The Buyer | World’s best wines revealed at Wine Pinnacle Awards 2022

Over 500 leading figures from across the world of wine were in Singapore last week to mark the 20022 Wine Pinnacle Awards. Here are the highlights of what happened.

The Wine Pinnacle Awards hopes to live up to its name by recruiting some of the most talented, influential and important figures in the world of wine to use their expertise to select the very best wines that they believe are setting the standards and benchmarks for the rest of the wine industry.

The results represent the opinions of 61 jury members from around the globe – comprising 38 Masters of Wine, six Master Sommeliers, and six ASI Best Sommeliers that have been brought together and elected by the awards’ five-member Technical Committee.

The great and good of the wine world came together for the Wine Pinnacle Awards 2022

It was up to the Technical Committee to determine the awards’ categories and how the judging process was going to be done. The Committee was headed up by Jeannie Cho Lee MW and included: Andreas Larsson of Sweden;Doug Frost of the United States; Kenichi Ohashi MW of Japan; and Oz Clarke of the UK.

To help mark the Gala Dinner for the 2022 Wine Pinnacle Award, guests were invited to enjoy an eight-hands, four-course collaboration dinner, that had been specially curated by four of the most renowned chefs in the world: Arnaud Dunand Sauthier (two Michelin stars, Maison Dunand Bangkok); Cedric Vongerichten (Wayan, New York); chef Guillaume Galliot (three Michelin stars, Caprice Hong Kong); and Olivier Bellin (two Michelin stars, L’Auberge des Glazicks). The chefs each presented a course meticulously paired with rare and exceptional wines from Domaine de Montille, Château Léoville-Las Cases, and Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm.

Four chefs and seven Michelin stars between them…

“As a chef, it’s all about tasting, discovering, and having an open mind. Like wine, as it ages and becomes more elegant and refined, the more I travel, the more knowledge I gather, and I get better and better with age and experience as long as there is passion in the mind,” explained Guillaume Galliot.

The Awards Process

Each jury member was asked to submit up to nine votes for wines and producers in each category, according to their preference. Each wine and winemaker then received a total number of points after an audit of each vote. Nominees with the highest points were chosen as the winners of their category.

Wine Pinnacle Awards 2022:

Pandemic Hero (Personality): Barbara Banke, chairman and proprietor of Jackson Family Wines

“We are cognizant of the difficulties faced by many people in the wine industry over the past few years. Barbara Banke and Jackson Family Wines are the epitome of a pandemic hero with their outstanding contributions to a society significantly affected by the pandemic.” – Jeannie Cho Lee MW.

Best Friend Of The Earth (Winery): Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Alsace, France

“In my opinion, Best Friend of the Earth is the most important category of all. If we are to have a future in wine and on the earth, we must better steward our place on the earth.” – Doug Frost MW & MS.

Best 1996, 1998, 2000 Vintage Bordeaux Red: 1996 Château Latour

“Château Latour’s determination to make the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine in the world from its vineyards in Pauillac has never wavered. If you ever yearn to experience the true glory of a majestic, imperious red Bordeaux in its pomp, this is the wine.” – Oz Clarke.

Best Recent Release – Cabernet Sauvignon: 2018 Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA

“Due to the scarcity of Burgundy wines, wine lovers are becoming enthusiastic about exploring excellent Pinot Noir wines. However, Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the most widely planted international varieties, is the one that has long been an obsession of wine lovers around the world. The reaffirmation of the world’s best Cabernet Sauvignon is of great importance, and this wine deserves the honour.” – Kenichi Ohashi MW.

Comfort White < €40 / S$56: 2019 Joh. Jos. Prüm, Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Mosel, Germany

Comfort Red < €40 / S$56: 2019 Domaine Jean Foillard, Morgon, Beaujolais, France

Comfort Rosé < €40 / S$56: 2020 Château Miraval, Côtes de Provence Rosé, Provence, France

“Despite all of the illustrious names and great vintages, I’m always eager to see the everyday or comfort wines because that’s what you end up drinking the most of.” Andreas Larsson.

Top 3 Nominees and Winners

Mature Wines

Best 2002, 2004, 2008 Vintage Champagne

2008 Louis Roederer, Cristal Millésimé Brut (Winner)
2002 Krug, Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
2002 Salon, Cuvée ‘S’ Le Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs

Best 1999, 2002 Vintage Burgundy Red

1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche Grand Cru Monopole (Winner)
1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru
2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche Grand Cru Monopole

Best 1996, 1998, 2000 Vintage Bordeaux Red

1996 Château Latour (Winner)
1998 Château Cheval Blanc
2000 Château Haut-Brion

Best 2001, 2004 Vintage Piedmont Red

2001 Giacomo Conterno, Monfortino Barolo Riserva DOCG (Winner)
2001 Bruno Giacosa, Falletto Riserva, Falleto Vigna Le Rocche Barolo DOCG
2004 Giacomo Conterno, Monfortino Barolo Riserva DOCG

Best 2004, 2006 Vintage Tuscan Red

2004 Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia Bolgheri (Winner)
2006 Masseto
2006 Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia Bolgheri

Oz Clarke shares his experience and thoughts on some of the world’s best wines

Best Recent Releases

Best Recent Release: Sauvignon-Blanc

2018 Château Margaux, Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux, Bordeaux, France (Winner)
2018 Didier Dagueneau, Pouilly-Fumé Silex, Loire, France
2019 Château Margaux, Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Best Recent Release: Riesling

2019 Joh. Jos. Prum, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel, Germany (Winner)
2018 F.E. Trimbach, Clos Sainte Hune Riesling, Alsace, France
2018 Egon Müller, Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese, Mosel, Germany

Best Recent Release: Burgundy White

2019 Domaine Bonneau du Martray, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (Winner)
2016 Domaine Coche-Dury, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
2018 Domaine Leflaive, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

Best Recent Release: Chardonnay (ex-Burgundy)

2018 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River, Australia (Winner)
2018 Cullen, Kevin John Chardonnay, Margaret River, Australia
2019 Kumeu River, Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay, Auckland, New Zealand

Best Recent Release: Cabernet Sauvignon

2018 Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA (Winner)
2016 Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia, Bolgheri, Italy
2019 Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA

Best Recent Release: Pinot Noir (ex-Burgundy)

2018 Tolpuddle Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Tasmania, Australia (Winner)
2018 Ata Rangi, Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand
2019 By Farr, Farrside Pinot Noir, Geelong, Australia

Best Recent Release: Rhone Red

2016 Château Rayas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France (Winner)
2016 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage, France
2017 E. Guigal, Côte-Rôtie, La Landonne, France

Best Recent Release: Spanish Red

2010 Vega Sicilia, Unico Gran Reserva, Ribera del Duero, Spain (Winner)
2018 Pingus, Dominio de Pingus, Ribera del Duero, Spain
Vega Sicilia, Unico Reserva Especial Release 2021 (2009, 2010, 2010 vintages), Ribera del Duero, Spain