Innholdsfortegnelse for Best of 2024 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

When I look back on 2024 through the lens of wine, I can’t help but stumble upon the milestones that were the most memorable with a glass in hand. They run through myriad experiences, some impressive, others humbling. All had an immeasurable impact on my last 365 days and all of these moments are more enriched by the connective tissue of drinks. So, in true “best of year” format, I’ve decided to make a list of my favorite moments from 2024: ✦ Too much Champagne (which is the correct amount of Champagne) at Wine Paris while celebrating Galentine’s Day with cherished industry peers and colleagues. ✦ Driving through Napa Valley’s iconic vineyard roads and getting the call that I would soon be gaining a niece. In a family with…

“Do you mind if I swear?” “I’m a New Yorker,” I reply. “Swear away.” This is how my afternoon with Peter Hall, England’s longest serving winemaker and grower—and the proprietor of the celebrated Breaky Bottom winery in southeast England—begins. It’s a cool, late April day and we’re seated in old armchairs by the back door to the garden of Hall’s remotely located 19th-century farmhouse. In addition to cussing, Hall, who turned 81 the Sunday before (on the late Queen’s birthday, no less), asks politely whether I mind if he smokes the hand-rolled cigarettes he’s been addicted to for longer than the 50 years he’s been tending the vines in this small, idyllic fold of the South Downs. (I dare not refuse him.) And now I understand that our position…

Maybe it’s the cheery conviviality, maybe it’s the face-to-face bartender interaction or maybe it’s just because you often don’t need a reservation—but a coveted bar seat in the lounge of an illustrious restaurant is the new “I’ll have your finest table, please.” New York’s Penny, one of 2024’s hottest openings, is actually 100% bar seating, with no tables at all. But even if you’ve just stopped by a bar for a quick drink and snack, you’ll find the offerings these days go way beyond olives, nuts, wings and nachos. Here are some favorite recipes for your next movie night, Super Bowl, cocktail party or a no-occasion-needed boozy buffet. Wines That Go with All of It When serving a range of snacks, pick wines that can span tuna tartare to…

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD When Sandro Boscaini, president of celebrated Italian wine giant Masi Agricola SpA, was very young, wine wasn’t something he remembers being “prized” per se. It was everywhere, on every table, in every house and an integral part of life certainly, but not the key to a prosperous vision of the future. “It wasn’t seen as a money-maker,” Boscaini laughs, “No one had any ‘culture’ of wine. It was either‘clear’ or‘dark,’ ‘good’ or ‘not so good.’ In 1963 Italy approved the first Denominazione di Origine Controllata, and, as Boscaini recalls, “Suddenly, the conversation changed.” Wine wasn’t just another agricultural product, “now it represented a patrimony; it had an absolute universal value.” After graduating in economics Boscaini gained the experience and perspective outside of Italy to see the…

WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR Eric Aafedt was just a teenager when he started moving irrigation lines and driving tractors for wineries in California’s Livermore Valley. After three decades of making wine for Bogle Family Vineyards, where he led the building of a cutting-edge facility in Clarksburg while developing a diverse lineup of brands, Aafedt is at the top of the industry. “We work closely together,” he says of the Bogle family and his mentor Chris Smith, the Director of Winegrowing who hired him in 1994. “It’s great to be in a family environment. We’re not corporate. We can be very reactive very quickly. I can walk down the hall to Warren and Ryan [Bogle]’s office and say, ‘What do you think, yea or nay?’ It makes for a very…

AMERICAN WINERY OF THE YEAR In the complex landscape of what makes a modern wine company respected and relevant, La Crema Winery checks every box imaginable. While the Sonoma County-based, Jackson Family Wines-owned brand leads the way in both social responsibility and sustainability initiatives, La Crema simultaneously produces a wide variety of critically praised wines at various price points while pioneering new ways of bringing their products straight to the public. For this combination of progressive ideals, eye-opening outreach, and a commitment to quality, La Crema is being honored with the Wine Star Award for American Winery of the Year. “La Crema has grown by leaps and bounds, but the quality has never gone backward,” says Bill O’Connor, EVP and Chief Sales Officer for Jackson Family Wines, who’s spearheaded…

