Wines of the Year 2012

by Tom Cannavan, 12/2012

My annual Wines of the Year have been published since 1997 - the best wines I have tasted in seven different categories, plus two extra categories: 'Dud' of the Year, and 'Thing' of the Year.

As always, I am looking for your entries to be added to this feature too. Your 'dud' can be the worst, or most disappointing wine you have tasted - it could be a cheap wine that was truly horrible, or an expensive wine that really didn't deliver. 'Thing' is a catch-all category: many people have suggested I add extra categories - 'Restaurant of the Year', 'Wine Merchant of the Year' and so on - but rather than have an ever-expanding range of categories, please use 'Thing' as imaginatively as you like.

Click to see Visitors' Wines of The Year 2012.

N.B. submissions for visitors' Wines of the Year 2012 have now closed.

Tom's wines of 2012

Red	Château Mouton-Rothschild, Pauillac 1961, France
White	Joseph Drouhin, Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche 2008, France
Budget red	Paparuda, Pinot Noir 2011, Romania
Budget white	Waterkloof, Circle of Life White 2010, South Africa
Sweet	Egon Müller-Scharzhof, Scharzhofberger Auslese Goldkapsel 2010, Germany
Sparkling	Champagne Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne 2000
Fortified	Graham's, Vintage Port 1963, Portugal
Dud	SPAR Portuguese Rosé NV, Portugal
Thing	the village of Crail on Scotland's East Nuek

click to read my full tasting notes for my Wines of the Year 2012

As always, a hugely difficult exercise. In the course of the year I had my first ever trip to Lebanon which excited me hugely and I was treated to so many remarkable and rare old vintages back to the 1930s. I also spent a week in South Africa judging their Trophy Wine Show and tasting the country's top wines and a special tasting of old vintages. And then there was the Primum Familiae Vini lunch where 11 of the world's top estates showed a pair of wines representing their most classic vintages. In the course of other foreign trips to taste and judge, tastings in this country, eating at some fabulous restaurants and of course dipping into my own cellar, it really was another great year that made this a very tough task.

As always I allow myself the privilige of another bakers' dozen superb wines I tasted in 2012, that could so easily have made the list above:

Coates & Seely, Britagne Blanc de Blancs NV, England
Hugel, Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles "S" 2007, France
Querciabella, Bátar 2010, Italy
Zind Humbrecht, Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain Grand Cru 2009, France
Château Musar, Musar Blanc 1972, Lebanon
Achaval Ferrer, Malbec Finca Altamira 2008, Argentina
Penfolds, Grange Shiraz 2007, Australia
Bell Hill, Pinot Noir 2008, New Zealand
Kanonkop, Cabernet Sauvignon 1973, South Africa
Quinta da Gaivosa, Abandonado Douro Tinto 2009, Portugal
Vega Sicilia, Unico 1953, Spain
Ogier, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Expression de Terroir Safres 2009, France
Punt e Mes Carpano, Antica Formula Red Vermouth, Italy

Go to Visitors' Wines of The Year 2012.

N.B. submissions for visitors' Wines of the Year have now closed.