The Wine Spectator Top 10: #1 Is In Stock (For Now)

Wine Spectator magazine has been rolling out their Top 10 wines throughout this past week, with the announcement of their #1 wine earlier today. This Top 10 is part of the hype for their Top 100 list, which they've been announcing annually since 1988. Wine Spectator selects their Top 100 from the wines that they review throughout the year. Their top wines could have been reviewed 10 or 11 months ago, and that presents a challenge for you, in finding the wine, and it's also a challenge to us, as we don't have any advance notice, so we don't necessarily have any stock on hand.

The #1 wine for 2013, according to Wine Spectator, is the CVNE Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva 2004.

It scored 95 points from WS, and got a 92+ from WA. We have limited amounts of this wine in stock in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, and our supplies will not last long.

The write-up from Wine Spectator: "Firm and a bit austere, this red shows depth and drive, with chewy tannins supporting plum, tobacco, licorice and mineral flavors. The structure is solid but the wine remains fresh. Maturing now, this has a long life ahead. Drink now through 2024." Here are the notes from the distributor: "85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazeuelo - all a selection of the best grapes from vineyards surrounding the village of Villalba, in the heart of the ‘Rioja Alta’ zone, grown on iron-rich clay and limestone soils.  Extended aging takes place in French and American oak casks, followed by further aging in bottle."

Last year's #1 wine was the 2008 vintage of Shafer Relentless. We sold out of that wine months before the list came out. Not that we received all that much of it in the first place. The same thing happened with this year's Top 10. We sold out of #9, Lewis Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, in October, #5, the Kongsgaard 2010 Napa Chardonnay, in June, and #2, the Chateau Canon-La Gaffeliere 2010, in September. And we never carried #10, #6, #4 or #3, although we do have an earlier vintage of Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, that third-place wine.

The good news is that we still have two more of this year's Wine Spectator Top 10 in stock. Wine #8 is the Chateau de Beaucastel 2010 Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It scored 96 points from WS, as well as 95 points from WA.

Here is the write-up from Wine Spectator: "Dark, dense and very closed now, this has a tremendous core of crushed plum, linzer torte and blackberry confiture waiting in reserve. Ample singed cedar and mesquite, warm paving stone and black tea notes lurk in the background and glide through the finish. Features serious grip, but wonderful integration. Should cruise in the cellar."

And, for balance, here's the write-up from Wine Advocate: "This is a gorgeous wine, a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the balance the other permitted varietals in the appellation. Deep purple, with loads of bouquet garni, beef blood, blackberry, kirsch, smoke and truffle, this wine is full-bodied, rich and showing even better than it did last year. I still think it needs 3-5 years of cellaring, and it should last for 25-30 years, as most of the top vintages of Beaucastel do."

We have limited quantities of the Chateau de Beaucastel 2010 Chateauneuf-du-Pape in stock in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, for the Bottle Club® price of $88.99.

Wine #7 is the Domaine du Pegau  Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reservee 2010. 97 points from WS, and 96-98+ from WA.

The Wine Spectator notes: "Intense, with the tarry, bittersweet cocoa-fueled grip of the vintage running through a well-endowed core of crushed plum, blackberry paste and braised fig. The muscular finish picks up notes of brick dust, pepper, warm chestnut leaf and smoldering charcoal. A throwback profile, with a hyperripe core of fruit—and it works. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and others. Best from 2015 through 2035."

Wine Spectator ratings remain a benchmark for evaluating wines. With 3 of this year's Top 10 still available, serious and casual wine people alike should hurry in for the very limited supplies.