Renzo Cotarella awarded the 2026 Institute of Masters of Wine Winemakers’ Winemaker Award
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY, 16 MARCH 2026 — Renzo Cotarella has been named the recipient of the 2026 Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) Winemakers’ Winemaker Award. The award was presented in association with the drinks business at a reception during ProWein by Patrick Schmitt MW, drinks business editor-in-chief, Sarah Harrison, IMW executive director and Roderick Smith MW, IMW chair.
The award recognises outstanding achievement in the field of winemaking. The winner is chosen each year by Master of Wine winemakers and previous winners of the award.
Renzo Cotarella is chief executive officer and chief oenologist of Marchesi Antinori, one of Italy’s leading wine producers.
Born in Monterubiaglio near Orvieto in 1954, Cotarella graduated in agricultural sciences from the University of Perugia in 1978, specialising in soils and grape variety matching. In 1981 he was appointed director and Winemaker at Castello della Sala, the Antinori family’s Umbrian estate. He became chief oenologist of Marchesi Antinori in 1993, managing director in 1998 and CEO in 2005.
Cotarella also oversees Antinori estates and ventures internationally, including Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in Napa Valley and Col Solare Estate in Washington State. His honours include Wine Enthusiast’s Best Winemaker of the World (2001) and Best Italian Winemaker from Vinoway Selection (2024).
On receiving the award, Renzo remarked: “I am delighted and truly honoured, both personally and on behalf of the Antinori team, to receive this prestigious award from the Institute of Masters of Wine. I see it as a testament to our commitment to making wines that align with the Masters of Wine philosophy. It is a privilege to see my name alongside the most distinguished winemakers in recent history.”
Sarah Harrison, IMW executive director, said: “Renzo’s combination of technical mastery, passion, leadership and openness has shaped fine wine in Italy and internationally. He is a profoundly deserving recipient of the 2026 IMW Winemakers’ Winemaker Award.”
Patrick Schmitt MW, editor of the drinks business, said: “When you look down the list of past winners of the annual Winemakers’ Winemaker Award, it is always difficult to imagine who might join such exalted company. Yet in the case of Renzo Cotarella, the choice seems obvious. Here is a figure as admired as the late Anne-Claude Leflaive, as respected as Paul Draper, and as groundbreaking as Peter Sisseck. The cellar-based power behind the throne at Antinori may project an air of traditional conservatism, but in reality he is a passionate innovator, driven by an uncompromising eye for detail and an open mind regarding pioneering techniques and new sources of greatness.”
Rod Smith MW, IMW chair, added: “Renzo exemplifies the rare balance between innovation and stewardship that defines truly great winemaking, and this he manages to achieve on a truly global scale. It gives me great pleasure to name him this year’s Winemakers’ Winemaker.”
Since its debut in 2011, some of the world’s most respected winemakers have been presented with the accolade:
2011 – Peter Sisseck
2012 – Peter Gago
2013 – Paul Draper
2014 – Anne-Claude Leflaive
2015 – Egon Müller
2016 – Álvaro Palacios
2017 – Eben Sadie
2018 – Jean-Claude Berrouet
2019 – Angelo Gaja
2022 – Jean-Louis Chave
2024 – Michael Brajkovich MW
2025 – Stephen Henschke
Images, logos and .docx press release available here
ENDS
For more information contact:
Laura Coles
Head of Marketing and Engagement
Institute of Masters of Wine
+44 (0)207 383 9136
lcoles@mastersofwine.org
Notes to editors:
About the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW)
The IMW is a membership organisation with an exceptional international reputation. For more than 70 years, its members—the Masters of Wine (MWs)—have been at the forefront of leadership and expertise in the world of wine. The IMW’s mission is to foster excellence, interaction and learning across all sectors of the global wine community. MWs prove their comprehensive understanding of wine by passing the MW exam, recognised worldwide for its rigour and exacting standards. In addition to passing the exam, members must sign the code of conduct before they are entitled to use the initials MW. This requires them to uphold the highest standards of commercial conduct within the industry. Today, there are 427 Masters of Wine working in 31 countries. The membership encompasses winemakers, sommeliers, buyers, journalists, shippers, consultants, viticulturalists, academics, educators and more. There are 320 students from 46 countries in the 2025-26 MW study programme. The IMW works with 38 supporters and four research and industry associates, who help promote the IMW’s mission. The five principal supporters are Austrian Wine, AXA Millésimes, Champagne Bollinger, Constellation Brands and VSPT Wine Group. The IMW’s International Symposium is a highlight of the global wine calendar, bringing together leading figures from across the industry. The 11th International Symposium will take place in Adelaide, South Australia, in April 2027, offering four days of world-class tastings, thought-provoking presentations, debate and opportunities to explore Australia’s diverse wine regions. Find out more here: https://imwsymposium.com/