Just Launched! Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Wine Buying Guide iPhone Application by Erika S.

Erika S. — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:08:49 +0000

We are excited to announce that our brand new, wine buying guide application is available now in the iPhone App Store. The guide features our entire database of thousands of wine ratings plus handy wine information, a comprehensive vintage chart, and more. If you are an iPhone/Touch user, it’s a must.

•    Search wines by price, rating, style, varietal, appellation and special designation
•    Save wines to your wish list for future purchases
•    Cross-reference potential wine shop purchases with ratings from our experts
•    Make informed wine list choices with our vintage chart featuring ratings since 1990
•    Use our glossary of thousands of wine terms including everything from Abbocatto to Zymurgy
•    Learn about Wine and Health, Storing and Cellaring, Serving Wine and more in our Wine 101 reference guide.

For just $10, you’ll have a wealth of portable wine information at your fingertips, whenever you’re in need. It’s a perfect stocking stuffer as well, and a great way to impress friends!

Do you have an iPhone/Touch? Try out the app, and let us know how you like it!

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Enthusiast 100: By the Numbers by Erika S.

Erika S. — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:12:12 +0000

Each year during holiday time, the editors of Wine Enthusiast Magazine compile their much-anticipated Top 100 Wines lists. They are printed in the January issue which hits news stands in a few weeks but we’ve released a sneak preview to e-mail subscribers. (If you are not a subscriber and you’d like to be, please submit your e-mail address here) Four lists are created: The Enthusiast 100, Top 100 Cellar Selections, Top 100 Best Buys, and Top 50 Spirits (coming soon). Perhaps the most buzzworthy is the Enthusiast 100, which represents the most diverse and dynamic wines available, offering extraordinary quality at the price of affordable luxury.

The lists not only provide invaluable advice on what-to-drink, they are a great snapshot of the most celebrated wine regions of the world. Are French wines still as revered as in the past? Is Chile producing anything noteworthy? The Top 100 lists provide some insight. Looking at varietal, region, and price, I created some charts of the list:

Top Varietals in the Top 100– # Of Wines
Pinot Noir	12
Chardonnay	9
Red Blends	9
Bordeaux Blend	8
Tempranillo	7
Riesling	6
Syrah	6
Cabernet Sauvignon	4
Sangiovese	4
Bordeaux White Blend	3
Shiraz	3
Sparkling Blend	3
Zinfandel	3
Malbec	2
Merlot	2
Portuguese Red	2
Rhone White Blend	2
Sauvignon Blanc	2
Semillon	2

Countries in the Top 100– # of Wines
USA	46
France	15
Italy	11
Spain	9
Australia	4
Argentina	3
Austria	3
Germany	3
Portugal	3
Chile	2
New Zealand	1

Price Ranges
Wines <$20	6
$20-$50	62
Wines >$50	32

As demonstrated above,

•    Tempranillo, often called “the Cabernet of Spain” is popular this year with 7 Tempranillo listed in the Top 100
•    American Syrah took center stage as demonstrated by the Phoenix Ranch Syrah from Napa Valley, the #1 wine.
•    Pinot Noir remains the most popular grape variety on the Top 100 list with 12 Pinots in the Top 100 this year and 10 last year
•    American wines reigned supreme this year with 46 wines in the top 100 from the U.S., largely due to the large presence of Washington State wines on the list
•    Analyzing the price of the wines, 62% of wines are under $50 and most wines fall into the $20-$50 category. Washington State is offering a lot of the value on the list.

What do you think about the Top 100 wines of 2008? Are these observations reflections of larger trends or just a snapshot in time?

Winston's Wisdoms - A WineEnthusiast.com Blog » Wine Ratings

Just Launched! Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Wine Buying Guide iPhone Application by Erika S.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Enthusiast 100: By the Numbers by Erika S.