It is now official: Wine Spectator's 2012 Wine of Year is Napa Valley's 2008 Relentless from Shafer Vineyards, a Rhone-inspired blend of Syrah & Petite Sirah. A very nice wine and a great wine estate that deserves this much sought-after position. In fact this Rhone style wine is not the only one in Wine Spectator's top 5. No less than 4 Rhone style wines made it this year in the Top 5. With the recent 11-page article on Michel Chapoutier in Wine Spectator and the perfect score given to Chateau de Beaucastel's Hommage à Jacques Perrin 2010 by Robert Parker, do Rhone style wines become the next big thing ? In fact Rhone style wines have been highly regarded by critics for a long time now. Let's remember that Rhone producer Michel Chapoutier is the insatiable «Terroir photographer» with the greatest number of 100 Parker points in the world. Let's also remember that Chateau de Beaucastel's Hommage à Jacques Perrin regulary got the perfect 100 points score over the last 25 years since the iconic 1989. Rhone wines are performing extremely well.

But four Rhone style wines in the Top 5 of The Wine Spectator's top 100...what does it mean? First of all, being an international Magazine (sold and read all over the world), Wine Spectator confirms that not only US wine lovers but also new markets like the Rhone style in general and Rhone wines more specifically. In fact, all over the world, the taste of these wines seems to conquer more and more aficionados. Secondly, this new palmares adds again credibility to all the top scores and awards Rhone wines received over the last 20 years. This palmares certainly gives a greater visibility to these wines that have been, for a long time, considered less "prestigious" than Bordeaux style wines. In fact it contributes to reinforcing the conviction of those who always believed in Rhone style wines such as Randall Grahm from Bonny Doon and many others. It also contributes to strengthen the new positions Rhone wines took in mature and new markets as well.

It's time now to discover this new palmares. Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010, Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella’s Garden 2010, Château de St.-Cosme Gigondas 2010 and the winner....Shafer Vineyards Relentless Napa Valley 2008. Find more on these wines here in The Wine Spectator's top 100.

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