After tasting more than 17,000 wines from countries around the world, the editors at Wine Spectator will release their much-anticipated list of the Top 100 Wines of 2012. The countdown begins at WineSpectator.com on Wednesday, Nov. 14.
The unveiling of the Top 100 takes place during a period of free access to all the features of WineSpectator.com, which runs from Nov. 14-27. Visitors will be able search our database of more than 270,000 wine ratings, read senior editors’ blogs and explore the world’s most comprehensive Web site for wine. Special free premiums will also be offered to visitors to the site during this open-access period.
The Top 100 countdown will take place over four days, beginning with the Top 10 wines:
· November 14: Wines 10, 9, 8, 7, 6
· November 15: Wines 5, 4, 3, 2
· November 16: #1 Wine of the Year
· November 19: Full List of Top 100 Wines of 2012
The Top 100 wines are chosen from a pool of more than 17,000 wines reviewed in 2012 by Wine Spectator editors in the magazine’s independent blind tastings. Four criteria are used to make the selections: quality (represented by score); value (reflected by release price); availability (measured by cases made or imported); and what Wine Spectator calls the “X-factor”–the excitement generated by a rising-star producer, a benchmark wine or a significant milestone for a wine region.
These 100 wines reflect significant trends, recognize outstanding producers and spotlight successful regions as well as vintages around the world. The full list will be published in the Dec. 31, 2012-Jan. 15, 2013, issue of Wine Spectator magazine, on newsstands beginning Dec. 4.
Launched in 1996, WineSpectator.com is the most authoritative resource for wine information in the world, geared toward individuals who wish to expand their knowledge and appreciation of wine, cooking and entertaining, fine dining and world travel. The site allows subscribers to explore respected wine ratings, searchable by score, variety, vintage and price, with more than 1,000 new wine ratings added monthly. WineSpectator.com content also includes Wine Spectator school courses, detailed vintage charts for all the major growing regions, personal wine lists to track online collections and much more.
About Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches more than 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web’s most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms, and a series of signature events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine’s role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews of more than 15,000 wines each year. Parent company M. Shanken Communications also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Food Arts, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Impact.
