Wine Spectator top 100 wines 2021

Posted on December 7, 2021 by The Wine Commander

 

Each year since 1988, the influential and prestigious US Wine Spectator magazine has released its Top 100 list, where the editors select the most exciting wines from the more than 12,500 they reviewed during 2021. Pictured left is the number one wine from the Napa Valley.

Its influence is substantial; many wines that feature highly in the list sell quickly in the following months, often at increased prices. (The selection prioritises quality (based on score), value (based on price) and availability. These criteria are applied to the wines that rated outstanding (90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale) to determine the Top 100 for the year.

Our lives continue to be affected by COVID-19, yet 2021 has been an exciting year for wine. Restaurants are reopening for business, wine retail sales continue to outperform pre-pandemic levels, and demand from wine lovers was strong during lock downs.

But, many blue chip Australasian wines did not get a gong on this years list – the worst ever! Think Grange Hermitage (has previously been no 1 twice!), Henschke Hill of Grace, Te Mata Coleraine Cabernet (NZ) or Torbreck, The Laird from the Barossa.

Instead coming in at number 18 is a Central Otago dark horse, the 2018 Burn Cottage Pinot noir ($65) – the top wine from this part of the world. Three other local wines also featured. At no. 23 the 2019 John Duval Shiraz ($40) from the Barossa, at 49 2018 Hickinbotham Shiraz  ($75) from McLaren Vale and 2018 Thompson Estate  Cabernet from Margaret River ($30) at 74. The John Duval is a ripper and still available. Off you go….

Of course wine is very subjective so to many of you the list is purely academic.

 

