Hahn's cabernet sauvignon tops list of this year's best

The 2002 Hahn Cabernet Sauvignon at $9.99 is my 2004 Wine of the Year.

The Hahn narrowly beat out its parent, the 2001 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon at $25.99.

Both were compared by the wine-tasting group in a previous column, in which we tasted the first and second labels of various wineries. Wine makers choose the best grapes and spend the most time on their first labels, but in a good vintage the secondary label can excel, too.

Smith & Hook was clearly the better wine and got some votes as Wine of the Year, but Hahn won because this column and the Wine of the Year criteria are about value. We did not taste a better $10 bottle of wine all year than the Hahn, an extraordinary value.

Other contenders:

Other wines from the year's tastings that were contenders for the top honor and were awarded 2004 Silver Medals because they are good values include:

-- Cockburn's Special Reserve Port at $16.99. A complex wine for this price, with raisins, herbs and caramel.

-- 2003 Alamos Viogner at $9.99. Nicely floral with minerals and a perfect crispness for food.

-- 2002 Raymond Amberhill Chardonnay at $8.99. Lots of fruit and structure for a wine at this price.

-- 2003 Firestone Sauvignon Blanc at $11.99. Perfume-filled aroma with good tropical fruit.

Other medalists:

Each year I award gold and silver medals with somewhat different criteria than most national judging panels. Gold medal awards represent the best wines we tasted all year, regardless of price. Silver medals represent usually less expensive wines that represent good values.

As we tasted some of these wines early in the year, many may be sold by now or hard to find, yet they are worth buying if you find them available.

Here are the gold medallists in alphabetical order:

-- 2003 Agricolas S'elegus at $14.99. This dry Italian white was full of honeysuckle, spice and white pepper.

-- 1996 Bollinger Grande Annee at $119.99. Grand and glorious, with nectarine, citrus and the perfect amount of yeast.

-- 2000 Castle Pinot Noir at $25.99. Woody, leathery aroma, nice cherry fruit. Great with food.

-- 2002 Dr. Loosen Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Kabinett at $24.99. Snappy green apples and floral scents backed by lemon juice and honey.

-- 1997 Domaine Carneros "Le Reve" Brut at $54.99. Bubbly by Taittinger with traditional Old World Champagne aromas of yeast, minerals and oils with some steeliness in the mouth.

-- 2001 E. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape at $46.99. Currants and menthol plus many layers of flavor, with nice texture and good acidity.

-- 1999 E. Guigal Hermitage at $72.99. Extra dry red with a super-clean finish -- great with red meat.

-- 2001 Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon at $32.99. Dark chocolate, peppermint, blackberries and cherries.

-- 1999 Gabriel Meffre Cote Rotie Laurus at $39.99. Savory aroma with dark chocolate, peppermint, dark fruit and spice.

-- 2000 Hess Collection Cabernet Sauvignon at $37.99. Lighter style with nice orange, molasses, chocolate and berries.

-- 2002 Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse at $22.99. Spicy aroma and lively apples on the tongue.

-- NV Louis Roederer Brut Premier at $39.99. An Old World aroma with lots of bread smells, hints of a wood fireplace and charcoal, notes of marmalade, apples and minerals. Full-bodied with good acids. Layer after layer of tastes rolled over the tongue.

-- Non-vintage Mumm Napa Blanc de Noirs at $19.99. Pretty, effervescent aroma with suggestions of lemon peel and strawberries. Good by itself or with food.

-- 2000 Paul Jaboulet Aine, La Chapelle Hermitage at $119.99. Silky, elegant and feminine.

-- 2002 Sebastiani Alexander Valley Merlot at $22.99. Complex and dry with many layers of prunes and other fruit.

-- 1999 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon at $38.99. Black cherries, currants and peppers with a silky texture.

-- 2002 Swanson Alexis at $49.99. A cabernet blend that was velvety, silky and elegant with blackberries and other dark fruit.

-- 1995 Veuve Cliquot La Gande Dame at $159.99. Yeasty and rich and creamy.

Here are the silver medalists, in alphabetical order:

-- 2002 Blind River Sauvignon Blanc at $9.99. Grapefruit, lemon and grass -- juicy in the mouth.

-- 2003 Caves des Papes Heritage Blanc Cotes-du-Rhone at $12.99. Aromas of peaches, pears and stone fruit.

-- 2002 Echelon Pinot Noir at $12.99. Elegant and well-balanced: roses, toffee and cherries.

-- 2001 Eguren Protocolo at $6.99. Beat out more expensive Spanish reds. Great price.

-- 2002 Forest Glen Chardonnay at $9.99. One of the best chardonnays you will find under $10, with wood and ripe fruit.

-- 2003 Mezza Corona Pinot Grigio at $9.99. Delightful aroma of green apples and mineral and ultra soft in the mouth.

-- 2002 Olivier Laflaive Bourgogne Les Setilles at $15.99. Prototypical white Burgundy with flavors of vanilla, lemon and pineapple.

-- 2001 Santa Ema Reserve Merlot at $10.99. Like biting into an Oreo cookie, with cocoa and creme.

-- 2001 Two Tone Merlot at $16.99. Fresh, earthy aroma punctuated by plums and dark fruit.

-- 2001 Verdillac Bordeaux Red at $9.99. Light cherry fruit with notes of cedar.

-- 2002 Windmill Estates Syrah at $12.99. Well-oaked, velvety texture, dark fruit and spice.

Questions may be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville 37203, or e-mailed to editor@tennessean.com.