SPIRITS BRAND OF THE YEAR Meletti, a name that resonates with quality, history and artisanal craftsmanship, is the embodiment of Italian tradition in the world of spirits. With over 150 years of dedication to the art of distillation, Meletti is one of the oldest and most respected distilleries in the world, a testament to the enduring passion and expertise that have defined the brand for generations. The story of Meletti begins in 1870 with Silvio Meletti, whose passion for crafting liqueurs was inspired by his parents, both distillers. From humble roots in the Le Marche region of Italy, Silvio set out to create exceptional spirits, and today, the Meletti brand continues to be a symbol of elegance, tradition and quality. What sets Meletti apart is not just its recipes,…

BEVERAGE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR “I’m proud of what we’ve become as a community and what we are handing to the next generation.” “No other position can manage the cellar, host, barista, take food orders, bus, run food and make drinks,” says Amy Racine about her fellow sommeliers. “That said, the sommelier also has the unique opportunity to tell the story of your space. The selections on the list, the way the list reads, and how that list is presented support the ‘why’ of the restaurant. It can drive home a perspective on culture and culinary arts.” As Beverage Director of Chef John Fraser’s JF Restaurants group, and consultant with NewYork’s acclaimed Tatiana By Kwame Onwuachi, Racine oversees a dozen beverage programs nationally, including a Michelin-starred Tampa location and…

Lying in the grass surrounded by vines, I could hear the hum of insects, feel the life in the soil and the sun warming my skin. This wasn’t just a scenic moment; it was Root Time at Gut Oggau, an immersive weekend of biodynamics meant to reconnect us with nature—or, as I later realized, remind us how far we’ve drifted from it. Before I got here, I had expected some vineyard talk and nice wine. Instead, I found myself on a spiritual quest with far more dirt than anticipated. The weekend was a quirky mix of zen, hedonism and farm work. We started with a hearty breakfast, tidied the vineyards and moved on to meditation among the vines—which was lovely until the “zen” sound turned out to be a…

30TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPAIN’S GREAT MATCH ICEX/Foods and Wines from Spain celebrated the 30th anniversary of Spain’s Great Match October 1. With more than 50 exhibitors, Spanish flavors took center stage in a tasting held at Mercado Little Spain in NYC. This event has connected media, trade and consumers to Spanish food and wine since 1994 and highlights the latest releases from emerging and established food and wine producers. Wine Enthusiast is proud to support the milestone year as a key media sponsor. COME OVER OCTOBER Come Over October is a campaign that encourages friends, family and colleagues to “come over” during October to share some wine and celebrate in-person connection. Created by wine journalist Karen MacNeil and public relations and communications veterans Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Noelle Charles,…

Sometime longer ago than I care to remember, I was privileged to be invited as a guest speaker at an exclusive women’s wine club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The tasting group was expectedly decorated, not least their convener, Rebecca Richman Cohen—who then as now spent part of her time lecturing at Harvard Law School and part of her time being an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker, focusing on frivolities like mass incarceration, sexual violence and racial justice. I was duly nervous in front of the crowd, but the juice turned out to be worth twice the squeeze, because now, years later, I get to count myself as a friend of the director of one of the most exciting and important documentaries ever made about wine … and weed. Weed & Wine traces…

“Our challenges are weatherdriven—rain, hail, humidity and sometimes tornadoes.” The Texoma AVA sprawls 3,650 square miles and is carved like a jigsaw puzzle piece on its northern edge, a narrow east-west expanse along the Texas-Oklahoma border. Its southern edge is, in places, just a 40-minute drive north from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Here, 19-th-century viticulturist Thomas Volney (T.V.) Munson bred hundreds of grape varieties and phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. Today, winemakers are attuned to the AVA’s varied terroir. “There are three subregions. The western part is drier and soils near the Red River are reddish clay loam. In central Texoma there’s black clay and it’s very fertile, with large, high vigor vines. The lakes there help moderate the temperature. And in eastern Texoma, we see more sandy loam soils,” explains Michael…

