Tre Bicchieri 2026, the 24 best wines from the Marche awarded by Gambero Rosso Gambero Rosso International

The death of Ampelio Bucci in August 2025 brought widespread mourning to the Marche. His immense forty-year-long work managed to show the entire world the potential of Verdicchio: its ability for auteur expressions and its remarkable longevity. Such a loss rubbed salt into wounds not yet healed, such as the collapse of Moncaro, the region’s largest cooperative. It also fed doubts suggested by the uncertain global economic outlook. What will become of winegrowing in the Marche? We feel able to reassure those who see cracks in the production stronghold of Castelli di Jesi and nearby Matelica.

Angelo Bucci

Verdicchio from Castelli di Jesi and Matelica: confirmations and new entries

Ampelio leaves behind a fabric of winegrowers in full physical and mental vigour who are creating fantastic wines, and not only among those awarded with the Tre Bicchieri in the Vini d’Italia 2026 guide by Gambero Rosso. Wineries that are producing true marvels of personality, whites capable of holding their own against many of the world’s best labels. A productive structure that continues to give voice to new interpreters while consolidating the young wineries that have only recently entered the realm of quality production.

Among the award-winners there are many confirmations, many familiar names but also some interesting debuts, such as that of Gian Mario Bongini of Terralibera, or the return to the Tre Bicchieri club of the Vicari brothers, Col di Corte, Tenuta San Sisto, and Leo Felici.

The great Pecorino wines of Piceno

Moving to another production area, the Piceno sector also appears strong, perhaps less dynamic but deeply rooted in territorial attachment. Here, the positions of value seem more consolidated, but in many cases the qualitative differences are truly minimal. This year we welcome the performances that allow the return to the roll of honour of the historic Tenuta De Angelis and the more recent Numa, thanks to two Pecorino wines (out of four awarded) of absolute importance.

A Ribona awarded for the first time

The 2026 roll of honour also features an absolute novelty, a much-anticipated debut: for the first time, a Ribona has been awarded the highest recognition. This achievement belongs to brothers Andrea and Leonardo Saputi, sons of a family that has been committed for many years to the cultivation of this quintessential white grape variety of Macerata viticulture, to which we already dedicated an in-depth article last year.