Okay, you couldn’t keep your eyes off the list, even though it is forbidden. We know what you mean. The editors and staff at The Wine Report can’t resist a list either. And that, in part, is why we compiled this record of the top 50 wines we tasted in the year 2004. We want you to know about them, but we also know many of you love buzzing through these collections to see how “your” wine did. Or maybe you just like complaining about how wrong a wine magazine can be?

Enjoy the list, but we caution you to proceed carefully. The truth is, there is no No. 1 or No. 50 wine. Taste is very personal. Our No. 1 wine might not even register on your listing. And your list is the most important one.

So don’t make our list your list! In fact, don’t think of it as a list at all — think of it more as an invitation for you to explore these wonderful wines. The only thing that qualifies us to put such a list together is that we taste and evaluate a lot of wine.

But we don’t mean to completely diminish the value of this compilation or the wines on it. They are top-notch wines, and we believe that most of them will garner more than just an indifferent shrug from you.

To put the list together, our wine-tasting staff reviewed their tasting notes and the tasting notes of our panel members. We also considered intangibles such as price, availability and the “X Factor”—that certain special something in a wine that speaks to you. Taste, aroma and food compatibility naturally played a role, too. The score the wine received played only a minor role. Be assured, there was quite a bit of debate before we finally settled on the rankings on the following pages. As we said, taste is personal.

So, we offer you this top-50 list. We hope you enjoy. But if you don’t, remember: We warned you.

— Gil Kulers

13. 2001 Leasingham Wines, Bin 61, Shiraz (Clare Valley, Australia) $18

14. 2001 Avery Lane Winery Merlot (Columbia Valley, WA) $8

15. 2002 d’Arenberg, The Last Ditch, Viognier (McLaren Vale, Australia) $18

16.1999 Luis Felipe Edwards, Colección Privada, Doña Bernards, Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile) $22

17. 2002 Henri Bourgeois, Le MD, de Bourgeois, (Sancerre), France $29

18. 2002 Dr. Konstantin Frank, Dry, Riesling (Finger Lakes, N.Y.) $14

19. 2001 Korbel Natural’ (Sonoma County) $16

20. 2000 Coppo, Camp du Rouss, Barbera d’Asti, (Italy) $17

21. 2001 Housley’s Century Oak Winery, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon (Lodi, Calif.) $19

22. 2003 Robertson Winery Chenin Blanc (Robertson, South Africa) $10

23. 2001 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Knight’s Valley, Calif.) $26

24. 2002 Gaia Estate, Nótios, Moschofilero/Roditis (Peloponnese, Greece) $12

25. Hardys, Stamp of Australia, Chardonnay, Boxed Wine (South Eastern Australia) $17

26. 2002 Kangaroo Ridge Wines Cabernet Sauvignon (South Eastern Australia) $8

27. 2001 Aquinas Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) $12

28. 2000 Northstar Winery Merlot (Columbia Valley) $52

29. 2000 Hogue Cellars, Genesis, Merlot (Columbia Valley) $17

30. 2002 Vinum Cellars, Wilson Vineyards, Pets, Petite Syrah (Oakville, Calif.) $13

31. 2001 Grant Burge, Barossa Vines, Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia) $11

32. 2001 Schug Carneros Estate, Heritage Reserve, Chardonnay (Carneros, Calif.) $30

33. 1998 Marchesi di Barolo, Barolo, (Italy) $40

34. 2003 The Little Penguin Wines Cabernet Sauvignon (South Eastern Australia) $7

35. 2002 Bonterra Vineyards Viognier (Mendocino County) $18

36. 2002 Morandé, Edición Limitada, 66 Barricas, Cabernet Franc (Maipo Valley, Chile) $20

37. 2002 Wart Hog Cabernet Sauvignon (Breede River Valley, South Africa) $8

38. 2001 Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara) $10

39. 2002 Rosenblum Cellars Petite Sirah (Napa Valley) $24

40. 2000 Stags’ Leap Winery Petite Syrah (Napa Valley) $31

41. 2001 J.M. Boillot, 1er Cru, Montagny, (France) $15

42. 2000 Dry Creek Vineyard, Reserve, Chardonnay (Russian River Valley, Calif.) $22

43. 2001 Penley Estate, Hyland, Shiraz (Coonawarra, Australia) $24

44. 2001 Hahn Estates Cabernet Franc (Santa Lucia Highlands, Calif.) $13

45. 2001 Kirralaa, Indelible Reserve, Shiraz (Victoria, Australia) $45

46. 2002 Meridian Vineyards, Reserve, Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County, Calif.) $16

47. 2002 Creekstone, Blackstock Vineyards, Viognier (Georgia) $16

48. 2002 Joliesse Vineyards Shiraz Rosé (California) $17

49. 2002 Chameleon Cellars Barbera (Lake County, Calif.) $15

50. 2003 Shelton Vineyards Riesling (Yadkin Valley, N.C.) $11

The Top Value Wines of the Year:

Now, not only does our list of Top 10 value wines give cost-conscious consumers a really good shopping list; it also shows striking diversity and variety.

Wines of all types and colors from all over the world populate this list. Most of them are available in abundance at your local wine shop or favorite restaurant. A listing such as this proves the point: Life is good for us wine drinkers.

1 Hardys, Stamp of Australia, Chardonnay, Boxed Wine
(South Eastern Australia) $17

2 2003 Georges Duboeuf, Beaujolais-Villages, France $9

3 2001 Stonehaven Vineyards Shiraz (South Eastern Australia) $7

4 2001 Peju Province Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley) $35

5 2001 Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara) $10

6 2003 Georges Duboeuf, Julienas, France $12

7 2001 Grant Burge, Barossa Vines, Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia) $11

8 2003 Alice White Shiraz (South Eastern Australia) $7

9 2001 Reynolds Vineyards Shiraz (New South Wales, Australia) $10

10 2001 Avery Lane Winery Merlot (Columbia Valley) $8