The 2025 Wine Spectator Grand Tour Las Vegas – Being in the Room Where it Happens with Eve Bushman
This is the second year I covered the Wine Spectator Grand Tour in Las Vegas. Last year it was held in two rooms at Resorts World, and this time it was at the Wynnin one very spacious ballroom. It’s the only tasting that features wines that Wine Spectator magazine scored at90 points or greater, and there are over 200 of these top-scoring wine bottles to taste!
“Plus, delight your taste buds with gourmet bites perfectly paired to enhance your wine experience, and meet amazing winemakers worldwide!”
Last year, I remembered that about halfway through the tasting, I started to ask, what score did the wines I really liked that night get…and come to find they were well beyond the minimum 90 points, most all of my favorites were 94 to 96 points. So, I was really looking forward to what was going to be poured into my glass this year! And this year I also had more friends in the room: wine educator Diego Meraviglia, wine collectors Jonelle and Aaron Gilden, wine bloggers/influencers Steve and Vashti Roebuck, wine collectors Michael Gattuso and Rommel DG, Chef Jackie, influencer/wine educator Maria the Wine Blonde, Publisher of Food and Beverage Magazine Michael Politz, Founder of the Proof Awards Michele Tell, and Facebook friend/Wine Spectator Senior Editor Tim Fish…
I will begin by sharing my social media and notes on our favorite wines, and also give you the Instagram accounts for most, followed by a hyperlink to the winery list and scores in their entirety.
If you just want photos, go here.
Social Media and More
How was your Saturday night? We were in The Room Where It Happens: we got to cover the Wine Spectator Grand Tour again in Las Vegas! As you can see by my photos, I covered a LOT of ground! Here are some of the 90+ scored wines I really liked; I used the program booklet to share some of the exemplary scores:
Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux: 2021 Don Melchor (96 points and the #1 wine of the year), 2019 Yalumba The Signature Cab and Shiraz, 2018 Chalk Hill Estate Red, 2018 Hall Mount Veeder (95 points), 2021 Darioush, 2021 Pahlmeyer Jayson, 2022 Lewis Cellars, 2022 Chateau Lascombes, and 2021 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. (awarded 96 points).
Other Reds: 2020 Pio Cesare (95 points), 2019 Penfolds Shiraz Bin 798 (96 points), 2020 Fontanafredda Barolo (95 points), 2022 Domaine De Beaurenard Chateauneuf Du Pape, Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape (94 points), 2022 Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz, 2021 Purple Angel Carmenere (94 points), 2021 Torbreck RunRig Shiraz, 2021 Guadal Al Tasso, 2018 Reserva Pradorey, 2021 Saffredi, 2022 Capo Martino, and a 95-point 2021 Monsanto Chianti Classico.
Whites and sparkling: 2021 Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot (94 points), Franciacorta Berlucchi ’61 Rose, Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose Champagne, 2015 Schramsberg Blancs (94 points), 2021 Livio Felluga Illivio and 2023 Round Pond Jannine Bovet Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.
Ports: 2000 Croft Vintage, 2016 Fonseca Vintage (97 points), Graham’s 20 YO Tawny, Taylor Fladgate 20 YO Tawny (94 points), and Ramos Pinto 20 YO Tawny.
@DonMelchorWine @YalumbaWine @ChalkHillEstate @HallWines @DarioushWinery @PahlmeyerWine @LewisCellars @StagsLeapWineCellars @MollyDookerWines @TorbreckBarossa @PradoreyBodegas @ChampagneLaurentPerrier @RoundPondEstate @Schramsberg @CroftPort @FonsecaPort @RamosPintoWines @Wine_Spectator @WSGrandTour
One Final Note
Besides the fabulous wines, we did enjoy meeting and finding out the favorites from other wine lovers in the room, as well as rubbing elbows with the top winemakers from all over the world. This is a not-to-be-missed event!
Complete winery, wine list, and their scores can be found here.
https://grandtour.winespectator.com/
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email [email protected] to ask a question about wine or spirits.
