Home Food & Wine Wine Report from the Fort And the winner is... Northside's 100 Best wines of 2005

And the winner is... Northside's 100 Best wines of 2005

Written by Fred McMillin, Northside Wine Editor

Wednesday, 30 November 2005

Here are some interesting things to watch for on our top 100 list: White wines: Half of the whites are not chardonnays. Red wines: The best ain’t free. The average price of our top three reds is seventy bucks. However, three other reds on the list cost $10 or less. So, without further adieu, here are our choices for the top 100 wines of 2005. 100 Flora Springs White Soliloquy, 2002, $25 99 Handley Dry Creek Chardonnay, 2003, $18 98 Chateau Greysac Medoc Bordeaux Red (Diageo), 2000, $19 97 Harveys dessert Bristol Cream Sherry (Allied Domecq), $16 96 Sterling Napa Pinot Noir, 2003, $19 95 Chateau La Paws Amador Zinfandel, 2002, $11 94 Peju Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $38 93 Hagafen Napa Syrah, 2001, $27 92 Graeser Coeur de Leon Red, 2000, $28 91 Trinchero Chicken Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002, $25 90 Gary Farrell Russian River Chardonnay, 2002, $34 89 Foppiano Russian River Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $17 88 Castoro Cellars Tribute Zinfandel, 2001, $19 87 Adelaida Santa Lucia Chardonnay, 2002, $30 86 Matura Valley New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (Beringer-Blass), 2001, $20 85 Provenance Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002, $35 84 Trinchero Mario’s Meritage, 2002, $45 83 Rosenblum RustRidge Zinfandel, 2002, $25 82 Trentadue Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc, 2003, $14 81 Chateau St. Jean California Merlot, 2002, $15 80 King Estate Domaine Oregon Pinot Noir, 2002, $50 79 Beaulieu Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001,$25 78 Geyser Peak Kuimelis Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $32 77 Sullivan Napa Late Harvest Zinfandel, 1984 76 Lake Sonoma Winery Zinfandel, 2002, $20 75 Grgich Hills Napa Zinfandel, 2002, $28 74 Trentadue Petite Sirah, 2002, $28 73 Deaver Mourvedre, 2000, $26 72 Ventana dessert Muscat d’Orange, 2003, $18 (375 ml) 71 Steele Writer’s Block Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, 2003, $14 70 Grgich Hills Napa Chardonnay, 2002, $35 69 Edna Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2002, $15 68 Chumeia Syrah, 2002, $20 67 Sobon Cougar Hill Zinfandel, 1997, $15 66 Edna Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2003, $16 65 Kenwood Jack London Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $30##M:[more]## 64 Benjamin Tawny Port, Australia (Beringer- Blass), $12 63 Sunset Ledgewood Zinfandel, 2000, $15 62 Sterling SVR Red, 2001,$45 61 Adelaida Pinot Noir, 2002, $25 60 Waterbrook Red Mountain Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $24 59 Gary Farrell Tina’s Zinfandel, 2002,$25 58 Schramsberg Cremant Sparkler, 2001, $32 57 Sullivan Rutherford Merlot, 2001,$50 56 Belle de Brillet Pear Liqueur (Pasternak), $45 55 Steele Du Pratt Zinfandel, 2000, $19 54 Kenwood Jack London Merlot, 1999, $30 53 Beaulieu Century Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002, $7 52 Steele Shooting Star Mendocino Zinfandel, 2002, $12 51 Five Rivers Central Coast Merlot, 2001, $10 50 Georges Meugey Vouvray, Loire (Boisset U.S.A.), 2003, $11 49 Bogle Petite Sirah, California, 2003, $10 48 Chateau La Paws Mourvedre, 2002, $11 47 Steele Cabernet Franc, 2002, $16 46 Gary Farrell Russian River Selection Pinot Noir, 2003, $34 45 Gerard Chavy Puligny-Montrachet (Diageo), France, 2001, $32 44 Tollot-Beaut Red Chorey Beaune (Diageo), Burgundy, 2001, $20 43 Michel-Schlumberger Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $32 42 Joseph Phelps Le Mistral, 2002, $30 41 Robert Biale Napa Zinfandel, 2002, $40 40 Michel-Schlumberger Dry Creek Merlot, 2001, $26 39 Orogeny Sonoma Pinot Noir, 2003, $30 38 Joseph Phelps Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002, $48 37 St. James dessert Vignoles, 2001, $12 36 Jarvis Lake William Red, 2000, $58 35 Gary Farrell Starr Pinot Noir, 2002, $38 34 Jade Mountain Syrah, 2001, $16 33 Sterling Reserve Merlot, 2001, $65 32 David Bruce Santa Cruz Pinot Noir, 2002, $55 31 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Red, 2001, $85 30 Smith & Hook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002, $25 29 Beaulieu Dulcet Napa Red, 2001, $35 28 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexander Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $46 27 Gallo McMurray Ranch Pinot Noir, 2001, $32 26 Marimar Christina Pinot Noir, 2002, $47 25 2820 Wine Company The Ghost Red, 2002, $42 24 Gary Farrell Bradford Cabernet Sauvignon, 2000, $40 23 Rodney Strong Symmetry, 2000, $55 22 Hahn Red Meritage, 2003, $20 21 Guenoc Red Meritage, 1992, $15 20 Sullivan Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $50 19 David Bruce Shell Creek Petite Syrah (sic), 2001, $25 18 St. George Spirits Framboise Liqueur, nonvintage, $20 (375 ml) 17 Steele Pacini Zinfandel, 2002, $16 16 Domaine Chandon Carneros Pinot Noir, 1999, $29 15 Gary Farrell Allen Pinot Noir, 2002, $60 14 Peachy Canyon Especial Zinfandel, 2001, $30 13 Peju Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002, $38 12 Beaulieu Latour Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $85 11 St. Clement Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $35 10 Silkwood California Syrah, 2001$ $24 9 Mumm Corton Rouge Champagne, NV, $41 8 Icaria Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $38 7 Geyser Peak Sandy Lane Zinfandel, 2002, $30 6 Montevina Oro Deaver Zinfandel, 2002, $30 5 Gary Farrell Rochioli-Allen Pinot Noir, 2002, $60 4 Folie a Deux Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2000, $46 3 Sterling Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $75 2 D.R. Stephens Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, $90 1 Gary Farrell Cesta Ridge Chardonnay, 2003, $38 Fred McMillin was voted one of the U.S.A.’s 22 best wine writers by the Academy of Wine Communications. If you have questions, please phone him at (415) 563-5712.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 16 November 2006 )