Wine Lister’s latest blog examines the top five wines by average critics’ score within each major appellation, informed by ratings from our partner critics, Antonio Galloni and Neal Martin (Vinous), Bettane+Desseauve, JancisRobinson.com, and Ella Lister (Le Figaro Vin).

Margaux, Palmer, and Rauzan-Ségla retain their same positions on the list of top Margaux wines in 2024, while sporting lower scores than in 2023 (down 1.6, 0.8, and 0.9 points, respectively). Similarly, Brane-Cantenac remains in fifth place, while new-entry Lascombes takes fourth place.

Pauillac is the highest-scoring appellation overall. Pauillac’s highest-scoring 2024, Latour, has maintained its first-place position since 2022, while fellow First Growths, Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild, have swapped positions since 2023 – this year, Lafite Rothschild takes second place, and Mouton Rothschild comes in at third.

The second highest-scoring appellation overall in 2024, Pomerol sees one of the greatest variations in its top-five list over the past three vintages. Vieux Château Certan secured first place in 2022, narrowly missed out on the top-five in 2023 (securing sixth place), but made its way back onto the leaderboard in 2024, coming in at fifth place. La Conseillante achieves the highest average critics’ score in the appellation for two years running, this year with 95.3.

In Saint-Émilion, newcomers on the top-five list include Angélus, which achieves the highest average critics’ score (94.9), and Trotte Vieille, in fifth place with 94.1 points. Figeac, which took first place in 2023, appears in second place with 94.6 points, while Cheval Blanc appears in fourth place, down from second place in 2023.

In Saint-Estèphe, Montrose, Cos d'Estournel, Calon Ségur, and Phélan Ségur maintain their same positions in the top-five list for the second year running. Meyney enters in fifth position this year (replacing Haut-Marbuzet) and is the appellation’s biggest climber (in terms of average critics’ score), with its score increasing by 0.4.

In Saint-Julien, the top two spots have flipped in 2024, with Ducru-Beaucaillou gaining the highest average score of the appellation (95.3), followed by Léoville Las Cases with 94.8. Léoville Barton replaces Léoville Poyferré in third place this year, while Bechevelle makes an appearance in fourth place – its average critics’ score in 2024 is the same as in 2023.

Haut-Brion Blanc leads the way for dry whites in 2024 with 95.5 points, while appearing in third place in the overall top-scorer list (see here). Haut-Brion Blanc, La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, and Domaine de Chevalier Blanc are repeated features on the list, while Pavillion Blanc makes a new entry.

The top-scoring wine in Sauternes and Barsac is Guiraud, with a score of 94.9. Suduiraut sits in second place this year, while Coutet (in third place) and Rieussec (in fifth place) are the newcomers in this top-five this year, replacing La Tour Blanche and de Fargues.