That is the third in a sequence of articles after I look again on the 12 months that was 2024. As soon as once more, I tasted over 1,000 wines within the earlier twelve months, which boggles my thoughts a bit since that averages out to about three a day. As I ponder the state of my liver, I additionally wish to replicate on the highest wines that I used to be lucky sufficient to style over the course of the 12 months. Right here, I current the very best crimson wines I tasted in 2024.
2015 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio All’Oro, Tuscany, Italy: Retail $200. 100% Sangiovese. One other beautiful Brunello from Banfi with a vibrant nostril, regardless of its age, of mature black cherry, dried pine needles, ripe crimson plum, and a touch of vanilla. Whoa. The palate is probably extra spectacular with the addition of each recent (mint) and dried (sage) herbs, tobacco, and newly tanned leather-based. The end is a tad dusty and loaded with silky tannins. Yowza. I’ve acknowledged earlier than that this degree of Brunello is nicely past my day by day means, however tasting this wine comes near convincing me that I want to enhance my earnings. By any means. Extraordinary. 97 Factors.
2009 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Winery, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $65. Accountable bottle (554g; 1lb 3.5oz). Below wax and cork. A very good pal introduced over a Sanford Al Rio and I used to be searching for a wine to observe. Yeah, it will do. I’ve lengthy exclaimed that Clos Pepe is perhaps the Californian Grand Cru and I’ve but to style a Clos Pepe to show me flawed. Till now. Yeah, no. Simply kidding. This was phenomenal. My fellow diners thought this was a lot youthful than a 15-year-old wine as a result of unimaginable fruit on the nostril and the palate but in addition the extraordinary acidity and unimaginable verve. Whoa. I’ve lengthy admired Greg Brewer’s wines and this needs to be amongst his finest. Intense fruit, unimaginable spice, zingy acidity, and a end that lasts for days. Yowza. Whoa. And Holy Cow. This is without doubt one of the finest Pinots I’ve had shortly and can doubtless be probably the greatest I’ve had this 12 months. And it’s solely April. Yikes. Extraordinary. 97 Factors.
2012 Gary Farrell Zinfandel Maffei Winery, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $50. Below cork. 100% Zinfandel. It has been a whopping decade since I final tried this wine and I’ve to say it’s even higher than I bear in mind it (though my “reminiscence” is 100% based mostly on my earlier tasting observe). Darkish within the glass with oodles of fruit, nonetheless, almost a dozen years after harvest. Largely blackberry and plum but in addition cassis and black cherry. Loads of spice together with all of that fruit, too: black pepper, clove, and cardamom. Maybe some mint? Yowza. The palate is probably much more spectacular with a boatload of fruit, sure, but in addition depth, complexity, and impeccable steadiness. Whoa. Some silky tannins, too, which are almost 100% built-in. Perhaps the very best Zin I’ve ever had? Extraordinary. 97 Factors.
2019 Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Gloeckner Turner Ranch, Rockpile, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $100. Very Heavy Bottle (738g; 1lb 10oz). 100% Cabernet from Rockpile. If you see Rockpile it’s A. Most likely costly and B. Most likely actually good. I’d argue that Rockpile is coming near American Grand Cru standing, sitting above Lake Sonoma at 1300-1500 ft, it constantly produces among the finest Zinfandel and Cabernet in your complete county. And this follows that pondering. A lot darkish within the glass with spice, fruit, vanilla, and a floral facet that units this wine other than the remainder of the already stellar Merriam line-up. The palate continues together with the theme: wealthy, even unctuous fruit, loads of physique and depth, and an acidity that begins up entrance and continues proper on by way of the end. Yowza. Incredible. Excellent. 96 Factors.
2000 Domaine G. Roblot-Marchand Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru, Burgundy, France: Retail $120 (?). Accountable Bottle (580g; 20.4oz). This was one other bottle that I acquired after my good pal died a few years in the past. His widow advised me to undergo his cellar and seize no matter wines I needed. This was a kind of wines. Whoa. Holy cow. And Fantasmogorical. Moderately ethereal within the glass with refined fruit: principally crimson berry and barely stewed. Some rhubarb is thrown in, together with an oz. of spice and only a contact of anise. Whoa. As soon as open, this began to fade pretty rapidly, however earlier than it did? Whoa (did I say that already?). Nice tartness, refined fruit, and immeasurable verve. Yeah. Wine of the evening. After which some. Extraordinary. 97 Factors.
