But, for a 2008 Top 10 wine list, why not? It's just a matter of taste and I'm certainly no market maker. In fact, if I taste a wine I love in the last few days of 2008 and this post has already published, well, I'll probably include it in a 2009 list and no one will ever know the difference.
The list is not categorized by price, region, varietal...by anything really, except for those wines that stood out to me as being both very good and very interesting.
So, here goes...in order of preference:
(1) Leviathan Red 2006 (Napa, CA; $48)...Made by one of Napa's most powerful wine couples, Andy Erickson (Screaming Eagle, Hartwell, Dalla Valle) and viticulturist Anie Favia (Abreu and Screaming Eagle), the Leviathan is a stunning wine. Very well balanced, good fruit up front, long strong finish. A truly rare find in my book. It's meant to be drunk now, so go buy a bottle and share it with good friends, but only those friends who are deserving of and will appreciate this wine.
(2) Scholium Project's 2006 Garden of Babylon Tenbrink (Suisun Valley, CA; $45) - Scholium project is one of the most interesting wineries I've come across in a long time. I first heard about them in the SF Chronicle Cult Wine issue and tried this wine because it was one of the few cult wines I could both find and afford. This is a big, overwhelming wine - huge on the nose, tons of flavor and a very long finish. And it's built to age, so I'm hanging on to what I have left and will let you know again in 5 - 7 years how it's done. Truly delicious and interesting.
(3) Pascual Toso Malbec 2007 (Argentina; $10) - this is, by far, my favorite inexpensive wine of the year. I love Malbecs and this one takes the varietal to another level. It's not as peppery as most other Malbecs, but still has a nice amount of black pepper both on the nose and through the finish. It's a remarkably well-balanced wine for $10 and I would suggest if you find it, buy at least a case. It'll cost you just over a $100, but you will impress your friends, always have a nice, inexpensive wine gift or just have a case of good wine all to yourself.
(4) Dunham Cellars Trutina 2006 (Walla Walla, WA: $26) - I have such a soft spot in my heart for Washington wines. I lived in Seattle for 15 years and just about the time I felt like I understood the Washington wine market, I moved to San Francisco and became absorbed in the California wine market (which is why my list is heavy on the CA wines). But, there are a few wineries that will always stick with me - Dunham, Mark Ryan, Buty, K Vintners - and I will always pick up if I see them. Dunham Trutina has been a trusted wine for years for me and it continues to deliver. Nicely balanced, typical Washington fruit and better with each sip. Now, if I could only figure out how to get some without paying for shipping.
(5) Vinum Cellars Petite Syrah 2007 (Napa, CA; $10) - Picked this up from the Whole Foods Top 10 Holiday wine list and it is fantastic. I've been on a Petite Sirah kick as of late and this one really delivers, particularly for the price as Petite's generally run a little more than this. It's big like other Petite Sirah's - lots of nose, huge flavor and big long finish that makes you want to take a breather (or a knee, whichever works) between sips. It's not as chewy as some other big wines I've had this year, but if you don't like tannic and chewy wine, you should probably stay away from this one. If you do like chewy, go buy some. Now!
(6) Kanzler Vineyards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2006 (Sonoma, CA; $48) - two of my favorite Pinot Noirs of all time are the Sea Smoke Botella and Kosta Browne Kanzler Vineyard (WS 97 for the '05). Both are cost prohibitive and very hard to find, except directly through the wineries and their waiting lists are frustratingly long. Kanzler Vineyards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is absolutely a great alternative as it's the same vineyard as the Kosta Browne single vineyard. Medium color, good fruit flavors, full body for a Pinot and an after-taste that lingers well beyond the last sip. Top of my Pinot list for 2008.
(7) Fleury Lauren Bryce Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Napa, CA; $85) - This wine is the most expensive of my Top Ten, but definitely worth it. If you're not able to afford the bottle, I would suggest heading to the winery, especially if you live in Northern California, like to visit less well-known wineries and are interested in tasting their other wines. The Lauren Bryce cab (named for Brian Fleury's kids) is stunning and one of the richest, most well-balanced and structured Cabs I've ever had. It's definitely a California Cab and heavy on the fruit, but it far surpassed most other wine I've tasted this year, across all varietals and at any price range.
(8) Rebel Wine Company's The Show Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Napa, CA; $12) - My wife found this one and I thank her every time we open a bottle. First, it wins the prize for best label, or three labels, as they developed three different labels for the same wine (brilliant marketing). Rebel Wine Company is the maker and a big force behind it is Joel Gott of Joel Gott wines. I'm a huge fan of everything he makes and The Show is the biggest, most flavorful, most compelling Cabernet Sauvignon I've tasted in this price range. It's available in a lot of grocery stores, including Whole Foods, so buy at least a bottle to try it out. I have two cases in my cellar and it continues to be a go-to wine for me.
(9) 2007 Bandol Rosé Domaine Tempier (France; $38) - Let me be clear...I am not a fan of Rose. I don't think it tastes good. I don't like the color. I don't like the whole notion of a Rose. Just seems wrong to me. But, everyone was on the Rose bandwagon in 2008, so I asked a few of my wine friends for the best Rose they've ever tasted and this one was on the top of everyone's list. I loved it. Tons of body and very rich flavor. K&L Wines describes it the best...Some people think $140,000 is a ridiculous sum to pay for a car. But if Porsche is your passion, and you've studied the engineering and performance of the new Turbo coupe, that price seems more than fair. Others think a pound of fish at $29.99 is obscene, but for those who know of Copper River Salmon's paltry one-month-long availability, and its reputation as the tastiest, richest fish in North America, why not enjoy the delicacy when you can? Well, for rosé fanatics and fans of exceptional wines of all types, there may be no better pink tipple the world over t
han this...(10) Chappellet 2005 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, CA; $125) - this one I cheated on a little , so I can't put it any higher on my list. I have not tasted the '05, but I have tasted the '04 (loved it) and have both the '04 and '05 in my cellar. The '05 just hit #24 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 list, with a score of 96, so I'm including it in my Top Ten. I am a huge Chappellet fan and I know that this bottle will not disappoint, but I'd like to age it a few more years before opening it. At $125 a bottle, it is cost prohibitive for most of us, but I will say this much - I'm hanging on to the couple bottles I have and I guarantee you can't have any. It's that good.
Off to start working on my 2009 Top Ten...
Gadget
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