The Top Wines Of 2018: An Exclusive Vino-Sphere List

Here it is – our annual listing of the best bottles of the year. Uncork a bottle and enjoy as you check out the favorites we reviewed in 2018.

We hope you have enjoyed 2018 as much as we have. We’ve tasted hundreds of wines and visited dozens of wineries. Our travels included a foray to sample the great wines of Washington State and a couple of jaunts to the wine country of North Carolina. After sorting through our tasting notes and piles of empty bottles and corks, we’ve compiled our anticipated 2018 Top Wines list.

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We present the list in alphabetical order. An asterisk indicates exceptional quality.


Ad Lucem 2014 Elaina Red, Columbia Valley
Adorada 2016 Rosé, California
Altipiano 2016 Estate Sangiovese Reserve, San Diego County*
Balletto 2014 BCD Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Becker Family 2012 Pinot Noir, Pfalz
Bedell Cellars 2017 Taste Rosé, Long Island
Bollina Corte Medicea 2015 'Cletus' Toscana IGT, Tuscany
Bonterra 2015 The Roost Blue Heron Vineyard Chardonnay, Mendocino County
Breathless Brut Magnum, North Coast
Brut Jordan Cuvée by Champagne AR Lenoble
Ca’Marcanda 2013, Bolgheri*
Clos du Bois 2008 Marlstone, Alexander Valley

Check out our reports on more than 200 wineries

Corona de Aragon 2017 Garnacha Blanca
Cremisan Wine Estate 2014 Star of Bethlehem Baladi, West Bank
Domaine Artefact 2017 Rincon del Diablo, San Diego County
Dry Creek Vineyard 2013 Meritage, Dry Creek Valley
Duckhorn Vineyards 2015 Napa Valley Merlot Three Palms Vineyards*
Geil 2015 Bechtheimer Scheurebe Kabinett, Rheinhessen
Hanna 2014 Bismark Moon Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon*
Hanna 2016 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley
Hightower Cellars 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain*
Il Poggione 2016 Rosso di Montalcino
Jezreel 2016 Levanim, Jezreel Valley*
Kenwood 2013 Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma*
Lambert Bridge 2013 Crane Creek Cuvée, Dry Creek Valley*
LAN 2011 Rioja Reserva
Left Coast Cellars 2017 “The Orchard” Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley*
Lorenzi Estate 2009 Zinfandel Signature Series Reserve Temecula*
Montefioralle Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014
Muscardini Cellars 2013 Rancho Salina, Moon Mountain
Papapietro Perry 2014 Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Parducci 2005 True Grit Petite Sirah, Mendocino County
Raffaldini 2014 Sangiovese Classico, Swan Creek
Santa Ema 2013 Amplus Old Vine Carignan, Maule
Shadow Springs Vineyard 2014 Petit Verdot, Swan Creek
Sterling 2014 Iridium Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley*
Terra Bella 2008 Estate Syrah, Paso Robles
Three Rivers Winery 2015 Svelte, Walla Walla Valley*
Vignobles Mayard 2009 La Crau de ma Mère, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Villa Maria 2015 Taylors Pass Pinot Noir, Marlborough*
Villa Maria 2016 Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
Weingut Wittmann Westhofener 2014 Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen

The Top Wines of 2017: A Vino-Sphere Exclusive List

Here it is – our annual listing of the best bottles of the year. Uncork a bottle and enjoy as you check out the favorites we reviewed in 2017.

It’s been a good year! As 2017 fades away like grains of sand in an hourglass, we can reflect on a wild year during which we tasted hundreds of wines and visited wineries from Napa and Sonoma to the backroads of Ohio. Of course, we do it just for one reason, to bring you the inside information on the very best wines. We also made the move from Ohio to our new home in North Carolina’s Triangle area.

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Here’s our list of top wines from  2017. We present the list in alphabetical order. An asterisk indicates exceptional quality. Dilly dilly!


Aila 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda Valley
* Achaval-Ferrer 2013 Quimera, Mendoza
Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards 2008 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
* Argot 2014 “Bastard Tongue” Pinot Noir, Santa Rosa, Sonoma
*Hacienda de Arínzano 2012 Tinto
* Blue Rock 1999 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
Bonterra 2016 Rosé, Mendocino County
* Boschendal 2011 Cecil John Reserve Shiraz, Stellenbosch
* Burg Ravensburg 2014 Weissburgunder, Baden
* Cain 2001 Cain Five, Napa Valley
* Carmel 2012 Limited Edition, Galilee
Chamonix 2013 Reserve Pinot Noir, Franschhoek
Conn Creek Rosé of Malbec 2016 Antica Vineyard, Atlas Peak, Napa ValleyCoolshanagh 2014 Chardonnay, Naramanta Bench, Okanagan Valley
Domain Duffour 2016 Cotes de Gascogne Blanc
* Domaine Meo-Camuzet 2004 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits
Domaine Serene 2013 Yamhill Cuvée Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
* Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley
Dry Creek Vineyard 2016 Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg
Dry Creek Vineyard 2009 “The Mariner,” Dry Creek ValleyDry Creek Vineyard 2014 Wallace Ranch Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley
Faust 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
* Karmei Yosef Winery 2014 Bravdo Coupage, Samson, Israel* Karthäuserhof 2009 Riesling Grosses Gewächs
Left Coast 2015 Latitude 45⁰ Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
Malibran 2015 "Credamora" Rifermentato in Bottiglia, Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
* Matthews 2011 Claret, Columbia Valley
Maxville Lake Winery 2014 Petite Sirah, Chiles ValleyMaxville Lake Winery 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, Chiles Valley
Meeker 2013 Handprint Merlot, Sonoma
Montes 2014 Purple Angel Carmenère, Colchagua Valley
Montessu 2013 Isola dei Nuraghi IGT, Sardinia
Murrieta’s Well 2014 Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore ValleyMurrieta’s Well 2015 “The Whip,” Livermore Valley
* Nino Franco 2010 Grave di Stecca Brut Sparkling, Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
* Ordaz 2012 Sandoval Vineyard Malbec, Sonoma Valley
Parducci 2015 85th Anniversary Wine "Limited Edition,” Mendocino County
* Pillitteri 2007 Exclamation Cellar Series Reserve Cabernet Franc, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake
San Simeon 2013 Stormwatch, Paso Robles
* Schweiger 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain DistrictSt. Francis 2014 Reserve Merlot, Sonoma County* Terra Bella 2011 Proprietary Red Blend, Sonoma County* Tomasello Winery 2013 Palmaris Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Outer Coastal Plain, NJ
Two Hands 2016 Gnarly Dudes Shiraz, Barossa Valley
V. Sattui 2016 Rosato di Sangiovese, North Coast
* Val d'Oca NV Brut Nature "Rive di Santo Stefano,” Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
* Von Winning 2015 Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad Riesling Trocken