Top 100 from Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Everyone does the "top" lists when it gets near the end of the year. I mentioned Wine Spectator's list a few days ago. Wine Enthusiast takes a different tact in that they call it "special occasion wines they wish they could drink more often." It's not even their top-scoring wines exactly. They look at rating, price, drinkability (is that like Bud Lite?) and availability.

Joseph Swan's Trenton Est.vineyard
Image from swanwinery.com

Anyway, coming in at #2 and 97 points is the 2007 Joseph Swan Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from the Trenton Estate Vineyard at $52.  Joseph Swan was making Russian River Pinots since long before they became fashionable. I don't know where you can still find this wine, but their more readily available and less expensive Cvuée de Trois is one of the better deals in Pinot. Their wines are in what you'd call the classic style. They are structured, complex, and ageable. If you like 'em fruity and soft these wines aren't for you.

Some of the other familiar local names on the list are Shafer, Stonestreet, Roederer, Navarro, Fort Ross, Dry Creek Vyd, Merry Edwards, Gloria Ferrer, Marimar, and Franciscan.

Check out the results at winemag.com including their list of Top 100 Best Buys.