In the Jurançon region of southwest France grows a grape variety called Camaralet de Lasseube that is on the verge of extinction. In 2000, just half an acre remained. This is, in part, because, unusually, Camaralet is a female vine and not a hermaphroditic one like most other grapevines, which means it must be planted close to other vines in order to pollinate and thrive. Rather than draining another vine’s resources by being near, vines like Camaralet benefit from one another’s closeness. Like Camaralet, humans also need close contact with others of our kind. Never was this made more apparent than in 2020 when a global lockdown turned us all into unwilling hermits, grasping at connection through screens that never seemed to scratch the itch of real-life contact. During…

This year we celebrate the silver anniversary of Wine Enthusiast’s Annual Wine Star Awards, honoring the individuals and companies that have significantly contributed to the success of the wine and alcohol beverage world for the 25th time. We salute all of the honorees and winners who have done so much this year—from dedicated professionals finding ways to succeed in challenging times and upstart innovators to storied brands drawing on centuries of history. Nominated by members of our global sales, events, marketing and editorial divisions with final selections made by our executive publishing team, winners will be honored at our black-tie gala in January 2025 in San Francisco. For details on the event and further insight on our selection process, visit wineenthusiast.com/wsa-winners-2024. And on the pages ahead, you’ll meet the…

AMERICAN WINE LEGEND “You keep turning the switches, and eventually, you get something you really love.” Tom Klein isn’t the sort of guy to brag about his accomplishments. He likes to get his boots dirty. Raised in his family’s agricultural business, Klein harvested produce, drove trucks and did whatever else was needed before heading off to Stanford for college and business school. The Klein family had been farming in California for almost a century when Tom Klein returned to the family business and led the family’s acquisition of Rodney Strong, the historic and well-regarded winery in 1989. Namesake Rod Strong was an innovator in his own right, but Klein brought an unwavering commitment to quality and a keen business sense that allowed him to elevate the profile of Rodney…

AMERICAN WINE REGION OF THE YEAR In very few places can you find the level of quality coupled with the accessibility that you’ll discover here. In even fewer can you sip wine against the backdrop of a redwood forest while simultaneously breathing in fresh ocean air. Add inthe level of commitment to preserving this singular place for future generations and there is no place quite like Mendocino, the wine region reputed as California’s greenest AVA. And facts are facts: 25% of Mendocino’s planted acreages are certified organic—increasingly regenerative organic—and are responsible for one-third of the organic acres in the entire state. “Those of us who live here know what a special place this is,” says Elizabeth Archer, communications manager at Bonterra Organic Estates and marketing chair for Mendocino Winegrowers.…

EUROPEAN WINERY OF THE YEAR As if it were not enough to boast three centuries in business—a claim that can only be made by a handful of companies—Barton & Guestier has achieved this milestone while maintaining its status as a dynamic player on the French wine scene since the days of Thomas Jefferson (an early customer and a true French wine enthusiast). Barton & Guestier celebrates its 300th anniversary this year. Founded in Bordeaux in 1725 by Thomas Barton, the company has been a beacon of reliability in an ever-changing environment for three centuries, guiding wine drinkers toward bottles that inspire confidence and delight the senses. “Our legacy is woven into the tapestry of French wine culture,” says General Manager Philippe Marion, explaining that Barton & Guestier has always…

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR Even a casual viewer of the HBO hit show Insecure could likely name the go-to drink order of the show’s protagonist, Issa Dee. That’s because Dee, played by actor and comedian Issa Rae, is often accessorized with an effervescent flute of Prosecco in scenes across the show’s celebrated five seasons. Last year, life seemed to imitate art when Rae herself got into the Prosecco game, launching Viarae in partnership with E. & J. Gallo Winery. The Prosecco line has proved a runaway success. Perhaps it’s because Rae’s love of the Italian sparkler is no marketing gimmick, but a true passion that made such an impression on Insecure writers that they worked it into her character’s storyline. “There are a lot of wines out there, and…

