Those working in the world of wine are undoubtedly familiar with James Suckling. However, if your love for wine doesn’t make you a professional, this article aims to tell you more about one of the most influential wine critics in the world.
Contents:
- Who is James Suckling
- The Tasting Process
- Interpreting the Scores
- 2023 Ranking of the Best Wines According to James Suckling
Who is James Suckling
A Californian born in 1958, James Suckling is a prominent figure in the global wine industry. Whether you agree with him or not, his rankings can influence the market and significantly impact the prices of wines that he and his team include in the list of the best wines of the year.
His fame stems from a long career at the prestigious Wine Spectator (another reference point for wine professionals). He worked there from 1981 until becoming responsible for the European section, which meant traveling to discover the great wine-producing regions of the old continent. His passion for Italy and France was born, and he refined his expertise by sharing his opinions on the world’s best wines and the greatest wineries.
In 2010, with a strong reputation behind him, he left Wine Spectator and founded his website. There, he publishes reviews and information about wines from around the world, including the famous annual ranking of the best wines.
The Tasting Process
Certainly, James Suckling doesn’t taste all the wines proposed or selected on his own. He relies on a tasting team of 22 people who travel year-round to major production areas (Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand, California, Chile, and Argentina). The tastings don’t happen blindly; they occur on-site, and the team then reports their tasting notes.
The number of wines tasted is impressive, exceeding 30,000 units. To make it to his list of the best, a wine must evoke a unique emotion and linger on the palate with a persistent and pleasant aftertaste.
Interpreting the Scores
The ranking is based on a 100-point scale, but only wines scoring 88 or above are considered purchasable according to James Suckling.
- 95 to 100 points: the wine is superlative, a MUST BUY!
- 90 to 94 points: the wine is excellent, OUTSTANDING.
- 88 to 89 points: not an exceptional wine, but worth buying. .
- equal to or below 87: it’s better to pass..
On xtraWine you can find all the wines that have been awarded more than 90 points.
2023 Ranking of the Best Wines According to James Suckling
The latest ranking relates to last year and gathers the best available on the market. To compile it, they tasted 39,000 bottles, and the absolute standout was Laurent-Perrier’s Champagne Grand Siècle Grande Cuvée N.26. What makes it outstanding is the perfectly harmonized blend of 65% 2012, 25% 2008, and 10% 2007. The 2012 gives the Grand Siècle Cuvée N.26 its balance and shape, with a subtle and bright fruit, while the 2008 adds vertical depth and concentrated energy with a delicate phenolic tension that magnificently frames the wine. Lastly, the touch of 2007 offers more vivacity.
France, especially its Bordeaux, dominates the top 100, followed by Italy. Highly recommended are the 2019 releases of Brunello and the Damilano Barolo Cannubi, a prize-winning champion for years.
Spain and Chile follow closely, with increasing quality for the South American countries and steadily rising prices for Iberian wines, often due to very limited productions, as seen in the case of the second-ranked: El Enemigo Cabernet Franc Gualtallary Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard 2019.
The absence of Napa Valley wines, whose vineyards were hit by devastating fires in 2020, affected on the ranking. However, the USA is represented by wines from the central coast of California.
We conclude our analysis by highlighting the presence of the first Chinese wine in the top 100: an event that will pave the way for many great tasting discoveries.
