Another Top Twelve

Here is a list of twelve wines that we highly recommend. Think of it as a mixed case that will see you through most occasions, from your usual weekday dinner to something more special for a Saturday evening. Just to keep things interesting, we have given ourselves a few ground rules: (1) we will attempt to always list four wines that cost under $15.00, four wines that cost between $15.00 to $30.00 and four wines that cost over $30.00; (2) we will also try to list a variety of types of wines (we’ll even throw in some whites!); (3) no winery can have more than one wine on the list at a time; and (4) we will only list wines that we have reviewed on this site (the title and date of the review are directly underneath the wine).
$6.99, 2004 Picpoul de Pinet, Hughes Beaulieu
Here’s a Name you don’t Hear Everyday - 6/30/05

$10.99, 2002 Domaine la Soumade Cabernet Sauvignon
Mon Dieu! (Part Deux) – 5/2/05

$13.99, 1998 Dow Late Bottled Vintage Port
A Dry Port in a Storm – 8/2/05

$14.99, Bollig-Lennert, Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling-Spatlese
Our First Foray into German Rieslings – 5/12/05

$16.00, 2003 Kunde Chardonnay, Estate Series
Tasting Trip 2.0: Sonoma – 4/6/05

$16.99, 1994 Chateau les Ormes de Pez, St. Estephe
Patience is a Virtue – Aged Bordeaux – 4/12/05

$23.00, 2002 Cotes de Tablas, Tablas Creek
Wine and the Bard – 6/30/05

$27.99, 2002 T-Vine Merlot
Another Birthday Dinner – 7/28/05

$34.99, 1995 Tokaji Aszu, Hetszolo, 6 Puttonyos
Something Sweet from Hungary – 4/29/05

$42.99, Sanchez Romate Pedro Ximenez “Cardenal Cisneros” Sherry
Why you should try Sherry – 4/27/05

$125.00, Krug Grand Cuvee
Are you Krug Worthy? – 7/6/05

$80/375 ml, 2000 Dolce
Tasting Trip No. 3.0 (with some engaging news) – 4/21/05

We have now posted two, mixed case lists (the other was posted on 3/25/05), so we have been able to compile some stats. Fourteen of our recommended wines are single varietals with Cabernet Sauvignon leading the way with four, and ten are blends with Ports and Rhone style blends (including some California Rhone style blends and a Southern France Rhone style blend) tied with three each. Ten of the twenty-four are from California but none of the eight in the under $15 category are from California. Six of the eight in the $15 - $30 category are from California. After California, the next most prevalent country in our two cases is France with seven, including four in the under $15 category. The only other country with multiple listings is Portugal with three. Lastly, there are fifteen reds on our lists and nine whites.