Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: Countdown #60 to #41

BY VINOUS | NOVEMBER 13, 2024

We are thrilled to announce the second part of the Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year list. Below are wines #60 to #41, complete with commentary from the respective Vinous critic who selected the wine for the list and their tasting note from when the wine was published on Vinous.

Quick Links: Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: #100 to #61, #60 to #41, #40 to #21, #20 to #11, #10 to #6, #5 to #2, and #1

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Countdown #60 to #41...

#60: 2021 Denner Vineyards The Dirt Worshipper

$85, Paso Robles, California, United States

EG: “Many years ago, The Dirt Worshipper provided one of my ah-ha moments regarding Paso Robles’s potential. While unabashedly Californian in origin, the Dirt Worshipper adds layers of savory complexity, tricking the taster into questioning how so much Northern Rhone character can be infused with New World fruit. It remains a benchmark of the region and one of my go-to domestic Syrahs.”

The 2021 Dirt Worshipper is impossible to ignore, blending incense with dried roses, white pepper and exotic spice. This impresses with its elegance and grace, washing across the palate with silken textures and ripe red and black fruits as a wave of juicy acidity adds lift. Violet inner florals resonate throughout. It tapers off spicy and incredibly long, embraced by a coating of fine-grained tannins that tug at the senses as a resonance of clove lingers on. Simply spellbinding, this is unmistakably New World fruit, yet with an Old Word soul.

96 points – Eric Guido, July 2024

Piedra Infinita vineyard at Zuccardi Valle de Uco in the autumn.

#59: 2021 Zuccardi Valle de Uco Finca Piedra Infinita

$180, Mendoza, Argentina

JH: “This wine is a trendsetter in Argentina as Paraje Altamira steps into the spotlight.”

Hailing from a cool vintage in the Uco Valley, the 2021 Finca Piedra Infinita, from Paraje Altamira, was bottled after one winter in concrete vats. As with Zuccardi's other wines, it delivers a naturally primary profile that embodies what can be achieved with un-oaked wines in the southern Uco Valley. This purple-hued Malbec reveals balsamic herbs undertones, intense violet and floral aromas and notes of plum and blueberry. Dry and compact on the palate, with chalky tannins and fine fruit expression, it delivers exceptional concentration and a rich, long-lasting, fruit-driven finish. Just fabulous.

97 points – Joaquín Hidalgo, November 2024

#58: 2020 Castellare I Sodi di San Niccolò

$200, Chianti Classico, Italy

AG: “Sodi di San Niccolò, Castellare’s Sangioveto/Malvasia Nera flagship, is one of the hidden gems in Tuscany. Over the years and decades, Sodi has established a brilliant track record for aging. The 2020 is a brilliant effort from proprietor Paolo Panerai and longtime winemaker Alessandro Cellai.”

The 2020 I Sodi di San Niccolò is fabulous. It is a rare wine that offers power, finesse and translucent energy at once. All the elements are in perfect balance. I can’t remember a Sodi like this one, a wine that is so complete and alluring right out of the gate. Rose petal, lavender, spice, orange peel and sage open first. What impresses me most about the 2020 is the finesse of its tannin, something I have very rarely seen in Sodi at this early stage. Magical. This is remarkable in every way.

97+ points – Antonio Galloni, July 2024

#57: 2021 Anthony Thévenet Morgon Cuvée Centenaire

$67, Beaujolais, France

NM: “The late Josh Raynolds introduced me to Anthony Thévenet's wines five years ago. His Cuvée Centenaire comes from gnarly, century-old Gamay bush vines and is raised in demi-muids. This is Beaujolais that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best Pinot Noirs.”

The 2021 Morgon Cuvée Centenaire matured for ten months in 500-liter demi-muids. Red berry fruit, hints of potpourri and incense blossom on the extremely well-defined nose. This is complex but refined and delicate. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, lace-like tannins, exquisitely balanced with a pixelated and tender finish that represents Beaujolais at the top of its game. Quite brilliant—but that's what I expect from one of the region's finest artisan winemakers.

95 points – Neal Martin, April 2024

The 2023 Riesling Kiedricher Gräfenberg Grosses Gewächs has a deep pedigree of age-worthiness.

#56: 2023 Robert Weil Riesling Kiedricher Gräfenberg Grosses Gewächs

$60, Rheingau, Germany

AK: “What a beacon of clarity and poise. This Riesling always speaks of altitude, of stone, of its cooling freshness, even in warm vintages. A paradigm of the 50th parallel.”

