Wine Spectator Wine of the Year Top Ten: #8 and #7 Revealed

November 11th, 2008

Bordeaux, Rhone, Top 10 Wines of the Year, Wine Spectator, WOTY

#8: 2005 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape
#7: 2005 Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac

Looks like the Spectator is going heavy on a couple of things this year:

First, the 2005 vintage in France (and likely California for Napa Cabs) reigns. They’re just avoiding 2006, which makes sense for Bordeaux given that the 2006 stock hasn’t really hit the marketplace yet, but not so much for the Rhone where the 2006’s are plentiful. I guess they just don’t find the 2006 Clos des Papes as good as the 2005 Beaucastel?

Second, the Bordeaux shaped bottle dominates the Top Ten. I noticed this yesterday when I first looked at the silhouettes of the bottles, and Tim pointed to it in his comment as well. The Spectator does really seem to telegraph their choices through the graphics. Of the wines revealed thus far, only one of four is in a Burgundy-shaped bottle (the Beaucastel, of course). Of the six still to be announced, there’s but one lonely Burgundy-shaped bottle left. I’d expect this to be either a 2005 (Red) or 2006 (White) Burgundy, or a California Chardonnay.

Pinot Noir from stateside is probably a non-starter, as nobody has raved about the 2006 offerings from Kosta Browne and the likes, which were under-performers from a point-perspective.

FYI we have a contestant on the boards, with one entrant listing the 2005 Pontet (but no “Canet”) in his entry. Good for at least partial credit!

More madness follows tomorrow.

2 Responses to “Wine Spectator Wine of the Year Top Ten: #8 and #7 Revealed”

dhonig
November 11th, 2008 at 10:16 am

Kosta Brown? Argh! If I wanted over-extracted vanilla-laced oak juice I would buy grocery store Cabernet.
Vino Vangelist
November 12th, 2008 at 4:51 am

What betters 2005?

get your wine on

2007 Scholium Project Naucratis Verdelho

Abe Schoener strikes again, this time with a great Verdelho at a slightly lower price-point than the Gemella. This is 100% tank-fermented and a very dry, mineral-laden wine. This is one of the reasons why Schoener is earning status as a winemaker as a cult winemaker. It delivers. $28 for Scholium goodness.

2007 Skylark Cellars Alondra Chardonnay

I admit, I really don’t dig Chardonnay, so you don’t see many around these parts. I do, however, love this one. Not surpisingly, it’s unoaked. $18 of un-oaked, un-malo’ed goodness!

2007 La Fenetre “A Coté” Red Blend, Santa Barbara County from Timeless Palate Wines

This is astoundingly good for the money. It’s 60% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, and 40% Merlot from the Bien Nacido Vineyard. The winemaker, Josh Klapper, is a mere 29 years old and one to watch. This is red, juicy and lush but not over the top. $18 and worth every penny.

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freshly pressed

Wine Store Design Continued: More Racks and Lights and Stuff:

Just a couple of images for the now…

Some of the single-depth racks, assembled (thanks again to Tim Krablin of Modern Cellar for the photo)…

And the interior of one of the lampshades, of which there will be 48, in three different shades of blue-ish purple. Keep in mind this is 36″ in diameter — as in three feet (the exterior is aluminum, non-powdercoated. I’ll let your imagination do the work).

Maybe one day I’ll post about the wines I’ve been tasting and stocking, and actually try to sell you something…which would possibly help me pay for all these neat things…ummmm, maybe next week…

Wine Store Design Continued: More Racks and Lights and Stuff

June 19th, 2009

Wine Store Design Part 4: Wine Rack Construction

June 5th, 2009

Wine Store Design Part 3: Urinal Defense Fund

June 3rd, 2009

wine jargon

Frizzante
From Wikipedia: Frizzante is an Italian wine term term for semi-sparkling wine (as opposed to Spumante, which is generally used for fully sparkling wines). Frizzante wines generally owe their bubbles to a partial secondary fermentation in tank. You might notice a light fizz or tingly sensation on the tongue with a Frizzante wine, compared to the more carbonated sensation that more fully sparkling wines yield.

Scorekage
Okay, so we made up this word yesterday after a great restaurant experience. We brought a bottle of wine with us, expecting to pay a corkage fee. But the restaurant either forgot to charge us the $15, or decided to be nice to us. We scored! Hence, “scorekage” has entered our lexicon. This can also refer to BYO friendly restaurants that don’t charge for corkage under any circumstances.

Frizzante

March 29th, 2008

Scorekage

March 23rd, 2008

Rioja

March 3rd, 2008

grapewise

I recently stopped by Venokado, a new-ish shop in LA. I bought a Lirac imported by Kermit Lynch, and it was yummers. Last night I had the pleasure of spending some time with one of its owners, Susan Brink.

domaine547