Wine Spectator is my favorite wine magazine, always enjoyable to read. They just finished announcing the top 10 wines for 2008. On Monday they will be releasing the rest of their top 100 wine choices.

I find their tasting notes and scores to be spot on. At the back of each issue is a round up of all the latest releases by region; Loni and I whip through it looking to see how our favorites and wine clubs performed: Peju, Artesa, Ehlers Estate, Etude, Caymus, Harlan Estate, Chateau St. Michelle.

It’s fun when one of our cellared bottles does well – a 93! Unfortunately, due to certain cellaring ‘guidelines’ we have in our household, a well scoring bottle means it may never see the light of day, or at least perhaps until retirement (then maybe it will taste twice as good?)

Read on for the tally of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines for 2008.

A Chilean wine comes out on top (an interesting surprise!), with the only California wine, a Sonoma zinfadel from Seghesio placing 10th. France leads the pack with 5 wines in the top 10, a testament to the rivival taking place in the left bank, and other French wine making regions.

Australia once again comes through with a top notch Shiraz, continuing their tradition.

WINE SPECTATORS TOP 100 WINES 2008

Top Regions

  • France 5
  • Australia 1
  • California 1
  • Chile 1
  • Italy 1
  • Portugal 1

Top Varietals

  • Red Blend 5
  • Barolo 1
  • Paullic 1
  • Sauterves 1
  • Shiraz 1
  • Zinfandel 1

Top Vintages

  • 2005 7
  • 2007 2
  • 2004 1

Top Color

  • Red 9
  • White 1
Clinton Stark
Clinton shoots videos for Stark Insider. San Francisco Bay Area arts, Ingmar Bergman and French New Wave, and chasing the perfect home espresso shot 25 seconds at a time (and failing). Peloton: ClintTheMint. Camera: Video Gear