Yesterday TastedOnline.com celebrated it’s third anniversary and this past year we reviewed almost 300 wines, about 100 more than last year. For us 2015 was unusual because we were home in North Carolina for less than 6-months. Our travels this year took us on a around the world cruise, to Europe and to California. One of the real benefits of all this travel was the opportunity taste LOTS of great wines we could never find in the United States. As a result the 2015 list of the best value wines reflects the many outstanding wines we purchased as we traveled around the world.
This year we are slightly changing the presentation format of the best value wines we’ve reviewed in 2015. We have selected our choices for the Best Value Red, White, Rosé, Sparkling and Desert wines and organized them in the three categories we use for the “Wines of the month” (Under $10, Under $20, and over $20). In addition, instead of selecting one “best” wine we selected our choice for the 10 we rate the highest. These 10 wines are the best-of-the-best we reviewed in 2015 and we think are truly noteworthy. And, lastly we finally found a local North Carolina wine we could recommend; although this may sound trivial it was a major milestone, so we began a new section titled North Carolina wine of the year.
The Best-of-the-Best wines for 2015
(in alphabetical order)
Abadia Retuerta Sardon De Duero 2010
Beau Constantia Pas De Nom White Blanc 2014
Lucien Crochet Sancerre Pinot Rosé 2013
Pennon Hill Montalto Pinot Noir 2013
Pereira D’Oliveira Boal 1968 Madeira
Prinz Straub Franken Riesling 2010
Remelluri Rioja Cosecha Reserva 2008
Saccoletto Fiordaliso Vino Rosso
Tami’ (Occhipinti) Grillo Terre Siciliane 2014
Unico Zelo Sauvignon Blanc 2014
(in alphabetical order within categories)
Under $10.
-
White:
Beau Constantia Pas De Nom White Blanc 20141.
Domaine San de Guilhem Blanc, Cotes de Gascogne 2014
Prinz Straub Franken Riesling 20101.
Releaf Chenin Blanc 2014
Red:
Chimango Malbec 2013
Under $20.
-
White:
Domaine De L’Aujardiere Loire Chardonnay 2013
Jean Manciat Macon-Charnay 2012
La Prova Adelaide Hills Pinot Grigio 2014
Tim Adams Clare Valley Selmillon 2011
Unico Zelo Sauvignon Blanc 20141.
Red:
Domaine Amido Tavel Merlot 2013
Domaine D’Aupilhac Lou Maset Languedoc 2013
El Petit Carlania Trepat 2013
Il Faggio Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2013
Pierre Chermette Primeur Beaujolais 2015
Remelluri Rioja Cosecha Reserva 20081.
Saccoletto Fiordaliso Vino Rosso1.
Sono Montenidoli ‘Il Garrulo’, Chianti Colli Senesi 2012
Tami’ (Occhipinti) Grillo Terre Siciliane 20141.
Tommasi Poggio Al Tufo Toscana Rompicolio 2011
Vignerons de Buxy Buissonnier, Mercurey 2012
Rosé:
Broc Cellars Love Rosé 2014
Sparkling Wine:
Ciacola Brut Prosecco
Over $20.
-
White:
Blanc De Morgex Et De La Salle Vallee D’ Aoste 2011
Circe Hillcrest Road Vineyard Chardonnay 2011
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Domaine de Bellivière Jasnières Premices 2013
Holm Oak Tasmania Pinot Gris 2014
Marc Tempé Alsace Zellenberg Pinot Blanc 2009
View Road Wines Picked by my Wife Adelaide Hills Arneis 2014
Red:
Abadia Retuerta Sardon De Duero 20101.
Charly Thévenet, Régnié “Grain & Granit” 2012
La Violetta YE-YE Rouge 2013
Mauro Cosecha Castilla y Leôn 2012
Montesecondo Chianti Classico 2013
Movia Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Paolo Petrilli, Cacc’s Mmitte di Lucera, Agramante 2010
Pennon Hill Montalto Pinot Noir 20131.
San Roman Toro 2011
Takler Primarius Szekszardi Merlot 2008
Yelland & Papps Second Take Shiraz 2013
Rosé:
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Rosé 2014
Lucien Crochet Sancerre Pinot Rosé 20131.
Sparkling Wine:
Henri Goutorbe brut Grand Cru Champagne Degorge 2013, Club 2004
Dessert Wine
Pereira D’Oliveira Boal 1968 Madeira1.
1. 2015 Top 10 Wine.