2012 - A Year In Review: Our Top Ten Wines

So, we were pretty slack about getting this done considering we are over three weeks into 2013.  However, here we are with an overview of the top ten wines of 2012.  These may or may not be the top ten scores in order per se, but they are the top ten best and most memorable tasting experiences of the year. 

Not to be morose, but 2012 was yet again another personally horrendous year with the loss of Chris' Mom in September being worst part.  We had lots of ups and downs but the wine did flow through it all and we really did try some great wines last year.  We were able to rate a LOT of wines and give most more than a passing grade.  2012 was the first year that our little blog garnered enough attention to be offered wine samples from some wine brands and we thank them for that.  We hope our opinions on your wines were fair and that you felt like it was worthwhile to have us taste them.  At the end of the year, we also came into possession of a 1988 Chateau Palmer Margaux which remains unopened.

Overall, we had a great wine journey last year and now we want to provide you with the Top Ten Wines of 2012.  As a refresher, the 2011 Wine of the Year was the Frogpond Cabernet Franc from the Niagara Region (Note - we have linked to the reviews so you can see the details but we'll start at number 10):

10 - Barossa Valley Estates E Minor Shiraz - Heard about it on the PBS show Vine Talk and it lived up to the billing

9 - Montebuena Rioja - A totally out of blue awesome Parker and Spectator rated Rioja experience

8 - Junta Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc - Fantastic Chilean Cab Franc....Chilean!

7 - Finca Sobreno Tempranillo - Organic and on sale...nuff said

6 - The People's People's Pinot Noir - Kiwi Pinot Noir at its finest

5 - Tinhorn Creek Merlot (Close runner up: Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc) - Pre-Free My Grapes cross border shenanigans with delicious results

4 - Villa Maria Pinot Noir - What's that? Even MORE Kiwi Pinot Noir at its finest? Yes indeed!

3 - Roodeberg Red (Value Wine of the Year) - Lots of flavour for a little price thus its higher position on the list

2 - The People's Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand strikes again, this time, with a white

1 - Org de Rac Merlot - Organic, full of flavour & body, reasonably priced....you can't ask for anything more. Winner of Wine of the Year!

Honorable Mentions (all worthy of repeated purchase):

Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
Mawson's Hill Block 3 Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon
Avondale Sky Tidal Bay
Santa Ema Carménère
Bodegas Faustino VII
Bodegas Juan Gil Petit Verdot
d'Arenberg d'Arry's Original Shiraz Grenache
Masi Passo Doble

Our best tasting experience of the year, hands down, was opening our 2001 White Oak Syrah that we have held since our trip to Sonoma in 2004.  It is an unfair comparison to the other wines in the list but is our sentimental number one.

We again apologize for the general lack of whites on this list, BUT rest assured the ones that are there are reeeeeeeally good.

Thanks for the memories 2012, on to new ones!

Keep on tasting!

Chris & Shannon