The Top Ten Red Wines of 2024

This is the third in a series of articles when I look back on the year that was 2024. Once again, I tasted over 1,000 wines in the previous twelve months, which boggles my mind a bit since that averages out to about three a day. As I contemplate the state of my liver, I also like to reflect on the top wines that I was fortunate enough to taste over the course of the year. Here, I present the best red wines I tasted in 2024.

2015 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio All’Oro, Tuscany, Italy: Retail $200. 100% Sangiovese. Another stunning Brunello from Banfi with a vibrant nose, despite its age, of mature black cherry, dried pine needles, ripe red plum, and a hint of vanilla. Whoa. The palate is perhaps more impressive with the addition of both fresh (mint) and dried (sage) herbs, tobacco, and newly tanned leather. The finish is a tad dusty and loaded with silky tannins. Yowza. I have stated before that this level of Brunello is well beyond my daily means, but tasting this wine comes close to convincing me that I need to augment my income. By any means. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

2009 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $65. Responsible bottle (554g; 1lb 3.5oz). Under wax and cork. A good friend brought over a Sanford Al Rio and I was looking for a wine to follow. Yeah, this will do. I have long exclaimed that Clos Pepe might be the Californian Grand Cru and I have yet to taste a Clos Pepe to prove me wrong. Until now. Yeah, no. Just kidding. This was phenomenal. My fellow diners thought this was much younger than a 15-year-old wine due to the incredible fruit on the nose and the palate but also the intense acidity and incredible verve. Whoa. I have long admired Greg Brewer’s wines and this has to be among his best. Intense fruit, incredible spice, zingy acidity, and a finish that lasts for days. Yowza. Whoa. And Holy Cow. This is one of the best Pinots I have had in a while and will likely be one of the best I have had this year. And it’s only April. Yikes. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

2012 Gary Farrell Zinfandel Maffei Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $50. Under cork. 100% Zinfandel. It has been a whopping decade since I last tried this wine and I have to say it is even better than I remember it (although my “memory” is 100% based on my previous tasting note). Dark in the glass with oodles of fruit, still, nearly a dozen years after harvest. Mostly blackberry and plum but also cassis and black cherry. Plenty of spice along with all of that fruit, too: black pepper, clove, and cardamom. Perhaps some mint? Yowza. The palate is perhaps even more impressive with a boatload of fruit, yes, but also depth, complexity, and impeccable balance. Whoa. Some silky tannins, too, that are nearly 100% integrated. Maybe the best Zin I have ever had? Extraordinary. 97 Points.

2019 Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Gloeckner Turner Ranch, Rockpile, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $100. Very Heavy Bottle (738g; 1lb 10oz). 100% Cabernet from Rockpile. When you see Rockpile it is A. Probably expensive and B. Probably really good. I would argue that Rockpile is coming close to American Grand Cru status, sitting above Lake Sonoma at 1300-1500 feet, it consistently produces some of the best Zinfandel and Cabernet in the entire county. And this follows that thinking. Plenty dark in the glass with spice, fruit, vanilla, and a floral aspect that sets this wine apart from the rest of the already stellar Merriam line-up. The palate continues along with the theme: rich, even unctuous fruit, plenty of body and depth, and an acidity that starts up front and continues right on through the finish. Yowza. Fantastic. Outstanding. 96 Points.

2000 Domaine G. Roblot-Marchand Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru, Burgundy, France: Retail $120 (?). Responsible Bottle (580g; 20.4oz). This was another bottle that I acquired after my good friend died a couple of years ago. His widow told me to go through his cellar and grab whatever wines I wanted. This was one of those wines. Whoa. Holy cow. And Fantasmogorical. Rather ethereal in the glass with subtle fruit: mostly red berry and slightly stewed. Some rhubarb is thrown in, along with an ounce of spice and just a touch of anise. Whoa. Once open, this started to fade fairly quickly, but before it did? Whoa (did I say that already?). Great tartness, subtle fruit, and immeasurable verve. Yeah. Wine of the night. And then some. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

