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RED
CARPET WINE Since
1964
400 E
Glenoaks Blvd Hours:
Mon-Thur 10-8 |
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Home Wine Shop Beers Spirits Gifts Beverage Catering Cigars Staff Picks Wine Bar/Events Map About RC |
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THE TOP 100 AND THE WINNER IS...
ORIN SWIFT |
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#2 Chono? OH YES! Value conscious wine lovers, listen up— this is the BEST BUY of 2006! This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has a distinctive Mediterranean character. Ripe cassis fruit married with layers upon layers of spice and blackberries that are balanced, fresh and pure. Incredible core of fruit and complexity for the money! The best sub $10 bottle of Cab you’ll ever have. |
#3 This wine tastes precisely like what it claims to be: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 15% Cab Franc and 2% Petite Verdot. (Of course we can taste the Petite Verdot - we're professionals!). It has the elegance, structure and classic Bordeaux-style flavors of Cab Sauv; perfume and softness imparted by the Merlot and the
spicy, blueberry-and-orange-rind fruit lent by the Cab Franc. The whole comes together just like a Meritage is supposed to - com
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#4
Masi is one of the three or four top producers of Amarone, one of |
#5
Our top California Cab selection this year with the Cabernet Clones
selected from Caymus and Grace Family Vineyards.. You will not taste a
better Cabernet at twice the price. Low yields and concentrated flavors of
blackcurrant and plum cover your mouth. Most impressive is the seamless
finish and sublime balance this wine shows already.. Only 300 cases for the
world and we have a small amount. Don’t wait on this one.
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#6 Querciabella is one of the top three producers in all of Chianti, and this stunning '04 shows why. Rich and firmly structured but sumptuous and accessible with loads of Sangiovese spice and tobacco. It outclasses most other producers' Riservas and Super Tuscans for half the price. Sebastiano Castiglioni and his team are well aware that they are trend setters in the region. The best of the old and the new. |
#7
A truly unique Pinot Noir. While we seem to be seeing a glut of overly-ripe
Pinot with few remaining characteristics typical to the style of the grape,
this wine just seems to work. Maybe it has something to do with it being
unfined and unfiltered, but this wine balances big body with the flavor
profiles Pinot should display. In a world of Syrah cavorting around as Pinot
Noir, this wine is a saving grace. Finally someone got it right. |
#8
Owned by the Duncan Family (Silver Oak), Twomey Cellars originates in the
Soda Canyon Ranch, where Merlot grows with extraordinary complexity. An intense, concentrated wine that combines power and finesse in beautiful
balance. It displays a very dark ruby color and a complex nose of black
cherry jam, roasting coffee, dark chocolate and cloves. It has a velvety,
voluptuous mouth-feel with flavors of cherries covered in dark chocolate and
an extremely long.
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#9
Jeff Cohn, ex-winemaker (and still consultant) at Rosenblum Cellars, was
responsible for some of that winery's best and most famous bottlings. Since
1996 he has been making small lots of
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Closest in style to the 2000, but slightly more evolved and exotic. Its
dense plum/purple color is accompanied by an extraordinary perfume of
charcoal, creme de cassis, melted licorice, espresso roast, and
blackberries. The wine hits the palate with a dramatic minerality intermixed
with black and red fruits. With massive depth, richness and body, you'll
enjoy it over the next four decades. The integration of acidity, tannin and
wood is flawless, and the wine is incredibly pure, rich, and intense. |
#11 The Paradigm winery, which is located in the Oakville appellation of Napa Valley , has made a name for itself by hand-crafting small quantities of estate-bottled red wine. Paradigm is owned and managed by Ren and Marilyn Harris, two winegrowers with extraordinarily deep roots in Napa Valley . The wines, made by Heidi Peterson Barrett, are consistently big and age worthy, but approachable in their youth. The 2002 Cab is a true expression of the vintage and the incredible vineyards.
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#12 Eden Canyon is a small production winery that specializes in making enticing and seductive Cabernet Sauvignon. Their 2004 Estate is especially remarkable — aromatics in high-def. Clean and pure, exotic and rich. Full of black cherry, plum, fig, cassis and rich spice; this inspiring wine lingers on the finish with a wellintegrated mouth-feel and structure. Big and fruit-forward, this wine will appeal to even the most die-hard Napa Valley Cabernet drinker.
