Best Overall: Gaja Barbaresco
Region: Barbaresco, Italy | ABV: 14.5% | Tasting Notes: Violet, Tar, Cherry, Baking spice
Wine lovers turn to cabernet sauvignon for intensity and to pinot noir for elegancebut if there’s any grape that can match them both on each count, it has to be nebbiolo. Traditionally, the most celebrated nebbiolo hails from the Italian region of Piedmont, where the thick-skinned grape isn’t harvested until late in the growing season, around when the autumn fog begins to roll in . And within Piedmont, two villages have long been understood to produce the finest nebbiolos in the world: Barolo and Barbaresco.
Price at time of publish:$170.99
California Wines: Production Consumption And Exports
According to the Wine Institute, vineyards in California produce over 80% of US wines. So the story of American wine exports is really centered on the Golden State. In 2019, 98.1 million gallons were shipped abroad, netting a revenue of over $1.36 billion for US wineries.
Domestically, the California wine industrys impact goes far beyond the state itself. The Wine Institute indicates that its vast trade network sustains even more jobs outside of California than within it . In terms of production, the reported wine grape-bearing acreage in the state has measured consistently above 460,000 over the past decade.
The Worlds Best Red Wines From The 2021 San Francisco International Wine Competition
The Best in Show Red Wine, which also took top honors as Best Other Italian Red Varietal, was Jeff … Runquist Wines 2019 French Camp Vineyard Lagrein, Paso Robles, USA
The San Francisco International Wine Competition is arguably one of the most important wine competitions in the world and the most prestigious American competition.
The SFIWC, founded in 1980, is now in its 41st year, making it the oldest American wine competition and second only to the International Wine and Spirits Competition globally.
The competition is part of the Tasting Alliance, the parent organization of the equally renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the New York World Wine and Spirits Competition and the Singapore World Spirits Competition.
This year, more than 20 judges gathered in San Francisco from November 7 – 12 to evaluate and score more than 2900 wines from around the world. Roughly 65% of the wines were from North America and the balance from around the world.
Below are the top winners along with the official tasting notes of the top ranked red wines. See the indicated links for the results and tasting notes for the top ranked white wines.
The Best in Show Red Wine, which also took top honors as Best Other Italian Red Varietal, was Jeff Runquist Wines 2019 French Camp Vineyard Lagrein, Paso Robles, USA.The wine scored a Double Gold medal with a score of 98 points. At a list price of $30, its also an incredible bargain.
The official SFIWC tasting note described it as:
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The Top 20 California Wines For Your Cellar
California is the largest wine-producing region in the United States. With fruity red wines, crisp whites and effervescent sparklers, its no wonder why 20 of the states wines were chosen from our 2021 Top 100 Cellar Selection list.
With classic examples of Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and SparklingRosé, these cellar-worthy selections are worth the wait.
Here are the top 20 California wines to start aging now.
Ramey 2018 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay $70, 100 points. This is a stunner from blocks planted in 1997 and 1999. Beautiful aromas of toasted hazelnut and stone lead to a palate that shows undeniable minerality paired with lasting acidity. It shows freshness and energy throughout. Drink 20262032. Cellar Selection. Virginie Boone
Brewer-Clifton 2019 3D Pinot Noir $65, 98 points. This wine is both crowd-pleasing and elegantly complex. Focused aromas of strawberry, ripe cherry, hibiscus and spearmint make a punchy start on nose. The palate is loaded with minty herbs, bright strawberry and sizzling acidity. Drink through 2039. Cellar Selection. Matt Kettmann
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Birichino Besson Vineyard Old Vines Grenache 2018
This Grenache gets its notability due to its eccentricity and uniqueness making it like no other Grenache in the world. It has a low alcohol content but is subsidized with a fine elegance. Fresh aromas of strawberry and raspberry as well as minty sage, dried oranges, and hints of lavender liven the palate. Its fruity bouquet and red fruit dominance makes a lovely pairing with braised beef.
