Top 200 wines of 2024, part five, 95 point wines, first tranche, 72-50

Some stunning wines here. Piper Rare, #63, was my fizz of the year; intense citrus, rich, lithe and racy. Among the whites a 2008 Fevre Grand Cru, #69, which was as clean as a whistle, the 2017 Niellon, #62 and 2011 Bouzereau Meursault Perrieres, #51, are top drawer white burgundies, with the latter my white wine of the year for wine-pages, but not the highest ranked on this list.

Of the four from Piedmonts, the GLC Barolo, #72, is cutting edge, with as little oak ageing as possible, while the Ca Morissio, #70, while not as good as the one we had in 2022, has a purity and finesse on a higher level than the regular Monprivato Mascarellos. The Grasso, #64, really stood out in a 2004 Barolo tasting last summer, while the Cavalotto Vignolo, #50, is rocky, intense, old school and thrilling. 

The 2007 Jamet, #61, is still young, so lively, explosive and expressive. The 1999 Vallouit, #53, was a similar wine, but on the other end of the maturity spectrum, gorgeous and better to drink now than the Jamet. Of the two new world wines, the bombastically titled 2007 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, #68, was suitably over-the-top and caricatured, making no pretense of aping Bordeaux, but it is well made and a theatrical thrill. The 1996 Grange, #54, is also a pleasure bomb and is in the sweet spot.

Of the two red burgundies, there was some discussion as to whether the 1990 Meo Camuzet Clos Vougeot #67 was not right but I thought it was just a fully mature bottle, with plenty of woodsy truffly notes, it delivered such pleasure. The Hospice Mazis Collignon 1999 I caught at the beginning of its drinking window and is big framed and thrilling to behold. 

Strong representation of claret here, especially in the 2000 vintage. The 2000 Pichon Baron, #58, is still youthful with such pure cabernet fruit (from the same plot as Latour), while the 2000 Beychevelle, #55, was an enthralling bottle and stole my heart. The 1995 Latour, #66, is a complete wine, with such noble finesse, and drinking well already, while the 2002 #57 is less ready, but has a little bit of extra precision. 

Ducru Beaucaillou is so highly represented in the top 200 from our November vertical that I left a couple out (the 1995 and the 2016, 94 and 95 points respectively). The 2010, #52, a towering wine, is surprisingly approachable now, while the 2000, #59, a poster child for the great millennium vintage is fully ready now, and the 2018, #56, is so ripe and rich, but beautifully held together with fine structure and luxurious tannins.