It’s that exciting time of year and Wine Spectator has come out with its annual list of Top 100 Wines. Amazingly, a port tops this list year which is great because I LOVE port. In our last post we covered the Top 10 overall wines, this time we'll cover the Top 10 White Wines and see what we find below. Also, note we will be doing a series of these posts for some of the most popular varietals so check back soon. Enjoy!
A youthful and expressive nose features pears, white nectarines, lime and jasmine notes. Beneath lies a myriad of toasted sesame, vanilla pod, cinnamon quill and cardamom aromas. The tight, seamless and elegant palate is highlighted with figs, quince and lemon rind characters that open towards a delicately textured and contoured mid palate. Blanched almonds and hazelnuts weave through the primary fruits and textural layers, leading to a long and defined finish.
Score:96
to wine.rememberstuff.me
The full bodied Estate Chardonnay displays fine underlying acidity and a long finish. Hints of cardamom, anise and hazelnut add interest to the core lemon, mineral flavors. Of all Mount Eden's estate-grown wines, the Chardonnay is most in need of further bottle aging at release, requiring an additional two to four years to fully reveal its true character. Many vintages are still fresh and enjoyable after fifteen years, explaining why Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay is considered one of California's longest-lived white wines.
Score:95
Ripe and unctuous, but with a deliciously racy orange streak running through the core of creamed pear, fig and green plum flavors. Supercreamy on the finish and very long, with honeysuckle and almond notes echoing on and on. A stunner in the making. An intense wine that is rich, rounded, dense and solid. Along with its weighty, ripe fruit, there are suggestions of acidity. Layered with botrytis flavors.
Score:97
Pure, with piercing persimmon, pineapple, white peach and quince flavors. Gorgeous floral notes of honeysuckle and orange blossom form the backdrop, while a heather accent caresses the finish. Overwhelmingly pure in the end, with a finish that sails on and on. A bright, almost chiseled style, offering fresh-cut pineapple, quince and candied Meyer lemon flavors, with a long, floral-filled finish. Seriously long, with lovely lacy detail already showing on the finish. Should be long-lived.
Score:95
Captivating, sleek, elegant and graceful, this is rich without weight, offering a mix of ripe pear, fig, apricot and melon flavors, with subtle touches of nutmeg, hazelnut and toasted almond. For all its flavor and depth, this displays wonderful lift on the finish.
Score:95
The 2012 Eastside Chardonnay is a pure expression of site-driven characteristics. Initially there are intense fruit aromas of lemons, limes and nectarines. The soil influence begins to gain ground and weave its way through the glass, expressing soap stone, wet concrete and crushed gravel. These organic qualities add immense depth and subtlety. On the palate, citrus oils and lemon brioche create a concentrated richness and glycerin texture. The unique structure of this Chardonnay is focused, and will allow this wine to age for 7+ years. The wine has a slight hazy clarity showing their commitment to minimal intervention winemaking.
Score:95
This entry-level Dr. Loosen Riesling embodies the elegant and racy characteristics of steep, slate-soil Mosel vineyards at a very reasonable price. It is a bright, vibrant, fruit-driven wine made with grapes from contracted growers througout the Mosel River valley who work very closely with brothers Ernst and Thomas Loosen to achieve excellent quality and superb concentration in every vintage.
Score:91
Soft yellow color upon release, developing a golden hue as it ages. Bright, vibrant tropical fruit aromas flow from the glass. Underlying grapefruit and lime add depth and character to the aroma. Seamless, textured layers of cantaloupe, pineapple and vanilla flood the palate. A mouthwatering finish entices another sip. This wine will develop flavors of fig and apricot, giving richness, as it ages in the bottle.
Score:92
This wine kicks ass with tons of complexity, showing notes of white peach, Linden leaves and slate. Lovely focused acidity, finishing very long with mandarin orange and lots of minerality. Grab the chop sticks, crack a bottle....this will make you happy. Lovely, expressive, bright and vibrant, with apple, lime and citrus blossom flavors, persisting enticingly as the off-dry finish lingers against natural acidity.
Score:91
The specific vineyard plots for Trimbach Riesling are selected each year by Pierre and Jean Trimbach. The grapes are normally harvested in late October and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete vats. There is no secondary malolactic fermentation in order to maintain as much natural acidity as possible. It has a beautiful straw color with green edges with a fine mineral fragrance with ginger, caraway seed, underripe pineapple and flowers. The flavors of white peach, quince and lemon are followed with a lingering, clean and dry finish.
Score:91
Check out the Full list of the Top 100 Wines of 2014
Free Shipping for a Year on Wine.com ($49)
to articles.rememberstuff.me