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Troubador Russian River Vallley Pinot Noir
Suppose you’re a tried-and-true California Pinot Noir lover. In that case, you might know the name Bob Cabralor at least the wines he has had a hand in producing, like the iconic bottles of Williams Selyem Winery or the drop-dead gorgeous Pinots and Chards from Sonoma-based Three Sticks. Troubadour is a new label that Cabral started to reconnect with vineyards he loves and to raise funds for local charities in his hometown of Healdsburg and around Sonoma County. Priced for rarity and charity, get it if you can and enjoy a bottle on a special occasion. Elegant wild berry fruit, plums, candied black cherries, and cloves join expansive layers of silken strawberry compote, rhubarb, and cola, as well as the kind of fresh, racy acidity that you get from biting into a crunchy Red Delicious apple. Add to all that a panoply of lifted brown spice aromatics, and you have the recipe for an unforgettable Pinot.
Turning Tide Red Blend Santa Ynez Valley
Winemaker Alisa Jacobson helped usher the Joel Gott wine label from obscurity to the globally-recognized and iconic brand it is today. She recently passed the baton back to Joel and Sarah Gott, and set out to forge her own path with a renewed and passionate focus on making wine from sustainably-farmed vineyards in coastal regions. An avid diver, her personal Instagram account chronicles up-close, intimate encounters with a wealth of underwater sea life. As for this red blend, it’s a combination of Grenache and Mourvèdre from a vineyard she co-owns outside Los Olivos in the Santa Ynez AVA. Scrumptious and juicy, with black and red berry fruit and loads of heady baking spices that offer a deep dive into the realm of the delicious.
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Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena Napa Valley
Confident, powerful, and subtle on the nose, with toasted fennel seeds and tea that, with air, allow in aromas of cacao nibs, black cherries, and licorice. The first sip reveals a wine that glistens with flavors of plums and mixed mountain berries, sweet vanilla-scented cherry pastry crème, pie crust , blueberries, sandalwood, well-aged cigars, and mountain flowers. The finish rolls on for a full two minutes. Now or in three decades, this is a winner.
The 30 Best Red Wines For 2022
Whether youre dusting off the for a brooding full-bodied Cab, or pulling a nimble Beaujolais from a brief stint in the fridge, opening and enjoying a red wine is an occasion. And with more depth and range than any other style of wine, theres thankfully a red wine for every occasion.
We taste hundreds of red wines every year at VinePair, and encounter so many of the different guises red wine has to offer. The following bottles represent the cream of the crop the small percentage of reds that stood out more than all of the others during the last 12 months of tastings.
On hand for case-buy situations or luxury dinner parties, and arriving from New Zealand to Napa Valley and everywhere in between, here are the 30 best red wines for 2022.
The Red Wine Run Down
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Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District Napa Valley
Monumental from the very first sniff: Lifted black licorice, star anise, toasted caraway seeds, and plum-spice cake lead to a palate dripping with sweet, generous fruitplums, blackberries, mulberries, huckleberriesas well as blueberries, purple-blossomed flowers, Chinese five-spice powder, and gunflint minerality. This is so generous and ripe, yet kept in check by serious structure that, though its totally irresistible right now, will carry this through the next 25 years or more. But I wouldnt be able to wait that long.
Best Spanish: Vega Sicilia Nico 2009
Region: Ribera del Duero, Spain | ABV: 14% | Tasting Notes: Spiced plums, Forest underbrush, Cigar box
If Spain classified its wineries as they do in Bordeaux, with “first growths dominating the pyramid of wineries ranked from first to fifth, Vega Sicilia would be at the top. This winery is owned by the Álvarez family and is located in Ribera del Duero.
