2013’s Top 100 wines according to Wine Spectator
For the first time ever, a wine from Spain has claimed the top ranking in Wine Spectator’s annual Top 100 list of the most exciting wines of the year. Made by one of Rioja’s most important producers, which was founded in the 19th century, the Cune Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva 2004 reflects the revolution in style and character that has occurred in Spain’s most prestigious wine region over the past 20 years.
Wine Spectator’s editors choose the Top 100 Wines on the basis of quality (score), value (price), availability (cases produced or imported) and an «X-factor» referred to as excitement.
The top ten wines in this list are:
1.Cune. Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva 2004
2. Château Canon-La Gaffelière. St.-Emilion 2010
3. Domaine Serene. Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Evenstad Reserve 2010
4. Hewitt. Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2010
5. Kongsgaard. Chardonnay Napa Valley 2010
6. Giuseppe Mascarello & Figlio. Barolo Monprivato 2008
7. Domaine du Pégaü. Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 2010
8. Château de Beaucastel. Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010
9. Lewis. Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve 2010
10. Quilceda Creek. Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2010
About Imperial Gran Reserva 2004
The 2004 Gran Reserva, aged for about three years in oak barrels and then for several years in bottle before release, earned a score of 95 points, or «classic» on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale. It is a remarkable value at $63, and 4,000 cases were made. For its ability to balance Rioja’s tradition and modern innovation in delicious harmony, the Cune Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva 2004 is Wine Spectator’s 2013 Wine of the Year.
