Tre Bicchieri 2026: the 26 best wines of Puglia awarded by Gambero Rosso

Oct 4 2025, 13:24 | by Gambero Rosso

The best results, as usual, come from the red wine sector, with Primitivo and Negroamaro dominating the scene among confirmations and new entries. Here are the labels that have received the highest recognition

The qualitative level of wine production in Puglia confirms the growth standard achieved in recent years, with solid certainties and new insights, both in terms of grape varieties and denominations, as well as new additions to the Gambero Rosso Vini d’Italia Guide. There has, in fact, been a significant turnover among the awarded wineries, a sign of a region in motion, striving for excellent results while keeping a steady course towards its primary goal: enhancing its territory in all its nuances.

Apart from a few exceptions, Puglia’s top-quality wine production continues to be based on red grape varieties, with few deviations towards other types; of interest—though not yet reaching great heights and growing, albeit slowly—are the productions of the native Susumaniello, Bombino Nero, Ottavianello and Uva di Troia, which still need to find their own expressive identity.

Primitivo and Negroamaro at the top

Once again, Primitivo-based wines take centre stage, accounting for a good share of our Tre Bicchieri, among which stands out the ‘first time’ for Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale, an ancient version of the region’s historic grape variety. The denominations that best represent it, Gioia del Colle and Manduria, confirm their role as the driving force behind Puglia’s high-quality production.

Sharing the spotlight is Negroamaro, with five Tre Bicchieri (last year we awarded a Negroamaro the prize for the best quality-price ratio in Puglia), supported by the Salento denomination, which over the past year has focused on maintaining the quality of wines linked to native grape varieties and on promoting the typical character of the territory, despite the production challenges faced.

Overall, between the recovery of production volumes after difficult vintages and the still very (too) evident appeal of heavy packaging, Puglia is undoubtedly a region that is enologically vibrant.