The 2023 Riesling Kiedricher Gräfenberg Grosses Gewächs opens slowly but teases with scents of lemon balm and chervil, followed by a touch of yeast and citrus foliage. The palate is superbly fluid, pushing forward with citric energy, life force and exuberance. The senses can only hope to catch up with this dynamic movement. That scented cloud of citrus revels in refreshing yet absolutely full-fruited briskness. This is a picture of a dry Riesling—exciting, sleek and full of joy. (Bone-dry)

98 points – Anne Krebiehl MW, October 2024

#55: 2022 Don Melchor

$175, Maipo, Chile

JH: “Among the best Cabernet Sauvignons in Chile, Don Melchor has continued to improve over the last five years. The 2022 is Don Melchor at its absolute best.”

The 2022 Don Melchor originates from a vineyard planted in the heart of the Puente Alto region in 1979. This is renowned Cabernet Sauvignon terroir, characterized by the perfect balance of temperatures and poor gravel soils. The 2022 was aged in French oak barrels, with 78% of them being new. Garnet-hued with a purplish sheen, it offers complex aromas of currant, blackberry, ash, mint and a subtle floral tone that can be attributed to the cold vintage. Dry, rich and moderately juicy, the precisely calibrated tannins of Maipo Valley and the clear fruit impart the palate with intensity and agility. This is a more nuanced and energetic edition of Don Melchor, closing with a fairly compact finish.

97 points – Joaquín Hidalgo, July 2024

Fabio Alessandria at G.B Burlotto turned out a superb 2020 Barolo Cannubi.

#54: 2020 G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi

$299, Piedmont, Italy

AG: “Proprietor Fabio Alesssandia has done a tremendous job in elevating the quality of his family’s wines since taking over in the mid-1990s. Although the Barolo Cannubi is one of the flagships here, all the wines in this lineup are exceptional. Burlotto remains a reference point in Piedmont.”

The 2020 Barolo Cannubi is the most expressive of the Burlotto Barolos today. Relative to the Monvigliero especially, it benefits from having spent ten more months in bottle. The 2020 shows the lighter style of the year but has gorgeous textural depth to fill out its layers. Plush tannins wrap around a core of black cherry, plum, cloves, new leather and licorice. The Cannubi is a standout.

96 points – Antonio Galloni, January 2024

Chiara Condello's Romagna Predappio vineyards in the foothills of the Apennines.

#53: 2019 Chiara Condello Sangiovese Riserva Predappio Le Lucciole

$60, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

EG: “Sangiovese takes on a much different character in Emilia-Romagna: darker, richer and rounder than its Tuscan counterparts. Yet very few winemakers have managed to harness these traits in a wine that can also communicate importance and a sense of place. Chiara Condello is one of those winemakers. While Condello’s entry-level Sangiovese Predappio holds its own, the Riserva Le Lucciole, a single-cru interpretation of the estate vineyards, takes things to an entirely new level.”

The 2019 Sangiovese Romagna Predappio Riserva is shaping up to be the most classic and refined rendition I’ve yet tasted of Le Lucciole. The past nine months have added dark, savory depths to its captivating bouquet of crushed raspberry, grilled herbs and smoked dark chocolates. This is silkier and more supple today. A stern mineral core underscores wild berry fruits and exotic spices. Tantalizing acidity adds balance through the structured finale. The 2019 reminds the taster that its years are shy of maturity, tapering off with a saturation of fine tannins that grumble beneath an air of balsam herbs and violet florals. This bottle was followed over two days and never faltered. What a beauty.

95 points – Eric Guido, April 2023

#52: 2022 Vasse Felix Chardonnay Heytesbury

$80, Margaret River, Australia

AH: “Under the guidance of talented Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock, the iconic Heytesbury Margaret River Chardonnay soars in the 2022 vintage with tightly coiled power and outstanding complexity. A beautiful energy, precision and underlying tension work in tandem with stunning intensity and savory refinement to deliver a world-class Chardonnay experience.”

A complete package, the 2022 Chardonnay Heytesbury differs markedly from the Estate release from the same vintage with a tighter, more composed shape and layered nuances. Crushed nuts, pear and flower press aromas are seamlessly intertwined with fine-grained oak and smoky gunflint. An excellent upfront generosity of flavor takes a more savory refined line, punctuated by tangy acidity. Length is exceptional, and this will build further in time.

96 points – Angus Hughson, May 2024

#51: 2019 Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune

$250, Alsace, France

AK: “This tiny, walled-in plot within Grand Cru Rosacker yields one of the most long-lived and astonishing Rieslings in the world. The 2022 is tremendous.”

