Amazing how some critics have 100, 99, 100, etc. for their top 100 of the year. I can’t even imagine any young wine getting 100 points. I rate wines based on what they are today not what they are in 20 years. These are my top 20 wines of the year for 2024!
- 2010 Cayuse Syrah En Cerise Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (5/16/2024) Price: $96.00 Winebid
Day 1: Excellent place right now. Tar, stone, roasted peppers, brisket, Lavendar, white pepper, dark fruits and chalk. Long and concentrated finish. This is off the charts great! 97 points
Day2: Rocks funk, tar stone, dried rose petals, white pepper, roasted meat, dust and green olives. Super complex wine and $95 well spent via auction. 97 points
Recommendation: Drink through 2030. (97 points)
2. 2020 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor – Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto (8/30/2024) Price: $88.00 Sunfish Cellars
Day 1: Natural cork. Been down lately on Don Melchor but figured at $79.99 let’s give this vintage a shot as reviews have been good and let me tell you they are accurate. By far the best vintage of this wine in years. Powerful wine with blueberries, dark cherry, oak, spice, mild dill, charcoal and tobacco. Long and complex finish and nice acidity. This is amazing on a pop and pour but will age for 15 plus years. Buy!!! 95 points
Day 2: Wow! Cigar, oak, blueberries, dark cherry, menthol, spice, gravel, earth and bell pepper. Super complex wine and this will drink well for 20 plus years if you can be that patient. Amazing now. 96 points
Day 3: Wow again. Holding form from day 2 with some really nice Bordeaux like character. Gravel, cigar, dust, cherry, blueberries, menthol, spice, mild oak and earth. 96 points
Recommendation: This wine will be drinking well as a pop and pour or aging for 15 to 20 years. (96 points)
3. 1936 Château d’Yquem – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (8/2/2024) Cost: Free
Big Style Wines (Jason’s House, MN): This was amazing and an off the charts treat to try. The oldest wine I have ever tasted. Still amazing acidity with Carmel, marmalade jam, subtle dill and honey. Amazing finish on this wine. What a treat. (96 points)
This wine for sure is the oldest wine I have ever sampled and Jason had this in his fridge for over a week and it was still this great!!!
4. 2016 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah In the Hills – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (4/5/2024) Cost: $55.00 Chicago Wine Company
Day 1: Wow wine. When you think best Syrah in the world for under $80 you have Reynvaan in the top 5. This is awesome. Exotic spices, blue fruits, floral, white pepper, lavender and just amazing stuff. 96 points.
Day 2: Left the cork off all night and still amazing experience. Potpourri, green olives, Lavendar, white pepper, blue fruits and minerals. Long finish. 96+ points
Recommendation: This wine is amazing and will drink well through 2032. (96 points)
5. 2016 Andrew Will Sorella Champoux Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills (8/3/2024) Cost: $71.00 Surdyk’s
Day 1: One of the best parts of being an independent wine critic (one who gets no free samples) is that I can accurately review wines. This wine right here is one of the best Bordeaux style blends whether it is domestic or from Bordeaux in the world for the price. 80% Cabernet, 8% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Beautiful fruit on this one with blueberries, cassis and blackberries. Also featuring spice, dust, oak, menthol and earth. Long finish and concentrated wine. Amazing stuff. 95 points
Day 2: Vibrant and powerful wine without the massive oak and heat you get from some Napa Blends. Blackberries, blueberries, menthol, spice, earth, plum, crushed rock and violets. Just a beautiful wine. 95+ points
Day 3: So much life ahead on this wine. Just bought some 2000s via auction. This offers intensity of a Napa Valley Blend without the heat/oak you sometimes get. Blueberries, blackberries, dark cherry, spice, menthol, violets, minerals and perfume. Long finish and just one of the better wines I have tasted under $100 in a while. 96 points
Recommendation: Throw this in a blind tasting and it will be top 3 for sure. (96 points)
6. 2011 Sine Qua Non Syrah Dark Blossom – USA, California, Central Coast (8/2/2024)
Big Style Wines (Jason’s House, MN): As a critic of SQN for its over the top nature I will say this wine was stellar and my wine of the night. Rich wine with spices, blackberries, black pepper, black licorice, Garrigue and stone. Long finish and super complex. While drinking amazing now I could see some cellar improvement. (96 points)
7. 2013 Familia Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita – Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Altamira (9/26/2024)
Bodega Zuccardi Valle de Uco (Eagan, MN): Well friends this is not boring as one user said. Top wine at the industry tasting. Super complex wine featuring coffee beans, dust, minerals, dark berries, earth and dark chocolate. Long finish and super concentrated. Wonderful effort. (96 points)
8. 2007 St. Innocent Pinot Noir White Rose Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (11/16/2024)
$40 Plus Pinot Tasting (Minneapolis, MN): Day 1: Well will only make it one day as brining this to event later. Always a small pour preview but this might be wine of the year territory. A full report later. This is off the charts good and as good as I remember. A clear winner of the night with funk, earth, dried flowers, mushrooms, minerals, wood and red currants. Complex and medium plus finish. Has another 5 plus years at this level if not more. 95 points
As good as the time back in 2009 when we realized how great the 2007 vintage from Oregon really was. (95 points)
9. 1987 Finca Manzanos Rioja Gran Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (10/12/2024)
Sunfish Cellars Fall Grand Wine Tasting (Lilydale, MN): Cost: $175 Sunfish Cellars
Surprised this wine is not on Cellar Tracker. A treat to try and $170 at the tasting today so while not release price a solid value for a wine that old that is drinking this well. Smoke, leather, dried flowers, raspberries, dried cherry, mild oak and menthol. Super smooth medium plus finish. Amazing results for a wine this old but could age even longer. Best wine at the tasting. (95 points)
10. 2010 Croze Cabernet Sauvignon XV Anniversary Cuvée – USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford (9/14/2024)
Dinner with Friends at Kincaid’s (Bloomington, MN): Groups favorite of the 3 wines. Menthol, funk, spices, gravel, dark currants and coffee beans. Long finish and outstanding. Buying 3 more. (95 points)
The most emotional wine of the year after a stressful selling of my dad’s house. Thanks to Jeff Scislow at Remax for getting this sold!!!
