Best Wines of 2009

Since everyone everywhere is making their "best of" lists, I thought it would be fun to recap the best wines I've tried in 2009. Before I started this blog in May, I kept a wine journal in which I kept notes about the wines I tried. My Top 10 Wines of '09 is therefore a combination of wines from the journal and the blog. 6 are whites and 4 are reds. Drumroll please...

Top White of 2009:

Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti - Ive had this wine probably 5 times in the last year and every time has been delicious. From the specs tasting, to wino divino, to Olive Garden, to the parents meeting, it is perfect for every occasion. It is light (7%), sweet, slightly sparkling, and amazing. It was an easy choice for top white of the year. $13

Rounding out the top 6 whites...

Texas Hills Orange Moscato - Sweet, fruity, but with a high alcohol content (14%!) and some depth! The hint of orange zest balances out the sweetness and makes this wine something I would recommend to everyone. $17 for a 500ml bottle.

Chisholm Trail Blanc du Bois - This wine is very crisp and refreshing with tastes of grapefruit, peach, and tangy apple. Its a little on the sour side, but with almost a buttery smooth texture. I definitely need to try this one again soon, luckily I have another one on my shelf! $17

Schloss Vollrads Riesling - Everyone likes this wine when they try it because its sweet, fruity, and doesnt taste a thing like alcohol. It is very drinkable and refreshing. $15

Crios Torrontes - The only dry white in the top 10, this torrontes is very well balanced with sweet and tangy. Hints of orange citrus and grapefruit pair well with the peachy, flowery tastes. I have tried 2 other torrontes' and they don't even compare to this one. $15

Fall Creek Muscat Canelli - This muscat canelli was one of the first ones I ever tasted and was my favorite from the Austin Wine Festival. It started an intense love of sweet whites. Upon trying it a second time it is actually very well balanced and not as intensely sweet as I previously thought. $13

Top Red of 2009 -

Becker Prairie Rotie - This wine is so complex - smells of earth, moss, and pepper with a big bold taste, yet somehow with a soft fruity finish. Its a wine I just want to sip and think about and just writing about it makes me want some right now. Overall fantastic! $15

Rounding out the top 4 reds...

Wrongo Dongo - You would never believe this wine is only $7. Its a monastrell and has intense smells and flavors of cherries, plums, and spice. Its got body, flavor, and outshines a lot of reds I have tried which seem to fall flat or seem thin. Its something I want to keep on hand at all time and goes great with strong cheeses! Its bold - 15% alcohol! $7

Oakley Five Reds - Originally I had this as a $40 bottle of wine in New York and was ecstatic to find it here for much cheaper. Its almost the exact opposite of the prarie rotie, with a light fruity beginning followed by a sharp bold finish. It might be a bit harsh by itself, but is delicious with food and cheese. $9

Hoya de Cadenas Tempranillo - I wrote that this wine smelled like red velvet cake and was "one of my new favorite wines". I had this right at the beginning of the year and I think its about time I tried it again. It has silky tannins, lots of fruit and pepper, and a delicious finish. $9

2009 has been a great year for wine! I cant even wait for the wines of 2010!

Wrongo Dongo and Borekaas

Saturdays are usually a good wine tasting day, so I decided to check out Grapevine Market's wine tasting for the first time. I had never been to one before and was interested to see how it would compare to the Specs tastings. Apparently they have tastings every Friday and Saturday which is GREAT news! When I went there were 4 wines, 3 of which were really good but not great. I tried the Estancia Pinot Grigio, an Argentinian blend, and a Francis Copolla red wine that I liked, however didn't decide to get any of them.

Instead, I decided to open a bottle of wine I've had once before and really liked - the Wrongo Dongo. This is a monastrell wine from the Jumilla region of Spain. I bought this wine at Specs for $6 and I must say its the best wine for that price that I've tasted. It is a bit harsh and has an overwhelming smell upon first opening, but softens as it sits. On the nose i detected almost a root beer smell and lots of fruit. It tastes great - the first thing I notice is the cherries, with a spicy medium finish. This wine is easy to drink, yet has some complexity to it and is well worth the $6 I paid. I would keep this wine around for every day drinking.

To go along with the wine, I finished off the Borekaas from a few nights ago. I could really focus on the cheese this time, as it was the only one. When I first brought it out and cut it up, the cheese tasted a little blander than I remembered. However, after 15 - 20 minutes it really started to taste amazing - much better at room temperature! It became very creamy and a little bit pungent - almost like a white cheddar. The wine and cheese went pretty well together, although I think almost all wine and cheese go relatively well together :)