Wine Spectator's Top 100 World Wines
Staff Writer - December 31, 2003
 Each year, the Wine Spectator magazine names the 100 most exciting wines tasted over the previous 12 months. The most noteworthy of them merit a spot in the highest tier, the Top 10.
A total of 12 countries are represented in the Top 100. Italy made the Top 100 list with 15 wines and one, Sette Ponti, Toscana Orieno 2001, made Top 10 list.
As in recent years, the Top 10 is dominated by reds, with the exception of one white, from Germany's exceptional 2001 vintage, the Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling Spätlese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2001.
In 2003, Wine Spectator magazine editors tasted more than 12,500 wines, more than ever before. Of these, more than 2,500 rated outstanding, scoring 90 points or higher on our 100-point scale. These were the initial candidates for our Top 100 list. The final selections were determined on four criteria: quality (as represented by score); value (as reflected by release price); availability (measured by case production or the number of cases imported); and an X-factor that they call "excitement".
This year, mindful of consumer resistance to high prices, the magazine gave increased weight to value. The average price of the wines in this year's Top 100 decreased for the third year in a row, to $36.40 a bottle (down by nearly $7 since 2001).
Top 10 Wines of 2003 (Source: Wine Spectator Magazine)
- Paloma Merlot Spring Mountain District 2001
95 points, $45, 2,510 cases
- Château Cos-d 'Estournel St.-Estèphe 2000
96 points, $95, 20,830 cases made
- Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta Rapel Valley 2000
94 points, $55, 1,360 cases imported
- Clos Mogador Priorat 2001
95 points, $60, 1,800 cases made
- Château Léoville Las Cases St.-Julien 2000
100 points, $170, 15,000 cases made
- Penfolds Shiraz Barossa Valley RWT 2000
95 points, $69, 800 cases imported
- Paul Coulon & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine de Beaurenard 2001
94 points, $27, 1,250 cases imported
- Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling Spätlese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2001
96 points, $30, 1,500 cases made
- Graham Vintage Port 2000
98 points, $80, 3,300 cases imported
- Sette Ponti Toscana Oreno 2001
95 points, $80, 1,165 cases imported
The other Italian wines inWine Spectator the list are:
- Nš23 – Moccagatta Barbaresco Basarin 2000
96 points, $60
- Nš27 – Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino 1998
94 points, $54
- Nš32 – Albino Rocca Barbaresco Vigneto Brich Ronchi 2000
95 points, $65
- Nš34 – Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana 1999, 95 points, $75
- Nš45 – Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Montesodi 2001
93 points, $40
- Nš52 – Lisini Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia 1997
97 points, $99
- Nš58 – Allegrini Veronese Palazzo della Torre 1999
90 points, $18
- Nš61 – Gini Soave Classico Superiore 2001
90 points, $15
- Nš68 – Capezzana Carmignano Conte Contini Bonacossi 2000
91 points, $25
- Nš75 – Castello del Querceto Chianti Classico Riserva 1999
90 points, $23
- Nš90 – Castello della Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva 2000
91 points, $29
- Nš94 – Beni di Batasiolo Barbaresco 2000, 90 points, $35
- Nš97 – Cantina Vignaioli Barbaresco Vigneto Marcarini 2000
93 points, $48
- Nš98 – Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianorosso 1998
93 points, $50
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