Each bottle of wine from the top winemakers in the world tells a story.
Here are 15 of the best wine brands and their finest bottles, from classics from France to bold newcomers from the USA, Italy, and Australia.
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The Best Bottles of Wine to Buy
Each of the ten best brands in the world’s winemaking regions has been hand-picked, along with two of the most exciting wines.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild (Bordeaux, France)
Château Lafite Rothschild is a classified First Growth wine estate in Bordeaux. It’s renowned for making some of the world’s most expensive, collectible red wines.
Its main grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon (the most popular), Merlot (second), Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
2021 Chateau Lafite Rothschild (652) This classic Bordeaux red wine is composed of 80-95% Cabernet Franc, 5-20% Merlot and up to a maximum of 5% Cabernet Franc. It is a full-bodied and tannic wine with notes of earth, cedar, and cigar box spices.
2015 Chateau Lafite’ Carruades de Lafite ($414): Chateau Lafite’s second wine is named after a group of plots located on the Carruades Plateau, adjacent to the Chateau’s vines. The blend is 50-70% Cabernet Franc, 30-50% Merlot and a total of 0-5% Cabernet Franc.
It has many of the same characteristics as the Grand Vin but has a different personality because it is a Merlot-based wine. It is velvety and elegant and has aromas of sweet tobacco, cocoa, and brown spices.
Penfolds Southbank (Australia)
Penfolds, founded in Adelaide in 1844, is one of Australia’s oldest wine producers. It follows three distinct wine production styles — single vineyard, single region, multi-region, and multi-varietal blending.
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir are the most common grapes used to make its wines.
2014 Penfolds Grange Bin95 ($650): Penfolds Grange, a multi-regional blend of multi-varietals, is widely considered a collector’s item. This Australian First Growth is a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2014 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 Shiraz opens with spicy notes, hints of oak, and ripe tannic.
2012 Penfolds Bin 311 Henty Chardonnay (58 dollars) The Bin 311 Chardonnay was made with fruit from Adelaide Hills and Tasmania. This wine has mineral acidity and citrus flavors with complex aromas and flavors of creme brûlée, white nectarine, and peach. It is a great treat for wine enthusiasts.
Marchesi Antinori (Tuscany, Italy)
Marchesi Antinori is an Italian winery whose history dates back to the 1300s. Its main vineyard lies in the Chianti Classico appellation in Florence, but the winemaker has operations in other countries.
2016 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT (206 $) Tignanello is the most famous wine from Antinori. The 47-hectare Santa Cristina vineyard is the source of its name. This wine is made of 85% Sangiovese 10%, Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. It is known for its freshness, acidity, and austerity.
2016 Marchesi Antinori Solaia Toscana (IGT $465): Solaia is a 10-hectare vineyard located next to Tenuta Tignanello in Chianti Classico. The Tuscan red wine of the same name is made with 75% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Franc.
The 2016 Marchesi Antinori Solaia Toscana IG wine has a bright acidity and refined tannins. It also offers cassis, warm spice, and flavors of blueberry, cranberry, and crushed mint.
Louis Roederer (Champagne, France)
Louis Roederer is a Champagne house based in Reims, France. It’s one of the last remaining family companies that the Roederers still run.
The estate covers 240 hectares of land in three Champagne regions: Montagne de Réims, Cote Des Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne.
NV Louis Roederer Brut Premier (60 USD) This elegantly complex non-vintage champagne combines four vintages in a blend consisting of 40% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. Pinot Meunier is also included. This is a deliciously fruity and creamy Champagne with notes of toast, white fruits, lime juice, and almonds.
2009 Louis Roederer Millesime Brut (US$ 379): Louis Roederer made the first Prestige Cuvee of the Champagne Region in 1876 to satisfy Tsar Alexander II’s demands. This Cuvee was created by blending 40% Chardonnay with 60% Pinot Noir.
The 2009 Louis Roederer Millesime is a smooth-textured wine with a fresh acidity. It has fruity aromas of white fruits and citrus.
Harlan Estate (Napa Valley, California)
Harlan Estate is a famous winemaker based in Napa Valley, California. It produces some of the world’s top-notch Bordeaux-style blends. Interestingly, Cabernet Sauvignon wines are one of the most expensive and revered wines in the Napa Valley region.
This Napa Valley Estate has 40 acres of vines with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. There is also 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.
2010 Harlan Estate (1,671) The Harlan Estate 2010 is a rich, full-bodied wine with hints of cloves, leather, menthol, and dark fruit. This Napa Valley Wine tastes best after 3 to 5 years in the bottle and will continue to drink well for 30 years.
2005 Harlan Estate (1,342) The Harlan Estate is a Bordeaux-style Napa Valley red wine with a fruity and opulent style. The wine has notes of violets, blackberries, blueberries, and spring flowers with a smooth, velvety finish. This Napa Valley wine will taste its best when it warms in your glass.
Weingut Egon Muller, Scharzhof (Mosel, Germany)
Weingut Egon Müller, Scharzhof, is a family-owned German winery in the Saar Valley sub-region of the Mosel in Germany. Winemaker Egon Müller IV owns it, and it produces wines exclusively from Riesling grapes.
Wines from Weingut Egon Muller are available at prices that are unbeatable and have been dubbed by some “the Romanee Conti of Riesling.” However, the winery sells a variety of wines for prices as low as $50.
Best Egon Muller Scharzhofberger wines:
2016 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinette ($159) This Riesling has a lush, complex palate, with notes of berries, earth, apple, and musk. The nose is very fresh and clear with spicy notes. It is delicious when it’s young, but it has a great potential to age.
1998 Egon Müller Scharzhof Riesling (QbA) ($254) The Scharzhof Riesling is a good introduction to Egon Mueller Rieslings. The grapes for this wine are from Muller’s Saarburg, Wawern, and Wiltinger Braunfels vineyards, as well as Kupp and Wiltinger Braunfels vineyards. This light but intense 1998 vintage wine has a palate that is dominated by lime and slate flavors, with ripe peach, apple, and pear notes.
Screaming Eagle (Napa Valley, USA)
Screaming Eagle Winery and Vineyards is located in Oakville in the Napa Valley wine region. Its cult Napa Valley wines are produced in limited quantities (only around 500 cases a year) and command high prices.
The vineyards of the company are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, as well as a small quantity of Sauvignon blanc.
In the 1980s, Jean Philips began acquiring vineyard plots as a real estate agent. Robert Mondavi, the owner of Napa Valley’s largest vineyard, encouraged her to move into winemaking. Screaming Eagle began its winemaking business in 1992 with Heidi Barrett’s first vintage.