Narrowing hundreds of wines to top 50

Michael David Petite Petit 2014, Lodi, $15 -- Big bang for the buck in this jammy Petite Sirah fruit bomb.
Michael David Petite Petit 2014, Lodi, $15 — Big bang for the buck in this jammy Petite Sirah fruit bomb.

1. Michael David Petite Petit 2014, Lodi, $15 — Big bang for the buck in this jammy Petite Sirah fruit bomb.

2. Il Valentiano Brunello di Montalcino 2007, Tuscany, $38 — Time in the bottle has lifted this spirited wine to new heights.

3. David Pinot Noir 2013, Anderson Valley, $55 — Only 250 cases made from this boutique winery. A real gift.

4. Le Bessole Valpolicella di Classico Amarone, Veneto, $36 — Subtle but stirring bitter chocolate-cherry finesse.

5. Dunham Cellars Pursued By Bear Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Walla Walla Valley, $60 — Luscious, smooth and limited to wine-club members.

6. Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Marlborough, $13 — Crisp, clean, refreshing patio sipper.

7. M. Chapoutier Les Vignes Bila-Haut Rouge 2015, Roussillon, $15 — Syrah’s power and elegance come through in a consistent top-of-the-charts wine.

8. Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Verona, $15.99 — Rich, ripe, dark fruit and plenty of savory flavors. Solid at this price.

9. L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc 2015, Columbia Valley, $15 — A perennial Washington State standout, its highly expressive and passion fruit flavorful.

10. Domaine de La Chapelle Saint Veran ‘Madame Noly’ 2014, France, $22.95 — A mouth-watering Chardonnay with all the clout of a Premier Cru without the cost.

11. Donnachiara Taurasi 2008, Campania, $26 — Dry, soft, elegant, 100 percent plummy Anglianico.

12. Perech-Haut Prestige Rosé Saint-Drezery, Languedoc, $11 — Beautiful pink color, tart raspberry palate and dry. Groovy Grenache.

13. SR (Secret Reserve) Red Blend 2013, Chile, $9 — Pepper and spice and everything nice with this smooth blend of five red varietals.

14. Faithful Hound Red Blend 2013, Mulderbosch, $14 — From South Africa’s Western Cape arrives this Bordeaux-style award winner of depth and flavor.

15. Argiolas Serra Lori Isola dei Nuraghi Rosato 2015, Sardinia, $14.99 — Intense strawberry/ orange peel flavors strike at the heart of this watermelon red rosé.

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2015, Walla Walla, $12 -- One of America's best values and purely delicious.
Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2015, Walla Walla, $12 — One of America’s best values and purely delicious.

16. Leviathan California Red Wine 2012, St. Helena, $48 — Distinctive, complex, four-grape red driven by Napa Valley’s top fruit sources.

17. Cantina del Pino Barbaresco 2008, Piedmont, $25 — Aged for three years before release, this Nebbiolo is just now hitting its peak drinking window.

18. St. Cosme Cotés du Rhone 2015, France, $16 — Syrah’s spicy, mineral best pours forth in this wonderful wine.

19. Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2015, Walla Walla, $12 — One of America’s best values and purely delicious.

20. Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Walla Walla, $89 — Drew Bledsoe’s premium wine is full-bodied, vibrant and captivating.

21. Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico Riserva 2012, Tuscany, $30 — Sangiovese for the senses: flowers, fruit and spices mix effortlessly.

22. William Févre Chablis 2014, France, $24 — Chalky minerality and pure apple/pear tastes from a consistently good producer.

23. SLH Hahn Pinot Noir 2014, Santa Lucia Highlands (CA), $22 — A gorgeous estate wine at an incredible price.

24. St. Innocent Pinot Noir 2014, Oregon, $36 — From the cooler Temperance Hills vineyard, ripe, black fruit and plum flavors erupt in a graceful, ageworthy beauty.

Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills 2014, Columbia Valley, $14 -- A masterpiece at its New Hampshire $9.99 sale price, I made it a regular barbecue companion.
Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills 2014, Columbia Valley, $14 — A masterpiece at its New Hampshire $9.99 sale price, I made it a regular barbecue companion.

25. Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills 2014, Columbia Valley, $14 — A masterpiece at its New Hampshire $9.99 sale price, I made it a regular barbecue companion.

26. Fratelli Revello Barolo 2012, Piedmont, $37 — The core dark-berry fruit and earthy flavors are good now, but portend a spectacular future for this ageworthy Nebbiolo wine.

27. Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2013, Napa Valley, $39 — An opulent wine with a creamy palate finish that separates it from many classy Napa Valley bottlings.

28. William Church 2 Spires 2013, Woodinville (WS), $37 — A Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon blend with a bold, spicy kick and smooth, long finish. Will get better with age.

