Bersano’s flagship single-vineyard Nizza scores 97 points just days after the unveiling of the redesigned Icone collection
Nizza Monferrato, June 2026 – Bersano (link) has earned one of the most significant accolades at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, one of the world’s leading wine competitions. Nizza DOCG Cremosina 2023 was awarded a Platinum Medal with 97 points, placing it among just four Piedmont wines to receive this distinction and among only 29 Italian wines to achieve Platinum in the 2026 edition.
The result comes at the conclusion of a competition that saw nearly 17,000 wines blind-tasted by an international panel of 245 experts from 35 countries, including 63 Masters of Wine and 24 Master Sommeliers.
The award carries particular significance for the historic Piedmontese winery, coming just days after the official unveiling of the redesigned Icone Bersano collection, which brings together the estate’s most representative wines. The project revisits the winery’s visual identity by drawing on distinctive elements of its heritage—from the historic Napoleonic bottle silhouette to details inspired by Bersano’s archives—giving a contemporary expression to wines that have represented Piedmont for more than a century.
“Receiving a Platinum Medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards is a tremendous source of pride, especially because it recognises one of the wines that best embodies our identity,“ says Federico Orione, the latest generation of the Bersano family and now Head of Sales & Marketing. „This recognition comes at a particularly meaningful moment for the winery, as we have just begun a new chapter in our history through the redesign of the Icone collection. It is especially significant that this award has gone to Cremosina, as it was from this estate that the historic Napoleonic bottle rediscovered by Bersano inspired the entire redesign project. Seeing Cremosina ranked among Piedmont’s four Platinum wines confirms that the direction we have chosen—in the vineyard, in the cellar and in the way we tell our story—is the right one.
Further strengthening Bersano’s performance at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, Barolo Badarina 2022 (link) received a Silver Medal (90 points), while Gavi di Gavi Mirage 2025 (link) was awarded a Bronze Medal (89 points), highlighting the consistent quality achieved across the winery’s different appellations.
Nizza Cremosina 2023 (link)
Produced exclusively from grapes grown at Cascina Cremosina, one of Bersano’s historic estate vineyards, Nizza DOCG Cremosina 2023 is crafted from a selection of the estate’s finest parcels and stands as one of the winery’s most emblematic labels.
Located in Nizza Monferrato, the historic home of Barbera and the heart of the Nizza DOCG appellation, Cremosina is an outstanding cru renowned for its exceptional suitability for the variety. Its vineyards, planted on limestone, clay and sandy soils on the left bank of the Belbo stream, benefit from south and south-west exposure, ensuring optimal ripening and giving the wine elegance, aromatic depth and remarkable ageing potential. Since 2014, the official zoning study of the Nizza DOCG has recognised Cremosina as one of the denomination’s benchmark sites for Barbera.
Managing the Cremosina vineyards presents a number of challenges, including steep slopes ranging from 15% to 25%, requiring meticulous vineyard work. The vines are planted following the contour lines of the hillsides, a traditional technique that, while making vineyard operations more demanding, improves water management and helps prevent soil erosion. These practices, combined with continuous vineyard monitoring and a strong commitment to biodiversity, reflect Bersano’s approach to responsible viticulture.
Winter pruning is limited to 7–8 buds per vine, with Guyot training and careful shoot and bunch thinning to ensure optimal sun exposure and fruit quality. Grapes are harvested exclusively by hand to preserve their integrity and allow for rigorous bunch selection.
Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with repeated pump-overs and oxygenation until alcoholic fermentation is complete. The wine is then racked and left on its fine lees to encourage malolactic fermentation. Ageing lasts a minimum of 12 months in oak casks, followed by at least 6 months in bottle before release.