The 2019 Riesling Clos Saint Hune will be released later this year. That pure, tell-tale chamomile tincture lift is incisive, transporting crushed tansy. The acidity strikes first: linear, clear-cut, pristine, sharp as a Japanese blade, uncompromising and taut, followed not by fruit but by herbal savor and limestone coolness. Imagine stones saturated with fresh, cool tisane of chamomile and yarrow, laced with saltiness, edged with a touch of pepper, intense and concentrated. The finish is like a cooling, intense, ethereal balm.

98 points – Anne Krebiehl MW, January 2024

#50: 2021 Catena Zapata Malbec Nicasia Vineyard

$100, Mendoza, Argentina

JH: “A singular wine that offers the best of Malbec and Paraje Altamira, this was crafted in a pristinely aged style. Balance is the word.”

The 2021 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard originates from a small plot nestled within Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley. It was aged up to 16 months in concrete vats and foudres and boasts a deep purple color. The complex nose unveils layers of crushed plums, blueberries, herbs, curry, lavender and graphite. Initially dry and plush, the palate transitions into a taut, chalky, overwhelming, and juicy texture, as if embodying structure and suppleness. This unique and flavorful Malbec offers a high-pitched intensity of flavor that lingers, showcasing a prolonged focus on the fruit.

97 points – Joaquín Hidalgo, September 2023

#49: 2020 Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Reservée

$75, Southern Rhône, France

NG: “Magnificent and powerful, the 2020 Cuvée Réservée is a total standout, bursting with complex aromas and vibrant, full-bodied intensity. This exceptional Châteauneuf is a testament to the Pegau family's craftsmanship.”

The 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée is one of the strongest vintages for this wine in recent history. It is magnificent, soaring from the glass with pungent aromas of crème de cassis, ripe raspberry and strawberry, cured meat, tobacco, licorice, iodine and garrigue. Full-bodied, vibrant to the core and offering a multidimensional profile, this wine is really, really good. The Féraud family and the entire team deserve a round of applause for this sublime Cuvée Réservée, which will still be kicking ass 20 years from now.

96 points – Nicolas Greinacher, June 2023

#48: 2022 Kalleske Grenache Old Vine

$68, Barossa Valley, Australia

AH: “This decadent Barossan expression of Grenache, crafted with fruit from vines planted in 1935, is a powerhouse with lashings of sustained flavor and an enthralling savory underbelly. Bold, strong and stylish, this is benchmark Grenache with a distinct Australian accent.”

This brilliant Old Vine 2022 Grenache is made with fruit off vines planted in 1935 and aged in old barrels. It presents an enthralling mix of dark cherry and dark earth with crushed cumin and fennel seed complexity. Superbly balanced with a fleshy, yet firm core of flavor holding its line over a long strong finish, underlined by sandy tannins. Very impressive and will age well.

96 points – Angus Hughson, July 2024

Chris Alheit poses with one of the Cape’s gnarly old vines.

#47: 2023 Alheit Vineyards Fire By Night

$60 Swartland, South Africa

NM: “South Africa is taking Chenin to new heights, few with as much class as this wine.”

The 2023 Fire by Night, which comes from dry-farmed bush vines planted between 1971 and 1985 on Alheit's farm in the Paardeberg in Swartland, was whole-cluster-pressed and settled overnight. It was aged half in cement egg and half in foudres for 12 months. This has a breathtaking mineral-driven bouquet, with struck flint and just a touch of reduction. Captivating! The palate is very well balanced with a taut line of acidity. Sapid in the mouth and judiciously spiced with lemongrass and ginger, it fans out beautifully on the finish. It's a stunning Fire By Night.

97 points – Neal Martin, August 2024

#46: 2022 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain Grand Cru

$105, Alsace, France

AK: “From one of the most dramatic Alsace Grand Crus comes this eternal, iconic wine, every bit as impressive in 2022 as ever.”

The 2022 Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain Grand Cru was harvested among the last Rieslings but had one of the lowest alcohols, with 12.8 %. A lovely sharp, green aromatic flavor, almost of watercress intensity, fresh, green and vigorous without being unripe, sets an initial aromatic highlight. The famed smokiness arrives on the second sniff, followed by gloriously aromatic tangerine. The palate is exquisitely precise, stony, taut and naked, but oh so nuanced with immense citrus brightness. This is a marvel glimmering with zestiness, citrus and such stony directness. (Bone-Dry)

97 points – Anne Krebiehl MW, April 2024

#45: Bollinger PN VZ19

$125, Champagne, France

AG: “Bollinger is a reference point in Champagne. In recent years, the maison has introduced the PN VZ series Champagnes that offer a decidedly contemporary, vibrant expression of Pinot Noir.”