1989 Domaine Rolet Poulsard Arbois, Jura, France: Retail $125(?). From magnum. Below DIAM30. Clearly, sooner or later, this was recorked on the vineyard as DIAM didn’t exist in 1989. Extra orangish brown than crimson for positive with a musty nostril and hints of cherry. It’s by no means off or stewed, however let’s face it. It’s outdated. On the again finish of the nostril there are some dried herbs: oregano and perhaps cardamom. Okay. Whoa. The palate, nevertheless, is a totally totally different animal. Tart, ebullient cherry with oodles and oodles of acidity. Holy cow, that is singing. Whoa once more and throw in a yowza. Sure, this bottle has some intense sentimental worth for me however I’m attempting to be goal. It’s superb. Extraordinary. 97 Factors.
2009 Skewis Pinot Noir Lingenfelder, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $50. Heavy Bottle (659g; 23.2oz). Below cork. It has been a minute since I’ve popped a Skewis and since I’m now beneath two complete circumstances left, these have gotten increasingly treasured. Valuable rhymes with scrumptious (I believe) and this bottle was actually each. Nice, wealthy fruit with some vanilla and a touch of oak on the nostril and every of these traits had been on the palate as nicely however accentuated. Extremely wealthy and layered, if I had tasted this blind, I’m positive I’d by no means have guessed that it was 15 years outdated, it’s simply superb. Extraordinary. 97 Factors.
2009 Skewis Pinot Noir Peters Winery, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $50. Below cork. I’ve been round many a block with the wines of Hank and Maggie Skewis. They retired a number of years in the past now (I consider their final classic was 2014?) however the wines dwell on. After this wine I’ve a mere 15 bottles left however ought to this wine serve for example, there isn’t a actual rush to get to them as this wine is spectacular. Medium colour with a shocking nostril: ripe Bing cherry, a little bit of eucalyptus, an natural facet (candy basil), and a few moist, brown earth. Delicious. The palate, if attainable, is even higher with great fruit, a balancing zinginess, notably on the end, and only a contact of mocha. On the verge of unbelievable. Excellent Plus. 97 Factors.
2019 Smith-Madrone Cook dinner’s Flat Reserve, Spring Mountain District, CA: Retail $225. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. This was my first time tasting the Cook dinner’s Flat Reserve and it was actually memorable however by the point it was in my glass, Charlie was going full-on Smith Brother and was recounting a narrative about making wine “again within the day” in Napa Valley. Thus, I wouldn’t have a extra “skilled” evaluation aside from: Whoa. Actually unbelievable. Off the charts in taste and richness. Extraordinary. 97 Factors.
2018 Rodney Robust Cabernet Sauvignon Rockaway, Alexander Valley, CA: Retail $90. Heavy bottle (731g; 1lb 9.8oz). 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. That is the second of the Rodney Robust Single Winery trilogy and is probably my favourite. It might need one thing to do with spending a while within the winery with the winemaking staff a number of years in the past, however the wine is unbelievable yearly. Planted in 1994 to all 5 primary Bordeaux varieties, it’s the Cabernet Sauvignon that maybe does finest on this Alexander Valley Winery. Pretty darkish within the glass with aromas of black plum, cassis, black pepper, and only a trace of pencil shavings on the backend of the nostril. The palate is initially fruity, however by the point the mid-palate rolls round, there are secondary flavors of leather-based and baking spices. There’s some proof of tannins, however they’re silky easy and relatively well-integrated. I’ve acknowledged many instances that I’m not an enormous Cab kinda man–I gravitate towards the Pinot finish of the spectrum, however holy cow that is unbelievable. Excellent. 96 Factors.
Crimson Wine of the Yr:
2021 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Tomahawk Winery, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $170. Heavy Bottle (679g; 23.9oz). Below cork. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Whoa. Stunning darkish fruit with plum and blackberry. Yowza. Floral and highly effective. On the palate whoa. Silky easy and but additionally highly effective that is, in my thoughts, what Napa cab needs to be. All in unison and lovely. Extraordinary. 97 Factors.
Runners-up (96 Factors):
- 2021 Cordant Vineyard Indocile, Central Coast, CA: Retail $65.
- 2021 Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $120.
- 2019 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Leonardini Property, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $85.
- 2021 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $75.
- 2023 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir Winery Eleven, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $80.
Honorable Point out (95 Factors):
- 2011 Amelle Zinfandel Mori Winery, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $25.
- 2022 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir Property, Carneros, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $47.
- 2001 Domaine du Colombier Hermitage, Rhone Valley, France: Retail $70.
- 2008 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $45.
- 2022 Sangiacomo Household Wines Pinot Noir Block 11, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $75.
- 2021 Stephen Ross Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, CA: Retail $38.
- 2010 Skewis Pinot Noir Peters Winery. Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $50.
Honorable Point out (94 Factors):
- 2019 Meyye Wines Pinot Noir ‘Omay, Petaluma Hole, CA: Retail $75.
- 2022 Masciarelli Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Superiore, Villa Gemma, Italy: Retail $20.
- 2021 Vinoce Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $125.
