As a wine lover and collector, one of my favorite days of the year is when Wine Spectator Magazine announces their Top 100 wines of the year.
This year more than 15,000 wines from around the world were reviewed in blind tastings. Over 3,500 of them earned outstanding ratings (90 points or higher on our 100-point scale). The list was then narrowed down based on four criteria: quality (represented by score); value (reflected by release price); availability (measured by case production or cases imported); and an X-factor that WS calls "excitement".
Thirteen countries are represented in this years list with the average price for the wines being $42.
And the winner for 2007 Wine Of The Year is...
Clos des Papes
Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005
98 points / $80
7,500 cases made
"In the Southern Rhône's recent trio of great vintages starting with 2003, no other Châteauneuf-du-Pape domaine has produced better wines than Clos des Papes. Under Vincent Avril, quality has improved steadily, and the 2003 (97 points) was Wine Spectator's No. 2 wine in 2005. At 98 points, the 2005 is Avril's best wine yet, displaying an enormous core of fruit and minerality along with massive structure. The Clos des Papes red (the estate also produces a white) is a blend of 65 percent Grenache, 20 percent Mourvèdre, 10 percent Syrah and other grapes from 74 acres of vines around Châteauneuf. Avril keeps yields low, picks vineyard blocks separately for ideal ripeness and vinifies the destemmed grapes in ceramic-lined vats. The wine is aged in large wooden foudres for up to 12 months before the final blend is assembled."
