Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines - 2005

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Wine Spectator's 2005 Wine of the Year is one of California's greatest success stories. After 29 vintages, Insignia is recognized as one of Napa's signature red wines and routinely one of its finest. It's fascinating for its ever-changing varietal composition, remarkable consistency from year to year and ability to improve with age. The wine spent 26 months in a mix of new French oak barrels from coopers Taransaud, Nadalie and Demptos. As seductive as the 2002 Insignia is, don't be fooled by its plush layers of currant, mocha, berry, mineral and spice. This is classic Insignia with its precision, balance, concentration, power and finesse. With time, the best Insignias slowly soften yet retain their rich layers of fruit complexity. Expect the 2002 to reach its peak by age eight to 10, and to drink well for 15 to 20 years.

Clos des Papes
Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2003 97 / $68
Rhone

Father-and-son team Paul and Paul-Vincent Avril made this powerful red, which represents the bulk of production from their 74-acre, family-owned estate. Grenache (65 percent), Mourvcdre (20 percent), Syrah (10 percent) and a dollop of other red grapes are vinified in ceramic-lined vats before aging for a year in large oak casks?the classic method in the appellation. The estate makes just one red wine, allowing the Avrils to practice strict selection while drawing on grapes from Chateauneuf-du-Pape's various terroirs. 7,500 cases made.

Rosenblum
Zinfandel Rockpile Rockpile Road Vineyard 2003 94 / $29
California

In the 2003 vintage, Zinfandel master Kent Rosenblum crafted 19 vineyard-designated versions of California's distinctive red varietal. This 100 percent Zinfandel comes from the new Rockpile appellation in northern Sonoma County. Rosenblum winemaker Jeff Cohn credits the quality to a rare clone of old-vine Zinfandel planted at the Rockpile Road Vineyard, itself a small, hillside tract featuring a soil of volcanic loam, shale and clay. The generally hot growing season also enhanced the luscious, exotic notes in this wine. 4,973 cases made.

 

Concha y Toro
Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Don Melchor 2001
95 / $45
Chile

The 280-acre Puente Alto vineyard in the Maipo Valley is the source for the Don Melchor, long one of Chile's benchmark reds, made by Chilean wine giant Concha y Toro. At the foot of the Andes, this area benefited from nearly ideal growing conditions in 2001. Winemaker Enrique Tirado mixed 9 percent Cabernet Franc to add flesh and aged the wine for 15 months in French oak barrels, 75 percent of them new. Puente Alto's poor, alluvial terroir is well-suited to Cabernet Sauvignon and lends this wine its loamy character. 13,500 cases made.

 

Sette Ponti
Toscana Oreno 2003
95 / $95
Tuscany

The sizzling summer heat in Tuscany in 2003 overwhelmed this estate's early-ripening Merlot, so owner Antonio Moretti took consulting enologist Carlo Ferrini's advice to omit the customary 25 percent Merlot in this blend. The result was an even mix of the best Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese from the estate's 136 acres of vineyards, which include some 70-year-old Sangiovese vines. Oreno is aged in new oak barrels for 18 months, is not filtered before it is bottled, and rests for a year before being released. 2,750 cases made.

Alban
Syrah Edna Valley Reva 2003 96 / $56
California

Pioneering vintner John Alban, based in the Central Coast appellation of Edna Valley near San Luis Obispo, is a leader of the Rhone revolution sweeping California. For the fifth vintage in a row, Alban does his mother proud with a score of 93 or more points for the Reva bottling, her namesake. There's also the high quality Lorraine, a Syrah named after Alban's wife, and Seymour, a Grenache-based blend named for his father. The grapes come from Alban's 60-acre estate vineyard. 1,440 cases made.

 

Lewis
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2002 96 / $65
California

Former Indy race car driver Randy Lewis and his wife, Debbie, have a record for excellence that few in the Golden State can match. They consistently make Chardonnays, Syrahs and Cabernets worth seeking out, and have compiled an impressive 61 outstanding releases since the winery's founding in 1994. This year, their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 offers uncommon richness and value. The Lewises don't own any vineyards; instead, they buy grapes harvested from vineyards throughout Napa Valley to make their wines. 1,400 cases made.

Castello Banfi
Brunello di Montalcino Poggio all'Oro Riserva 1999 96 / $125
Tuscany

This single-vineyard Brunello, made from the region's distinctive variety of Sangiovese, is Castello Banfi's top wine. It comes from the 60-acre Poggio dell'Oro vineyard (Italian for "a golden hill") on Banfi's 7,100-acre estate south of Montalcino. This was the first vineyard planted by the American Mariani family, led by brothers John and Harry, following its purchase of the estate in 1978. Produced only in excellent vintages, the wine was first made in 1985. The 1999 was aged 42 months in small French oak barrels before release. 5,800 cases made.

Staglin
Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 20th Anniversary 2002 95 / $125
California

Staglin is on a roll, with its last four Cabernet vintages having rated 94 points or higher. The grapes are harvested from a 50-acre vineyard in Rutherford that for years was an anchor of Beaulieu Vineyard's Georges de Latour Private Reserve. Winemaker Andy Erickson put this 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon into new French oak barrels for 24 months of aging before release. Top viticulturist David Abreu has been overseeing the vineyards since the start. 2,500 cases made.

 

Chateau d'Yquem
Sauternes 2001
100 / $400
Bordeaux

The 2001 Chateau d'Yquem, already a modern legend, is one of the most impressive wines released this year. Some have already made comparisons to such extraordinary Yquems as the 1967, 1959 and 1921. The sweet white shows incredible balance and power for a young Sauternes, with layers of ripe and very sweet fruit and long, bright acidity on the finish. It's a wine that already gives pleasure but will improve in the cellar for decades to come. 10,000 cases made.

