With 2010 just behind us, I thought I’d share some of the experts’ tops in wine for the year.
Wine.com‘s 2010 best seller was Cabernet Sauvignon, “showing that we are still drawn to the big, bold grape variety and the range of wine it produces.” Their biggest growth varietal of 2010, at 200%, was Gamay, the bright and juicy grape of Beaujolais, France. Close behind Bordeaux Red Blends from France and Italian’s bold Sangiovese. Red wine remains their best seller but the biggest white wine increase was Viognier.
- Their winery of the year…d’Arenberg winery in McLaren Vale, Australia. The family run winery is also the maker of Wine.com’s 2010 Wine of the Year, The Stump Jump Shiraz. Look for their distinct bold red stripe that runs diagonally across the label.
Wine Spectator noted the major trend in 2010 was an increase in expensive, limited-production wines at one end of the spectrum and in large-volume, value brands at the other. Looking for values, wine lovers sought out less-familiar regions and grape varieties.
- The winner of their #1 wine in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 2010 (they reviewed more than 15,800 new releases from around the world in blind tastings)… Saxum’s 2007 James Berry Vineyard Paso Robles! A red blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah from the Central Coast of California, this 98 points wine goes for $67.
Wine Enthusiast Top Wine Stories of 2010 included: customer’s sweet spot for wine purchase stuck at 2009’s $9-12 level; the $50-100 price point was dubbed ‘the dead zone’ by the industry which was great news for wine buyers providing more great wine at affordable prices than ever before; continued growth of Argentinian and Chilean wine exports; and climate change impacting the world’s growing regions including a dry France, hot Portugal and coldest year on record in California.
The Enthusiast 100, their Top 100 of 2010, #1 wine is Renato Ratti’s 2006 Marcenasco Barolo. This velvetyred wine has characteristics of blackberries, cherries, spice, leather and tobacco. A 94 point wine on their scale, it goes for $50 with a suggested cellar time of 10 years.
Tomorrow we’ll take a look at what’s up in wine for in 2011!