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#13
Dating back to the 14th century, the Caude Val winery has been making wine
and over the years it has garnered a good reputation for their wine. The
quality of the wine comes from it’s terrior - soils made mainly of
limestone; and vineyards that are 15-25 years old to make for an outstanding
Chardonnay. Very elegant with an abundance of
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#14
One of the most consistently excellent and delightfully drinkable
inexpensive reds we've ever carried, this is our third vintage of this
little gem. Loads of ripe Garnacha fruit from central |
#15
This is the third year in a row that this wine has made our top 100.
Winemaker Karen Turjanis, formerly of Cardinale, Lokoya and Paul Hobbs has
done it again. This wine has a complex nose of plum, black cherry and
currant. On the palate it reveals a wonderful richness and roundness that
only great wines achieve. I love this wine! |
#16
If you’ve
never had Conundrum, you are missing out on one of |
#17
One of the most
adored wines in our store. Quality, consistency and a reasonable price tag.
Strikingly deep and dark ruby in color. An intoxicating mixture of cherries,
black cassis, sweet oak, violet and cigar box spice rises from the glass.
Layers of ripe Bing cherries, raspberries and semi-sweet cocoa dominate the
mid-palate giving this wine a nice backbone and plenty of structure. The
fruit is present with firm tannin and a nice acidity provides a beautiful
balance. A finish that lingers. |
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#18
A modest man and good friend of Red Carpet Wine, David Vergari is as genuine
as they come. Vergari wines are elegant yet highly concentrated; accessible
when young, yet structured for long life. His Van Der Kamp Pinot Noir is
unfined and unfilted and unbelievably captivating. Terrific fruit intensity
as well as sweet aromas of pepper, cherry syrup, smoke, underbrush,
strawberry, and dried tangerines. Only 100 case produced.
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#19
Girard Old Vine Zinfandel can not make its way off our list. The primary
vineyard source for the 2004 Old Vine Zinfandel is the
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#20
Nowadays it is difficult to find a refined bottle of
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#21
We have always found Schramsberg to make some of the best, most classic
Methode Champenoise wine in
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#22 This '05 Casa de la Cruz Pinot Noir offers more bang for the buck than any other Pinot out there. Unlike so many other inexpensive Pinots, the Casa de la Cruz is unmistakably Pinot Noir, from the first scents of cherries and smoky cranberries to the cocoa and bacon on the finish. In between there are sweet vanilla, minerals and hints of tangy orange rind. Whether it's for a small dinner or a party for the masses, this Pinot is a real crowd pleaser.
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#23 This is the second wine that made our list this year from Terraces. This property dates back to 1881 when it was planted to the "Werle" Clone. In the mid 70's Charlie Wagner, owner of Caymus, was purchasing these Zinfandel grape and considered them to be the finest in the Napa Valley. Ask any grower or winemaker - they will tell you that the "Werle" clone is the finest for Zinfandel. Very, very limited. |
#24 Wow, this seems to come from a lot closer to Los Alamos than Mendoza, Argentina - the Bien Nacido vineyard in Santa Barbara, to be exact. A dead ringer for Chards from Au Bon Climat, Qupe and countless other great wineries on the Central Coast who use fruit from that famous vineyard but for one-third to one-fifth the price. Same classic tropical fruit and citrus aromas and flavors, same patented lush texture and minerality on the palate. |
#25 There is no more versatile dessert wine than Moscato d'Asti. It's also an incredible accompaniment to occasions as disparate as hors d'oeuvres, spicy Thai meals and sunsets. Ceretto, makes the classic example: low in alcohol (5½%), lightly sparkling, heady aromas of fresh Muscat grapes (roses & oriental spices), not at all too sweet on the palate and perfectly balanced acidity. A lot more than one glass per person. |
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#26 The Malbec grape is originally from France, but Argentina has certainly made it it's own. The Argentinians make Malbec in many styles, from fresh and fruity to big and bold. This '05 is a very happy medium, harking back to Bordeaux with its perfumed, slightly herbal nose, restrained flavors with classic fruit and elegant structure. This is a very classy wine for under ten bucks, and is one more reason why we look to this part of the world for great bargains. |
#28 Where to begin? A very special wine with production hovering at only 350 cases. Last year we sold nearly 200 of those cases to you. David Fulton is made from the oldest Petite Sirah vines in the nation - well over 100 years mature. Loaded with black berries, cherries and ripe plums. What makes this wine so special is how plush and lush it is. You will have a smile on your face when you taste this, but we’ll warn you, cover your teeth, for they will surely be stained. |
