2012: Top Ten Wines Over $15

What were some of my favorite wines of the past year?

Welcome to my second Top Ten Wine List. Last Friday, I posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, which I hope you enjoyed and found useful. Now it is time for my Top Ten Wines Over $15, though these wines also cost less than $50.

Like the prior list, it includes wines that during the past year I have enjoyed very much and which I also found to be particularly compelling for various reasons. They might be especially delicious, something more unique or just excellent values for the price. They all stand out for some particular reason above the other wines I tasted this past year.

This is a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" wines out there. It is primarily the wines which spoke to me the loudest, even when they were subtle wines. These are all wines that I highly recommend and which I believe many other wine lovers will also enjoy.

The wines are not listed in any particular order and each choice is linked to my more detailed prior review. All of these wines are worth your consideration but please also note that the prices are approximations and the actual price may vary in your area. In addition, some of the wines might not be available in your local area, though you might be able to order them from the winery or an online store, dependent on your state's shipping laws.

1) 2010 Tikal Natural Malbec ($20)
Produced by Ernesto Catena in Argentina, this wine is made from 100% Malbec, certified organic grapes, and the vineyard is moving toward becoming Biodynamic. The wine spent about a year in oak, mostly second-use French oak, with a small portion of American oak. With a dark purple color, the flavors of the wine burst into your mouth, a pleasant blend of ripe plum, dark cherry, intense spice and bits of mocha. The tannins are moderate, there is good acidity, and the finish is long and satisfying. A hearty fine that will pair well with hearty food, from Bolognese to short ribs.

2) 2006 Eder Raubern Single Vineyard Grüner Veltliner ($17-$20)
The Eder winery, in Austria, is small, possessing about 12 hectares of vineyards and produces only about 20,000 bottles annually. The Raubern is a single vineyard wine that thoroughly impressed me. The melange of flavors fascinated me with their complexity, with plenty of spice and floral notes, yet still with noticeable stone fruit components. Despite its age, this seemed still very fresh and it was a clear winner, sure to please any wine lover. An excellent value at this price point.

3) 2009 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir ($43.99)
In general, I enjoy Oregon Pinot Noirs and some are superb. This wine was a stunner, subtle and seductive as well as elegant and complex. The melange of flavors ranged from bright cherry to ripe plum, from cinnamon to black pepper. You need to slowly sip and savor this wine, to perceive all of the diverse flavors within. Well balanced, this wine provides an alluring finish that seems to caress your palate with silk, lingering long within your mouth. A killer wine, I highly recommend this one.

4) 2011 Prieure de Montezargues Tavel Rosé ($20)
This is one of my favorite French Rosé wines, and the 2011 is equally as good as the previous year. The Rosé is a blend of 8 grapes, including 55% Grenache (red & white), 30% Cinsault, 13% Clairette, and 2% Others (Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan & Bourboulanc). It is produced through pressing and underwent stainless steel fermentation and then a short term of aging on the lees. It was a pale pink color, crisp, dry and elegant. Delicious and complex tastes of cherry, strawberry, and grapefruit with a mineral backbone. You should drink this Rosé year round.

5) 2008 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia ($35-$45)
One of my favorite wines from my Chianti Classico trip, the Rancia is made from 100% Sangiovese, all from a single vineyard named Rancia. That vineyard derives its name from a historic farm that once was a Benedictine monastery. The wine was barrel aged for 16-18 months in new and one year old 225-liter oak barrels and then spent an additional 6-8 months aging in the bottle. The Rancia possessed an alluring smell, a melange of wonderful aromas that beckoned to me like a siren. It was a traditional style, with a delightful earthy component, and a compelling taste of black cherry, blueberry, violets, spice, and hints of leather. It was elegant and intriguing, with a lengthy, satisfying finish. Just a superb wine.

6) 2011 Halter Ranch Cotes de Paso Blanc ($24)
Paso Robles seems to be a great region for  Rhône grapes and this Halter Ranch wine is an enticing Southern Rhône blend of 33% Grenache, 26% Roussanne, 20% Picpoul Blanc, 12% Marsanne, and 9% Viognier. It was fermented in French oak, stirred twice a week to mix in the lees, and doesn't undergo malolactic fermentation. The aroma was spectacular, a complex and harmonious melange of floral, fruit and herb notes, all of which also came out on the palate. Peaches, lemons, melons, white flowers, minerality and so much more. Well balanced, complex, a lengthy and satisfying finish, and excellent acidity. A highly recommended wine.

