Wine Spectator Insider Semi-Annual Report
Wine Spectator Insider
December 31, 2014
France, Italy and California, as usual, dominated the Insider reports of the second half of 2014, as all are enjoying strong vintages from either 2011 or 2012, but this year they were joined by Oregon: With 103 wines here, all 90-plus points, the state nearly matched California’s 127. (France led with 202 out of the 814 wines here.) That’s because the 2012 vintage has been especially exceptional for Oregon’s Pinot Noirs, producing the highest rated Oregon wine ever to come through our tasting room, the Evening Land Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Seven Springs Vineyard La Source 2012 at 98 points.
Asterisked wines first appeared in Wine Spectator Insider as Hot Wines.
96 pts Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series 2011*
94 pts Cullen Chardonnay Margaret River Kevin John 2012*
92 pts John Duval Shiraz Barossa Entity 2012
92 pts Yeringberg Shiraz Yarra Valley 2012
91 pts John Duval Plexus Red Barossa Valley 2012
91 pts Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Margaret River Prelude Vineyards 2012