11 Kosta Browne
Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2003 95 / $28 • California

For a couple of rookies, Dan Kosta and Michael Browne make Pinot Noir look easy. With only four vintages under its belt, the two-man team has made seven outstanding 2003 Pinot Noirs. The grapes come from three different vineyards, with most grown in a cool-climate zone near Petaluma. The wine was aged 17 months in French oak barrels, about a third of which were new. 790 cases made.

12 Crocker & Starr
Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2004 94 / $23 • California

California Sauvignon Blanc is on the rise and this wine led the pack in the '04 vintage. Proprietor and winemaker Pam Starr uses 100 percent Sauvignon Musqué and blends two different vineyards: the warm-climate, early-ripening Crocker in St. Helena and the cool-climate, late-ripening Hyde Las Trancas in southern Napa Valley. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel barrels. 1,199 cases made.

13 Campo Eliseo
Toro 2002 94 / $50 • Spain

This partnership between brothers Jacques and François Lurton and globe-trotting consultants Dany and Michel Rolland confirm‎s the rising quality of the reds from Spain's Toro region. Five local growers provided the 100 percent Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo) grapes used in the wine. An average vine age of 30 years and small crops provide concentration, while malolactic fermentation in new French oak barriques followed by additional aging for 14 months lends international polish. 1,250 cases made.

14 Tenimenti Luigi d'Alessandro
Syrah Cortona Il Bosco 2003 94 / $50 • Tuscany

The d'Alessandro brothers-Francesco, Massimo and Giulio-began making their reputation for excellent Syrah in Tuscany more than a decade ago, but it is only recently that they have mastered this finicky grape on their 86-acre estate near the town of Cortona on the Umbrian border. With the help of consulting enologist Stefano Chioccioli, they have made purer, more complex Syrahs. 3,000 cases made.

15 W.H. Smith Wines
Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Maritime Vineyard 2003 97 / $45 • California

This stunning Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir was crafted by proprietors Bill and Joan Smith, onetime Napa Cabernet producers. The Smiths followed the lead of Marcassin's Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer when, in 1994, they purchased a 360-acre ranch 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean that they call Maritime Ridge. This is only the second vintage from their 20-acre vineyard, which lies north of the mouth of the Russian River. 545 cases made.

16 Charles Heidsieck
Brut Champagne 1995 95 / $65 • Champagne

Cellarmaster Régis Camus has been with this 154-year-old Champagne house since 1994 and considers 1995 to have been a classic harvest. Warm temperatures and even precipitation in July and August meant that, despite Champagne's northern latitude, the grapes reached optimal maturity by the beginning of harvest in late September. This graceful bubbly relies on 65 percent Pinot Noir and 35 percent Chardonnay. 5,000 cases made.

17 Beaux Frères
Pinot Noir Willamette Valley The Beaux Frères Vineyard 2003 95 / $75 • Oregon

Michael Etzel has made some of Oregon's most profound Pinot at Beaux Frères since 1991. Despite a hot vintage in 2003, he managed to get plenty of finesse into this wine, made from the estate's 24-acre, south-facing hillside vineyard located on Ribbon Ridge in the Willamette Valley. Etzel prunes the vines severely, aiming to harvest just 2 tons per acre. 1,675 cases made.

18 Thorn-Clarke
Shiraz Barossa Valley Shotfire Ridge 2003 93 / $20 • Australia

Thorn-Clarke's midrange Shiraz is big and rich in the warm yet balanced '03 vintage. The winery is owned by David and Cheryl Clarke and managed by their son Sam. Cheryl's brother David Thorn manages the Kabininge vineyard just outside Tanunda, the source for Shotfire Ridge. The wine was aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels, roughly half new and the rest two or three years old. 12,000 cases made.

19 Félicien Diffonty & Fils
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Vatican Sixtine Réserve 2003 95 / $55 • Rhône

Jean-Marc Diffonty comes from a long line of winemakers and took the reins of this 55-acre estate from his father at a young age. The estate has vineyard blocks in La Crau as well as in northern Châteauneuf-du-Pape. His luxury cuvée, the Sixtine Réserve is aged in both small barrels (30 percent new) and old foudres. The '03 is a blend of 50 percent Grenache, 30 percent Syrah and 20 percent Mourvèdre. 1,800 cases made.

20 Château Latour
Pauillac 2002 96 / $190 • Bordeaux

Massive investment in the vineyards and winery by billionaire owner François Pinault has in recent years given Latour the edge over its first-growth peers. In the difficult 2002 growing season, Latour made the wine of the vintage. The grand vin is aged 18 months in new oak barrels before release and is a classic Pauillac blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Merlot and a dash each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. 22,000 cases made.

21 Barossa Valley Estate
Shiraz Barossa Valley E&E Black Pepper 2002 97 / $85 • Australia

A cooperative founded in 1985 by local growers, Barossa Valley Estate excels with Shiraz. E&E Black Pepper is the flagship wine, made only from vines 60 or more years of age. Cool weather in 2002 left some Barossa reds excessively crisp, but BVE made a classic, achieving its highest score ever; it's a profound wine with muscular tannins and intense fruit. 1,200 cases made.

22 Alain Jaume
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine Grand Veneur Les Origines 2003 94 / $40 • Rhône

Alain Jaume manages the Grand Veneur domaine with his two sons, Sébastien and Christophe. The domaine was founded in 1826 by Mathieu Jaume and includes 37 acres in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This 2003 is a blend of estate fruit and is made up of 40 percent Grenache and 30 percent each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, with yields kept at between 1.5 tons per acre and 2.25 tons per acre. 1,000 cases imported.