IMPORTER OF THE YEAR In 2004, a young MBA student, Matt Hedges, and a top Argentine sommelier, Alejandro Darago, teamed up to create Vino del Sol. Known as The Argentine Wine Specialist, the company’s mission has evolved into becoming a “trusted source.” This key factor has allowed them to compete and keep growing in a crowded market. “We innovate working with our winery partners.” “As we started to grow, customers said, ‘Hey, you are doing a very good job supplying us with Argentine wine; we trust you. Can you now start bringing us other things?’” says Hedges. In 2008 they branched out into sake and then Californian wine in 2011. Their current portfolio also includes wines from New Zealand and Spain. They work with producers such as LangeTwins Winery…

This casserole is inspired by a similar recipe from Ina Garten, whose new memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens (Crown, 2024), is an engaging and open-hearted tale of a life transformed by great food. Both the book and this dish are perfect for cozy winter nights at home. ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN As long as it totals 3 pounds, use any mix of root vegetables, including parsnips or carrots—paying attention to having a mix of colors. It’s a terrific side dish for any feast, or let it shine as a main dish alongside a salad of winter chicories like radicchio, endive and escarole. Unsalted butter, as needed Kosher salt, as needed 2 medium white or red onions, sliced (3–4 cups sliced)4 cloves garlic, minced2 cups heavy cream1 cup chicken…

If you’re not drinking Moulinà-Vent, you’re frankly missing out. Cru Beaujolais is generally undervalued, and this is nowhere more apparent within the 10 crus than in Moulin-à-Vent, named after the eponymous windmill whose image is synonymous with the appellation. If a winegrower can see the iconic windmill built in 1550 from their vineyard, they are typically within the appellation. Nicknamed “The Lord of Beaujolais Wines,” Moulin-à-Vent produces structured, ageworthy wines. “If Moulinà-Vent is the king, Fleurie is the queen and Chénas is the petit prince,” explains affable Domaine de la Sionnière winemaker and co-owner Thomas Patenôtre (also president of the appellation’s winegrower’s association). While Morgon Côte du Py might offer a friendly challenge for the title of petit prince, Moulin-à-Vent has long reigned as the top Beaujolais Cru and,…

Our reviewers blind tasted 23,000 wines this year. Boiling this down to The Enthusiast 100 is no mean feat (no wine was harmed in this process, don’t worry), but you, dear reader, are left with some of the most exciting wines in the world to discover. As usual, our list features a number of upper-echelon price points, such as the nearly $400 Blandy’s Sercial Madeira from 1988, the $300 Bibi Graetz Colore from Tuscany and the three from Napa, Champagne and Bordeaux in the $200 range. There are more than 25 others representing the $100-and-up range, from Spain’s Ribera del Duero and Portugal’s Alentejo to Australia’s Barossa Valley and Oregon’s Rogue Valley. But The Enthusiast 100 isn’t just for deep-pocketed collectors: The following pages feature 14 wines priced $30…

Bad year to be a beer in some corners—reflecting on 2024 will be a painful experience for many in the space. Each month brought news of brewery closures for various reasons, the volume and sales numbers declined as customers seemed to take inflation impacts out on their beer budgets. Still, being a creative industry, there were bright spots as some brewers doubled down on what they believe is important. It remains to be seen, but it appears further contractions are on the horizon this year. That can be good for the future of beer in America with brewers putting their focus on their strengths and finding customers who appreciate the craftsmanship. In the meantime, here’s what worked and what has work to do before it’s ready for a second…

