Happy New Year, and enjoy,
Haydn Adams

Wine #10: m2 Zinfandel
$35 | m2wines.com

It has been rated as one of the top 12 Lodi wines of 2009, and I have to agree. Lodi is a strong player in the Zinfandel world, and while Lodi zins cannot can’t compare to those of the Zin capital of the world, Dry Creek, m2 Zinfandel is a very close runner-up and one of the best to come out of Lodi.

Wine #9: Meeker 2007 Carignane (Alexander Valley)
$26 | meekerwine.com

A beautiful, and often overlooked varietal.

Wine #8: Montemaggiore Syrah (Paolo’s Vineyard, Dry Creek)
$35 | montemaggiore.com

A gorgeous (non-Zinfandel) wine to come out of Dry Creek. Biodynamically farmed, this Syrah has a little hint of pepper and plum, and an overall balanced finish.

Wine #7: J Cuvée 20
$20 | jwine.com/

Can sparkling wine really age well? If you would have asked me that last December, I would have scoffed off the answer, period. But the J Cuvée has changed my thinking. This base sparkling of J’s has grown up over the past year and has become a formidable contender in the sparkling wine arena. A great price for a great sparkling.

Wine #6: Quivira Grenache (Dry Creek Valley)
$26 | quivirawine.com/

Ahh the Grenache. It’s one of my favorite varietals. Quivira makes a beautiful 100% Grenache, which is no easy feat since this grape is one of the subtlest around.

Wine #5: Rippon Vineyards Pinot Noir (New Zealand)
Price N/A | www.rippon.co.nz/

The southern region of New Zealand is the new hot spot for Pinots and Rippon Vineyards is leading the charge. This Pinot is a textbook example of the excellent Pinots currently being produced in the Central Otago region. Unfortunately, I have recently been having a hard time tracking down where I can get this one, which is why it didn’t rank higher on the list.

Wine #4: Tandem Pinot Noir (Sangiacomo Vineyards)
Price N/A | tandemwinery.com/

This is one of my favorite Russian River Pinot Noirs. It is a bit spicy (standard for a Russian River Pinot), but in a near-perfect amount. Beautiful.

Wine #3: 2008 Cakebread Chardonnay (Napa Valley, Rutherford)
$37 | cakebread.com

Another fantastic showing from Cakebread. The secret to this wine? Nearly 70% of the wine is aged in neutral oak so the butterball effect is gone leaving behind beautiful notes of pear, and a bit of cantaloupe / honeydew.

Wine #2: William Harrison Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley, Rutherford)
$45 | whwines.com

William Harrison, an excellent winery located near Rutherford in the Napa Valley, has delivered a near spotless Cabernet Franc.  This wine is simply gorgeous and well worth a try.

Wine #1: Archipel (by Vérité) (Alexander Valley)
$45 | archipelwines.com

Archipel has been and remains my favorite wine. I find the “California Bordeaux” to be a near perfect pair with my particular preferences for this style of Bordeaux.