23 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi
Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo Ripe al Convento Riserva 1999 97 / $99 • Tuscany

The Frescobaldi family has been making wine in Tuscany for centuries, but its current reputation has been greatly enhanced through a string of excellent wines from the Brunello estate of Castelgiocondo. The Ripe al Convento is a parcel in one of the best sections of the property's 350 acres of vines. It was the best Brunello in the outstanding 1999 vintage. The riserva spends two years in oak and two years in bottle before release. 2,200 cases made.

24 DuMOL
Syrah Russian River Valley 2003 95 / $50 • California

DuMol has become synonymous with high quality California Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah since its first vintage in 1996. In 2003, winemaker Andy Smith crafted a Russian River Valley bottling in addition to the highly rated Eddies Patch Syrah. A third of the grapes are from the estate's Hoppe vineyard, with the remainder of the fruit from three vineyards whose farming practices are controlled by DuMol. 866 cases made.

25 Conterno-Fantino
Barolo Sorí Ginestra 2001 99 / $99 • Piedmont

This is the highest-scoring Barolo yet from the 2001 vintage and comes from partners Claudio Conterno and Guido Fantino. They own a stake in the 37-acre Ginestra vineyard, located near the town of Monforte d'Alba in the heart of Barolo country. Ginestra shone in the 2001 vintage, producing a number of outstanding Barolos, but none more impressive than this. 1,370 cases made.

26 Paolo Scavino
Barolo Bric dël Fiasc 2001 95 / $105 • Piedmont

Scavino's 6.5-acre Nebbiolo vineyard Bric dël Fiasc is located near the town of Castiglione Falletto, one of the key communes in Barolo. First made in 1978, it's the flagship wine of the family winery and in great vintages rarely misses a classic rating, enhancing Castiglione's reputation for producing wines of great complexity, concentration and aging power. 800 cases made.

27 Quinta do Vallado
Douro Reserva 2003 94 / $36 • Portugal

From traditional Port country comes this red table wine that joins the old with the new. At the direction of family proprietors Guilherme Alvares Ribeiro and wife Maria Ferreira, a restructuring of the vineyards was completed in 1998. This wine is a blend of more than 20 varieties, including old-vine Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela and Touriga Franca, as well as Touriga Nacional and Sousa from the newly planted vineyards. 2,000 cases made.

28 Leeuwin
Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series 2002 96 / $65 • Australia

Among the first sites Denis Horgan planted at Leeuwin in 1974 was Block 20, which forms the backbone of the Art Series Chardonnay. Leeuwin fleshes out the wine with grapes selected from its 62 acres of Chardonnay vines (out of 346 total) on gravelly slopes just a few miles from the Indian Ocean. Australia's top Chardonnay, it often ranks among the world's best whites. 500 cases imported.

29 Brancaia
Maremma Toscana Ilatraia 2003 96 / $56 • Tuscany

Rocketing to the top in Maremma, a burgeoning appellation near the southern coast of Tuscany, is the second vintage of this oak-aged blend of 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 percent Sangiovese and 10 percent Petit Verdot. Barbara Kronenberg-Widmer makes the wine, with the aid of consulting enologist Carlo Ferrini. The Brancaia estate, owned by the Widmer family of Switzerland, covers 87 acres. 1,650 cases made.

30 Rosenblum
Zinfandel Paso Robles Richard Sauret Vineyards 2003 92 / $19 • California

Each of winemaker Jeff Cohn's vineyard-designated Zinfandels is made with specific yeast and barrel programs that he believes best bring out that vineyard's potential. The Richard Sauret bottling is made with three yeasts that originate in the Rhône Valley, which respectively evoke pepper, dark fruit and mineral qualities. Cohn uses oak barrels from more than 20 cooperages; this wine sees about one-quarter new oak. 7,029 cases made.

31 Achával-Ferrer
Malbec Mendoza Finca Altamira 2003 96 / $85 • Argentina

A pair of Italians and a pair of Argentineans partnered to form this small winery, which has risen to the pinnacle of quality in Argentina. The Finca Altamira vineyard, including 10 acres of ungrafted Malbec ranging from 50 to 80 years old, is the site used in this stunning red, the highest scorer yet from Argentina. 715 cases made.

32 Rosemount
GSM South Australia 2001 93 / $30 • Australia

Rosemount introduced GSM in 1994, aiming to emulate a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and it has scored well almost every year. The 2001 is a blend of 48 percent Grenache, 45 percent Syrah and 7 percent Mourvèdre from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Langhorne Creek. The 2001 vintage was unusually hot, but the best wines, like the GSM, show fresh fruit flavors and chewy texture. 4,000 cases imported.

33 Columbia Crest
Walter Clore Private Reserve Columbia Valley 2002 93 / $35 • Washington

Named for Walter Clore, a university researcher and a pioneer of the Washington wine industry, this is a blend of 63 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 37 percent Merlot. Half of the grapes come from Horse Heaven Hills and the rest from the Wahluke Slope, both in Columbia Valley. The 2002 growing season got off to a late start, but warm days got the fruit ripe and cold nights kept it balanced. Winemaker Ray Einberger aged the wine for two years in French oak. 5,250 cases made.

34 Buehler
Zinfandel Napa Valley 2003 93 / $15 • California

Buehler makes great, affordable wines across the board. This red is Napa Valley Zinfandel at its best-elegant, supple and peppery. It was made entirely from estate hillside vineyards and 33-year-old vines that produce about 2.5 tons an acre. Five percent Petite Sirah adds color and structure. Winemaker David Cronin aged this Zinfandel for 14 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels. 1,200 cases made.

35 Château Lagrange
St.-Julien 2002 92 / $25 • Bordeaux

Lagrange remains one of the most consistently outstanding producers of Bordeaux for the money. Only the top châteaus made outstanding wines in the 2002 vintage, which saw a deluge of rain in August and less-than-perfect weather during the harvest. Yet Lagrange worked hard in its 280 acres of vineyards to produce the best possible grapes. 54 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 33 percent Merlot and 13 percent Petit Verdot. 23,000 cases made.