7) 2004 Rodano Viacosta Chianti Classico Riserva ($30)
This is another winner from Chianti Classico. The winery produces traditional style Chianti Classico and I was impressed with all of their wines I tasted. The Viacosta was a stand out, made from 100% Sangiovese that was aged for about 24 months, 60% in French oak and 20% of that is new. It had an alluring aroma and on the palate it was stunning. Complex, elegant, rustic, spicy, and with a lengthy and pleasing finish. A great food wine, this should be in your wine cellar.

8) 2011 Blomidon Estate Winery Rosé ($15.99)
Several years ago, I toured some of the wineries of Nova Scotia but plenty more have sprung up since that time. One of those new ones is Blomidon Estate Winery, which is committed to producing wines using only Nova Scotia grown grapes. Their 2011 Rosé is a blend of three hybrids: New York Muscat, L’Acadie Blanc and Baco Noir. It was crisp, dry, and clean with subtle strawberry and watermelon flavors and hints of floral notes. It was far more Provence style than California, and paired very well with a variety of foods. You never would have known this was made from hybrids. In a blind tasting, you might assume this was a French Rosé.

9) 2010 Planeta Carricante ($36)
Sicily possesses a number of indigenous grapes including Carricante, a white grape thought to extend back to the 9th century and is primarily found in the Etna region. It is a late maturing grape, thrives in high altitudes and has a high acidity which allows it to age well. This wine was made from 100% Carricante and remains on the lees until the February after harvest when it is then bottled. It had a light gold color with an exciting aroma of apples and floral notes. On the palate, it was crisp, clean and complex with a dominant steely minerality and subtle fruit flavors, including pear and green apple. A lengthy and satisfying finish, this would be an excellent seafood wine and it should age very well too. I heartily recommend it.

10) 2010 Joel Gott Alakai ($24)
This California red wine blend is comprised of 77% Grenache, 17% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre, and 2% Petite Sirah. It had an alluring nose, great fruit and hints of spice and was compelling on the palate. Complex, with a delicious melange of reds fruits and spice, with hints of earthiness. It was more on the lighter side with smooth tannins and a lengthy, pleasing finish. An excellent food wine, or something you can savor on its own. Just plain delicious

This is always my toughest list to compile because there are numerous other excellent wines which I could have added. I had to ponder long over which wines to actually add to this list. Like my previous list, no single country dominated though Italy once again occupied three spots, due to my trip to Chianti Classico. California took two spots while Argentina, Austria, Oregon, France, and Nova Scotia each took one spot. The list is also broken down into 2 Rosé, 3 Whites and 5 Red wines. Half of the wines on the list also cost less than $25.

I have plenty of other recommendations for wines at this price point on my blog. There are top notch wines from countries all over the world, made from an incredibly diverse selection of grapes and you can still find plenty of values too. My advice is that you seek out wines outside of your comfort zone. Explore the multitude of diversity in the wonderful world of wine. Taste and try anything new, unique or potentially interesting. I am sure your search will lead to new favorites.

If you have some of your own recommendations for wines that are over $15 but under $50, please add them to the comments.

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Halter Ranch Vineyard: SIP & Sip

Two years ago, I visited the Paso Robles region and was especially impressed with many of their Rhône-style wines, made from a variety of Rhône grapes, including Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and more. Interestingly, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot make up about 50% of all plantings in Paso Robles. Part of the reason is that a number of wine makers indicated that Rhône-style wines are a tough sell with many consumers. Those consumers are missing out on some excellent wines and Paso Robles is a region that you should explore, either by visiting the area or tasting their wines.

I recently received three samples from Halter Ranch, a Paso Robles winery, and it included two Rhône-style wines and one Bordeaux-style wine. At a local food event, I previously tasted the 2007 Halter Ranch Cotes de Paso, a Rhône-style red, and was impressed. So I looked forward to tasting some of their other wines.

The history of the Halter estate extends back to 1881, when Edwin Smith purchased a 3600 acre estate, though there would not be vineyards on the property until over a hundred years passed. Edwin was born in New Jersey but eventually moved to San Francisco to become a wholesale butcher. In 1874, he then moved to an area west of Paso Robles. Once he purchased the Halter estate, Edwin became a dealer in produce and livestock, as well as investing in silver mines and owning thoroughbreds. He constructed a large Victorian farmhouse on the estate, which remains a landmark even today.