#29 This wine made our list last year and has moved up from 72 to 29. Always one of California's finest Chardonnays, this wine is a blend of Dutton and Ritchie Vineyards, two of Sonoma's finest. A distinctly toasty and tropical nose with aromas of custard and meringue. Ripe citrus and apricot fruit flavors lay on your tongue with a finish that is rich and balanced. Only 2100 cases for the world. Always a RC favorite and will be sold out by the end of the month. |
#30 From the same family who brings you the ever popular Cristal come this vintage sparkling wine hearalding from Anderson Valley in California. L'Ermitage is Roederer Estate's special Tête de Cuvée. It is consistently rated one of California's top sparkling wines since its debutin 1993. As in Champagne, L'Ermitage is made only in exceptional years from preselected grapes that come from only the very best lots. |
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#31 Every year this winery produces exceptional wine at reasonable prices. This Premier Cru Chablis shows excellent richness and focus. Crisp, precise and flinty! It is both fleshy and full while retaining a solid mineral core and zesty acidity. Wines from this famous region are some of the most versatile with food and this is no exception. Very thirst quenching, it will match well with all seafood and poultry as well as with stronger cheeses such as Gruyère or Comté. |
#32 We know of no other Sancerre producer who makes such consistently excellent wine at such a relatively bargain price. A Sancerre that is classically balanced between racy, razor-edge acidity and ripe, flavory fruit. The forward lime and mineral nose with hints of green herb leads into the sharply focused, deliciously ripe Sauvignon Blanc |
#33 Ramey's Claret may not be as opulent as his other Cab blends (they're also half the price), but we'd rather drink them day in and day out than any of the Big Boys. Deep red with black fruits, chocolate, menthol and lovely herbs on the nose; beautifully balanced, medium-plus bodied, dense and rich, berries and chocolate and dark-roast coffee beans and silky texture. Drinking wonderfully now with lots of flavor and nuance. Complexity and dimension - the hallmark of David Ramey. |
#34 Made from 100% Nuragus grown in the hillside area of Trexenta, 600 feet above sea level, this is one of the lesser known white grape varietals from Italy. The grape has its roots as an ancient Phoenician varietal found in the southern part of the Sardinia region of Italy. This is a good wine for the likes of shellfish and chicken, but it would more traditionally be drunk as an aperitif. |
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#35 Is this the neatest, most guzzleable white wine for the money on the planet? Yup. Spain is the best bargain in wine these days. Ten years ago it was Italy, but look at those prices now! Don't wait too long--soon Spain may be "discovered" right out of the everyday price range represented by this puppy: Bright, fresh, aromatic fruit, lovely mineral and floral scents; medium-bodied, crisp and lively, citrus and white peach, very satisfying. Great with food or as an aperitif. |
#36 Of the scores of Pinot we tasted, this one stole the show at our Pinot Palooza back in April. Deep and beautiful, this Pinot has brought sexy back to Oregon. Ripe, lush and unrestrained, the 2003 offers up mind-blowing aromas of sweet fruit, pipe tobacco and toasted oak. Beautifully ripe fruit, the underlying theme from this vintage, is foremost on the palate, followed by underlying hints of wild mushroom and white pepper. Relax - have a glass of Stoller Pinot. |
#37 Known for their trustworthy Chateauneuf du Pape and other Rhone wines, Milliere also grows Merlot. Next to his Côtes du Rhône plots are eight- to 10- year-old vines grown on sandy, clay-based soils. The result - a sweet nose of bright red cherries, a plush, soft, round mouth of black fruits, fresh plums and blackberries, easy tannin and bright acidity. Beautifully assembled with just a whisper of garrigue, this is an impeccably balanced Merlot for a perfect day. |
#38 The estate lies in Johannisberg in the Rheingau and epitomizes what the Riesling grape is all about. Offers generous aromas of ripe pear, herbs, lemon and honey, then comes to the palate juicy, clear in fruit and subtly creamy and honeyed. This polished performance is noticeably sweet in the impressively vivid and juicy finish. Naturally mild sweetness with low alcohol and crisp acidity make this a beautiful wine to enjoy by itself or to complement many foods. |
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Home Wine Shop Beers Spirits Gifts Beverage Catering Cigars Staff Picks Wine Bar/Events Map About RC |
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Copyright © 2008 Red Carpet Wine, All Rights Reserved. |
It's that time of year again, our annual roundup of the year’s most exciting wines. As is previous
years, we tasted well over three thousand wines and less than 3% of them make it to the shelves
of Red Carpet. To qualify for this list is quite an accomplishment; better yet is the fact that we have
these wines for sale.
