The 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 is 10/10: Don’t Miss Out, SF

Future scene of 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100You don’t have to wait for Friday to celebrate because the 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting is coming to San Francisco this Thursday, October 10th.  This annual event showcases Wine & Spirits’ favorite 100 wineries from the last year along with local chefs and artisanal purveyors serving small bites to complement the wines. Penfolds, Marchesi Antinori, Ridge Vineyards, Louis Jadot, Diamond Creek, L’Ecole Nº 41, and Williams Selyem are among the returning awardees for 2019. We have always enjoyed our experiences at this celebration of premium winemaking and we encourage you to join us there.

L’Ecole No 41 Cabernet Sauvignons

L’Ecole No 41

This year, the Top 100 Tasting takes place between 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm at City View at METREON (135 4th Street, San Francisco). If you move quickly you can still buy tickets for yourself and/or friends.  General Admission tickets are $135 each and come with a one-year subscription to Wine & Spirits magazine. Or, you can splurge for a VIP Admission ticket which provides you entrance one hour earlier (at 5:30 pm) for $50 more.  Please go here to purchase tickets.  If you are a member of the Bay Area food and wine Trade, you may be able to still obtain a discounted Trade ticket.

Oysters, a small plate at the 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 TastingWe suggest you begin your evening at the 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting by exploring Champagnes from wineries such as Bollinger, Bruno Paillard, Krug, and Louis Roederer.  Then, compare your favorites with Cava from Pere Ventura and enjoy Oysters from The Oyster Girls between sips.  After you’ve sampled oustanding white wines and red wines , you can wrap up your evening with Port from Quinta do Noval, Taylor Fladgate and/or W. & J. Grahams.  To go with the Port, you should look for treats from Socola Chocolatier and Recchiuti Confections.

Stags' Leap Winery

Stags’ Leap Winery

Are you interested in trying new varietals, or tasting outstanding examples of your personal favorites?  At the Top 100 event you should be able to sample Riesling from Joh. Jos. Prüm, Chardonnay from Chanin, Grenache from A Tribute to Grace, Pinot Noir from Lingua Franca, Malbec from Catena Zapata, Cabernet Sauvignon from von Strasser, Syrah from Reynvaan, Petite Sirah from Stags’ Leap Winery, and Zinfandel from Storybook Mountain.

Domaines Ott, a 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting Winery

Domaines Ott

The 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 wineries represent fifteen countries including Argentina (Familia Zuccardi), Armenia (Zorah Wines), Australia (Leeuwin Estate), Austria (Moric), Chile (Concha y Toro), France (Domaines Ott), Germany (Fritz Haag), Greece (Alpha Estate), Hungary (Royal Tokaji), Italy (Elvio Cogno), New Zealand (Felton Road), Portugal (Luís Pato), South Africa (Mullineux), and Spain (Raúl Pérez). If you enjoy French wines, then you may also want to know that the Top 100 event will include 15 different wineries from France pouring their wines.  There will also be 15 different Italian wineries, so you can enjoy Chianti Classico, Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino and Amarone della Valpolicella.

Deovlet Wines

Deovlet Wines

About 1/3 of the 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 are wineries based in the United States, including Dr. Konstantin Frank from New York. Other domestic producers include wineries in California (Corison, Deovlet, Tablas Creek, Terre Rouge), Oregon (Bergström, Big Table Farm, Cristom, Rose & Arrow Estate), and Washington (Col Solare, DeLille Cellars, Swiftwater Cellars, W.T. Vintners). To see the complete list the Top 100 Wineries of 2019 (based on about 11,500 wines that were tasted by Wine & Spirits), please go here.

Cheese & Charcuterie from Atelier Fine Foods

Atelier Fine Foods

Each year, Wine & Spirits also recognizes local Restaurants and Artisan Purveyors who prepare and serve small bites to pair with the wines. At the 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting you will be able to sample Lobster Cannoli from Acquerello and King Salmon Rillettes from Absinthe.  You’ll also find other delicious offerings from establishments such as A Côté, Atelier Fine Foods, Barndiva, Compline, Pinoy Heritage and Tartine Manufactory.

We have thoroughly enjoyed past Top 100 events and highly encourage you to attend yourself. Parking is easy (the 5th Street and Mission Street Garage is just across the street) or you can take public transportation (City View at Metreon is just one block south of the Powell Street Station BART exits at 4th and Market). If you are free this Thursday, don’t miss your chance to taste highly acclaimed wines, meet the winemakers and enjoy an array of artisan specialties all in one place.

Salomon Undhof Riesling at the Wine & Spirits Top 100

Salomon Undhof

The 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting event also helps raise money and awareness to protect water resources.  A portion of ticket prices will be donated to San Francisco Baykeeper, one of 200 Waterkeeper Organizations and Affiliates working for clean water around the world. For 30 years, Baykeeper has worked to stop pollution in San Francisco Bay and its tributaries throughout the Bay Area.  They are the only nonprofit with a pollution patrol boat that regularly monitors and investigates pollution in the Bay. To learn more about the organization, sign up for their e-newsletter, volunteer your time, and/or become a member, please go to their website.

2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting IssueFounded in 1982, Wine & Spirits Magazine is published seven times a year and read by over 200,000 members of America’s wine community looking for information on wine regions and producers, the art and science of viticulture, industry happenings, and food and wine pairing. It has also won the James Beard Award five times for excellence in wine writing. The 2019 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries (and their wines) will be discussed in detail in the Winter 2019 issue of the magazine, which goes on sale the same day as the event: Thursday, October 10th. The issue also contains articles featuring the Top Spirits of 2019, Top Importers of 2019, and Wineries to Watch.

 

 


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