Winewaves Best of 2006

For my money, every wine that was seen on Winewaves in 2006 is a winner. The same goes for the winemakers, wine stores and destinations that appeared. The first week in January is a good time to look back and identify which wines, winemakers, importers, retailers, marketers and trends need to be given more recognition.

Before the best of 2006 are named, keep in mind that Winewaves reviews less expensive wines, mostly under $25. There are better wines out there for those of greater means. Also, Winewaves takes a "random walk" approach to seeking out wines and thus many wines are missed. This being a very visual blog, wines are chosen not just because of their potential for being great juice but also for their visual and trendsetting impact. There is a strong element of fashion being considered in addition to the flavor.

Here then ladies and gentlemen, is a short list of the best of Winewaves for 2006.

Best New Wave: Vino Volo is an exciting new concept offering wine flights and small bites at the airport, with locations in Seattle (Sea-Tac), Washington DC (Dulles), and coming to many airports soon. Vino Volo is capitalizing on a wave which has caught on across the country, affordable casual wine bars that offer premium wines and small portions of well-prepared appetizers or tapas as some prefer to call them. To place this concept in major airports beyond security is "so civilized!"

Best Place to Buy QPR Wines: San Diego Wine Company is the perfect place for a Winewaves random walk because the inventory is constantly changing and selected for having great quality for the price (QPR=quality price ratio). Matt Francke and the staff select wines which will turn fast and that means they represent great value. This approach also guarantees variety in your wine diet because loyalty to wine labels takes a back seat.

Best Importer: Jorge Ordonez brings us many great alternatives to the well-known Chardonnay, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz. This year 5 of his Spanish labels made it onto Winewaves. See the reviews for: Mano A Mano La Mancha Tempranillo 2004, Viñas del Cenit Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo La Tierra de Zamora 2003, Naia Rueda Verdejo 2005, Vina Nora Albarino 2005 and Borsao Viña Borgia Campo De Borja Grenache 2005.

Best Wine Marketers: Dan Phillips of the Grateful Palate and Sparky Marquis of Mollydooker share this recognition, proving that "breaking up" may be hard to do but sometimes is the best thing. After going their separate ways, Dan Phillips brought out the big $10 hit "Bitch" (see the reviews for the 2004 and 2005 vintages). Sparky introduced the sellout Mollydooker line which moved faster than any $20+ label in recent history.  Dan is an outstanding importer with many labels under the Grateful Palate umbrella and Sparky is a great winemaker, but this year they each took very active roles in marketing their new projects and in both cases they got great results. Winewaves reviewed their collaborative Marquis Philips Shiraz 2004, Sparky's Mollydooker The Violinist Verdelho 2006 and Dan's Pillar Box Red 2005 in addition to the Bitch.

Best Winemakers: Chris Ringland gets the nod for popular winemaker having helped put the Bitch on the map, and Pete Hedges shares this recognition for very classic winemaker, including great values Hedges Three Vineyards Red Mountain Red 2003 and Hedges CMS White Columbia Valley 2005. Chris is involved with many projects but Winewaves reviewed Pillar Box Red 2005 as well as Bitch 2004 and 2005. Pete has been delivering solid Bordeaux blends since arriving on the scene in 2002.

Best Red Wines: Read the reviews of Novelty Hill Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Hedges Three Vineyards Red Mountain Red 2003, and Bitch Barossa Grenache 2005.

Best White Wines: Read the reviews of Mollydooker The Violinist Verdelho 2006, Höpler Grüner Veltliner 2004 and Coopers Creek Cat's Phee on a Gooseberry Bush Sauvignon Blanc 2005.

Best Rosé: Read the review of Gran Feudo Julian Chivite Garnacha Rosé 2005.

Best Bargain Wine: Read the review of Borsao Viña Borgia Campo De Borja Grenache 2005.

Thank you for reading Winewaves in 2006. Cheers and here's to drinking well in 2007.

Comments

[critina]

modern design
unique stytle
competitive price
superior quality
free shipping
attractive and durable
best after-service
Welcome to contact !
http://www.coiki.com
http://www.goocd.com