Eventually, after a number of years of success, his businesses began to fail, and in the early 1900s the estate was broken up and sold. In 1943, the MacGillivray family bought 1200 acres of the estate and they owned it for over fifty years. But it was not until 1996 that they decided to plant some grape vines on the property. It would not be until June 2000 that wine would become much more important to the estate when Hansjörg Wyss, a Swiss businessman, bought 900 acres of the ranch, enlarging the vineyards from 40 to about 250 acres. There are even plans to plant more acreage this year.

The ranch is located in the west side of Paso Robles, about 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The vineyards occupy very steep, south-facing slopes and are planted with about 20 grapes, separated into 57 separate blocks, delineated primarily by soil type. About 60% of the grapes are Bordeaux varieties and 40% are Rhône grapes, with a smattering of Zinfandel, Tannat and Tempranillo. Their new production facility, which uses gravity flow in all aspects of production, was recently completed in 2011 and they continue to use many Old World wine making techniques.

Halter Ranch received SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Vineyard Certification in 2008, indicating its commitment to "environmental stewardship, equitable treatment of employees, and economic viability." This commitment goes beyond organic agriculture, extending to many other areas of winery management. Sustainability is very important to Halter Ranch but their concerns extend beyond the vineyard and should be commended for their commitment to the SIP principles.

The 2011 Halter Ranch Rosé ($16) is a blend of 44% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, and 8% Picpoul Blanc. It was fermented in stainless steel, did not undergo malolactic fermentation and was aged for four months in stainless steel. It saw no oak at all and has an alcohol content of 14.1%. It is supposed to be made in a Southern Rhône style and I found it quite appealing, with nice flavors of cherry and raspberry, and an underlying backbone of some minerality. It was dry and seemed to be more in an Old World style than the typical California Rosés. This is perfect for the summer, but would be enjoyable year round, and also is an excellent food wine.

Of the three wines, my clear favorite was the 2011 Halter Ranch Cotes de Paso Blanc ($24), an enticing Southern Rhône blend of 33% Grenache, 26% Roussanne, 20% Picpoul Blanc, 12% Marsanne, and 9% Viognier. It was fermented in French oak, stirred twice a week to mix in the lees, and did not undergo malolactic fermentation. It was then aged Sur Lie for four months in neutral French oak and has an alcohol content of 14.2%. The aroma was spectacular, a complex and harmonious melange of floral, fruit and herb notes, all of which also came out on the palate. Peaches, lemons, melons, white flowers, minerality and so much more. Well balanced, complex, a lengthy and satisfying finish, and excellent acidity. When the bottle was empty, I was craving another. A highly recommended wine.

The 2008 Halter Ranch Ancestor Estate Reserve ($44) is a Bordeaux style blend of 25% Petit Verdot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Syrah, 15% Merlot, and 12% Malbec. It was aged for about 18 months in French oak, 50% new, and then bottled two years prior to its release. With an alcohol content of 15.6%, it is on the higher side, though it did not seem overly alcoholic on the palate. It has a taste of ripe black and blue fruits with vanilla and spice accents. Though a powerful wine, it is not overly so, but would benefit from being paired with a hearty dish like a juicy steak.

Check out Paso Robles wines, especially the Rhône-style wines, and Halter Ranch's wines would be a good start.

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2011: Top Ten Wines Over $15

What were some of my favorite wines of the past year?

Welcome to my second Top Ten Wine List. Last week, I posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, which I hope you enjoyed and found useful, and now it is time for my Top Ten Wines Over $15, though these wines also cost less than $50.

Like the prior list, it includes wines that during the past year I have enjoyed very much and which I also found to be particularly compelling for various reasons. They might be especially delicious, something more unique or just excellent values for the price. They all stand out for some particular reason above the other wines I tasted this past year.

This is a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" wines out there. It is primarily the wines which spoke to me the loudest, even when they were subtle wines. These are all wines that I highly recommend and which I believe many other wine lovers will also enjoy.

The wines are not listed in any particular order and each choice is linked to my more detailed prior review. All of these value wines are worth your consideration but please also note that the prices are approximations and the actual price may vary in your area. In addition, some of the wines might not be available in your local area, though you might be able to order them from the winery or an online store, dependent on your state's shipping laws.

1)  2007 Bodegas Paso Robles Vaca Negra ($24)

For the second year in a row, this winery has a wine on this list. Owner and winemaker Dorothy Schuler is working wonders with Spanish and Portuguese grapes in California. This wine, a blend of 50% Tempranillo and 50% Mourvedre, is impressive, with a complex melange of appealing flavors and its lushness provides hedonistic pleasures. If you have not tried any of Dorothy's wines, I strongly encourage you to seek them out.

