The 5 best wines of 2019 revealed
Wine Spectator's No. 1 wine is a 'bargain', costing $350 less than bottles of similar vintage
As European wines face steep tariffs, California has become home to three of the top five wines of 2019, according to lifestyle magazine Wine Spectator.
Wine Spectator associate editor Gillian Sciaretta broke down her company’s list with FOX Business’ Cheryl Casone on “Mornings with Maria” on Friday.
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5. Anderson Valley L’Ermitage Brut, Roederer Estate (2012)
The 2012 bottle scored 95 points on the Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale and retails for $48, according to Wine Spectator. The company notes 4,217 cases of this wine were produced, and it is best if enjoyed by the end of 2020.
“This is the third sparkling wine ever to make our top 10, and it’s also the first California sparkling wine,” Sciaretta said.
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Sciaretta described it as “a perfect wine for New Year’s.”
4. Oakville Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Groth (2016)
Also from Napa Valley, Calif., Groth’s Cabernet Sauvignon is a $150 bottle that scored 96 on Wine Spectator’s scale. The publication says the bottle will be best enjoyed between the years 2022 and 2038.
Groth produced 4,800 cases of this 2016 vintage.
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3. Chianti Classico, San Guisto a Rentennano (2016)
From Italy, San Giusto a Rentennano’s Chianti scored 95 points in Wine Spectator’s evaluation and is the cheapest bottle to make the top five list, retailing for $36. Only 750 of the 2016 vintage’s 7,500 cases were imported to the U.S., according to Wine Spectator.
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The publication suggests the wine should be enjoyed between the years 2021 and 2043.
2. Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, Mayacamas (2015)
The highest-ranking American wine to make Wine Spectator’s top 100 list, Mayacamas’ Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder comes from the Napa Valley region of California and scored 96 points on the publication’s scale.
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“This is one of the most storied wineries in Napa — it’s been around since the 1880s," Sciaretta said. "It’s located at a higher elevation compared to the valley floor, so you get a beautiful, refreshing acidity with this cabernet."
The bottle would be best enjoyed between 2023 and 2040, the winery produced 2,250 cases of this wine, according to Wine Spectator.
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1. St. Julien, Chateau Leoville Barton (2016)
Wine Spectator’s best wine of 2019 is a Bordeaux. The 2016 Chateau Leoville Barton St. Julien scored 97 points and retails for $98 per bottle. This is a “great value,” Sciaretta said, noting the average price of a 97-point wine is $450.
“What we love about this wine is that it’s been family-owned since the 1820s by the Barton family and, in fact, there are three generations working at the chateau today,” Sciaretta said.
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The 2016 Barton is 86 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and is “a wine meant for aging,” according to Sciaretta.
Wine Spectator suggests the bottle, of which 11,667 cases were made, should be enjoyed between 2025 and 2040.
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Despite a French wine topping the list, tariffs could put wines from the U.S. and South America in an advantageous position for 2020.
“Domestic wines and wines from the southern hemisphere could benefit from the 25 percent tariffs that are currently on France, Spain, Germany and the U.K.,” Sciaretta said.