36 Penner-Ash
Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2003 93 / $40 • Oregon

Lynn Penner-Ash headed the winemaking at Rex Hill for 14 years before leaving in 2002 to focus full time on her own label, which she and her husband, Ron, started in 1998. Typically cool Oregon was blazing hot in 2003, and Penner-Ash blended grapes from eight different vineyards and aged the wine for 10 months in French oak to create a supple Pinot with dense flavors. 2,500 cases made.

37 Shafer
Relentless Napa Valley 2002 94 / $62 • California

Relentless was created as a tribute to Shafer winemaker Elias Fernandez's tenacity. Since this Syrah's introduction with the 1999 vintage, every bottling has earned at least 91 points. With the 2002, Fernandez demonstrates his blending capabilities; the wine is 80 percent Syrah and 20 percent Petite Sirah. Fernandez gets the grapes from a small ridge-top estate vineyard just south of Stags Leap District. 2,500 cases made.

38 Orin Swift
The Prisoner Napa Valley 2003 92 / $25 • California

This red is an unusual blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Charbono. Winemaker Dave Phinney, who started the brand in 1998, first created this blend in 2000 in an attempt to tone down some ripe Zinfandel and pump up some lean Cabernet. Orin Swift is a combination of Phinney's father's middle name, Orin, and his mother's maiden name. This wine is made with purchased grapes. 4,500 cases made.

39 Matua
Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Paretai 2004 93 / $17 • New Zealand

Brothers Bill and Ross Spence started Matua in a tin shed outside Auckland in 1974, bottling one of New Zealand's first Sauvignon Blancs. They still run the winery, though it was bought by Foster's a few years ago. Paretai is the winery's top Sauvignon, produced from fruit grown on the north side of Marlborough's Wairau River, where near-ideal weather conditions in 2004 delivered vivid wines. 1,000 cases imported.

40 Two Hands
Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella's Garden 2003 94 / $55 • Australia

The two hands behind the winery are Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz, two Adelaide businessmen who began buying grapes from multiple vineyards in 2000 and have enjoyed success ever since. Bella's Garden is a blend of four different Barossa vineyards in 2003. For this vintage, winemaker Matt Wenke used less new oak overall and a higher proportion of French barrels. 1,200 cases imported.

41 St.-Urbans-Hof
Riesling QbA Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2004 91 / $11 • Germany

The grapes for this estate Riesling are sourced from about 37 acres of vineyards around this family-owned winery in Leiwen and from the Wiltingen Schlangengraben in the Saar. These vineyards are flat and easy to manage, therefore reducing costs and resulting in a great German value. Good growing conditions resulted in an elegant wine backed by plenty of zip. 15,000 cases made.

42 Altos Las Hormigas
Malbec Mendoza Viña Hormigas Reserva 2002 92 / $24 • Argentina

Since their first vintage in 1997, winemakers Alberto Antonini and Attilio Pagli, two of four Italian partners who run this winery, have produced some of the best and best-priced reds from Mendoza. The reserva is the top of their line and the 2002 culminates a string of impressive showings. This muscular, ultraripe Malbec shows levels of complexity not achieved in previous vintages. 4,000 cases made.

43 Finca Luzón
Jumilla Altos de Luzón 2003 93 / $16 • Spain

This well-priced red from Spain's up-and-coming Jumilla region blends 50 percent Monastrell (Mourvèdre) from 51-year-old vines with 25 percent each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel, followed by malolactic fermentation in new French and American oak; the exuberant fruit flavors are nicely integrated with the toasty oak note. 1,500 cases made.

44 Novy
Syrah Sonoma County 2003 92 / $19 • California

Adam and Dianna Lee oversee a remarkable lineup of wines: 24 different Pinot Noirs from California and Oregon under the Siduri label and a handful of stellar Syrahs from Novy, which they make with their extended family. The blend here includes grapes purchased from Bennett Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley. 1,116 cases made.

45 Wilson
Riesling Clare Valley Polish Hill River 2003 92 / $19 • Australia

Australia produces an ocean of Chardonnay, but its Rieslings deserve attention as well. The epicenter for Riesling quality is Clare Valley, two hours' drive north of Adelaide. The Wilson family has been making wine in Clare for more than three decades. Their 12 acres of Riesling grow in the hills near the north end of the valley at Polish Hill River, where soils of red clay and plenty of shale create a lively, distinctive wine. 2,000 cases made.

46 Truchard
Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros 2003 93 / $28 • California

Tony and Jo Ann Truchard own 270 acres of vineyards in Carneros, where they grow 10 different grape varieties. They sell most of their grapes, reserving 20 percent for their own wines, which can rank among California's best. This year their Chardonnay rises to the top. Sedimentary soils and cooler temperatures make the Carneros region ideal for growing Chardonnay. 1,059 cases made.

47 Goldeneye
Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Migration 2003 92 / $28 • California

Goldeneye is the Pinot Noir estate of Napa Valley's Duckhorn Vineyards, best known for its Merlot. For cool climate-loving Pinot, Duckhorn draws on vineyards in Mendocino County's Anderson Valley. Winemaker Zach Rasmuson blends grapes from four estate sites and two additional growers to make this well-priced red. 3,061 cases made.

48 Ehlers Estate
Merlot Napa Valley 2002 92 / $27 • California

Ehlers Estate is a not-for-profit winery; its proceeds benefit the research goals of the Leducq Foundation, one of the world's largest medical research trusts committed to cardiovascular research. The 39-acre vineyard estate was originally founded in 1886, and this Merlot is made from grapes grown biodynamically. 2,050 cases made.