A decade in the making, this 2009 vintage is a blend of 94% tempranillo with 6% cabernet sauvignon, aged six years in oak prior to bottling, remaining another four years in the bottle before being released. Beautiful ripe flavors fill the mouth, redolent of red cherries and spiced plums, while the palate reveals a fresh yet elegant wine wavering between deep forest underbrush, cigar box and muddled blueberries. A special wine, this should really be enjoyed on a special occasion.
Price at time of publish:$609.99
Region: Douro, Portugal | ABV: 13.8% | Tasting Notes: Cranberry, Raspberry, Blood Orange, Cedar
The Prazo de Roriz is a remarkably complex red wine for the price, showing gorgeous medium to deep ruby hues in the glass. Bright, wild berry aromas and fine French cedar spices join cranberry and raspberry, with a touch of blood orange and baking spices on the palate, supported by firm tannins.
Price at time of publish:$16.99
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The Best California Wines By Variety And Brand
California is known to produce some of the best and finest wines, but do you know how to sort of whats what by type and brand? This A to Z Guide and a little information about California wines, in general, is just what you need to get on your way to your best glass of California wine possible.
If you have any doubt how prized California wine is, look no further than New York. New York wine bars have long been a mainstay, a place to gather and enjoy drinks, meet with people and enjoy the local scene.
One focus of these wine bars has been pairing wines with fresh bistro eating so it has become a culture in of itself. Another popular trend is marketing wines as natural wines which means that the wine has been harvested from an organic orchard and has no added preservatives or additives. The idea: a culture of wine at its freshest and purest form possible.
But now some wine bars like Coast and Valley, in the heart of Brooklyn, are getting more particular by adding the finest winesfrom California. In fact, the wine bar, which opened its doors just this year, has an entire collection of wines devoted to different California locale. Their goal? Introduce customers to wines from San Francisco, eastern Los Angeles, and vineyards around the state.
But why would wine bars in New York feature California wines? Perhaps because they are in such high demand.
California Red Wines To Try
While white wine had its moment in the earlier this month, it is all about the darker juice as National Red Wine Day approaches on August 28. Looking for a great bottle of red to uncork for the occasion? Here are several versatile varietals from across California.
2021 Armida Winery Poizin Zinfandel
The literal opposite of its name, this California red wine will cure what ails almost anyone. Inky, black and perfectly labeled, Poizin is big, brash and bursting with blackberry, plum and smoky oak. Expect jam to the max in every sip of this intoxicating Zinfandel . $30
Baileyana Firepeak Pinot Noir, Edna Valley 2019
The Edna Valley is the coolest growing region in all of California, but the Firepeak vineyard blocks are defined by extinct volcanoes found in the area, creating unique soils. This wine is much like the volcanos that came before it, in that it erupts, albeit with ripe cherry, blackberry, cola and tobacco. $30
South Coast 7 Siblings, Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine
Named to celebrate the seven siblings of the Carter family , this unique red California blend is primarily made from Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel. It is aged for 24 months in American oak whiskey barrels, which results in intense juiciness, big berry flavors, a hint of smoke and a rich combination of vanilla and caramel. $31
Gundlach Bundschu 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Trattore Farms 2019 Stone Soup
Davies 2019 Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir
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Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc California
The king of California Cabernet Franc, anthropologist-turned-winemaker John Skupny has done it again with his 2019 release. Comprised entirely of the tiny-berried Cab Franc sourced from sites in the Central Coast and all the way up to northern Sonoma, it offers a unified snapshot of the great vintage. Fragrant red berry fruit and floral notes open to wild crushed herbs, while savory minerality underscores gentle tannins and juicy acidity. Enjoy it with your favorite charcuterie platter. And if you’re cruising through St. Helena in Napa Valley, stop off at the new Lang & Reed Tasting Salon on Main Street for indoor and outdoor experiences.
The Best Red Blends To Drink Right Now
Red blends have been around since the origins of winemaking. From casual table wines to prominent bottles like the original wine blend Bordeaux, winemakers have been blending wines for centuries. But red blend wines, in particular, have increased in popularity over the year for their complexity and great variability.
