Best Wines of 2006

These were collectively voted on by the food and wine critiques from the Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, The New Yorker, and Food and Wine Magazine.

Whites

Pinot Grigio- 2003 J Russian Sea Valley Pinot Gris ($18)
Clean, ripe apple, melon, fig and mineral aromas and flavors mix with a slight herbal character. Tangy acidity on the long finish.

Reisling-2002 Chateau Ste. Michelle Eroica Columbia River Riesling ($20)
A generous wine with citrus, fresh peach, blueberry, dried apricot and spice aromas and flavors. A fine pre-meal sipper.

Sauvignon Blanc- 2001 Rochioli Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($24)
Pretty floral nose with bright citrus, grass, herb and vanilla notes. Soft and lush, with a rich core of orange, lemon, apricot and kiwifruit and a lively finish.

Chardonnay- 2001 Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Carneros Chardonnay ($28)
Spiced apple and caramel nose with flavors of apricot, ginger, apple, pear, crème brulee, and citrus. It's juicy, clean, long and fairly priced.

Viognier- 2002 Incognito Lodi Viognier ($22)
Aromas and flavors of honeysuckle, nectarine, prune juice, sweet peach, pear and spice. Weighty but not dense; elegant and long.

Reds

Pinot Noir- 2002 Etude Carneros Pinot Noir ($40)
Shy plum nose leads to a luxurious mouthful of raspberry, black cherry, honey, spice, vanilla, peach pits, and toast. Round, elegant and with gentle tannins.

Syrah- 2002 Columbia Crest Columbia Valley Reserve Syrah ($30)
Full-flavored, complex and bright, with cedar, anise and pencil shaving notes underlying lush blackberry, vanilla, mulberry, honeysuckle, and cherry flavors. Silky texture.

Zinfandel- 2002 C.G. Di Arie Shenandoah Valley Zinfandel ($25)
Old Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane vines produce this intense, full-bodied wine loaded with black plum, green tea, black pepper and briary character. Rich and polished.

Merlot-2001 L'Ecole No. 40 Columbia Valley Merlot ($30)
Ripe and juicy berry aromas and flavors gain complexity from notes of black pepper, coffee, tar, dirt and earth. Round body, full tannins and coating oak.

Cabernet Sauvignon- 2001 Merryvale Beckstoffer Vineyard Y Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon ($75)
Dusty nose of sweet fruit (black cherry, blackberry) with black tea and eucalyptus; big oak and vanillin with framboise, red currant, chai, chocolate, baking spice, soda and dill notes. Opulent style.

More on this topic:
Past Year’s Ratings http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/12/05/CMWINE27intro.DTL
Best Wine Value http://www.wineloverspage.com/qpr/
Best Wines for Under 10 Bucks http://lifehacker.com/software/cooking/10-best-wines-under-10-bucks-114579.php