My Top 10 Whites

Since I've recently had a couple of whites that I really enjoyed - as much as a red at a comparable price - I think it's time to start a list of Top 10 whites. It's still pretty short though.

1. Tormaresca Pietra Bianca 2006 $29
2. Tunella Campo Marzio 2004 $35

Wines to Try

This is a list of wines that someone has suggested are worth a try. I'm not saying they actually are worth trying - but they might be. And trying new wines is half the fun. If you decide to experiment with any of these, let us know what you thought - anything from a single word, to a brief review. And more suggestions are always welcome (doesn't anyone drink Australian anymore?)

RED
Mezzomondo Salento Negroamaro $9
Trapiche Pinot Noir $9.99
Canaletto Primitivo di Puglia $11.49
Palo Alto Reserva Red $13.49
Trapiche Broquel Cabernet Sauvignon $14.99
Guigal Crozes Hermitage 2004 $31
Donnafugata Tancredi $38
Clos de l'Oratoire Chateauneuf du Pape $45

WHITE
d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab $20
Merryvale Carneros Reserve $36.99
Merryvale Hyde Valley $48.99
Pio Cesare Piodilei $45.99
Pierre Andre Ladoix 1er Cru $44.28

Top 10 Reds Under $20

Everyone wants a good wine at a good price, so a "Top 10 under $20" list seems like a good idea. But I can't put up my own list - there are just too many wines in that price range for Kelly and me to try. So this has to be a group effort. I will put wines on this list if I've tried it and liked it myself, or someone else has tried it and enough comments have agreed that it is worth putting on the list. For example, Iron Chef liked the Castillo de Molina Pinot, but I won't put it on the list until I get a few more comments giving it the thumbs up. If you have a wine that you think might belong on this list, leave a post on the Make a Suggestion thread. (Or if you're feeling ambitious, write a brief review and e-mail it to me and I will start a new post to get more feedback.)

Here's the list so far, in no particular order:

1. Cono Sur Pinot Noir. This is a no brainer for the list. Great Pinot character at this price is unbeatable.

2. Norton Barbera. This was one of the first wines I blogged about and I think I undersold it. Clean pure flavours in a medium bodied wine. Not a lot left.

3. Bon Cap Ruins Pinotage. Different and well done.

4. Montes Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a close call for making the list (check the review), but I'd like to put a cab on the list. I'd be interested in more feedback.

That's it so far. But don't forget to check Recommended under $20 for other wines that had a good review, but not enough feedback to get on this list. And see Wines to Try if you're feeling a bit more experimental.

Iron Chef's Top 10 To Try

Here's Iron Chef's "Top 10 wines in ANBL that I have been Dying to Try"

Almaviva
Montes Purple Angel
Feudi San Gregorio Rubrato
Feudi San Gregorio Falanghina
Pio Cesare Piodilei Chardonnay
Pio Cesare Ornato Barolo 2003
Guigal Crozes Hermitage 2004
Torres Mas La Plana
Arrowood Syrah
Chateau Beau Soleil

If anyone tries any of these, please let us know and I'll start a separate thread on it.

My Top 10

This is my overall top 10, based on both quality and value. If someone asked me "What do you recommend?" I'd end up suggesting one of these wines, depending on the style and price point the person was looking for. I've numbered them starting at 1, but that's just to count - the list isn't in any particular order:

1. Tormaresca Bocca di Lupo $34
2. Château Bouscassé Vieilles Vignes $50
3. Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato $100
4. Perrin & Fils Les Christins $25
5. Pio Cesare Fides Barbera d'Alba $47
6. Frescobaldi Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina $27
7. Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Syrah $24
8. Tormaresca Masseria Maime $34

Top 10 Lists

I thought it might be useful to have some "Top 10" lists - lists like "Top 10 BBQ wines," 'Top 10 to bring to your boss's house," "Top 10 wines to share with a special someone," "Top 10 with spicy food," and so on - whatever people might find useful.

I'd like to make sure that the wines on the list are all currently available at ANBL (though not necessarily the same vintage). And I won't put a wine in the list unless I think it belongs, so to start with my lists won't necessarily have 10 wines in them.

If you have a suggestion for a list you'd like to see, or even your own Top 10 list, feel free to post it in a comment. (I may cut and paste it out of the comment into it's own post to make is searchable - I haven't entirely figured out how to go about this.)

For my first list, I'll start with the basics:

My Top 10 Reds
My Top 10 Whites
Top 10 Reds under $20
Iron Chef's Top 10 To Try