29. Galil Mountain Rosé 2015, Galilee (Israel), $14.99 — Divine rose-blossom fragrance and strawberry/orange flavors make this a classic aperitif.

30. 14 Hands Hot to Trot Red Blend 2014, Prosser (WS), $12 — It punches above its weight and is a great burger buddy. Watch for April’s Kentucky Derby Limited Edition label.

31. Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay 2015, Carneros, $30 — Creamy texture, baked-apple and peach-cobbler tastes with a touch of vanilla on the finish. Exquisitely crafted.

32. Dr. Konstanin Frank Cabernet Franc 2014, Finger Lakes, $20 — From an historic winery producing award-winning white wines (Riesling, Chardonnay) comes a ground-breaking red.

33. Speri Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Monte Sant’ Urbano 2008, $90 — A powerhouse of full-bodied chocolate-cherry, anise, herb flavors, and it’s still 10 years too young. Wow!

34. K Syrah River Rock 2012, Walla Walla, $45 — Charles Smith delivers more kick in a bottle than a wild Mustang. Tasty and refined.

35. Salmon Run Chardonnay-Riesling 2015, Finger Lakes, $12 — An exciting blend mixing green apple with crisp citrus notes resulting in a refreshing, persistent finish.

Pedestal Merlot Long Shadows Winery 2013, Walla Walla -- A U.S. project of famous Bordeaux winemaker Michel Rolland, Pedestal's blueberry and spice decadence hails from small but precise amounts of four other red varietals. A mesmerizing, deep purple color.
Pedestal Merlot Long Shadows Winery 2013, Walla Walla — A U.S. project of famous Bordeaux winemaker Michel Rolland, Pedestal’s blueberry and spice decadence hails from small but precise amounts of four other red varietals. A mesmerizing, deep purple color.

36. Pedestal Merlot Long Shadows Winery 2013, Walla Walla — A U.S. project of famous Bordeaux winemaker Michel Rolland, Pedestal’s blueberry and spice decadence hails from small but precise amounts of four other red varietals. A mesmerizing, deep purple color.

37. Inblot Tannat 2013, Lodi, $35 — The longer you wait, the softer it gets, and yet it’s a shame to deny yourself the bold pleasures of this truly unique red grape.

38. Ktima Gerovassilou Malagousia 2015, Greece, $23 — Like a gentle Mediterranean breeze, this straw-colored wine inspires metis (wisdom) with its ripe and penetrating lemon-peel and melon flavors.

39. Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2013, Italy, $28 — Ruby-red brilliance, flowery fragrances, and big blackberry flavors topped with bitter chocolate. Complex. Classic.

40. Bodegas Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva 2009, Spain, $75 — This silky, full-bodied Rioja is only produced during the very best vintage years (2009, 2010, 2014, 2015), hence it’s been aging seven years for release. Simply stunning.

41. Bodegas Avancia Godello 2015, Spain, $25 — Mouth-watering golden-apple and pear shine in this gorgeously textured white from the oldest, dry-farmed vineyards.

42. Zyme Black to White 2014, Veneto, $20 — A red grape (Rondinella) that is turned into an expansive, full-bodied white of wonderful dried fruit flavors.

43. Donnatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino 2010, Tuscany, $50 — A woman winemaker is a rarity in Tuscany, and Ms. Colombini makes a big statement with this harmonious wine.

44. Michele Chiarlo La Court Nizza Barbera D’Asti 2012, Piedmont, $26 — Balanced acidity make this wine versatile with any food, from pizza to osso bucco.

45. Willamette Valley Vineyards Bernau Block Pinot Noir 2012, Oregon, $55 — A nice mineral edge on the finish enhances the tart raspberry palate. Still young.

46. Orin Swift Abstract 2014, California, $28 — The wild label (a collage of photos) hints at the energy in the bottle — a dark-cherry force to be reckoned with (Syrah-Grenache-Petite Sirah).

Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Napa Valley, $60 -- Tough to find but worth it, considering that more famous top-tier Napa Valley Cabs cost twice as much.
Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Napa Valley, $60 — Tough to find but worth it, considering that more famous top-tier Napa Valley Cabs cost twice as much.

47. Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Napa Valley, $60 — Tough to find but worth it, considering that more famous top-tier Napa Valley Cabs cost twice as much.

48. Pieropan Soave Classico 2015, Veneto, $15.99 — Nice aromatics give way to a lively mouthfeel of apple, pear and peach flavors.

49. Domaine du Pere Cabouche Chateauneuf du Pape 2014, Rhone Valley, $30 — Sensational for the price, it’s a jackpot of chewy raspberry, black cherry and licorice with a spicy snap.

50. Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2013, Tuscany, $29 — From 100 percent Sangiovese grapes, it peaks on a tart cherry-pie taste that lingers on a dry finish.

Jim Campanini’s email address is jcampanini@lowellsun.com.

1 Comment

Comments are closed.