Listing the top 10 best wines of 2013 is a daunting task because the experts continue to test them. As new varieties come to the fore a shift in the list is bound to occur. Basically, and to pardon the pun, it’s all in the taste. Given that, a list of the top varieties is listed here and it would be good to keep up on the latest information so as to be on top of the game. Wines come in a variety of classes and categories and picking which is the best would have to include this information. Taking that into account this list of the top ten best wines of 2013 will encompass as much data as possible based on the parameters of the professional wine judging establishments.

There are categories such as Best In Class, Dry, Semi Dry, Sweet, and dozens and dozens more. Included by the judging groups is price. Here, this list will focus not so much on cost but on overall performance. Since no one source had a list that was comprehensible, winespectator.com provides their sharp insight for us.

This wine comes from Argentina and is one of their tops. From 100 year old vines reported planted 3,100 feet in the Perdriel district of the Lujan de Cuyo area. The wine is of great value as the producer keeps the amount produced to a small one.

From Tuscany, Italy. If it’s from the Tuscany region of Italy it’s a good bet it’s of great quality. For hundreds of years the art and wines of the area have been the standard of excellence throughout the western world. With this vintage from siblings Paola and Lucia Bianchini the tradition continues. At a height of 1,200 feet in the southwest area of the region, the wines were fermented in stainless steel and concrete vats, aged two years in Slavonian oak. This kind of care and concern is like something out of a movie and it’s high ranking and praise are well earned.

From Sonma County, California comes this wine. With over 550 acres of this wine and other varieties, Beringer is highly celebrated. Only 3,602 cases have been made. Kudos go to ms. Laurie Hook who cultured this vintage.

It’s a good thing that Mr. Dick Shea decided to take up wine making after years as a pro on Wall Street. He acquired 200 acres of land in the Willamette Valley and the rest is history. From 1996 on he’s been making his wines such as Pommard, Wadenswil, and Dijon.

From 1836 this wine has been part of the Barton family. That’s a long time to build up a legend. The family has passed the mantle down through the generations and the list of experts who oversee operations are legend. There is Eric Boissenotand Francois Brehant who ferment the wine in the traditional way in wooden vats and it takes 18 months in oak barrels to finish.

This is a combination of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, 65 % and 35 % respectively originates from vines that are an astonishing 35 to 40 year old vines on their 300 plus acre sized property. This property is co-owned by Robert Peugeot, yes of automobile fame, and Oliver Bernard, Stephan von Neipperg, and Xavier Planty. Mr. Planty keeps eye over the entire operation there.

The Avril family brings us this wine and since they’ve been in the business since 1600 they obviously know what they’re doing. All done on only 80 acres of vineyards this family has continually produced award winning wines. Fermented in ceramic lined vats and then aed in large wooden foudres for 12 months they really know their craft.

Michael Twelftree and his colleague Matt Wenk did a fine job on this vintage with six different Shirazes from the Land Down under. Twenty vineyards are used by these winemakers and their care and professional acumen brings this vintage to the top spots.

Once more French wines appear on this list and for good reason. The Louis Barruol family has been making wine since 1490! That’s two years before Christopher Columbus set forth to the Americas. That’s a real long time to establish a brand and this family sure has done that and more. With this vintage, Louis Barruol mixed 60 % Grenache equally with Syrah and Mourvedre. The result is another top wine that will be remembered for years to come and adds to the family legend.

Blended from Syrah and Petite Syrah this blend has raised the eyebrows and glasses of the top wine tasters. Unlike the vintages that have stood the test of centuries this company has been around since 1978 and continues to dominate by astonishing pros the world over and customers too. The Shafers don’t kid around when it comes to production. This wine was actually named after one of the Shafer’s workers whom they credit with its success. That’s management appreciation for you. To prove that the Shafers know their winemaking this is the second time in three years they’ve been chosen Wine of the Year and many other awards.

There’s sure to be debate over which vintages should be on this list but the sheer massive volume of data regarding wines is too much to compile and satisfy everyone. As is seen, some vintages come from new companies and others come from companies hundreds of years old. All in all a fine wine takes skill and lots of love.

( source: winespectator.com )