by Fred McMillin
for November 2002

The Wine To Give Your Host

Gaiter and Brecher in the Wall St. Journal: "This time of year, even more than usual, we're asked what wine to take to a friend's house for dinner...so here's our list of kinds of wines."

White

     * A California Viognier
     * An expensive Australian Chardonnay
     * A German Riesling
     * A white Burgundy

Red

     * An expensive California Zinfandel
     * A Malbec from Argentina
     * A California Barbera
     * A California Sangiovese

THE REST OF THE STORY...Our Top Twenty

So, using those categories, here are the top eight whites and twelve reds that my tasters have savored in recent months. The best wines are at the bottom of the lists; that is, they get better the further you read.

THE WHITES

Rank—Wine

8th—RIESLING, Trimbach, Alsace (not German), 1997, $28.50 (Seagram Import)

7th—RIESLING, Trimbach, Alsace, 1999, $16

6th—WHITE BURGUNDY, Pouilly-Fuissé, F. Chauvenet, 1998, $16 (Boisset Imports)

5th—AUSTRALIAN CHARDONNAY, Jacob's Creek, Padthaway, 1989, $33

4th—WHITE BURGUNDY, Pouilly-Fuissé, Vincent, 1999, $21 (Wildman Import)

3rd—VIOGNIER, Spencer Roloson, Rutherford, 2000, $19

2nd—VIOGNIER Reserve, McDowell, Mendocino, 2000, $16

1st—VIOGNIER, Geyser Peak, Alexander Valley, 2000, $19

THE REDS

Rank—Wine

12th—MALBEC from Argentina, Tapiz, Mendoza, 1999, $8 (Kendall-Jackson Import)

11th—ZINFANDEL, Sobon, Fiddletown, l997, $15

10th—ZINFANDEL, Kenwood, Sonoma County, 1999, $16

9th—SANGIOVESE, Camellia Cellars, Dry Creek Valley, 1999, $28

8th—ZINFANDEL Folie à Deux, Amador County, 1999, $18

7th—SANGIOVESE, Beaulieu, North Coast, 1998, $18

6th—ZINFANDEL, Kenwood, Nuns Canyon, Sonoma Valley, 1999, $20

5th—ZINFANDEL, Grgich Hills, Napa-Sonoma, 1999, $25

4th—MALBEC from Argentina, M. Torino, 2000, $10 (Wildman Import)

3rd—ZINFANDEL, Old Vine, Lake Sonoma Cellars, Dry Creek Valley, 1999, $20

2nd—BARBERA, Terra d' Oro, Montevina, Amador County, 1998, $18

1st—ZINFANDEL, Deaver, Amador County, l999, $28

CONCLUSIONS

1. The BEST BUY was either of the Malbecs.

2 If I'm taking a white, it'll be a California Viognier.

3. If I'm taking a red, it'll be one of those top Zinfandels, unless my budget says MALBEC.

Research Assistants—Mr. & Mrs. Joe Lorentz

About the Writer Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. For information about the wine courses he teaches every month at either San Francisco State University or San Francisco City College (Fort Mason Division), please fax him at (415) 567-4468.

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