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 2009 so mostly 2006 vintage with a few from 2005 and 2007. My top twenty wines will be a little different from most for a few reasons. First, the list will be dominated by red wines because that 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 many if any of 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, Screaming Eagle and Schrader. I haven’t tasted these wines so I can’t very well offer an opinion except that they are overpriced no mater how well they are made or 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).

Wines 4-2 and the Wine of the Year

4. 2007 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes – Huge wine. Currant, smoke and spice

3. 2006 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon - Dark toasted oak and blackberry aromas lead the way. Black currant, smokey tobacco, tar hints, fig  and dark chocolate add to the complexity. The finish has a very earthy note and is lingering. A nice balance of fruit and minerality.

2.  2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - Beautiful ruby red color. The nose shows oaky-woody spice notes as well as red red raspberry flavors. The mouth feel is in a sense lush which adds to the complexity because I found the fruit notes crisp and bright. Red, cherry, raspberry and spice hang on through the long finish that adds a hint of mineralitiy.

Wine Of The Year

2006 Delectus Cuvee Julia - Very dark purple all the way to the rim. The aromas are a wonderful mix of black currant, cherry and vanilla. Across the palate the fruit really shines with black cherry, plumb stew, and blackberry. There is a lot going on but everything in its place and working very well together. Simply outstanding.

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 2009 so mostly 2006 vintage with a few from 2005 and 2007. My top twenty wines will be a little different from most for a few reasons. First, the list will be dominated by red wines because that 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 many if any of 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, Screaming Eagle and Schrader. I haven’t tasted these wines so I can’t very well offer an opinion except that they are overpriced no mater how well they are made or 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).

First, wines ranked  10 through 5

10. 2006 Kobalt Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - Although still young this wine shows all the signs of being well-rounded and built for the long haul. Black cherry, currant and vanilla notes.

9. 2006 Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - Dark purple all the way to the rim. Lots of red fruit flavors and hints of black currant as well. The style is refined and well put together.

8. 2008 Michele Chiarlo Moscato d’Asti Nivole - A great summer sparkling wine.

7. 2006 Chappellet Vineyard Cabernet Franc Pritchard Hill Estate – Very well balanced wine. Violets, cherry and tea notes all working well together.

6. 2007 DuMOL Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – Another great vintage of this excellent fruit forward Pinot. Big cherry and  raspberry flavors and a complex finish.

 5. 2007 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Franc – Dusty cherry and spice on the nose. This wine is improving in the bottle and shows nice blackberry and plumb fruit across the palate with hints of spice and tobacco. The finish is moderately tannic and lingering.  A tremendous value.

My “Wine of the Year” will be one of the following (revealed in the next post)

In alphabetical order:

2006 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Delectus Cuvee Julia

2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2007 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes

Dusty cherry and spice on the nose. This wine is a bit young but still shows nice blackberry and plumb fruit across the palate with hints of spice and tobacco. The finish is moderately tannic and lingering. An excellent value at $28. The fruit for this red wine comes from the Wahluke Slope AVA around Yakima, Washington. It’s one of the warmest climate growing regions in Washington state. Gravelly, rocky soil, combined with a dry, warm climate, make Wahluke Slope one of the best places in Washington to grow wine grapes.

We attended the Euphoria Grand Wine Tasting event in downtown Greenville today. We were impressed with some very fine wines and a few that were great values. Some of the outstanding wines we sampled were the 2006 Buehler Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006 Chono Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, 1987 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2004 Elivette,  and the Eagle Eye Voluptuous. Some of the surprise values were the 2006 TEIRA Sonoma County Zinfandel, 2006 Magellan Ponant, the 2006 Cucao Cabernet Syrah, and the Saxon Brown Flora Ranch Syrah.

The best of the best went to the 2005 Burly Napa Cabernet Sauvignon which edged out the 2004 Xtant Napa Valley Red Wine. More about all of these wines soon.

Overall this Pinot is good but not great. It’s silky smooth but is slightly lacking in fruit. There are hints of tart red berry flavors and a touch of spice. The finish is short and the tannins are still heavy on the end. The Botella vineyard has rich, well-drained clay loam soil.  The site features southern exposure and the cool microclimate of the Santa Ynez River canyon which is in the Santa Rite Hills AVA.

The nose has glass filling notes of wild berry, spice and oak. Across the palate currant dominates the profile with shadings of vanilla, plum and an ending mineral edge. The tannins arestill a little aggressive but may soften with more bottle time. This producers is very consistent and is one of the better “value” Napa Cabernet Sauvignons today. I say ”value” because it’s rare to find a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon of this quality for $55.  Excellent.

Abundant aromas of wild berry and spice. In the mouth the wild berry continues and adds tart cherry, a nutty flavor and a hit of spice and tannin that firm up on the finish. Really stands up to hot and spicy food. Needs a little more time in the bottle.  A blend of 76% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah, 7% Syrah, 6% Grenache and 3% Carignane. The grapes are sourced from nine different vineyards throughout Sonoma County. The Three Valleys in the name refer to the Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and the Russian River Valley. The wine is aged in 100% American oak barrels for nine months.

Deep purple in color. Aromas of sandalwood, currant and plumb stew. A nice balanceof mineralityand black fruit on the palate. The tannins are present on the long finish but not in the way. Classic Italian Super Tucsan blend. 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 10% Sangiovese.

Beautiful currant and plumb notes on the nose. The currant and plumb hang on throuhg the palatte with some spice and cherry notes on top. The finish is long and balanced with the oaky note hanging on till the end. This red wine blend consists of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Petit Verdot and 12% Merlot. The fruit for tis wine was sourced from vineyards in Oakville, Yountville, St. Helena, and Coombsville and aged in 100% French Oak. Excellent.