancouver, the 2025 Tre Bicchieri World Tour took place on May 15 at the Hyatt Regency, featuring over 120 wines from more than 25 Italian wineries. Not all the wines being poured were “three glasses”, but at least one wine from each winery was rated “three glasses”. Below are my favourite wines of the tasting.
My Favourite Wines
Villa Sandi Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG La Rivetta 2023, Veneto – Cartizze is at the top of the Prosecco quality pyramid. This one has a nice peach / stone fruit nose. Dry, medium body, round with medium-sized creamy bubbles. Stone fruits and some citrus pith on the palate. 
Zenato Lugana “Sergio Zenato” Riserva 2021, Veneto – made from the Trebbiano di Lugana grape and comes from their oldest vines. It has a deeper lemon colour. Nice ripe rich, honeyed, stone fruit and pears nose plus a touch of vanilla. Dry with medium acidity. Tropical fruit flavours along with light butterscotch followed by cinnamon. Light pepperiness. Medium-plus length with mouth watering acidity.
Suavia Monte Carbonare 2022, Veneto – This wine is made with the garganega grape and comes from a single vineyard. It has a lighter lemon colour. Light flint and stone fruit aromas, which continue to the palate. It is slightly off-dry with a light body and soft mouthfeel. A medium-plus length, finishing with tart citrus fruit flavours. Try with seafood.
Monte del Frà Ca del Magro Custoza Superiore 2022, Veneto – A blend of Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Cortese, and Incrocio Manzoni grapes The wine is fermented in concrete. No oak aging. It has a light lemon colour. Light, fresh stone fruit aromas. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, soft mouthfeel. Light flavours of fresh stone fruits and a touch of citrus. Some bitterness on the finish.
Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano V. Santa Margherita 2023, Tuscany – A medium-plus lemon colour. Ripe, ripe stone fruit nose. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth mouthfeel. Medium acidity. Stone fruits and stoniness on the palate. Medium-plus length with some bitterness on the finish.
Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Vigna Cialdini 2023, Emilia Romagna – A deep, but bright ruby colour in the glass. Juicy sour berry aromas. This wine is dry, medium-plus body with a lean mouthfeel and high acidity. Small biting bubbles. Medium drying tannins. Tart red berry flavour. Tasty.
Monte del Frà Valpolicella Ripasso Lena di Mezzo 2021, Veneto – A medium garnet colour. Light smoky red fruit aromas with more on the palate. Also, a touch of leather and chocolate flavours. Dry, lean, with a light mouthfeel. Medium tannins and acidity.
Monte del Frà Valpolicella Amarone 2019, Veneto – A medium-minus, dull garnet colour in the glass. Light intensity aromas of rich, sweet, ripe cherries and candied cherries. Medium-minus body with a lean, soft mouthfeel. Sweet spices, cedar, soft red fruits along with some pepperiness and ripe red cherries toward the finish. –
Castello di Gabbiano Alleanza 2019, Tuscany – This wine has a very deep, dull garnet colour. Medium intensity aromas of rich, ripe, red fruits and cedar with more on the palate, plus sweet ripe cherries and sweet spices. Medium-plus body, with a smooth and round mouthfeel. Medium acidity and medium-plus tannins. Firm tannins and sweet cherries on the finish. –
Piaggia Carmignano Riserva 2021, Tuscany – A deep garnet colour. Light aromas of cedar, sweet spices and red fruits. Medium-plus body with a soft, smooth mouthfeel. Medium acidity and lighter tannins. Cedar and ripe cherry flavours, plus light pepperiness and touches of candied cherries and nutmeg. Medium-plus length with the tannins firming up on the finish. Quality.
Vigne del Malina Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso 2016, Friuli Venezia Giulia – I was surprised to see a wine released from 2016, but this one had extended oak aging. It has a deep, clear, bright garnet colour. Medium intensity bright aromas of red fruits and a touch of leather. A medium-minus body with a soft, smooth mouthfeel. Red fruits and leather on the palate. Medium-plus tannins and medium acidity. A wine with a light touch.
Marchesi Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Nipozzano Riserva 2021, Tuscany – This wine has a lighter, clear garnet colour. Very aromatic nose showing red fruits and oak. Dry, light body with a lean mouthfeel. Ripe red fruits and red cherry flavours, plus touches of pepperiness and candied cherries. Medium acidity and tannins.
Thank you to Gambero Rosso for the opportunity to try these wines.
