My top picks of 2023 are a host of bottles that I found particularly rewarding and which are (mostly) available or will be in early 2024. Please read about them and why I chose them in the tasting notes below.
Here, I’ve composed a short recap of highlights from 2023 which, in case you missed some of the stories, are linked to below. It is a privilege being Decanter’s Napa correspondent, and I’m so grateful for the hospitality extended to me, and all the time and energy wineries expended in welcoming me to their tasting table this year.
{"content":"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"}
Jonathan Cristaldi’s top wines of 2023:
{}
{"wineId":"77960","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77958","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77955","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77953","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77954","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77952","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77956","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77959","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77957","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"77961","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
Related articles