In fact, red blend wines are now the second most popular red wine in the U.S. after Cabernet Sauvignon and continue to dominate its own sector of wine markets across the globe, according to the Silicon Valley Bank State of the U.S. Wine Industry 2023 report.
But with so many bottles to choose from and somewhat ambiguous labels, red blends can be tricky to navigate. Thankfully, weve got you covered. Heres everything you need to know about red blend wines. Plus, a rundown of the best smooth-sipping bottles to spearhead your tasting journey.
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Best Organic: Larkmead Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Napa Valley, California | ABV: 14.7% | Tasting Notes: Dark fruit, Tobacco, Fresh-turned earth, Dark chocolate
This winery, under the watch of winemaker Dan Petroski, doesn’t just focus on making world-class wine. Petroski helps shed light on the necessary work for studying climate change, and in 2015, Larkmead converted to organic farming practices.
Cabernet collectors should stockpile wines from the 2016 vintage, which are high in naturally vibrant acidity due to a moderate growing season. Hallmark signifiers are deep, dark fruit and a distinct freshness, all of which the 2016 Larkmead has in spades. Adding to that are incredibly alluring brown spices, fresh-turned earth and tobacco wrapped in dark chocolate, with mouthwatering purple violet notes and firm, dusty tannins.
This is a wine to contemplate over many hoursand, ideally, over the next decade, with a bottle or two every year.
Price at time of publish:$69.94
Passalacqua Tr Passalacqua Vineyard Block 4 Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley
Only 68 cases were produced of this Dry Creek standout. Its creamy and subtly plush on the nose with an undertow of gently smoldering sage that heads to a concentrated palate boasting mixed currants, black raspberries, mineral, and a lingering, almost saline edge to the cigar tobacco and fig flavors.
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Frei Brothers Merlot 2017
If you plan on having beef, lamb, or veal, be sure to think of Frei Brothers Merlot for your ideal pairing. Hailing from Healdsburg, this Dry Creek Valley Merlot reminds us of red licorice and blackberry. There are undertones of smoky oak and caffè mocha that are sure to melt your palate.Interested in learning more about wine? Browse our collection to find other recipes like these:
Best French: Ogier Gigondas Dentellis 2017
Courtesy of Vivino
Region: France, Rhone, Gigondas | ABV: 14% | Tasting Notes: Raspberry, Pepper, Blackberry, Cherry.
Once again, Frances southern Rhone region makes an appearance on this list, and maybe its because of their distinctive French grape blends. This 2017 bottle comes from Ogier, a winery in the business since 1859, and features southern Rhône favorites such as syrah, grenache, and mourvédre. Smooth, full-bodied, and aged twelve months in oak barrels, this wine does France proud.
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Four California Red Wines You Should Try Immediately
August 28th is National Red Wine Day, which begs the question What does that actually mean for those of us who dont know anything about wine? At Petes Market, were big supporters of any holiday that celebrates food and drink so our advice is to open a bottle of red wine with dinner and let your social network know youve popped the cork on #NationalRedWineDay. But where do you begin? If youre not a red wine connoisseur, the sheer scope of the selection at a Petes Market wine & spirits department could be intimidating. Should you start with a Shiraz, or would it be better to try a Merlot? Fear not, were here to help. for a detailed breakdown of all the different types of wine we offer in several of our stores. For those interested in how to properly taste and evaluate red wine, we encourage you to enjoy this video from our friends at Fine Dining TV. If youre new to wine culture, you might just gain some insight into the physical differences between a Pinot and a Cabernet. At a minimum, its kind of fun to hear a classy French guy talk about the finer points of wine fermentation. But if youre in a hurry for our four recommendations, skip over the video and come back to it later.
In the spirit of National Red Wine Day, well keep the remainder of this blog short and sweet, putting four amazing California wines on your radar .