2)  2008 Francis Tannahill Dragonfly Gewürztraminer ($20-$25)
Though this is an Oregon winery, the grapes are from a select organic vineyard in Washington. The vineyard may have the oldest Gewürztraminer in the Northwest region and the wine is a superb example of this grape. Strongly aromatic with exotic spices and tropical fruits, this is a very appealing wine. One of the best Gewürztraminer I have tasted in some time.

3)  2009 Ayres Pinot Noir, Lewis Rodgers Lane ($35)
Also from Oregon, this wine is a blend of five Pinot Noir clones, and the winery itself is one of the relative newcomers to that region. But it is already producing excellent wines and this wine is beautiful, complex and possessed of an elegant melange of black and blue fruits with dark spice and earthiness. This is a winery to keep an eye on for the future.

4)  NV Horton Vineyards Sparkling Viognier ($25)
I didn't get to taste anywhere near as many Virginia wines as I wanted to at the Wine Blogger's Conference, but of those that I did, this was a standout. It was crisp, clean and dry with flavors of peach, citrus and white flowers. It was a very appealing sparkling wine which should please many people.

5)  2008 Marani Mukuzani (about $17)
This year, I got some exposure to the wines of the country of Georgia, an area which is becoming hot in the wine world. There are over 500 indigenous grapes in Georgia though only about 38 are currently used for wine production.This wine is made from 100% Saperavi, offering enticing black cherry and plum aroma with a taste of those same fruits, meshed with vanilla, spice and a tinge of chocolate. Yet there was also a unique exotic taste to this complexity which eluded definition. An excellent value at this price.

6)  2007 Bagrationi 1882 Reserve Brut ($19.99)
Georgia also produces some intriguing sparkling wines, like this one which is a blend of Chinebuli, Mtsvane, and Tsitska, three grapes you have probably never heard of before. It was produced by the Methode Champenoise and possesses a strong minerality, almost a steely nature. The fruit flavors, some peach and melon, were subdued but noticeable. Clean, refreshing and with good acidity. A wine of character at a very reasonable price.

7)  Bodegas Renacer Enamore ($30)
An Amarone style wine from Argentina? It is not as crazy as it sounds, especially considering how many Italians immigrated to Argentina. This wine is a blend of 62% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 9% Bonarda, and 4% Syrah. All of the grapes were dried out for about three weeks. The result is a seductive and silky wine that is sure to tantalize your senses. This is a wine to share with someone you love.

8)  2009 Alma Negra Misterio ($40-$45)
As the name indicates, this wine is a bit of a mystery and the actual blend is secret, though it may contain Malbec, Petite Verdot, Merlot, Bonarda and/or Cabernet Sauvignon. Complex, smooth and well structured, it is a wine to slowly savor. It has more elegance than power, and it would be fine on its own, or paired with a hearty dish.

9)  1999 L D'or de Luneau-Papin 'Cuvee Medaillee' Muscadet Sevre et Maine ($25)
This may be one of the best bargains on the list, a 12 year old Muscadet. Complex and intriguing flavors with dried fruits, apricot, honey, minerality, and even some herbal notes. There was still plenty of life in this wine, and I would easily have bought a case at this low price. A wine of this quality rarely is priced this low.

10)  2008 Quinta dos Murças Reserva Red ($45)
Portugal impressed at the value wines, and now they represent on this list as well. This is a fascinating wine, a field blend of old vines, maybe 25 grapes or so. Only about five of the grapes in the blend are identifiable, making this a vinous mystery. It has an enticing and exotic nose, with an earthy and spicy smell mixed in with blackfruit, while its taste is a complex melange of earth, spice, vanilla, blackfruit and even mild hints of herbality. A superb wine which should impress most wine lovers and is an example of the best of Portugal.

This is always my toughest list to compile because there are numerous other excellent wines which I could have added. So I had to ponder long over which wines to actually add to this list. Last year, California dominated this list, occupying six spots but this year only a single California wine made the list. But three other U.S. wines did make the list, from Oregon, Washington and Virginia.  Georgia (the country) and Argentina both occupy two spots on the list while France and Portugal each occupy one spot.

I have plenty of other recommendations for wines at this price point on my blog. There are top notch wines from countries all over the world, made from an incredibly diverse selection of grapes and you can still find plenty of values too. My advice is that you seek out wines outside of your comfort zone. Explore the multitude of diversity in the wonderful world of wine. Taste and try anything new, unique or potentially interesting. I am sure your search will lead to new favorites.

If you have some of your own recommendations for wines that are over $15 but under $50, please add them to the comments.

Read More