Comparing the faves: A survey of recent selections by respected wine experts. I highlight their more-affordable picks (unless there’s a good reason to do otherwise), focusing on possible choices for weekend purchases. Check out their websites for background and other picks:
2005 Conundrum Napa Valley, U.S.A.:
Natalie MacLean says it’s her favorite white pick—with “stunning aromas of white flowers, orange blossom, lychee and honeysuckle.” $28.95
2006 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir New Zealand:
Richard Kinssies describes it as “fresh and cheerful with hints of spicy black pepper and a whiff of red cherry and raspberry fruit.” $19
Viña Tabali Late Harvest Muscat 2005 Limarí, Chile:
Jancis Robinson calls this a “sweet marvel…invigorating and explosively grapey mouthful!” Around $12 a half
2005 Concannon “Selected Vineyards” Syrah, Central Coast, Calif.:
Jerry Shriver says that while it misses the “meatiness of the best Syrahs,” it does a good job compensating with a helping of “sweet blueberry and blackberry flavors.” About $10
Nothing tempting? Or just not available at the local wine shop?
Dig into some perennial standbys at SFGate.com’s Top 100 Wines of 2006, the Top 100 of 2006 list (PDF download) from Wine Spectator and the list of 50 Wines You Can Always Trust from Food & Wine.
Attracted to a bottle that’s advertised in the local paper or sitting on the local wine store shelf?
Do a little background research with Wine Enthusiast’s free, searchable Wine Buying Guide—either with a specific name or by types and price. For a little extra info, try Robert Parker’s handy Vintage Chart. Or see what the online wine community says about it with the search tools at cork’d, snooth or Wine Log.
Once you’ve selected the wine, you naturally want to decide what to eat with it. For some savvy guidance, try Natalie MacLean’s Wine & Food Matcher, which boasts a database of 360,000 wine-food pairings.
Feel free to share your experiences. And last but not least, enjoy!