Casa Lapostolle's Clos Apalta 2005, a Chilean wine from the Colchagua Valley, was named Wine Spectator 'Wine of the Year' on Friday.
Each year the influential US wine magazine, Wine Spectator, produces a list of its top 100 wines of the year, with the very top wine named 'Wine of the Year'. To qualify, wines must have received a high score from the magazine, have a reasonably large production (so no Premier Cru Burgundy) and represent value for money. Two Bordeaux 2005s made the top-ten this year, with Pontet Canet coming in 7th and Rausan Segla 2nd.
A high placing on the list often gives a large boost to sales (and, of course, prices) particularly in the US. Below is this year's top ten with the Wine Spectator rating and production by 12x75cl cases. (Download a pdf of the top 100).
1. Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta (Colchagua, Chile) 96 points, 5,987 cases
2. Rausan Segla 2005, (Margaux, France) 97 points, 10,000 cases
3. Quinta do Crasto 2005 (Douro, Portugal) 95 points, 1,500 cases
4. Guiraud 2005 (Sauterne, France) 97 points, 9,165 cases
5. Vieux Telgraphe 2005 (CNDP, France) 95 points, 15,830 cases
6. Pio Cesare 2004 (Barolo, Italy) 94 points, 7,000 cases
7. Pontet Canet 2005 (Pauillac, France) 96 points, 20,830 cases
8. Beaucastel 2005 (CNDP, France) 95 points, 15,000 cases
9. Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz 2007 (McLaren Vale, US) 95 points, 2,596 cases
10. Seghezio Zinfandel 2007 (Sonoma,US) 93 points, 68,000 cases