49 Stefano Farina
Barolo 2001 92 / $28 • Piedmont

Value-priced Barolo is a rare commodity these days, with most of these powerful Nebbiolo-based reds sporting price tags of $60 or more. Based in Como, near the Italian-Swiss border, Stefano Farina Vintners has made wine in Piedmont since the late 1960s, using grapes from their own estates in the region, supplemented with fruit bought from local growers. 3,000 cases made.

50 Sea Smoke
Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Botella 2003 93 / $30 • California

The Sea Smoke vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara County is young, but already has an impressive track record for quality. This 100-acre property was planted in 1999, and is divided into 24 blocks planted to 16 assorted Pinot Noir clones rooted in six distinct soils. 1,000 cases made.

51 Argyle
Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2002 91 / $13 • Oregon

Cofounded by Brian Croser of Australia's Petaluma Winery and Texan Rollin Soles in 1987 to make sparkling wine, Argyle has evolved into one of Oregon's savviest operations, and it delivers some of the state's best table wines. Soles blends three different vineyards in the Eola and Dundee hills to make this suave white. 8,512 cases made.

52 Allan Scott
Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2005 91 / $13 • New Zealand

Allan Scott has been working in the vineyards of the broad Wairau River valley in Marlborough since 1973. In the '80s, he was the top viticulturist for Corbans. He and his wife Catherine opened their own winery in 1990, focusing on Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling. Their son Josh Scott and Jeremy McKenzie are the winemakers. 20,000 cases made.

53 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2003 93 / $45 • Rhône

Brothers Frédéric and Daniel Brunier source the grapes for their benchmark Rhône red from the celebrated La Crau vineyard block, which excels during hot and dry growing seasons such as 2003. This is a blend of 65 percent Grenache, 15 percent Mourvèdre and 15 percent Syrah. Fermentation is done in stainless steel and wooden tanks; the first year of aging is in cement tanks and the second year is spent in large oak casks. 17,000 cases made.

54 Paul Hobbs
Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2003 93 / $40 • California

Paul Hobbs is well-known for his single-vineyard bottlings of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. The Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is a bit different; it blends grapes from four different vineyard sites, although the majority of the fruit comes from the estate vineyard, called Lindsay. Hobbs is one of the most talented winemakers in California, and this bottling is among his most affordable. 1,754 cases made.

55 Quinta de Roriz
Douro Prazo 2003 91 / $13 • Portugal

Winemakers Charles Symington and Pedro Correia blend Tinta Roriz (40 percent), Touriga Franca (30 percent), Tinta Barroca (20 percent) and Touriga Nacional (10 percent) for this affordable introduction to the dry reds from the Portuguese region famed for its Port wines. The grapes are primarily sourced from younger vines, and the wine was aged for nine months in 2-year-old French oak casks. 2,000 cases imported.

56 Babich
Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2005 90 / $13 • New Zealand

Josip Babich was one of the fathers of the Kiwi wine industry, planting his first vines in 1916. His three children, Joe, Peter and Maureen, control the company now, and several grandchildren are involved. Winemaker Adam Hazeldine used two Marlborough vineyards, one in Awatere Valley and the other in Waihopai Valley, to make this Sauvignon Blanc. 85,000 cases made.

57 Château Maris
Syrah Minervois La Livinière La Touge 2002 91 / $14 • Languedoc

Partners Robert Eden and Kevin Parker join other top producers in France in their adherence to biodynamic farming at this 110-acre estate. The results include the La Touge Syrah, which hails from one of the top districts in the Languedoc region of the south of France. Sixteen months in oak help to soften the edges of this intense and powerful red. 4,200 cases made.

58 Greg Norman Estates
Shiraz Limestone Coast 2002 90 / $16 • Australia

Famed golfer Greg Norman launched this wine brand in 1999 and has enjoyed great success; the wines are made by his partner, Foster's Wine Estates. The Limestone Coast is an up-and-coming region that includes Coonawarra, Wrattonbully and Padthaway. The vines are planted on gentle limestone rises, and the wines are lively and elegant. 45,000 cases imported.

59 Duval-Leroy
Brut Champagne NV 91 / $30 • Champagne

Duval-Leroy, with 145 years of winemaking history under its belt, is managed today by Carol Duval-Leroy. This brut, from winemaker Hervé Jestin, is a blend of 80 percent Pinot Noir and 20 percent Chardonnay hailing from many different crus, including Vertus, Rilly, Bouzy, Ay and Chouilly. Fermentation is done in stainless steel tanks, and the wine is aged for three years on the lees in caves located in Chalon. 35,000 cases made.

60 Damilano
Barolo 2001 92 / $33 • Piedmont

The grapes for Damilano's Barolo come from rented or supervised vineyards in various areas of Barolo country. In 2001, as in most vintages, the quality of this Barolo matches that of the estate's two single-vineyard Barolos, Liste and Cannubi, which come from the family-owned 11 acres of Nebbiolo vines in the Cannubi, Liste and Fossati vineyards, all in the commune of Barolo. 4,100 cases made.

61 La Chablisienne
Chablis Mont de Milieu 2002 93 / $32 • Burgundy

La Chablisienne is a cooperative of 300 growers that was established in 1923. Their continuing attention to improving their winemaking facilities and techniques has kept quality consistent, while prices remain reasonable. This bottling is from the south-facing Mont de Milieu, which is one of Chablis' better-known premier cru vineyards. 3,000 cases made.

62 Viña Montes
Syrah Colchagua Valley Alpha Apalta Vineyard 2003 91 / $23 • Chile

With the 2003, cutting-edge Chilean winemaker Aurelio Montes has made a Syrah that is more stylish and fruit-driven than in previous vintages. The grapes are harvested from a low-yielding hillside vineyard in the Apalta Valley. Montes also added 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon to this wine, which added complexity and structure, and then aged it in French oak for a year. 18,000 cases made.

