James Suckling

Wine critic since 1981. With a team of editors we rate 45,000 wines a year & report from around the world.

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Great Wines Italy New York 2026 takes over The Altman Building on September 9 and 10 for two days of serious Italian wine tasting in Manhattan. The event brings together 160 producers and more than 300 wines, all rated 90 points or higher by James Suckling and his team.

Last year, more than 2,500 people joined us over two days, from trade professionals to serious wine lovers. It’s a curated look at the depth, energy and diversity of Italy today — from historic estates to rising names and discovery regions across the country.

For trade professionals and serious wine lovers from across North America, South America and beyond, this is a rare opportunity to taste Italy in one place, compare vintages and styles, and connect directly with the producers.

Get tickets: https://t.co/AfNY8CtEVw
#greatwinesitaly2026 #GWINYC2026 #jamessuckling #newyork #winetasting

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The Fèlsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia demonstrated its longevity and impressive consistency on the dual occasion of Fèlsina’s 60th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of this iconic label, attended by Senior Editor Aldo Fiordell. It was a benchmark wine in the 1990s – and even before – when Tuscany was still experimenting with its own enological Renaissance, and it remains a great sangiovese today, distinguished by an ever-greater level of stylistic precision.

This achievement is thanks to giants of Tuscan wine like Giuseppe Mazzocolin and consulting enologist Franco Bernabei. Working first with the trust and vision of founder Domenico Poggiali, they laid the foundation for the estate’s success – a legacy that continues to thrive today under the stewardship of Giovanni Poggiali.

@felsina_wines @chianticlassico #fontalloro #ChiantiClassico #Felsina #Rancia #Sangiovese @aldofiordelli

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Sandra Bravo, owner and winemaker of Sierra de Toloño, has vineyards that lie at the foot of the Sierra de Toloño range, with some plots reaching elevations of up to 700 meters – a considerable altitude for the region. “I started in 2012, and as I found new vineyards, I slowly began releasing them,” Sandra told Senior Editor Jacobo García-Andrade Llamas. Since 2012, she has gradually expanded her holdings to farm 13 hectares across Rivas de Tereso and Villabuena de Álava, where the winery is located.

Her work revolves intensely around the vineyard, adhering to biodynamic principles and earning Demeter certification. Yet, as she points out, biodynamics is not a recipe but an approach that must be adapted to each site. Her wines reflect the high-altitude tension, offering subtle, detailed and balanced expressions deeply focused on site-specific terroir.

@sierradetolono
#RiojaWine #SierraDeTolono #SandraBravo #RiojaAlavesa #SpanishWine

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In the latest installment of our Rioja series, we highlight Viñedos del Contino’s iconic Viña del Olivo – a single-vineyard estate in Rioja Alavesa that marries ripe concentration with vibrant freshness. Founded by CVNE in 1973 as Rioja’s first Bordeaux-style single estate, Contino spans three distinct terraces shaped by the Ebro River. Senior Editor Jacobo García-Andrade Llamas did a vertical tasting of vintages from 2014 to 2023 with Technical Director Jorge Navascués which highlighted how this warm, clay-rich parcel in Laserna maintains an exceptional balance of deep, dark fruit and high natural acidity.

Navascués handles extraction with great care to preserve the wine’s inherent intensity without letting it overpower the palate. Recent vintages like the balanced 2021 and aromatically complex 2018 stood out as major highlights, alongside a powerful, dry 2022 and a succulent, approachable 2023. While these structured tempranillo-led blends show youthful power, they reveal true elegance with at least five years of age, proving that power and freshness seamlessly coexist in this unique terroir. Read more here: https://t.co/S2z0MxO5A1

@cvnevino #RiojaWine #VinaDelOlivo #Contino #RiojaAlavesa #SpanishWine @mancutio

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This fresh, floral-driven rosé from Provence, produced by Napa Valley-based vintner Danica Patrick, the former professional racing driver, shows aromas of peaches and red cherries, followed by a dry, tangy palate with cherry and cranberry notes. Editor-at-Large Jim Gordon highlights its refreshing, satisfying character, noting that its light body and balance make it especially appealing for summer drinking.

@danicarosewine

#CotesdeProvence #ProvenceRose #RoseWine #FrenchWine

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Based in Savigny-lès-Beaune, the small negociant Maison Pascal Clément produced fresh, balanced whites from the 2023 vintage. Made from his vineyards in Savigny and sourced fruit beyond, these wines show a subtle sapidity and chalky salinity.

His reds are equally characterful, ranging from zero to 100 percent whole-cluster fermentation. The recent tasting that Senior Editor Zekun Shuai did with Pascal included the Chambertin Grand Cru 2023 – a serious wine from sourced fruit that underscores the quiet ambition for quality driving this low-profile maison.

