SFGate

Introduction

"As we closed in on the Top 100 Wines for 2008, the winemaker's craft never seemed more important."

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By Jon Bonné

Great winemakers seem to give all the credit to their vineyards. But as we closed in on the Top 100 Wines for 2008, the winemaker's craft never seemed more important.

Not to say that great vineyards don't matter. Look no further than the two Cabernets from Sonoma's Monte Rosso Vineyard that made the list, two great products from that venerable site. Or wines like the 2006 Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir and the 2006 Varner Home Block Chardonnay. These are all terrific expressions of place.

But the ability to find an exceptional place for wine grapes is half the fight. There are plenty of sought-after plots all over the West Coast, and no sooner do we familiarize ourselves with one than another becomes all the rage. If there was one constant this year, it was that truly outstanding winemakers not only hunted these sites, but dedicated themselves to winemaking that seemed like a wonder of economy: no unnecessary steps, no overwrought flavors. Such talents are important enough that our 2008 list includes a separate list of great deals made by some of the same winemakers who made this year's Top 100.

That was doubly important this year, because prices for the best wines seemed to be soaring, even as the overall market for expensive wine dipped. It wasn't difficult, for instance, to find plenty of good $100 Cabernet in the exceptional, and plentiful, 2005 vintage; that task seemed far tougher at the $30 price point. Yet we found it hard to beat the 2005 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Red Mountain Red Wine from Washington State. With it, the peerless Chris Camarda offers a reminder as to why Cabernet Franc and Merlot are the backbone of some of the world's greatest wines.

Pinot Noir remained on its unstoppable tear. Splendid examples were found in all corners - from Oregon's Dundee Hills to the Santa Cruz Mountains - enough that Pinot constitutes 20 percent of the list. We've long commented that Pinot is growing brawnier as its popularity soars, but some of the best examples this year found a way to match power with finesse. That said, great Pinot remains a pricey creature - no surprise, given the level of care and devotion needed to make it well.

If only the enthusiasm for Pinot would shift to Syrah, because U.S. Syrah has never been better. Ironically, Pinot masters like Vanessa Wong of Peay Vineyards and Steve Doerner of Oregon's Cristom are turning out energetic Syrahs that have brilliant tension and nuance. Often that's because the fruit comes from improbable places like the chilly Sonoma Coast. Vintners such as Wong and Hirsch, who have pioneered the far western reaches of that region, now produce some of California's most interesting wines. The true Sonoma Coast has been a next big thing for years, but 2008 felt like its moment of critical mass.

Among white wines, there was excellence in varietals both familiar and unusual. It may be fashionable to beat up on American Chardonnay, but devoted winemakers are ditching the oak and butter to produce some of the most extraordinary examples yet. Riesling, meanwhile, is thriving, with excellent new specimens emerging from the Northwest. The best are carefully made, site-driven wines that make the most of Riesling's ability to show off its origins. Beyond that, Albarino, Pinot Blanc and white Rhone grapes like Roussanne are finding natural homes here - and rivaling their Old World counterparts.

All these wines are showing their mettle at a time when it's hard to stand out. There are more West Coast wineries than ever before - 3,345 in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington state, up over 15 percent in just a year. The proliferation of new names can be dizzying. And yet the competition is propelling the most talented vintners to do their very best. For each Robert Mondavi Winery that's known around the world, there's an Anthill Farms valiantly trying to make its name.

As such, we'd like to think every wine in the Top 100 shows the virtues of that quest to stand apart. It's every great winemaker's desire, and we cheer them for it.