63 Forefathers
Shiraz McLaren Vale 2003 91 / $23 • Australia

A New Zealander living in Sonoma, Nick Goldschmidt is executive winemaker for Allied Domecq (recently acquired by Pernod-Ricard and Fortune Brands). On the side, he's started the Forefathers label, making small-production wines from top New World vineyards in California, New Zealand and Australia. The fruit for this dense, peppery Shiraz comes from a site on Copper Mine Road in McLaren Vale, south of Adelaide. 3,343 cases made.

64 Simi
Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Landslide 2001 92 / $33 • California

This is only the second release of this vineyard-designated Cabernet from Simi's 170-acre vineyard in Alexander Valley. The site comprises numerous soil types and microclimates created by an ancient volcanic landslide from nearby Mount St. Helena. Winemaker Steve Reeder blended Cabernet Sauvignon with small amounts of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec for the cuvée. 7,175 cases made.

65 Álvaro Palacios
Priorat Les Terrasses 2003 92 / $30 • Spain

The name Les Terrasses refers to the extremely steep, hillside vineyards that are the source of the Carineña (60 percent), Garnacha (30 percent) and other red grapes blended in this harmonious red. Palacios, one of Spain's most prominent winemakers, feels that Priorat's challenge is to maintain freshness and build complexity while avoiding overripeness; to achieve this in the heat wave of 2003, he sent crews through the vineyards to remove raisined bunches. 2,500 cases imported.

66 Bodega Catena Zapata
Malbec Mendoza Alta 2002 93 / $45 • Argentina

The Catena family is among Argentina's winemaking icons and has been in the Mendoza region for more than a century. Malbec grapes from the 60-year-old Angelica Vineyard (named for owner Nicolás Catena's mother) are used to make this deft red. Aging for 18 months in mostly new (70 percent) French oak adds a plush texture and a lingering smoky note. 4,000 cases made.

67 Thierry Germain
Saumur-Champigny Domaine des Roches Neuves 2004 91 / $16 • Loire

Thierry Germain, 38, bought Domaine des Roches Neuves when he was 24 and has been making terroir-driven wines in the appellation of Saumur-Champigny since 1991. Although his family has its roots in winemaking in Bordeaux, Germain struck out on his own in the Loire Valley. The results of his biodynamic methods include this firm and spicy Cabernet Franc-based red. No oak here; this wine is fermented and aged solely in stainless steel. 5,000 cases made.

68 Alain Graillot
Crozes-Hermitage 2003 92 / $30 • Rhône

Beginning a new life as a winemaker in 1985 after a career in marketing and sales, Alain Graillot is bringing prestige back to a region that had been overshadowed by its big brother, Hermitage. The Syrah grapes for this wine are handpicked from 25-year-old vines and are not destemmed. The wine was aged for one year in vats and oak barrels before bottling. Graillot's racy red exhibits the power and length of the vintage. 3,500 cases made.

69 Fairview
Goats do Roam In Villages Red Coastal Region 2003 90 / $13 • South Africa

The name of this Shiraz (74 percent) and Pinotage blend alludes humorously to the herd of goats that resides on the Fairview estate, a reliable source of values from South Africa. Owner Charles Back co-ferments Shiraz and Pinotage before aging the wine for a year in a mixture of French and American oak, of which about 10 percent is new. 12,000 cases made.

70 Alta Vista
Malbec Mendoza Grande Reserve Terroir Selection 2003 91 / $19 • Argentina

The 2003 vintage marks the first time Alta Vista has blended all four of its vineyards-Albavene, Serenade, Temis and Alizarine-to create one wine. Using multiple vineyards is a common tactic to offset the vagaries resulting from localized hailstorms, which are common in Mendoza. Didier DeBono made this structured '03, which features layers of blackberry and black currant fruit flavors. 1,500 cases imported.

71 Bodegas Emilio Moro
Ribera del Duero 2003 92 / $32 • Spain

Bodegas Emilio Moro is a 173-acre, family-owned estate in Spain's Ribera del Duero, where the Moros have been making wine for more than 120 years. Several south-facing vineyards contributed to the 2003, with Tinto Fino grapevines ranging in age from 16 to 31 years. The wine was aged for a year in an equal mix of French and American oak, about 50 percent new. 1,000 cases imported.

72 Cantina Terlano
Pinot Bianco Alto Adige Classico Terlaner 2003 91 / $18 • Alto Adige

Cooperative wineries abound in Italy's northeastern region of Alto Adige, and Cantina Terlano, in operation since 1893, is one of the best. This Pinot Bianco is sourced from the co-op's 100-or-so associated growers in the Terlano area, just north of Bolzano. Like all the wines in the value-priced classico range, it's made entirely in stainless steel. 6,000 cases made.

73 Quinta de Ventozelo
Douro Reserva 2000 90 / $14 • Portugal

After years of anonymity, this large Douro estate was acquired in 1999 by the Spanish shellfish company Proinsa, and since then has bottled table wines and Ports under the domaine name. This reserva is a blend of Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga National, Tinta Barocca and Tinto C찾o. It is aged 12 months in new American oak and spends a minimum of six months in bottle before release. 7,000 cases made.

74 Livio Felluga
Colli Orientali del Friuli Terre Alte 2002 92 / $35 • Friuli

This is the top white produced on the Felluga family's 395-acre estate in northeast Italy. The quality has improved considerably recently thanks to the collaboration of top consulting enologist Stefano Chioccioli. It's a blend of 40 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 30 percent Pinot Bianco, both aged in stainless steel tanks, and 30 percent oak-aged Tocai Friulano. 6,000 cases made.

