Each year since 1988, Wine Spectator has released its Top 100 list, where our editors select the most exciting wines from the thousands we reviewed during the course of the year. The 2015 Top 100 emphasizes how much the wine world has changed since Wine Spectator put together its inaugural honor roll, in 1988. That year, the Top 10 counted three Bordeauxs, four Burgundies, two Italian reds and one California Cabernet. Now, less than three decades later, outstanding wines from almost every corner of the globe compete with these historic leaders for attention. Put simply, it’s a great time to be a wine lover. The wines our editors found among the most interesting in 2015 are a diverse group—ranging from emerging labels and regions to traditional estates exploring new directions—and all generated the excitement we call the “X-factor.” In addition, our selection also prioritizes quality (based on score), value (based on price) and availability (based on the number of cases either made or imported into the United States).

These criteria were applied to the more than 5,700 wines that rated outstanding (90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale) this year to determine our Top 100 of 2015. Overall, the average score and average price are the same as in 2014’s Top 100: 93 points and $47—an excellent quality-to-price ratio. Many wines on the list are made in limited quantities, a reflection of the greater wine world. best wine and cheese barsAs such, our Top 100 is not a “shopping list,” but rather a guide to wineries to watch in the coming months and years. best type of dry white wineThe selections reflect the producers and wines our editors were particularly passionate about in 2015.best hot wine recipe

We hope you enjoy the exciting list of fine values, rising stars and historic producers that populate Wine Spectator’s 2015 Top 100.How do you pronounce Prosecco Valdobbiadene? How about Amarone della Valpolicella? Italian wine names can sometimes befuddle wine lovers. Even I have to slow-down-and-sound-it-out when I come across new regional wine names that don’t just roll off the tongue.the best winery in nj Take heart, learning how to pronounce the most common Italian wine names is pretty straightforward if you follow a few basic rules on Italian pronunciation.  buy wine kits online canadaAnd just for fun, I’ve included audio tracks for the top 100 or so Italian wine names so you can practice. top wine list in chicagoA budding Sommelier in training will also find these audio tracks helpful.biggest wine stores chicago

Let’s take a minute, get a little geeky and learn a couple of basic rules for pronouncing Italian wine names: Okay, pop a cork and grab a glass of your favorite Italian wine and let’s practice speaking the most common Italian wine names.  I’ve pulled together a list below and provided audio tracks so you can hear me pronounce the name, and I’ve included the phonetic spelling so you can sound it out.best wine to drink daily Note that the phonetic spelling I’ve provided is intended to make it easy to read & pronounce for Americans. top red wines californiaIf you’re an expert in the Italian language or linguistics and think a name should be pronounced differently, then share your wisdom!  Add your recommendation to the Reply section at the bottom of this page and I’ll update the list.  You may want to bookmark this page for future reference.

Yes, there are a lot of Italian wines out there. How do you make sense of it all? Mega-restaurateur, Italian winemaker and author Joe Bastianch teamed up with Sommelier David Lynch to take a stab at documenting Italy’s finest wines, from the top of Italy to the bottom of the boot.  Their indispensible reference Vino Italiano is at the top of my list of best books for wine lovers who want to learn about Italian wine. Joe and David are epic storytellers, and for less than 15 bucks you get fun and cheap reading.   And if one of your friends is a wine fanatic or Sommelier, it makes for a great gift. Just for fun, we’re throwing in free Standard shipping for Wine Journal Subscribers on copies of Vino Italiano.  Just click the big green link below and make sure you enter the above coupon code during checkout. Can’t read the above coupon code?  You need to be a Wine Journal Subscriber!  Read more at the bottom of this page. Wine Journal subscribers got free shipping on Vino Italiano with this Wine Journal update.

Where were you when the savings came through? Subscribe to my Wine Journal and you’ll be first in line for our new wines, get subscriber-only discounts and pick up some free stuff (want to know more? Read this Wine Journal post.).  Just enter your e-mail address and name below, then click the SUBSCRIBE button. Cabernet Sauvignon is the name of both the grape and the wine it produces. The primary taste of this wine is black currant, but other overtones may include blackberry and mint. Cabernets are hearty and rich and thus go best with tomato-based red sauces. Chianti is a strong, bold red wine that is perfectly suited for flavorful, well-seasoned sauces. It pairs best with tomato-based red sauces, but will also work with cream- or oil-based sauces. Not quite as harsh as other reds, merlot is mellow with flavors of plums, black cherry, violets, and orange. It is best paired with tomato-based red sauces. Pinot Noir is a light red wine with flavors that include earth, leather, vanilla (from the oak), and jam.

This versatile wine goes well with tomato-based red sauces, but will also work with cream- or oil-based sauces. Sangiovese is a hefty red wine that goes wonderfully with spicy Italian dishes. Best paired with tomato-based red sauces, it will also work with cream- or oil-based sauces. Zinfandel is a deep red wine. Spicy and peppery, with a hint of berries or dark cherries, this wine goes best with thick, tomato-based red sauces. Depending on where it's grown and how it's processed, this white wine can taste semi-sweet or sour, heady or light. Typical flavors are apple, tangerine, lemon, lime, melon, and oak. Like most white wines, it is best paired with cream- or oil-based sauces, but can also be served with a light, tomato-based red sauce. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are actually the same white grape, with two different names: In Italy and California this wine is known as Pinot Grigio, while in Oregon and France it's known as Pinot Gris. This wine is best paired with cream- or oil-based sauces, but can hold its own with tomato-based red sauces, as well.