In 2024, I wrote 190 articles, with most of the articles reviewing at least one bottle of wine. From a quick calculation, I wrote about 493 wines on mywinepal this year. Wines submitted to me through the year ranged from 
to 
wines, but I usually only post wines that were at least 
.
5-star wines are the wines that I cannot find anything lacking or anything that I would remove from them. They are perfect as-is. This year I gave three wines my 5-star rating. Less than 1% of the wines I reviewed were rated at 5 stars. I congratulate each of these three wines and the wineries that produced them. The first wine is Da Silva Vineyards & Winery Legado Chardonnay 2021, from BC, the second wine is Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 from Napa Valley, and the third is Azienda Agricola Inama I Palchi Soave Classico DOC 2021, from Italy. The Chardonnay and Soave are white wines, while the Cabernet Sauvignon is a red wine. Not all 5-star wines need long descriptors, fawning over the wine. My review of the Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is quite short as I wrote it during a portfolio tasting as I stood in front of the table where the wine was poured.
Don’t hesitate to purchase these wines from the winery or from your local wine shop. None of these wines are available at BC Liquor stores.
My Top 5-Star Wines
Da Silva Vineyards & Winery Legado Chardonnay 2021, BC (BC $64.99) – “Legado” is their top tier of wines. This wine is stainless steel fermented, aged 15 months in French oak barrels. Partial malolactic fermentation. Painstakingly selected over 15 months from 4 of the most exceptional barrels of the 2021 vintage. This truly is an exceptional wine. It has a deeper, bright lemon colour. Nice, medium-intensity aromas of pineapple and cedar. Wow, it has a thick, viscous mouthfeel. Ripe, rich pears and pineapple flavours plus sweet spices and cedar. Medium-minus acidity. Medium-plus to long length with a touch of sweetness on the finish. Smooth to the end.
Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019, California – A rich, red fruit nose along with cedar aromas. These aromas carry to the palate. You can also add red cherry flavours. A smooth wine with a buttery, light mouthfeel. Medium acidity and fine tannins. Elegant.
Azienda Agricola Inama I Palchi Soave Classico DOC 2021, Italy – Made from the Garganega grape. It has great popularity so many wineries began making it, without the equivalent amount of quality. One of the champions of this wine is Inama. Stefano Inama, works with his sons, to produce quality Soave. This wine is oaked but still has achieved lightness. This wine is a result of 20 years of work. This wine is from a selection of grapes. The revolution for this wine started around 2011 to improve viticulture. They spent eight years updating the vineyard management for these grapes, in particular pruning, soil management, and minimizing chemicals. They judged the grapes on a plot-by-plot basis. This is the third vintage of this particular wine. This wine has a deep, bright lemon colour. Rich, deep aromas of tropical fruit, and touches of honey and butterscotch. Fuller body, dry with a soft, smooth mouthfeel. Citrus, apple, butterscotch and floral flavours. Smooth flavours. Medium-plus acidity adds texture to this wine. Medium-plus length. Delicious.
I tasted several wines that almost made it to the 5-star rating. I will post those wines in a separate article on Boxing Day. Happy Holidays.
