Previous issue: Dec. 31, 2007

 

Cover Story

The Ultimate Buying Guide In this third annual edition of Wine Spectator's Ultimate Buying Guide, our tasters look back at the wines of 2007 and ahead to the coming year.

• WineSpectator.com Bonus Videos:  Get more insight into each region's highlighted wines with our Editors' Tastings and Videos by Region archives. In 2007, Wine Spectator senior editors showcased everything from Argentina's Malbecs and 2003 Barolos to Washington Syrah and values from southern France. Plus, they took you into the wineries and vineyards with some of the world's most prominent vintners in Australia, Bordeaux, Napa Valley and Tuscany.
• WineSpectator.com:  Complete tasting notes for all the wines listed in the Ultimate Buying Guide can be found by searching our online Wine Ratings database of more than 184,000 wine ratings.

Cover Story

Regional Summaries  Succinct, information-packed reports on the world's leading wine-producing areas

California   Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and more

France   Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône, Loire, Alsace, Champagne, Languedoc and more

Italy   Tuscany, Piedmont and more

Around the World   Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Oregon, Washington and more

Top Scores   A roundup of the highest-scoring new releases of 2007 from each winemaking region

Compendium   A listing of the more than 16,000 wines blind tasted by Wine Spectator editors in 2007, sorted by region or varietal and alphabetically by producer

Pull-Out Vintage Card   Features exclusive ratings for top appellations and varietals from around the world

Departments

This Issue

This Issue Marvin R. Shanken

Upfront

  

Constellation buys wineries from spirits company Beam; red wine may help kill food-borne pathogens; California winery to list ingredients on labels; former importer Michael Domecq sentenced to 10 years in prison; son of Schramsberg Estate founder sues over interest in the Napa winery; GrapeVine; 2007 Vintage Report Cards

• WineSpectator.com  Keep up with breaking news as well as the people, places and happenings that wine lovers are talking about.

Tastes

  

Chocolate truffles; blend your own wine; Bloody Mary; San Francisco hot spot: South Food and Wine Bar; forest in a jar

• WineSpectator.com:  Find lists of recently rated Ports and Banyuls to pair with your truffles.

Dining Out

Dining Out   Los Angeles

• WineSpectator.com:  Get information on nearly 4,000 restaurants with award-winning wine lists. Our complete 2007 Dining Guide listings are online in our redesigned Restaurant Search database—now with photos and more information.

Columns

James Laube   True confessions

• WineSpectator.com:  In recent blog posts, James Laube considers the issue of heat exposure for wines in transit, looks at how rotten grapes yield liquid gold, and questions whether the term Meritage still has merit.

Matt Kramer   Lost in the wineshop

James Molesworth   A sentimental journey

Collecting

  

A wine collector who started young; the auction market stays positive; Carnivale du Vin cooks up $2 million; Mancbach auction benefits wine education

• WineSpectator.com:  Follow the latest auction trends. Our Auction Price Database tracks performance for more than 15,600 cellar-worthy wines, while our Auction Highlights show the results from the latest major sales.

2007 Article Index   

• WineSpectator.com:  The full text of all articles from 2007, as well as issues back to 1994, can be found in our online Magazine Archives.

Wine Talk

Wine Talk:   Chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay

The Buying Guide

View a list of all tasting notes from this issue. Or for more than 190,000 tasting notes, use WineSpectator.com's Wine Ratings Search, where you can sort by region, variety, vintage, price, score and tasting date.

MORE INSIDER RATINGS:  Our popular Insider newsletter has gone weekly. Now get twice as many advance ratings for exciting new wines selected from our editors' latest tastings. NEW! SPECTATOR TRADING POST:  Find special wine offers, including great values and hard-to-find collectibles, from a select group of retailers. Offers for our subscribers change frequently, so check in often for the best deals. VINTAGE CHARTS:  We offer more than 35 charts, updated regularly with the latest vintages and featuring our editors' scores and drinkability recommendations. Plus, print out our wallet-size chart. VALUE-WINE LISTS:  Browse our exclusive lists of the world's top wine values and value producers. We've also added new lists, such as "Outstanding reds from Argentina and Chile for $30 or less."

2007 VINTAGE REPORT CARD:  With the newest wines now aging in winery cellars, Wine Spectator's editors provide an early look at potential quality in key regions across the Northern Hemisphere and give each a preliminary grade. Plus, watch bonus videos from Tuscany's 2007 harvest. VALENTINE'S DAY:  Romance your date with a seductive wine or an indulgent dessert. We'll help you impress that special someone with tips for the perfect meal and great wine picks. VIDEOS:  We now have more than 200 videos on our site: Tuscany:  Visit Fattoria di Felsina, a producer of great Chianti Classico, super Tuscans and Cabernet Sauvignon. Chapoutier Tasting (whites and reds):  Hear from the Rhône's Michel Chapoutier, who presented eight single-vineyard wines from the prestigious Hermitage appellation during the 2007 Wine Experience. TAKE THE CHALLENGE:  We're putting your wine knowledge to the test with our fun, new biweekly wine quiz. See how well you do compared with other readers.