welcome to the fifty best wines of 2005

                 Presents

Page 2

11   Tablas Creek 2003
Esprit de Beaucastel
Blanc (Paso Robles);  $35. 
A fabulous white Rhône blend of enormous complexity and charm. Fills the mouth with butterscotch, crème brûlée, pineapple, stony mineral, vanilla, impossibly ripe white peach and creamy hazelnut flavors, and as sweet as that sounds, the wine is dry and crisp. The greatest Esprit Blanc ever. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier.

 _________   
  T     H     E    
  F   I   F   T   Y   
  B_E_S_T  
  H O T L I N K    

12   Bodegas LAN 2001
Edición Limitada
(Rioja);  $38. 
This is everything a modern-day super red is supposed to be. It’s bold, smoky and masculine beyond reproach. The body is sturdy as a brick, yet it’s cuddly and smooth. Flavorwise, you won’t believe the cascade of cassis, black cherry, vanilla and licorice that flows from the palate. And the finish lasts an eternity. Hold until 2006–07, and then let it rip. Imported by Bodegas LAN.

13   Foley 2003
Rancho Santa Rosa
Chardonnay  (Santa Rita Hills);  $30. 
Brilliant in acids, with tremendous, explosive fruit flavors, this Chard can easily handle its coating of toasty new oak. Pineapple custard, mango, nectarine, peach pie, lime zest, vanilla and Asian spice flavors come together in a deliciously creamy texture. This massive, magnificent wine showcases the proven terroir of its appellation for Chardonnay.

   _________ 
    T     H     E  
    F   I   F   T   Y  
    B_E_S_T 
    H O T L I N K

14   Vine Cliff 2002
Extra Cuvée de Réserve
Cabernet Sauvignon  (Napa Valley);  $45. 
This blend of Oakville and Calistoga fruit is marked by intensely ripe cherry, cassis, cocoa and oak flavors and fabulous balance. Superbly rich and massive, with rich, smooth tannins, this lovely Cab maintains elegance and structural integrity through the long, polished finish. It’s better than most Napa Cabs that cost far more, making it a fantastic value.

15   Jacquesson et Fils NV
Cuvée 729
(Champagne);  $45. 
This Champagne, full of richness and fresh acidity, is a wine designed for food. With its weight and intensity of flavor, along with the low dosage, it is still full-bodied, leaving a toasty character. This is the 729th nonvintage blending produced by Jacquesson since 1898 (when the house was 100 years old), hence the number.
Imported by Winebow.

   _________ 
    T     H     E  
    F   I   F   T   Y  
    B_E_S_T 
    H O T L I N K

 _________   
  T     H     E    
  F   I   F   T   Y   
  B_E_S_T  
  H O T L I N K    

16   Freemark Abbey 2001
Bosché Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford);  $65. 
One of the best Cabs of the vintage. It’s still a young wine, all primary black currant and plum fruit flavors and toasted oak, with complex notes of coffee and mocha. This wine is extraordinarily rich and finely balanced, displaying power, elegance and finesse, and an unreal depth of fruit along with great length. Drink now through 2015.

17   Château Kirwan 2001
Margaux;  $40. 
To call Kirwan a rising star is no longer true, since this property, owned by the Schyler family, and with Michel Rolland as consultant, is now firmly back in its right quality place among classed growths. It is modern in style, as is expected, but the dark, black currant, extracted fruits, new wood and structure don’t detract from its elegance.
Multiple Importers.

   _________ 
    T     H     E  
    F   I   F   T   Y  
    B_E_S_T 
    H O T L I N K

 _________   
  T     H     E    
  F   I   F   T   Y   
  B_E_S_T  
  H O T L I N K    

18   Truchard 2002
Syrah (Carneros)   $28. 
Boasts the ideal combination of fruit and spice—a lively blend of blackberry and black pepper aromas that comes across as brandied spicecake with dried fruit on the palate, yet without any excess alcohol. The full-bodied, lush mouthfeel moves seamlessly into a long, peppery finish. Bravo!

19   Greenwood Ridge 2004
Sauvignon Blanc (Anderson Valley);  $16. 
Hard to imagine a zestier, more refreshing dry white wine than this. It’s brilliant in zingy acids, with richly textured flavors of lemons and limes, gooseberries and pineapples. A little oak adds enough smoky vanilla and buttery wood spice to round this wine off.

   _________ 
    T     H     E  
    F   I   F   T   Y  
    B_E_S_T 
    H O T L I N K

 _________   
  T     H     E    
  F   I   F   T   Y   
  B_E_S_T  
  H O T L I N K    

20   Yangarra Estate Vineyard 2003
Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvèdre (McLaren Vale);  $20. 
An abyss of black pepper on the nose, with some whiffs of white cotton. Imagine strapping an eight-cylinder engine to a basket full of berries and black peppercorns and watching it go: That’s what this wine tastes like. It’s full-throttle and fruit-ripe, with lifted fruit, spice and black pepper on the finish. Imported by Yangarra Estate Vineyard.

             Top of page

Next page

1-10  |  21-30  |  31-40  |  41-50

Toronto   Champagne     Homepage     Links

Best Wines of 2004   |   Best Wines of 2006