Avignonesi Wine Enthusiast: Montepulciano Estate Named Finalist for European Winery of the Year 2026
Avignonesi Wine Enthusiast is the pairing making the rounds among wine industry insiders this week: the historic Montepulciano estate has been named one of five finalists for European Winery of the Year at the 27th Annual Wine Star Awards, the yearly recognition presented by Wine Enthusiast, one of the most influential and widely read publications in the American wine and spirits world.
Now in its 27th edition, the Wine Star Awards honor the individuals and companies that, according to the magazine’s editorial and commercial team, have made an outstanding contribution to the industry over the past year — for their impact on consumers and trade, commercial success, brand vision, and trendsetting. The winner in each category will be announced and celebrated at the black-tie gala in January 2027, and will also be featured in the magazine’s Best of Year issue.
Avignonesi Wine Enthusiast: the other finalists
In the European Winery of the Year category, Avignonesi is the only Italian estate among five finalists that also include Champagne Laurent-Perrier (France), Domaine Lafage (France), and Portugal’s Ravasqueira and Quinta do Paral. It’s a lineup that speaks to both the strength of the nomination and the international visibility the Montepulciano estate has built in recent years.
The story behind the nomination
In its profile of the estate, Wine Enthusiast traces Avignonesi’s transformation back to 2009, when Belgian entrepreneur Virginie Saverys acquired the property with the stated goal of deepening its connection to the Montepulciano terroir. Since then, the estate has become the largest biodynamic winery in Italy, a path that led to B Corp Certification in 2022, recognizing high standards of social and environmental performance.
Alongside Sangiovese — long the leading variety in the area, locally known as Prugnolo Gentile — the estate has reintroduced native varieties such as Canaiolo, Colorino, Ciliegiolo, and Mammolo, continuing a history of grape growing on the property that spans five centuries.
A season of recognition
The Wine Star Awards nomination arrives during a particularly strong season for the estate. In recent weeks, the 2023 vintage of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano received 4.5 stars from Italian newspaper La Repubblica, with Avignonesi ranked among the ten best tastings of the appellation, while Falstaff noted that the estate’s return to the Vino Nobile Anteprima added weight to the event. Avignonesi also took part in Vinitaly 2026 within the stand of the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
“This nomination is an important recognition of the work we’ve done over the years across the Montepulciano territory” commented Matteo Giustiniani, CEO, “a path built on biodynamic farming, the revival of native varieties, and responsibility toward future generations.”
What it means for Montepulciano
Being shortlisted alongside a name like Laurent-Perrier signals something beyond the award itself: it confirms growing international recognition of Vino Nobile as an appellation capable of competing with Europe’s other great wine regions. Avignonesi’s Wine Enthusiast nomination will stand as a milestone for the estate regardless of the final outcome.
The winner of the European Winery of the Year category, along with the other 2026 Wine Star Awards categories, will be announced at the gala in January 2027 — an event Avignonesi will attend as a nominee.
Source: Wine Enthusiast – 27th Annual Wine Star Award Nominees