Rank
Wine
Vintage
Score
Price
1
Dominus Estate Napa Valley +
 2018 97 $269
2
Château Pichon Longueville Lalande Pauillac +
 2018 98 $198
3
Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Martha’s Vineyard +
 2016 95 $250
4
Merum Priorati Priorat Destí +
 2018 95 $49
5
Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino +
 2016 98 $99
6
Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne +
 2018 95 $200
7
Château Léoville Poyferré St.-Julien +
 2018 97 $104
8
Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis +
 2016 95 $90
9
Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Dr. Crane Vineyard +
 2018 95 $80
10
Château de Nalys Châteauneuf-du-Pape +
 2018 95 $105
11
Aubert Chardonnay Russian River Valley Eastside +
 2019 97 $85
12
Poggio Landi Brunello di Montalcino +
 2016 97 $59
13
Château Carbonnieux Pessac-Léognan White +
 2018 94 $44
14
Alexana Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Revana Vineyard +
 2018 94 $55
15
Giuseppe Nada Barbaresco Casot +
 2017 95 $43
16
Calcareous Syrah Paso Robles Devil’s Canyon +
 2018 94 $56
17
Talenti Brunello di Montalcino +
 2016 95 $50
18
Burn Cottage Pinot Noir Central Otago Burn Cottage Vineyard +
 2018 95 $65
19
Cayuse Syrah Walla Walla Valley Cailloux Vineyard +
 2018 96 $92
20
Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico +
 2018 93 $22
21
Luca Malbec Uco Valley Old Vine +
 2019 93 $35
22
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Old Vines +
 2018 93 $39
23
John Duval Shiraz Barossa Entity +
 2019 94 $40
24
Ridge Geyserville Alexander Valley +
 2019 93 $45
25
Wittmann Riesling Trocken Rheinhessen Westhofener +
 2019 94 $36
26
Salcheto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva +
 2016 94 $36
27
Evening Land Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills Seven Springs +
 2018 93 $35
28
Three Sticks Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Price Family Estates +
 2019 95 $65
29
Sparkman Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Holler +
 2018 93 $32
30
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco +
 2016 94 $45
31
Filipa Pato Bairrada White Nossa Calcário +
 2019 93 $29
32
Massican Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley +
 2020 93 $32
33
Ant Moore Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Estate Series +
 2020 92 $17
34
Zena Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Slope +
 2017 95 $75
35
Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape +
 2019 94 $49
36
Bodegas Beronia Rioja Gran Reserva +
 2012 92 $30
37
Rochioli Pinot Noir Russian River Valley +
 2019 94 $64
38
Pio Cesare Barbera d’Alba +
 2019 92 $27
39
Vermillion Sierra Foothills-Sonoma County +
 2017 92 $35
40
Mauro Molino Barolo +
 2016 92 $30
41
Rapaura Springs Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Classic +
 2020 91 $13
42
Chateau Ste. Michelle-Dr. Loosen Riesling Columbia Valley Eroica +
 2019 91 $20
43
Carol Shelton Zinfandel Mendocino County Wild Thing Old Vine +
 2018 91 $19
44
Tenute Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva +
 2018 90 $18
45
Quinta do Noval Vintage Port +
 2018 97 $100
46
Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico San Marcellino Gran Selezione +
 2016 95 $75
47
MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville +
 2018 98 $185
48
Domaine de Villaine Bouzeron +
 2018 92 $42
49
Hickinbotham Shiraz McLaren Vale Brooks Road +
 2018 95 $75
50
Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Kamptal Schlosskellerei +
 2019 91 $19
51
Alois Lageder Pinot Grigio Vigneti delle Dolomiti Terra Alpina +
 2019 90 $16
52
Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Brothers Vineyard +
 2018 95 $90
53
Clos de los Siete Uco Valley +
 2018 90 $20
54
Schloss Lieser Riesling Kabinett Mosel Juffer +
 2019 95 $31
55
Philippe Viallet Vin de Savoie +
 2020 90 $14
56
Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella Marne 180 +
 2017 93 $60
57
Bodegas Pazo de Barrantes Albariño Rias Baixas +
 2019 91 $21
58
Chehalem Chardonnay Willamette Valley Inox Unoaked +
 2020 91 $20
59
Monte del Frà Custoza Superiore Cà del Magro +
 2019 90 $22
60
Force Majeure Syrah Red Mountain +
 2018 95 $85
61
Ben Haines Syrah Grampians +
 2020 94 $35
62
Stéphane Ogier Côtes du Rhône Le Temps Est Venu +
 2019 91 $23
63
G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero +
 2016 97 $100
64
Concha y Toro Syrah Buin Gravas del Maipo +
 2018 94 $70
65
Bodegas Ateca Garnacha Calatayud Atteca Armas Old Vines +
 2017 93 $45
66
De Martino Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Legado Reserva +
 2019 91 $20
67
Bastianich Friulano Friuli Colli Orientali Vini Orsone +
 2018 90 $18
68
Etxaniz Txakolina Getariako Txakolina Rosado Txomin Etxaniz +
 2020 90 $20
69
Domaine du Clos du Fief Juliénas Tradition +
 2018 91 $25
70
Domaine Chandon Brut Rosé California +
 NV 90 $19
71
Feudo Montoni Nero d’Avola Sicilia Lagnusa +
 2017 90 $22
72
Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Panek Vineyard +
 2018 95 $110
73
55 Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon Paraje Altamira Zaha Toko Vineyard +
 2018 91 $25
74
Thompson Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River Four Chambers +
 2019 91 $30
75
Salvatore Molettieri Taurasi Vigna Cinque Querce +
 2013 94 $51
76
Louis Roederer Brut Champagne Collection 242 +
 NV 92 $63
77
Marcassin Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Marcassin Vineyard +
 2014 95 $150
78
Bodega Matarromera Ribera del Duero Crianza +
 2018 91 $35
79
Saxon Brown Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Durell Vineyard +
 2017 94 $60
80
Alta Vista Atemporal Albaneve Vineyard Uco Valley +
 2018 90 $22
81
Brandlin Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder +
 2018 93 $90
82
Masottina Extra Dry Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore RDO Rive di Ogliano +
 2019 90 $28
83
Graeme & Julie Bott St.-Joseph White +
 2019 93 $65
84
Chalk Hill Chardonnay Sonoma Coast +
 2019 91 $26
85
Louis Jadot Beaune Clos des Ursules Domaine des Héritiers +
 2018 93 $95
86
Boundary Breaks Riesling Finger Lakes Dry No. 239 +
 2019 90 $20
87
Château Pradeaux Côtes de Provence Rosé +
 2020 91 $24
88
Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga La Voleuse du Chagrin +
 2018 96 $195
89
Luis Seabra Douro Xisto Ilimitado +
 2018 91 $27
90
Graci Etna +
 2018 91 $33
91
Bodegas Emilio Moro Godello Bierzo El Zarzal +
 2018 92 $28
92
De Wetshof Chardonnay Robertson Bon Vallon +
 2020 91 $24
93
Guido Berlucchi Brut Rosé Franciacorta ’61 +
 NV 91 $36
94
Château Berliquet St.-Emilion +
 2018 92 $65
95
Colli di Lapio Fiano di Avellino +
 2019 91 $28
96
Detert Cabernet Franc Oakville +
 2018 92 $95
97
Domaine Guiberteau Saumur White +
 2018 91 $27
98
Faust Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville The Pact +
 2018 93 $125
99
Krug Brut Champagne +
 2008 99 $309
100
Kamen Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District Lava Block +
Acknowledgement
to Wine Spectator
Edited 
 2018 94 $155
Please follow and like us:
This entry was posted in Features, Uncategorized, Wine News. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply