James Suckling’s Great Wines of the World tasting took place at the Miami Beach Convention Center this month, bringing together a huge lineup of wineries from around the world. The idea behind the event is fairly straightforward: producers pour wines that have scored 92 points or higher from Suckling and his tasting team, so nearly everything in the room has already been recognized as a top bottle.
For anyone not deeply familiar with the wine world, James Suckling is one of the most well-known wine critics internationally. He spent close to three decades as a senior editor at Wine Spectator before launching his own wine publication and review platform. His scores are widely followed by collectors, restaurants, and producers, so events like this tend to attract both serious wine people and enthusiastic drinkers.
The event was busy. Very busy.
VIP guests were allowed in about an hour earlier, which made the experience noticeably better. Getting inside early meant being able to move around comfortably and actually spend a few minutes at each table talking with the people pouring the wines.
Outside, though, the general admission line was extremely long, it was hard not to notice how far it stretched. I couldn’t imagine waiting in that line. At the same time, it’s probably a good sign for the event that so many people wanted to attend.
Once inside, the room had a great energy. Tables from Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Italy, Argentina, and several other regions filled the space, with guests making their way from one winery to the next. With hundreds of wines available, it’s impossible to try everything, so most people seemed to wander a bit and stop where something looked interesting.
A few wines stood out enough that I made a note of them.
Five Wines That Stood Out
Louis M. Martini (Napa Valley)
This was one of the first tables I stopped at and it immediately made an impression. A very classic Napa Cabernet style with deep dark fruit and good structure, but still smooth and approachable.
Donum Estate (Carneros)
Donum wines always have a certain elegance to them. This one felt really balanced with layered fruit and a polished finish.
M. Chapoutier (Rhône Valley)
Chapoutier is known for Rhône wines and this one showed why. It had a lot of depth and a savory character that made it stand out among many of the other reds.
Budeguer (Argentina)
One of the more unexpected highlights for me. Bright fruit, fresh and lively, and just really enjoyable to drink.
Château Cantenac Brown (Bordeaux)
A beautiful Bordeaux with classic structure. Dark fruit, a bit of earthiness, and a long finish that stayed with you for a while.
Final Thoughts
Events like Great Wines of the World are interesting because they give you the chance to taste wines from many different regions in one place. Within a few steps you can move from Napa to Bordeaux to Italy, which isn’t something that happens very often outside of events like this.
The wines were excellent overall, and the atmosphere in the room felt enthusiastic and lively. If anything, the turnout suggests that the event might even benefit from a slightly larger space next year.
But once you’re inside with a glass in hand and hundreds of great wines to try, it’s easy to see why the event draws such a crowd.