11. 2021 Result of a Crush Syrah The Unnamed Series – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (9/17/2024) Cost: $24.60 Result of a Crush Winery
Day 1: Last bottle of the many cases I bought but 24 more coming this fall. This is the most concentrated and best of them all. Dark berries, smoke brisket, tar, black olives and black pepper. A true masterpiece for under $25 shipped to my door. 95 points
Day 2: Beautiful wine with dark berries, sour cherry, black pepper, smoke, minerals, tar, spices and roasted meats. Medium plus finish and nice acidity. Will put this against anything from the vintage in the Rocks. 95 points
Recommendation: Buy it. (95 points)
Ok I have tasted this wine probably 40 times and the leading expert in the world on their wines. Maybe should be higher at the price point.
12. 2015 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave St. Joseph – France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (3/30/2024)
Tom & Bruna’s Wine Tasting (Edina, MN): When the community is way off on this one. I am sure many are influenced by a critic as this wine is not a pop and pour and review. This initially was not great but blossomed. Funk, spices white pepper, cherry, blue currants, coffee beans and stone. Concentrated effort and 5 out of 5 wine of the night votes which almost never happens. (95 points)
13. 2016 Keever Vineyards Inspirado – USA, California, Napa Valley (3/16/2024)
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Event (Minneapolis, MN): The star of the night for sure. This reminded me of a super Tuscan. Balanced wine with leather, plum, earth, dried flowers, minerals and blue currants. Decanted 3 hours and medium plus finish. For sure the wine of the night by quite a bit.
71% Cabernet, 23% Merlot, 6% Malbec. (95 points)
14. 2013 Rare Champagne – France, Champagne (11/30/2024)
US & French Wines & an Aussie (Tom & Bruna’s Edina): Delicious with sour apple, chalk, spice, minerals, lemon and dough. Complex offering and long finish. Drink this over Dom all day long. (95 points)
One of the best expensive Champagnes that does not cost too much. Dom you have nothing compared to the RARE.
15. 2001 Shirvington Shiraz – Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (3/14/2024)
Day 1: Bottle is on the uglier side but the cork came out perfect. Really nice with sour berries, eucalyptus, black pepper, soy, plum, exotic spices and road tar. Long finish and super complex wine. This wine is firing on all cylinders. 95 points
Day 2: Still big wine with blackberries, black pepper, spices, tar, blueberries, eucalyptus and coffee beans. Long finish and complex. A true bargain for an aged wine at $65 with shipping. Wish I had bought more. 95 points
Recommendation: If you can get a hold of these via auction they are a steal. Also recommend the 05 Cab which was amazing in the fall. (95 points)
16. 2014 L’Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Ferguson Vineyard Walla Walla Valley – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/12/2024)
Celebrate Walla Walla Wine Dinner Series (Bledsoe Wine Estates): Beautiful wine with blueberries, dark cherry, spices, coffee beans, gravel and earth. Long finish. (95 points)
17. 2012 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah The Contender – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/29/2024) Cost: $50.00 Winebid
Day 1: After trying one of the worst wines of the year this is amazing and again great value via auction. Stone, white pepper, green olives, tar, minerals, blue currants, earth and gravel. Super complex offering and balanced wine. Medium to long finish. Outstanding. 95 points
Day 2: Green olives, white pepper, tar, sour cherry, gravel, earth and flowers. Beautiful wine. 95 points
Day 3: Very much alive and showing some nice fruit on day 3 with blueberries and cherry notes. White pepper, green olives, tar, minerals and gravel. Complex and medium plus finish. Just a beautiful wine and glad I have 4 more. 95 points
Recommendation: Check out Winebid for some deals on these. (95 points)
18. 2021 Sleight of Hand Syrah The Funkadelic – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/12/2024)
Sleight of Hand Winery Tasting (Sleight of Hand, Walla Walla): Stunner. Rocks funk, black olives, spices, roasted meats, stone and graphite. Super complex and long finish. This wine is drinking really well young but has 15 plus years of enjoyment. (95 points)
19. 2014 Saviah Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/11/2024)
Celebrate Walla Walla Vintage Pour (Walla Walla Vitners): Wine of the night from the Walla Walla Cab Festival. Love the rocks minerality on this one and also features exotic spices, chery, floral, stone and blueberries. Long finish and nice acidity. Outstanding effort. 1st place! (95 points)
20. 2004 Glaetzer Shiraz Amon-Ra Barossa Valley – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (4/25/2024)
Day 1: Birthday wine. Awesome. Soy, spices, white pepper, boysenberry, minerals, blackberries and menthol. Awesome stuff. 04 is the best vintage from Australia from the decade. Cheers mate. 95 points (95 points)
