State´s Wines Top “Best Of” List

California wines dominated the top 10 rankings by Wine Spectator magazine. Four wines from the Sonoma and Napa Valley regions made the widely-followed list, compared to three each from France and Italy. A 1999 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon was ranked Number Two on the list. It topped the charts three years ago.

Cabernet Sauvignons from Pine Ridge, Whitehall Lane and Duckhorn vineyards also made the list.

This is the first year since 1998 that a French wine — a 1999 Chateauneuf-du-Pape — was selected Number One. It is also the second time a Rhone Valley wine has been selected as best.

The top 10 wines of 2002, according to Wine Spectator, are, in order:

E. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1999, Rhone

Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County Cinq Cepages 1999, Calif.

Castello Banfi-Brunello di Montalcino 1997, Tuscany

Pine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 1999, Calif.

Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 1999, Calif.

Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 1999, Calif.

Antinori Brunello di Montalcino Pian della Vigne 1997, Tuscany

Marchesi de´Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo 1997, Tuscany

Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2000, Rhone

Chateau Leoville Las Cases St.-Julien 1999, Bordeaux