Each year since 1988, Wine Spectator has released its Top 100 list, where their editors select the most exciting wines from the thousands they reviewed during the course of the year. The 2015 Top 100 emphasizes how much the wine world has changed since Wine Spectator put together its inaugural honor roll, in 1988. That year, the Top 10 counted three Bordeauxs, four Burgundies, two Italian reds and one California Cabernet. Seven wines out of France were coming from France and no Rhone Valley wine was part of the palmares. Now, less than three decades later, outstanding wines from almost every corner of the globe compete with these historic leaders for attention.
The wines Wine Spectator’s editors found among the most interesting in 2015 are a diverse group—ranging from emerging labels and regions to traditional estates exploring new directions—and all generated the excitement they call the “X-factor.” In addition, the selection also prioritizes quality (based on score), value (based on price) and availability (based on the number of cases either made or imported into the United States). These criteria were applied to the more than 5,700 wines that rated outstanding (90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale) this year to determine this Top 100 of 2015.
TWO MAJOR POINTS
1) France is doing poorly in the TOP50. If we focus on the TOP 50 wines, only two French wines are present with Burgundy (Chablis Jean Marc Brocard) and Bordeaux (Clos Fourtet Saint Emilion). Overall only 14 french wines in the TOP100.
2) USA are leading the show this year (Portugal was in the spotlight last year): USA come first in 2015 with 30 wines and the Top 3 wines also. Italy comes second with 20 wines and France comes third.
In 2015, here is the Top 10 for Wine Spectator:
N°1: Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Au Paradis 2012
N°2: Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2012
N°3: Evening Land Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Seven Springs Vineyard La Source 2012
N°4: Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2010
N°5: Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains 2012
N°6: Bodegas Aalto Ribera del Duero 2012
N°7: Escarpment Pinot Noir Martinborough Kupe Single Vineyard 2013
N°8: Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Serègo Alighieri Vaio Armaron 2008
N°9: Clos Fourtet St.-Emilion 2012
N°10: Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2009
Here is the palmares by countries:
N°1: USA with 30 wines (including the Top 3 wines)
N°2: Italy 20
N°3: France 14
N°4: Spain 10
N°5: Portugal 5 / Australia 5
N°7: Chile 4 / New Zealand 4
N°9: South Africa 3
N°10: Argentina 2
N°11: Germany 1 / Greece 1 / Austria 1
Times are changing…In 1988, seven wines in the Top 10 were coming from France. Competition to reach the top 10 is now extremely tough and only one French wine made it this year. And in such a context, a post from last year on this blog may be worth reading: Within 10 years, new names will enter the list of the 25 most powerful brands in the fine wine market
For your record, here is how France has performed over the last 15 years:
2014: Two wines with Clos des Papes and Léoville Las Cases
2013: Three wines with Beaucastel, Domaine du Pégau and Chateau Canon La Gaffelière
2012: Four wines with Chateau de St Cosme, Clos des Papes, Chateau Guiraud and Chateau Léoville Barton
2011: Three wines with Domaine Huet, Alin Graillot and Chateau de St Cosme
2010: One wine with Clos des Papes
2009: One wine with Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
2008: Five wines
2007: France first with Clos des Papes and four wines in the Top 10
2006: Three wines
2005: Two wines
2004: France first with Chateau Rieussec and three wines in the Top 10
2003: Three wines
2002: France first with Guigal’s Chateauneuf du Pape and three wines in Top 10
2001: Five wines
2000: Two wines
Find more information on this 2015 palmares on www.winespectator.com
