Hello dear wine connoisseurs,
and welcome to your new Bonner Private Wines video. I’m your host, Julien Miquel, Bordeaux-trained winemaker and seasoned wine taster. Today, I want to give you an opportunity to experience, taste, and stock up on absolutely delicious wines from around the world—small producers scattered across the globe, bottles you won’t find anywhere else because they’re made in very limited quantities.
Our whole team here at Bonner Wine Club—Will Bonner, Diego, Matt, Lucy, myself, and everyone else—works hard all year long, tasting and reviewing hundreds of wines from small wineries to bring you the best of the best. Every bottle combines high quality with genuine character from a special place on Earth.
Among the wines you received quarterly this year, I want to share the ones I personally loved above all others—the wines I’ll be enjoying over the holidays with friends and family, and keeping in my cellar for 2025 and beyond. Here are my six favorite wines from our 2024 collections.
Let’s go!
Our 2024 Wine Journey
This year, we began in the high-altitude vineyards of Argentina, as is tradition for us. Then we traveled to sunny Spain, enjoyed a rosé and a vermouth during summer, and finally explored the fine wines of France.
Rather than organizing by country, I’ve grouped these wines by style—so you can choose based on your personal preferences or the occasion.
We’ll start with:
Lighter, fruity reds
Gourmet reds (the sweet spot for texture and richness)
Big wines for aging and hearty dishes
Lighter, Fruity Reds
Two wines truly stood out for me in this category.
The first comes from Argentina: Exploración, from our friend Agustín Lanús and his Sunal Winery. Made from the traditional Argentine grape Criolla Chica, this wine combines lightness of body and tannins with plenty of spice and berry fruit. Grown at extreme altitude in the Andes, it delivers remarkable depth and complexity while remaining highly approachable.
The second is a Pinot Noir from the Mediterranean coast of Spain—quite unusual. Thanks to an elevated plateau and the cooling influence of the nearby sea, this wine offers ripe fruit concentration alongside the freshness we expect from Pinot Noir. It reminded me of an aged Grand Cru from Burgundy.
These wines are perfect for appetizers, aperitifs, salads, white meats, and even white fish.
Gourmet Reds
This category includes rich, opulent wines with elegance and balance.
One standout was a Beaujolais from a tiny French producer working old vines on hilly landscapes in central France. The wine showed incredible concentration, vibrant acidity, explosive berry flavors, and herbal notes, with a long, expressive finish.
Another favorite came from Argentina: an extreme-altitude Malbec grown at 9,000 feet, blended with small portions of Syrah and Cabernet Franc. It delivered dark chocolate, cocoa, spice, and a remarkably smooth, balanced finish—an absolutely stunning wine.
We also had excellent Cabernet Francs from both Argentina and France, along with standout selections from southern France, Ribera del Duero, and Rioja. Choosing favorites here was no easy task.
Big Wines for Aging and Hearty Dishes
For grilled meats, steaks, and comfort foods, you’ll want one of these powerful wines—both with excellent aging potential.
The first is a Spanish wine from Toro, made from Tempranillo grown in hotter conditions. The result is a dense, powerful wine with finesse, spice, balance, and depth.
The second is from Argentina: Treinta y Tres by Davalos, from vineyards at extreme altitude near Bill Bonner’s ranch. Made primarily from Malbec with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Bonarda, this wine is intensely concentrated, complex, and capable of long-term aging—yet already delicious today.
Both of these wines can be enjoyed now or cellared from 2024 through 2040.
Closing
Have fun with this selection. Thank you very much for your support this year. There are still plenty of videos to come in 2024, and many more opportunities to learn about wine together.
Drink safely, drink tastily, and see you soon.
Cheers!