@maisonpascalclement #pascalclement #burgundy

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Staff Writer & Taster Courtney Humiston’s wine crush this week is the Morgen Long Eola-Amity Hills X Omni Vineyard Chardonnay 2024. Seth Morgen Long focuses exclusively on chardonnay, and this expression from the volcanic soils of the X Omni Vineyard shows that the 2024 vintage may be among the best ever from the site. The wine is super fresh, vibrant, and energetic with deep minerality.

@morgenlongwine @mme_glass #EolaAmityHills #OregonWine #Chardonnay #XOmniVineyard #WillametteValley

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Staff Writer and Critic Courtney Humiston presents our Washington 2026 Tasting Report, featuring almost 700 wines from the standout 2023 vintage, widely considered one of the region’s best in a decade.

Defined by a smooth growing season, the wines show greater balance and precision, from a landmark 100-point cabernet sauvignon to impressive Bordeaux varietals, savory Rocks District syrahs and a surprisingly strong lineup of fresh, expressive whites.

Read the full report here: https://t.co/lct4Ea5m5J

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During a visit to Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg today, Senior Editor Zekun Shuai ran into Terry Kandylis, the winemaker behind Bendito Destino in Ribera del Duero – whose wines Zekun adores. Kandylis crafts soulful, transparent and tension-filled wines from old vines, bringing a distinct Burgundian touch to Spain. What a coincidence!

#domaine_georges_mugneret_gibourg
#terrykandylis
#benditodestino
#MugneretGibourg #BenditoDestino #RiberaDelDuero #Burgundy #BurgundyWine #Bourgogne #OldVines #WineCoincidence #WineTasting #Winemaker

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This unusual Italian sweet wine with remarkable depth and charm is Tasting Manager Kevin Davy’s Wine Crush this week. Produced by the legendary Antonio Ferrari at his cellars in Galliate (Piedmont), it is made from concentrated primitivo grapes from Puglia. The wine underwent a massive, patient aging process – first in casks, then for nearly a half-century undisturbed in concrete tanks. A beautifully balanced and evolved wine with more than 65 years of aging behind it.

#AntonioFerrari #SolariaJonica #Primitivo #SweetWine #VinoDaMeditazione #ItalianWine #PugliaWines #PiedmontCellars #OldVintage #RareWine #WineCrush #WineTasting

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Straight from the flight to Charlie’s. Marie and I arrived in St. Helena and didn’t even unpack before heading to a late lunch at our neighborhood restaurant. Cheers.

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The 2023 Chablis vintage stands out as a generous, high-yielding year – the complete opposite of 2024, where Domaine William Fèvre lost roughly 90 percent of its crop to severe weather yet managed to maintain its organic status. Fèvre's 2023 whites show balance, approachability and deep minerality. The wines are crisp, agile and chalky, with a pronounced marine salinity pulsing through the premier crus and grand crus.

The tightly wound Les Clos Grand Cru is timid in its youth and needs time. As technical director Didier Séguier says: “Les Clos is Les Clos, and Chablis is Chablis. We make Kimmeridgian wines, not just chardonnay.”

Visually, the estate introduced redesigned labels for the 2023 vintage, featuring unique green icons that illustrate the different characters of each individual vineyard. Senior Editor Zekun Shuai began his Chablis tasting tour today by reviewing these 2023s at the domaine alongside Séguier.

@domainewilliamfevre
#Chablis #Chablis2023 #WilliamFevre #DidierSeguier #LesClos #Kimmeridgian #BurgundyWines #GrandCru #OrganicWine #WineTasting

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A standout new release from Rose & Arrow Estate in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Touchstone 2023 (second photo) earned a perfect score at the top of our latest Weekly Tasting Report. Founded in 2012 by terroir expert Pedro Parra, Burgundian vigneron Louis-Michel Liger-Belair and the late Mark Tarlov of Evening Land Vineyards, Rose & Arrow is rooted in a singular philosophy: to decode and express Oregon’s volcanic soils.

As head winemaker, Felipe Ramirez (first photo) puts it, “We look for rocks,” a guiding principle behind their precise vineyard work. The Touchstone captures that vision at its most powerful – layered, deeply mineral and built with ultimate clarity. Staff Writer & Taster Courtney Humiston was struck by the depth, texture and precision across their wines, but this bottling – drawn from a rigorous barrel selection and aged an extra year – rose above. It shows a compelling mix of dark fruit, crushed-rock minerality, fine tannins and spice, with both immediate allure and the structure to evolve for years.

Read more here: https://t.co/Z4cW3kFnnX

#WillametteValley #ChehalemMountains #OregonWine #PinotNoir #Chardonnay #RoseAndArrows #Riverline #McMinnville #WineTasting #Terroir @roseandarrowestate @pedroparraterroir @lamicro

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Bergman Estate is surrounded by state forest in the Spring Mountain AVA of Napa Valley, California. The level of detail in the estate’s vineyard establishment and management – guided by consulting guru David Abreu – along with the thoughtful cellar design, is clearly reflected in the wines. It perfectly captures the spirit of our latest report on Napa's mountain AVAs, where advanced viticulture is transforming typically intense, rugged mountain tannins into expressions of concentrated flavor and incredible freshness.

