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Our favorite wines of 2006

Looking for a great bottle to serve at your holiday party? “Today” wine columnist, Edward Deitch, looks back at the year’s 12 best whites and reds.
/ Source: TODAY

Whether it’s books, movies or music, this time of year is list season; the time when critics and columnists like to look back and compile their best-of- the-year guides. For me, of course, it’s all about wine. As I reviewed my reviews from the past year and also considered some wines I hadn’t gotten around to writing about, a few themes emerged:

In general, I gravitated toward leaner wines that weren’t overly alcoholic — wines with bright acidity that provided a refreshing counterpoint to food and that didn’t tire me out after a glass or two. I’ll head first for the racy barbera from Italy over the brawny California cabernet just about any day.

Chardonnay, I decided, has gotten a bum rap, largely because of a generic, over-oaked California style (especially at the inexpensive end) that has come to dominate thinking about the variety; but not all chardonnays fall into this, and one only has to go to the Burgundy section and to certain California producers to find elegant, more reserved examples.

Small growers often make superior wines, but I was reminded again that the industry’s big guns sometimes also turn out wines of distinction. A pinot gris from Gallo Family Vineyards was a good example.

Wine continues to suffer from a communications gap; it’s often hard for those who aren't experts to decipher the language of the label, and there needs to be a greater effort to tell people exactly what they are drinking. That said, attempts to simplify things by giving wines cute names — “Surfer Dude Sauvignon” for a white Bordeaux, let’s say — can backfire if what’s inside the bottle isn’t as interesting as what’s on the label, which, sadly, is often the case with wine marketing concepts.

With all this in mind, let’s get to the list — a dozen wines, six whites and six reds that I have especially enjoyed this past year and recommend again for your holiday enjoyment, gift-giving and beyond. In some cases I quote from my original reviews:

The whites:Domaine Roulot 2004 Bourgogne Aligoté, Burgundy, France, $14A great example of the little-known aligoté grape from Burgundy. “White peach, pear and lime are framed by an impressive minerality that lingers after each sip.” (Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.)

Sauvignon Republic Cellars 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley, Calif., $18 As the name implies, these guys only bottle sauvignon blanc for their international portfolio. The California wine was “stunning ... with a complexity that combines delicious ripe fruit, minerals, an herbal note and piercing acidity that makes it as refreshing as it is rich.” Need I say more?

Domaine Pierre Morey 2003 Bourgogne Chardonnay, Burgundy, France, $26Lovely, lean, mineral-driven white Burgundy that I could drink just about every night.  (Imported by Wilson Daniels, Ltd., St. Helena, California.)

Bodegas Terras Gauda 2004 O Rosal, Rias Baixas, Galicia, Spain, $19
Primarily from the albariño grape, this classy wine is made for fish. Its many components include apple, strawberry, mango, minerals and lemon (the 2005 has been released). A sister wine, Abadía de San Campio, $15, is more widely available.  (Imported by A.V. Imports, Columbia, Maryland.)

Pine Ridge 2004 Chenin Blanc-Viognier, Clarksburg, California, $13.50
I called this unusual blend  “luscious,” with touches of pear, melon, grapefruit, honey and herbs. It's also one of the best inexpensive whites from California (the 2005 has been released).

Trefethen Vineyards 2005 Dry Riesling, Napa Valley, Calif., $20“Crisp, bright and almost bone dry.” Notes of white peach, strawberry, lemon and lime. One of California’s top rieslings.

The reds:
Pascal Granger 2004 Chénas, Beaujolais, France, $16
This superb wine from a top village in Beaujolais is an “earthy melding of cherry, blueberry, an orange note, cedar and spice” and shows what the gamay grape and Beaujolais can achieve in the right hands. (Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant, New York.)

Domaine Joseph Drouhin 2004 Chorey-les-Beaune, Burgundy, France, $20
This charming pinot noir proves that it's possible to find good Burgundy at a good price. Notes of ripe strawberry and cherry, minerals and sweet spices integrated with subtle oak and refreshing acidity. (Imported by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., New York.)

Giacomo Borgogno 2005 Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy, $12.50One of the best values of the year. Young, yes, but round and elegant. Beautiful fruit with notes of black cherry, raspberry and mocha. Brightly acidic, earthy, complex and refreshing. Great barbera. (Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, New York.)

Feudo Maccari 2003 Saia, Sicily, Italy, $33
Really shows off the potential of Sicily's nero d'avola grape. “Beautifully focused and elegant ... this one will compare favorably with any number of serious reds from, say, California or Bordeaux ...   leaves a powerful impression, including blackberry, spiced dark cherry, subtle oak and herbal notes.”  (Imported by Kobrand Corporation, New York.) 

Nickel & Nickel 2003 Suscol Ranch Merlot, Napa Valley, Calif., $46
This single-vineyard wine, from the owners of Far Niente, is serious and original. Lush and silky with earth, blueberry and plum notes and a long finish. The best California merlot I’ve tasted in some time. Their Web site says the ‘03 is sold out, but look for it in stores and scoop up the ‘04 when it’s released.

Château Musar 1997 Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, $45Fortunately, Serge Hochar and his famed winery made it through last summer’s war in Lebanon. I wrote of this beautifully aged wine, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, carignan and grenache, that it is “more than a collection of tastes ... it is an experience.” (Imported by Broadbent Selections, Inc., San Francisco.)

Edward Deitch's wine column appears Wednesdays. He welcomes comments from readers. Write to him at