The NV (2019) PN VZ19 is another terrific wine in this new range of Champagnes from Bollinger that is now in its fifth release. Exotic floral and spice notes play off a core of Pinot fruit in this captivating, mid-weight offering. Time in the glass accents the wine's inner sweetness and perfume. Pear, mint, jasmine and white pepper linger. In this release, the (2019) PN VZ is like a mini-Vieilles Vignes Françaises. It's an incredibly racy, sexy Blanc de Noirs. This release is based on 2019, with 50% reserve wines back to 2009. About half of the reserve wines were aged in magnum. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.

94 points – Antonio Galloni, March 2024

#44: ROAR Wines Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard

$80, Santa Lucia Highlands, California, United States

BN: “ROAR's 2022 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard is a shining example of what's possible in the Santa Lucia Highlands, even in less-than-ideal growing conditions. Winemaker Scott Shapley turned out a dark, impressively delineated, perfectly proportioned wine that is immediate yet neatly tailored. This is a representative sample of what readers can expect from this under-the-radar Central Coast appellation: muscle, concentration and fabulous juiciness."

Hailing from one of the premier sites in the Santa Lucia Highlands, planted in 1996, the 2022 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard is flat-out gorgeous. Beautifully rendered, it boasts generous fruit density, crystal-clear delineation of flavors and bracing structure. Fully destemmed, the 2022 finishes with a ton of persistence in its dark berry flavors, even darker cherry, black licorice and black sage. The 2022 leaves behind a fine web of powdery tannins, neatly wrapped up with a little bow on top, concentrated, effusive, and ready to rock. What a complete package. This may be the red wine of the vintage in the SLH.

96 points – Billy Norris, August 2024

A lesson in terroir at Walter Scott.

#43: Walter Scott Chardonnay X Novo Vineyard

$100, Willamette Valley, Oregon, United States

EG: “Chardonnay’s rise in popularity in Oregon has been nothing short of remarkable. That said, there remain significantly fewer high-quality producers of the variety than most realize. The region remains flooded with many wines that are riding the coattails of producers like Walter Scott. The Chardonnay X Novo hails from one of the region's most exciting terroirs and is crafted by one of its most insightful and talented winemakers. This is a benchmark of Oregon Chardonnay that’s worth the slightly higher tariff.”

The 2022 Chardonnay X Novo Vineyard is rich, wafting up with a confectionary sweetness balanced by hints of crushed stone and peach sorbet. It’s silky and round with medium-bodied weight and vividly ripe orchard fruits, all guided by juicy acidity. The 2022 is weightier and more concentrated than expected, yet with an energy and mineral intensity to balance, leaving a salty flourish and silty tannins to linger on.

95+ points – Eric Guido, May 2024

#42: Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge

$140, Southern Rhône, France

NG: “Attractive and intricate, the 2022 Clos des Papes is a must-have for dedicated Châteauneuf enthusiasts. With the potential to age gracefully until 2050, this vintage is an instant classic that will captivate you at first sip.”

The alluring 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape won me over in a heartbeat. Vivid licorice, sage, blueberry, lavender, red and black cherry as well as crushed flowers hail from the glass. Full-bodied and intense, the 2022 packs ample flavor concentration yet always maintains balance through lifting freshness. Polished tannins neatly structure this ambitious 2022 that has the potential to age gracefully for at least two decades.

96+ points – Nicolas Greinacher, June 2024

#41: 2022 Prophet’s Rock Dry Riesling

$24, Central Otago, New Zealand

RG: “There’s an awful lot of care in this wine for just over $20 a bottle. I’ve long been a fan of the wines of Prophet’s Rock in Central Otago and while they makes very good reds – good enough to lure former de Vogüé winemaker Francois Millet to make wine there – their Alsatian white varieties show real understanding. Perhaps it’s something to do with the fact that winemaker Paul Pujol was the chief winemaker at Alsace’s Kuentz-Base for three years. The Dry Riesling’s purity, harmony and line are always delightful. It should be a go-to for any Riesling lover.”

Well, hello, 2022 Dry Riesling. It's so good to see you. When I am sad in a day of tasting mediocrity, you give me reason to smile and remember why I love wine. The reason this wine stands out is its harmony. There's not a hair out of place, and it glides across the palate in a stately manner, not rushing its steps but quickly adopting a measured pace to show you its sophistication and lack of aggression. From its concentration to its purity, the 2022 is as clear as glacial water, with flavors of citrus, white talc, lemon curd and pastry.

96 points – Rebecca Gibb MW, April 2024

Quick Links

Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: #1

Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: Countdown #5 to #2

Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: Countdown #10 to #6

Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: Countdown #20 to #11

Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: Countdown #40 to #21

Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: Countdown #60 to #41

Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year - 2024: Countdown #100 to #61

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