During his time with Wine Spectator, Suckling tasted an average of 4000 wines annually, half of which were Italian wines.
He tasted some of them on site at the relevant wineries and others he tasted blind in his Italy office.
Responding to Corriere della Sera on how he "understood, judged, and recognised a fine wine", Suckling replied, "Usually you start from the nose, from the scents of the wine.
But for me, this aspect is less important.
I put more emphasis on what I taste in the mouth; I find the concentration of fruit, of the tannins, the alcohol and the acid.
The most revealing element is the persistence of the taste in the mouth, the aftertaste.
And another thing to bear in mind is that a wine is like a person, there isn't one which is the same as the next.
It should be an emotion, not something scientific.
Fine wine is harmony, the balance of all the characteristics which I look for."

In reply to the Italian magazine Gentleman on "what really makes a fine wine", he replied, "wine is like music" and therefore in the same way that most musical enjoyment comes not from knowledge of music but music's appeal to the emotions, wine too should be thought of emotionally by wine drinkers, not scientifically.
He added that each and every good wine should be able "to move you" in some kind of way "like with music, literature and love".

Although Suckling is a noted supporter of Bordeaux wine, as illustrated by his blog response to a Bordeaux-critical article by Eric Asimov, he also has affinity for Italian wines, having stated that he feels Italian grape varieties such as Sangiovese, Aglianico, and Nebbiolo are thoroughly unique.
Conversely he has on occasion spoken dismissively of New World wines, applying the term "jam juice".
During his time with Wine Spectator, Suckling tasted an average of 4000 wines annually, half of which were Italian wines. He tasted some of them on site at the relevant wineries and others he tasted blind in his Italy office. Responding to Corriere della Sera on how he "understood, judged, and recognised a fine wine", Suckling replied, "Usually you start from the nose, from the scents of the wine. But for me, this aspect is less important. I put more emphasis on what I taste in the mouth; I find the concentration of fruit, of the tannins, the alcohol and the acid. The most revealing element is the persistence of the taste in the mouth, the aftertaste. And another thing to bear in mind is that a wine is like a person, there isn't one which is the same as the next. It should be an emotion, not something scientific. Fine wine is harmony, the balance of all the characteristics which I look for."
In reply to the Italian magazine Gentleman on "what really makes a fine wine", he replied, "wine is like music" and therefore in the same way that most musical enjoyment comes not from knowledge of music but music's appeal to the emotions, wine too should be thought of emotionally by wine drinkers, not scientifically. He added that each and every good wine should be able "to move you" in some kind of way "like with music, literature and love".
Although Suckling is a noted supporter of Bordeaux wine, as illustrated by his blog response to a Bordeaux-critical article by Eric Asimov, he also has affinity for Italian wines, having stated that he feels Italian grape varieties such as Sangiovese, Aglianico, and Nebbiolo are thoroughly unique. Conversely he has on occasion spoken dismissively of New World wines, applying the term "jam juice".
James Suckling