Decanter magazine October 2026 issue and Italy guide: See what's inside

Welcome to the Decanter magazine October 2026 issue

Italy in depth

Leader by editor Amy Wislocki

When I met the three Italian Masters of Wine behind Marsala’s Salt West project (see our Italy guide) a couple of years ago, I was amazed that they were the country’s only MWs.

The number has since risen to four, but still – how can a country as significant on the world wine stage not boast a higher quota of professionals holding this prestigious qualification?

Anyway, when they described how they were working to help transform Marsala, I wanted to taste the fruits of their effort immediately, ideally in situ!

James Button, Decanter’s Regional Editor for Italy, visits the country regularly, of course. And each autumn he brings together some of the stories he and our expert writers have discovered in our Italy guide, enclosed with this issue.

I always come away from it with resolutions. This year: taste Cartizze again (the best Prosecco you can get); buy the five southern Italian recommendations sold at Waitrose, the most costly just £16; travel the Via Chiantigiana; buy better balsamic vinegar; and finally try those wines from Marsala. What will yours be?

In my glass this month

Nyetimber is among the best-known English sparkling wines, but the beautiful estate (home to Anne of Cleves in Tudor times) only opens to the public on limited open days.

I visited in mid-September, the day before they started picking – its earliest harvest – grapes fat and juicy on the vine. At the tasting of four wines, Cuvée Cherie MV demi-sec (£43 Majestic) charmed – all patisserie, ripe apricot, honey and citrus, but oh so fresh.

Inside Decanter magazine's October 2026 issue

In focus

• 2024 Barossa Shiraz: 20 top picks David Sly celebrates the switch from big bruisers to wines of real elegance
• Decanter Hall of Fame Award 2026: Lalou Bize-Leroy Charles Curtis MW profiles one of Burgundy’s most revered residents, this year’s winner of our major award
• Decanter Rising Star Award 2026: Ramiro Ibáñez and Willy Perez Ines Salpico meets a pair of history- obsessed Jerez mavericks
• Ribero del Duero latest releases The best new wines, as chosen by María José Huertas and Ines Salpico
• Northern exposure Scandinavia is one of Europe’s most exciting wine frontiers, says Åsa Johansson
• Malta’s hidden wine story Sylvia Wu discovers the island’s wine scene
• Forgotten France: Irouléguy Chris Howard on a tiny Basque appellation
• My other passion: Motorbiking Ines Salpico hears all about Rafael Palacios’ need for speed

Spirits

• Distilled Spirits news & cocktails
• Mezcal: terroir vs varietal Which is more important, asks Chris Madigan

Food & travel

• What to pair with Italian classics Victoria Moore offers wine matches for beloved pasta dishes and beyond
• Wine lover’s guide to Niagara Canada’s largest vineyard area seduces Alicia Miller with its rural charms
• 6 ways to see the Luberon Geordie Torr’s tips for visiting a Provençal gem

Learning

• Books etc Sophie Thorpe dips into a new global history of wine
• Wine wisdom Expert advice to help you on your ongoing wine journey

Buying guide

• Introduction
• Editors’ picks Decanter staff share highlights from their recent tastings
• Panel tasting: Southern Rhône cru whites A category on the rise more than delivers the goods: 105 wines tasted, 14 rated Outstanding
• Panel tasting: Alentejo reds High-quality wines from a Portuguese region in search of an identity: 137 wines tasted, 2 rated Outstanding
• Expert’s choice: German & Austrian premium Sekt Caro Maurer MW introduces 18 must-try top-tier Germanic sparkling wines
• Weekday wines Decanter’s tasting team brings you 25 top picks, ready to drink now and priced at £30 or less
• Weekend wines Priced £30-£60, seven standout buys to impress
• DWWA 2026 Pitch-perfect medal- winning Austrian white wines

Collecting & investing

• Marketwatch Auction news and new releases, plus market overview

Regulars

• Writing this month Meet four of the authors who contributed to this issue
• News The latest from the wine world
• The brief Ideas and inspiration
• Andrew Jefford’s column
• Katherine Cole’s column
• Guest column Cyndal Petty on Margaret River’s secret weapons
• The ethical drinker We can all do our bit to help improve the stewardship of the land, says Natalie Earl
• On the rack: CJ McCollum The American pro basketball player talks wine with Adam Morganstern

Inside our Italy Guide 2026

Contents

• Welcome Decanter’s Italy Editor James Button opens the guide
• Writing on Italy A spotlight on four of this year’s expert contributors
• What’s new in Italy Recent news in wine and wine tourism – Chianti rosé, new restaurant in Barolo, and more
• Guest column Michaela Morris explains why she’s fed up with Italian wines being described as ‘Burgundian’
• Southern Italy: 20 great buys Jason Millar trawls the UK shelves to pick out a selection of good-value buys that showcase the diversity of the south
• Decade of change: 2006 & 2016 Raffaele Mosca reflects on two vintages that bookend a decade of significant, positive change in Italian winemaking, across the country
• Prosecco buyer’s guide This is a category of wine that is more complex – and can be more rewarding – than you may think, explains Abbie Bennington
• Amarone 101 Lauren Mowery encourages readers to discover this full-bodied dry style of Valpolicella
• Roero The red wines from this corner of Piedmont have been transformed since the 1990s and can offer incredible value, says Tiziano Gaia
• Sicily James Button focuses on two very different but equally dynamic parts of the island, Etna and Marsala
• Panel tasting: SuperTuscans under £50 78 wines rated. ‘A great deal of pleasure and midweek drinkability’
• The other Lambrusco Sarah Lane looks at top-quality balsamic vinegar, made from Emilia Romagna grapes
• Travel the Via Chiantigiana Emily O’Hare suggests a 70km journey along the SR222 from Florence to Siena
• A drink with Ilaria Felluga The young Friuli winemaker on Pinot Bianco and wine communication

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