1989 Domaine Rolet Poulsard Arbois, Jura, France: Retail $125(?). From magnum. Under DIAM30. Clearly, at some point, this was recorked at the winery as DIAM did not exist in 1989. More orangish brown than red for sure with a musty nose and hints of cherry. It’s in no way off or stewed, but let’s face it. It’s old. On the back end of the nose there are some dried herbs: oregano and maybe cardamom. Ok. Whoa. The palate, however, is a completely different animal. Tart, ebullient cherry with oodles and oodles of acidity. Holy cow, this is singing. Whoa again and throw in a yowza. Yes, this bottle has some intense sentimental value for me but I am trying to be objective. It’s amazing. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

2009 Skewis Pinot Noir Lingenfelder, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $50. Heavy Bottle (659g; 23.2oz). Under cork. It has been a minute since I have popped a Skewis and since I am now under two total cases left, these are becoming more and more precious. Precious rhymes with delicious (I think) and this bottle was certainly both. Great, rich fruit with some vanilla and a hint of oak on the nose and each of those characteristics were on the palate as well but accentuated. Incredibly rich and layered, if I had tasted this blind, I am sure I would never have guessed that it was 15 years old, it is just amazing. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

2009 Skewis Pinot Noir Peters Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $50. Under cork. I have been around many a block with the wines of Hank and Maggie Skewis. They retired several years ago now (I believe their last vintage was 2014?) but the wines live on. After this wine I have a mere 15 bottles left but should this wine serve as an example, there is no real rush to get to them as this wine is spectacular. Medium color with a stunning nose: ripe Bing cherry, a bit of eucalyptus, an herbal aspect (sweet basil), and some wet, brown earth. Scrumptious. The palate, if possible, is even better with wonderful fruit, a balancing zinginess, particularly on the finish, and just a touch of mocha. On the verge of unbelievable. Outstanding Plus. 97 Points.

2019 Smith-Madrone Cook’s Flat Reserve, Spring Mountain District, CA: Retail $225. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. This was my first time tasting the Cook’s Flat Reserve and it was certainly memorable but by the time it was in my glass, Charlie was going full-on Smith Brother and was recounting a story about making wine “back in the day” in Napa Valley. Thus, I do not have a more “professional” assessment other than: Whoa. Really fantastic. Off the charts in flavor and richness. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

2018 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Rockaway, Alexander Valley, CA: Retail $90. Heavy bottle (731g; 1lb 9.8oz). 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the second of the Rodney Strong Single Vineyard trilogy and is perhaps my favorite. It might have something to do with spending some time in the vineyard with the winemaking team a few years ago, but the wine is fantastic every year. Planted in 1994 to all five main Bordeaux varieties, it is the Cabernet Sauvignon that perhaps does best in this Alexander Valley Vineyard. Fairly dark in the glass with aromas of black plum, cassis, black pepper, and just a hint of pencil shavings on the backend of the nose. The palate is initially fruity, but by the time the mid-palate rolls around, there are secondary flavors of leather and baking spices. There is some evidence of tannins, but they are silky smooth and rather well-integrated. I have stated many times that I am not a big Cab kinda guy–I gravitate toward the Pinot end of the spectrum, but holy cow this is fantastic. Outstanding. 96 Points.

Red Wine of the Year:

2021 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Tomahawk Vineyard, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $170. Heavy Bottle (679g; 23.9oz). Under cork. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Whoa. Beautiful dark fruit with plum and blackberry. Yowza. Floral and powerful. On the palate whoa. Silky smooth and yet also powerful this is, in my mind, what Napa cab should be. All in unison and gorgeous. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

Runners-up (96 Points):

2021 Cordant Winery Indocile, Central Coast, CA: Retail $65.
2021 Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $120.
2019 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Leonardini Estate, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $85.
2021 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $75.
2023 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir Vineyard Eleven, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $80.

Honorable Mention (95 Points):

2011 Amelle Zinfandel Mori Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $25.
2022 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir Estate, 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 Family 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 Vineyard. Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $50.

Honorable Mention (94 Points):