Quick post today. Wines 4, 3 and 2 were just posted at the Spectator…

4. 2005 Chateau Guiraud Sauternes - 97 points, $57. In line with our follow-up comment yesterday that if there would be a white this year, it would be a Sauternes.
3. 2005 Quinta de Crasto, Douro Reserva Old Vines - 95 points, $40, this is the dark horse of the top ten and was astutely predicted by Tim Elliott of Winecast (he had it in 7th position, but we’ll forgive him that minor discrepancy).
and
2. 2005 Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux - 97 points, $100 according to the Spectator but try finding it for under $150 (and after today, we’re guessing closer to $200). Not surprisingly, another Bordeaux.

And this should give the top spot to a Napa Cab, unless the Spectator is completely dissing California this year, which is highly unlikely. My guess is for the new Mondavi Continuum project or the 2005 Scarecrow, but what do I know? Italy with all its Tuscan drama seems left out in the cold.

I was wrong. The Burgundy-shaped bottle for the number five wine was not for a Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, but for another Rhone, the 2005 Vieux Telegraphe Le Crau. I find it fairly amazing and intriguing that no Chards or Pinots will make the top ten. Unless the WS pulls a graphical switch, the remaining bottles all appear to be of the Bordeaux variety.

Expect at least two more 2005 Bordeaux, a Napa Cab, and who knows what else? Maybe a super-Tuscan.

Right now, wines ten through five have been revealed, and they are:

10. 2007 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel
9. 2007 Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz
8. 2005 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape
7. 2005 Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac
6. 2004 Pio Cesare Barolo
5. 2005 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape Le Crau

#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.

It’s that time…the week when the Spectator reveals its Top Ten from their Top 100 WOTY issue. Looks like decent sized production is a factor, with the 2007 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel ranked at #10 (68,000 cases made, $24/bottle, 93 points) and the 2007 Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz taking the #9 position (2,596 cases made, $90/bottle, 95 points).

We actually got an allocation of the Carnival of Love this year and decided not to take it, since $90 just seemed over the edge of fair. Oh well, I suppose now it wouldn’t have been an issue unloading it, but you live and learn.

On a more important note, so far there are no winners in the guessing game, with no participants having chosen either Seghesio or Mollydooker in their entries to the d547 contest.