With a three and a half weeks left in 2008, it is that time of the year when everyone feels the need to come up with her/ his ‘Best of’ list (lists).
Tim Atkin takes it one step further with no less than his 2008 Wine Awards (December 7. The Guardian).
After pointing that many inexpensive offerings are just cheap plonk he notes that “the 2006 white Burgundies, the 2007 German Rieslings, the 2004 Rioja
Reservas and especially the 2004 Barolos have all given me a great deal
of pleasure and will continue to do so for another decade or more. Add
the increasing quality of wines from southern Italy, the
Languedoc-Roussillon, Portugal, South Africa, New Zealand, Chile and
Argentina and there are still reasons for optimism.”
With some 12,000 tasting notes for the year, Tim Atkin has done a lot of glass lifting, wine sniffing, swirling and spitting.
If there is one thing I have to agree with him, it is his pick of Chenin Blanc as his grape varietal of 2008.
I had many great encounters of the first kind with Loire Valley wines this year.
You should know by now that I am partial to reds.
Yet one of my favorites of late (and for Victoria and Louis as well) is the Chenin Blanc-Viognier (2007) from Pine Ridge, a great buy at $10 and under.
In California, after being misused in jug wines, the varietal is experiencing a renaissance in the Clarksburg area.
Alan Boehmer offered his tasting notes on Great California Chenin Blanc (April 2008).
The humorous and price concious wine drinker could always go for the CheapSkate Surly Chenin Blanc (2005) for $9 (label above).
Wine for the Consumed to Thrifty.
Recent whites: White and Unusual Wine, ‘Picpoul de Pinet’ St Martin de la Garrigue