PERSON OF THE YEAR When he was just 10 years old, Jean-Charles Boisset visited coastal California from his native Burgundy with his grandparents and toured the Spanish Missions from Monterey to Sonoma. The history he learned about then must have left quite an impression on him. So much so, that he seems now destined to become a part of it. “My goal in everything I do is to bring people together to share.” When he moved decades later to his now-adopted home in California, Boisset made a splash with the acquisitions of several historic properties, including Raymond Vineyards in Rutherford (which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024), Deloach Vineyards in Russian River Valley, Oakville Grocery and the most historic of them all: Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma, which was…

WINE EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR Jen Locke has come a long way from her first job bussing tables at Ray’s Boathouse in Seattle at age 16 and did not take anything like a traditional path to becoming CEO of Crimson Wine Group (CWG)—a publicly traded company with 1,000 acres of vineyards and a fine wine portfolio that produces 400,000 cases annually. The portfolio includes well-known brands such as Pine Ridge Vineyards and Seghesio Family Vineyards in California, as well as Archery Summit in Oregon. In December 2019, Locke came to CWG from Melbourne, Australia-based Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), where she was the Senior Vice President of U.S. Luxury and Direct-to-Consumer Sales-Americas. It wasn’t the first time Locke sought a top corporate wine job, but not having a college degree…

INTERNATIONAL (NON-U.S.) WINE REGION OF THE YEAR Nestled in the province of Brescia, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, Franciacorta has a rich history dating back centuries, but its modern rise as a world-class wine region began in the 1960s. At that time, the region’s potential was apparent, but its path to greatness was yet to be fully paved. According to Silvano Brescianini, President of the Consorzio Franciacorta, the region’s journey toward excellence required a focused and forward-thinking approach. “We understood the potential, but we needed to build the foundation to achieve this,” Brescianini reflects. It was in 1997 that Franciacorta made a pivotal move by redefining its production regulations, lowering yields, extending aging periods and investing in new technologies. This transformation laid the foundation for Franciacorta’s commitment…

NEW WORLD WINERY OF THE YEAR Innovation and a challenging spirit are Ventisquero Wine Estates’ core values. This relatively young winery was founded in 1999, following the planting of the first vineyards by owner Gonzalo Vial on the coastal edge of the Maipo Valley. Shortly after, Chief Winemaker Felipe Tosso joined Ventisquero, collaborating with the renowned Australian consultant winemaker John Duval. The winery has experienced rapid growth, now exporting its wines to more than 70 countries and pioneering vineyards in Chile’s extreme regions. “It was a wild ride marked by trial and error, battling Patagonia’s fierce winds in a remote location.” “What has contributed to the success of Ventisquero is the diversity of terroirs we work with, as we have great vineyards located in various regions of Chile,” explains…

SOCIAL VISIONARY OF THE YEAR If the COVID-19 pandemic showed us anything about the hospitality industry, it was how many of our social support nets are extremely vulnerable or nonexistent, especially in the fragile service community. Noticing this, Cristie Norman took matters into her own hands and cofounded the United Sommeliers Foundation. Now partnered with an ever-growing list of industry giants such as Zachys, Skurnik and Palm Bay International, the foundation provides professional and personal resources and emergency financial aid to the sommelier community. “Cristie literally wills things into existence—if it does not exist, she will create it, and if she believes something is unjust, she will fight for it,” says Michelle Metter, CEO and founder of USF partner SommCon. “So much of Cristie and the USF board’s work…

This year certainly ended with a bang. Honestly, there’s never been a better time to buy Washington and Oregon wines. In blind tasting this year, some old favorites have continued to deliver but I’ve also made some new discoveries. Samā Cellars, a new winery based in Woodinville, Washington, is breaking some molds. Owner and Winemaker Chaitanya “Chaz” Bangur is clearly putting his biochemistry degree to good work, as his 2022 Rāga Syrah and Rāga Cinsault made me sit up and take notice. Equally impressive is the 2022 Bhūmi Syrah he made with fruit from Billo Naravane of Rasa fame’s estate vineyard in The Rocks District. This wine is the poster child for umami. Fans of Washington Rhône-style wines need to get in on the ground floor with Samā. Another…