WINE TIME: Columnist Frank Sutherland picks the best wines of 2009(1)
My wine of the year for 2009 is an inexpensive Chardonnay that won out in a blind tasting over wines costing two or more times as much.
The 2007 Glass Mountain California Chardonnay at $6.99 offered great value at this price.
My favorite wines from this year's tastings under $15 were the 2008 Cavit Pinot Grigio, 2007 Bohemian Highway Cabernet Sauvignon and 2008 Redtree Pinot Noir, with a strong nod to the 2008 Fetzer Valley Oaks California Gewurztraminer and the 2008 Excelsior Chardonnay.
My favorite wines over $15 for the year were the 2006 Adobe Road Bavarian Lion Vineyard Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, followed closely by the 2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon.
Some of these wines may have sold out by now, but if you can find them on the shelves, I recommend them wholeheartedly. Summaries of the top five and those earning honorable mention are below.
• 2007 Glass Mountain California Chardonnay ($6.99): We found lovely scents for a chardonnay of Golden Delicious apples, lemon and chalk. With a gorgeous palate, this wine offered apple flavors with hints of almond and tastes that reminded us of fresh rainwater and a hint of minerals. This great value is my wine of the year.
Runners-up
• 2008 Cavit Pinot Grigio ($8.99): From Venezie, Italy, this wine's bouquet included dusty, dried lemon, under-ripe cantaloupe and fresh melon. Flavors were slightly salty-sour, emphasizing the lemon and melon tastes. This was an excellent food wine with wide appeal at a great price.
• 2007 Bohemian Highway California Cabernet Sauvignon ($5.99): We smelled oranges, coffee, black cherries, mint, tea and chocolate like Hersey's Syrup. Soft and easy to drink on the tongue, flavors included black cherries, chocolate and orange. Made by the folks who own Beringer, Penfolds and other well-known brands, Bohemian Highway was a great buy at this price.
• 2008 Redtree Pinot Noir ($9.99): The aroma offered strawberries, soda, cherries, herbs, bay leaf, green peppercorns and vanilla beans. This wine had a super soft and silky texture, with lots of red fruit and herbs. The Redtree violates the rule never to buy an inexpensive Pinot Noir.