75 Argyle
Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Reserve 2002 91 / $28 • Oregon

The 2002 vintage is Oregon's best in memory and provided several top-notch Pinot Noir bottlings. For this reserve, Argyle winemaker Rollin Soles used fruit from three different vineyards in the Dundee and Eola hills, aged the wine in French oak for just over a year and bottled it unfiltered. 6,360 cases made.

76 Turnbull
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2002 91 / $40 • California

In the realm of Napa Cabernet, this wine provides an impressive quality-to-price ratio. It is made from 100 percent estate-grown grapes from five different vineyard sites. A mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot, the wine was fermented in stainless steel then aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, 32 percent new. 10,049 cases made.

77 Sebastiani
Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2002 90 / $17 • California

This is the value of the year in California Cabernet. Grapes from seven different vineyards in Sonoma and Alexander valleys went into this wine, including Sebastiani's renowned Cherryblock vineyard. Winemaker Mark Lyon opted for a short fermentation (in stainless steel tanks) to minimize tannin extraction. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Barbera and Zinfandel were added to the final blend. 52,000 cases made.

78 Seghesio
Zinfandel Sonoma County Sonoma 2003 90 / $18 • California

Seghesio makes a handful of highly recommended Zinfandels each year, and 2003 was no exception. Winemaker Ted Seghesio says that the weather in 2003 was unpredictable, with an April so cold the vines hardly grew and a May so hot you could see the vine-growth every day. With meticulous farming, Seghesio was able to overcome the vagaries of weather to bring out the best from the finicky Zinfandel grape. 52,000 cases made.

79 Evans & Tate
Chardonnay Margaret River 2004 90 / $16 • Australia

This rapidly expanding winery has been working to improve its Chardonnay. This vintage tastes and feels like a junior version of Australia's iconic Leeuwin Chardonnay, made just down the road. Blended from several different vineyards on gravelly loam, this bottling benefited from cool sea breezes in the generally hot, dry summer of 2004. 18,000 cases made.

80 Allegrini
Verona Palazzo della Torre 2001 90 / $18• Veneto

This blend of Corvina and Rondinella with a dash of Sangiovese is made by one of the Veneto's best-known family wineries. Palazzo della Torre is the product of an unusual method of vinification: After the harvest, 70 percent of the crop is vinified immediately; 30 percent is partially dried for three months, then crushed, blended with the larger lot, and fermented. 22,500 cases made.

81 Paul Autard
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2003 92 / $35 • Rhône Allegrinine

Jean-Paul Autard is fast becoming one of the best-known winemakers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. His '03 is a blend of 60 percent Grenache and 30 percent Syrah, with some Mourvèdre and Counoise. In 2000, Autard replaced his old foudres with small barriques to help preserve more fruit detail. This traditional-style Châteauneuf-du-Pape sees only about 5 percent new oak. 4,000 cases made.

82 Bonneau du Martray
Corton-Charlemagne 2002 94 / $100 • Burgundy

The family of winemaker Jean-Charles Le Bault de la Morinière has owned vines in the grand cru vineyard of Corton-Charlemagne since the 1820s. Today, their 27 acres are made up of 10- to 70-year-old vines in a west-facing plot. This exposure provides long periods of sunlight each day but avoids overheating of the vines, creating what Le Bault de la Morinière calls, "a wine of light, rather than heat." 4,000 cases made.

83 Perrin & Fils
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards 2003 91 / $30 • Rhône Allegrinine

Younger vines from the Perrin's Château de Beaucastel estate contribute grapes to this juicy red, with additional fruit coming from a leased 17-acre vineyard located in the commune of Orange. The wine blends 70 percent Grenache with equal parts of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Family members Jean-Pierre, François and Pierre recently created the Les Sinards in homage to their grandfather, Pierre Perrin. 6,700 cases made.

84 Amisfield
Pinot Noir Central Otago 2003 91 / $30 • New Zealand

The chilly, picturesque New Zealand region of Central Otago is the world's southernmost wine region, where Pinot Noir vineyards are quickly replacing flocks of Merino sheep on the hillsides. Cofounded by the former CEO of Levi Strauss, Amisfield has vineyard soils full of schist. The 2003 vintage got off to a late start due to a cool spring, but summer was warm, creating a lithe wine. 2,100 cases imported.

85 Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes
Malbec Mendoza Reserva 2003 90 / $15 • Argentina

Terraced vineyards in Vistalba, just south of the city of Mendoza, are the source of this rich Malbec. The ungrafted vines were planted in 1929 and produce yields very low for the area. This Reserva was aged for 14 months in oak barrels, of which a third were new. Winemaker Roberto de la Muta has been in charge since the winery's debut vintage in 1997. 32,000 cases made.

86 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi
Chianti Rufina Castello di Nipozzano Riserva 2002 90 / $21 • Tuscany

The 2002 vintage for Tuscany was one of the worst in a long time due to a wet and cool summer, yet Florentine vintner Frescobaldi managed to make an impressive Chianti Rufina Riserva at its Nipozzano estate. It was all due to the declassification of top wines Chianti Rufina Montesodi and super Tuscan Mormoreto; nearly all the grapes meant for these wines went into the riserva. 72,500 cases made.

87 Marquis Philips
Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia 2003 90 / $18 • Australia

Sparky and Sarah Marquis, among Australia's most in-demand consulting winemakers, partnered with American importer Dan Philips a few years ago to create this brand, which is geared entirely for export to the United States. The wine is immensely appealing-soft, supple and ripe in flavor. 6,000 cases imported.