Pam Bergman (right) of Bergman Estate and her son, Brett (left), produced the Bergman Napa Valley Spring Mountain District 2023 (second bottle from right, second photo), which was the top-scoring bottle in our recent report on Napa’s Mountain Wines. It’s a deeply perfumed wine with a palate that is silken and ultra-refined with no hard edges, giving layer upon layer of fruit, spices, flowers and a savory finish.

Read more here: https://t.co/quu91fIFn2

@BergmanEstate #NapaValley #SpringMountainAVA #BergmanEstate #NapaCab #Wine #CaliforniaWine #DavidAbreu #NigelKinsman #Vineyard #Winemaking #NewWinery #WineTasting #CabernetSauvignon

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After a string of irregular, climate-challenged vintages, the Douro has bounced back with a terrific showing for the newly declared 2024 Port wines. A wet winter followed by a relatively cool spring and moderate summer paved the way for a balanced growing season. The resulting wines move away from the pruny richness of warmer years, instead showing a cooler profile of blue fruit, greater purity and definition.

The wines from Quinta do Noval are particularly compelling, which James and Senior Editor Jacobo García Andrade tasted in Bordeaux during their recent visit with the Managing Director of AXA Millésimes, Christian Seely, at Chateau Pichon Baron. The standout was the Quinta do Noval Nacional 2024 (far left, second photo), which shows its characteristic concentration combined with a more focused tannic profile that lends the wine precision and detail.

Read more in our Weekly Tasting Report here: https://t.co/Z4cW3kFnnX

#quintadonoval_official #PortWine #Douro #Vintage2024 #QuintadoNoval #Symington #Niepoort #WineTasting #JamesSuckling

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Chateau Giscours is redefining what it means to be a classic Margaux estate, balancing heritage with a growing focus on modern wine drinkers. During a recent vertical tasting, Senior Editor Zekun Shuai found the gradual shift toward fresher, more fruit-driven wines, alongside a stronger emphasis on direct engagement with consumers.
From the supple, inviting 2023 to the structured, age-worthy 2022, Giscours shows steady evolution rather than sudden change. Alongside standout vintages like 2019, 2016 and 2015, the estate stands as a serious contender in Margaux, combining perfume, density, and increasing consistency. Their outstanding 2025 En Primeur appears to reinforce this point as well.

Read more here: https://t.co/5ouoGVFcZ7

@giscours_gcc
#Bordeaux #Margaux #Giscours #LeftBank #BordeauxWine #WineTasting #FineWine #EnPrimeur #Bordeaux2025

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This is Avery Heelan of Larkmead Vineyards standing in the newly planted three-acre experimental plot in Calistoga, at the northern end of Napa Valley. Here, she explores the potential of alternative varieties like chenin blanc, tempranillo and touriga nacional.

Produced in small quantities and crafted in a fresh, accessible style, these wines are part of what Staff Writer & Critic Ryan Montgomery calls "a new light in Napa" – representing a shift toward mid-weighted, balanced, and genuinely fun wines.

Read more in our Napa Whites Tasting Report here: https://t.co/QSVdaE42fj

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Winemaker Allison Tauziet showed Editor‑at‑Large Jim Gordon the rocky volcanic-clay soils on a portion of Colgin Cellars’ IX Estate on Pritchard Hill in Napa Valley. The sloped, rocky vineyard is littered with small and large stones, and the 2021 Colgin IX Estate is powerful and firmly structured – drinkable now but likely to show its best over several more years.

@ColginCellars #IXEstate #PritchardHill #NapaValley #Winemaking #Terroir #WineLovers @jimgordon.wine

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Staff Writer & Taster Courtney Humiston explored the oldest chardonnay block of the Knudsen Vineyard, planted in 1974, with Argyle head winemaker Kate Payne Brown and vineyard manager Erica Miller. She caught up with them a couple of days before they were going to till under the vines and shoot-thin the canopy.

Brown is new to the Argyle team, and it will be interesting to see the direction she takes at this landmark Oregon winery, which is approaching its 40th anniversary. They tasted through the 2022 sparkling wines, recently disgorged and finished. It was a difficult vintage, with a late spring frost reducing primary buds and pushing much of the fruit to secondary growth, but the wines are showing well, with freshness, tension and clean fruit. While Argyle is best known for sparkling wine, especially on the West Coast, the pinot noir is also impressive, with mineral drive, red and blue fruit and vibrant acidity.

@ArgyleWinery @knudsenvineyards
@kate_payne_brown #OregonWine #WillametteValley #DundeeHills #OregonChardonnay #OregonSparkling #PinotNoir