As we draw to the end of the year it’s time to start thinking about the best wines of the year. The wines are those that have been released in calendar year 2008 so mostly 2005 vintage with a few from 2004 and 2006. My top twenty wines will be a little different than most for a few reasons. First, the list will be dominated by red wines becausethat is what I prefer. I am sure there are many, many great white wines that should be on someones top list but I wouldn’t know because I don’t taste them. Second, the list will contain many new world wines. I don’t buy very many old world wines. The style I prefer is more new world so that is what I taste. Finally the wines on the list are wines that I have purchased with my hard earned dollars or something that I have tasted at a wine event either as a guest or a paid attendee. I am not on lists like Colgin or Screaming Eagle. I haven’t tasted these wines so I can’t very well offer an opinion except that they are overpriced no mater how good they taste. I am your typical wine enthusiast who has a wine budget. No one is sending me wine to taste for free (one can dream however).
I’ll start with the bottom five and work my way up to the top five over the next week or so.
20. 2005 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
19. 2005 Five Star Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley
18. 2005 Seghesio Zinfindel, Sonoma Valley
17. 2005 Buehler Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
16. 2005 Delectus Merlot, Napa Valley
