James Suckling Top 100 USA wines of 2025

#1 USA Wine of the Year!!
2023 Raen Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast St. Robert

The RAEN wine at No. 1 culminates 12 years of effort by the Mondavi brothers and their winemaker, Melanie McIntyre, on the Sonoma Coast. They made a brilliant range of 2023s, including two perfect-scoring wines from this highly anticipated vintage.

The four factors JamesSuckling.com used to determine its Top 100 Wines of the USA 2025 list are:

1. Quality – All wines must be rated 94 points or higher.

2. Value – The average price must be $100 or less.

3. Availability – At least 3,000 bottles produced (with many produced in larger quantities).

4. “Wow” Factor – The emotional impact or excitement the wine delivers beyond technical quality.

The JamesSuckling.com American Wine of the Year exemplifies all four attributes. The RAEN Pinot Noir Sonoma County Sonoma Coast Royal St. Robert 2023 is a complex, concentrated and ageworthy red from a cool-climate vineyard located just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Only 18 bottles left in stock!

 

2023 Raen Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast St. Robert...$79.99 / 750ml

An amazingly complex, dynamic wine that demands your attention from the first sniff to the lingering finish. Aromas of redwood forest, rosemary, purple flowers and black cherries, then black tea, pomegranate, dark cherry, dried raspberry and wild mushroom flavors. Fine-grained moderate tannins and crunchy acidity give it such a firm backbone. Drink now or hold

Rated 99/100 James Suckling

#4 USA Wine of the Year!!
2022 Soter Pinot Noir Mineral Springs
The No. 4 wine is the second Oregon pinot noir in the top five. The Soter Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton Mineral Springs 2022 represents the latest release of an admirably consistent wine grown on the Soter hilltop winery property.

2022 Soter Pinot Noir Mineral Springs....$79.99
The tension and linearity of this wine are incredible, as fresh, vivid fruit flavors ride an electric wave of bracing acidity from the first whiff to the long, lingering finish. Layers of haunting mushroom, iron and bay leaf nuances meet cranberries, sour cherries, rhubarb and black tea flavors that linger and echo after the last sip. An impeccable wine for drinking now through at least 2032.
Rated 98/100 James Suckling