88 Bodegas Monasterio
Ribera del Duero Hacienda Monasterio Crianza 2001 92 / $39 • Spain

This elegant and polished blend comprising 70 percent Tempranillo (with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec) was made by Denmark-born Peter Sisseck, famed winemaker of Pingus, one of Spain's most respected and expensive reds. The grapes were handpicked from estate vineyards, and the wine was aged in small French barrels. 15,000 cases made.

89 Château de Lancyre
Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St.-Loup Vieilles Vignes 2001 90 / $18 • Languedoc

In the 50 years that Bernard Durand has been at Lancyre, the winery's vineyard holdings have increased from 30 to 180 acres, making it one of the larger estates in the Languedoc. Durand and his nephew Regis Valentin made this two-thirds Syrah, one-third Grenache blend from a top cru in the area, Pic St.-Loup, which provided a long growing season in 2001. 5,500 cases made.

90 Gunderloch
Riesling Spätlese Rheinhessen Nackenheim Rothenberg 2003 92 / $35 • Germany

Winemaker Fritz Hasselbach and his wife, Agnes, have been running this estate for 25 years, although the winery has been in Agnes' family since its inception in 1890. Gunderloch owns 23 acres in the steep, hillside vineyard of Rothenberg, one of the top sites in the Rheinhessen region. Rothenberg's soils comprise red slate, which shows in the minerality of this wine. 500 cases imported.

91 Mount Langi Ghiran
Shiraz Victoria Billi Billi 2002 90 / $15 • Australia

Mount Langi Ghiran is located in the Grampians, a mountainous region west of Melbourne that enjoys cooler nights than most other winegrowing areas in Australia. This is the winery's value bottling, which winemaker Trevor Mast makes from purchased grapes. The cool 2002 vintage amplified the crisp, peppery character in the fruit. 2,000 cases imported.

92 Luce della Vite
Toscana Lucente 2003 90 / $25 • Tuscany

Lucente is the second wine of Luce, the Frescobaldi/Michael Mondavi estate based in Montalcino in Tuscany. But the quality gap is closing, thanks to the increased role of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, which has grown from 5 percent in 2001 to 15 percent in the 2003. The other varieties in the blend are Merlot (45 percent) and Sangiovese (40 percent). 11,300 cases made.

93 Lagar de Fornelos
Albariño Rias Baixas Lagar de Cervera 2004 90 / $19 • Spain

This rich white is an excellent example from the Albariño grape, from the Rias Baixas region in northwestern Spain. The fruit comes from 170 acres of estate-owned vines in the O Rosal area, with additional grapes purchased from vineyards in nearby Val do Salnes. The winery was established in 1982, but since 1988 it has been under the ownership of Bodegas La Rioja Alta in Rioja. 29,000 cases made.

94 Morgan
Chardonnay Monterey 2003 90 / $20 • California

Six vineyards were tapped for this wine, with the majority of the grapes coming from proprietor Dan Lee's Double L Ranch in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Lee purchased the 65-acre property in 1996 and it ranks among the coolest vineyard locales in California, though it benefits from one of the longest growing seasons. Strong Salinas Valley winds concentrate the flavors by encouraging thickening of the grape skins. 10,300 cases made.

95 Barnard Griffin
Merlot Columbia Valley 2003 90 / $19 • Washington

Winemaker Rob Griffin and his wife, Deborah Barnard, have operated their winery since 1983. Washington's 2003 growing season was hot, spawning very ripe Merlot in the eastern half of the state. Griffin chose fruit from five different vineyards scattered throughout Columbia Valley, blended, and aged the wine in both French and American oak. 5,600 cases produced.

96 Château Lagrézette
Cahors 2001 90 / $25 • Southwest France

Owner and former Cartier chairman Alain Dominique Perrin has overseen some of the appellation's best wines with the help of consultant Michel Rolland. The 2001 blends a large amount of Malbec (80 percent) with Merlot (17 percent) and Tannat (3 percent). Malolactic fermentation for each component took place in new oak and was followed by 18 months of barrel aging before the final blend was assembled in 2003. 9,410 cases made.

97 Spadina
Nero d'Avola Sicilia Una Rosa 2002 90 / $16 • Sicily

William Grant & Sons struck a deal with Sicilian cooperative winery S.I.V. Spa to create the Spadina label for two U.S.-exclusive Nero d'Avolas. Una Rosa is the more selective of the two, and is made and aged in oak for six months in the winery in the region of Trapani, under the supervision of the project's enologist, Alberto Antonini. 1,500 cases made.

98 Perrin & Fils
Vacqueyras Les Christins 2003 91 / $19 • Rhône Allegrinine

In 1997, Jean-Pierre and François Perrin of Beaucastel fame created Perrin & Fils to help accomplish the family mission of finding the best terroir in the Southern Rhône Allegrinine Valley and creating single-vineyard wines from those sites. This offering, a blend of 80 percent Grenache and 20 percent Syrah, shows off the fruit-depth and density of the vintage. The Les Christins vineyard is located on a stony terrace that gives the wine a strong underlying minerality. 300 cases imported.

99 Cortes de Címa
Touriga Nacional Alentejo 2002 91 / $20 • Portugal

American Carrie Jorgensen went to Portugal in 1988, a century after her great-grandfather had immigrated from that counry to the United States. She and her Danish husband, Hans Jorgensen, established a winery that today encompasses more than 200 acres. All the grapes for this 100 percent Touriga Nacional bottling are sourced from estate vineyards, and the wine was aged for nine months in new French oak. 12,062 cases made.

100 Vincent Girardin
Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2002 92 / $47 • Burgundy

Elegance is the key word when describing the wines of Vincent Girardin, and this village-level red is a prime example. It was made from grapes harvested from 60-year-old vines and was aged 14 months in oak casks, of which 30 percent were new. It was neither fined nor filtered before bottling. 400 cases imported.

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