My annual Wines of the Year have been published since 1997 – the best wines I have tasted in seven different categories, plus two extra categories: ‘Dud’ of the Year, and ‘Thing’ of the Year. As always, I am looking for your entries to be added to this feature too. Your ‘dud’ can be the worst, or most disappointing wine you have tasted – it could be a cheap wine that was truly horrible, or an expensive wine that really didn’t deliver. ‘Thing’ is a catch-all category: many people have suggested I add extra categories – ‘Restaurant of the Year’, ‘Rosé of the Year’ and so on – but rather than have an ever-expanding range of categories, please use ‘Thing’ as imaginatively as you like.
Click to see Visitors’ Wines of The Year 2013.
Tom’s wines of 2013
Red Ornellaia, Bolgheri Superiore DOC 2010, Italy
White Sadie Family Wines, Palladius 2010, South Africa
Budget red Altos los Hormigas, Malbec Clasico 2011, Argentina
Budget white Millton Vineyards, Opou Chardonnay 2010, New Zealand
Sweet Fernando de Castilla, Antique PX Sherry, Spain
Sparkling Champagne Salon 1999, France
Fortified Blandy’s Verdelho Madeira 1887, Portugal
Dud Sainsbury’s, Winemakers’ Selection Californian Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Thing Marie Curie Cancer Care
Click to read full tasting notes for Tom’s Wines of the Year 2013
The task of whittling down all the wines I taste over 12 months into a list of just seven great ones is daunting. This year I spent two weeks visiting some of South Africa’s most exciting estates and newest regions where I tasted some phenomenal wines, a dozen of which could have made the list. I also had the pleasure of tasting my way through northern California and the best that Cahors has to offer in Southwest France, some amazing Austrian wines both white and red, and extraordinary old Madeira’s on a trip to the island. There were also many great tastings here in the UK, as well of course, as dinners at home or in the company of friends. As always I allow myself the privilige of another bakers’ dozen superb wines I tasted in 2013, that could so easily have made the grade:
- Moulin Blanc, Blanc de Blancs 2012, France
- Domaine Ferret, Pouilly-Fuissé Hors Classe “Les Ménétrières” 2010, France
- Querciabella, Batàr 2010, Italy
- Hospice de Beaune. Volnay 1er Cru Cuvée Blondeau 2010, France
- Cade, Estate Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, California
- Gaja, Barbaresco Sori Tildin 2007, Italy
- Bell Hill, Pinot Noir 2008, New Zealand
- Newton Johnson, Pinot Noir Block 6 2012, South Africa
- Littorai, Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010, California
- Weingut Muhr-van der Niepoort, Rote Erde 2011, Austria
- Château Jolys Cuvée Jean Jurançon 2010, France
- Nyetimber, Blanc de Blancs 2007, England
- Berrys’, Grand Cru Champagne ‘United Kingdom Cuvée’ NV, France