Top 100 Wines of 2022

Every year, we in the industry have the critical review lists to look forward to, when Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast publish three lists detailing their favorite wines of the year: Wine Spectator’s Top 100, Wine Enthusiast’s Cellar Selections, and Wine Enthusiast’s Best Buys. Because there are so many wines on the market, these lists help consumers determine what the critics love the most: roughly 300 wines (there may be some overlap from year to year) that are great all around (for Wine Spectator’s Top 100), great for keeping in your cellar to age (Wine Enthusiast’s Cellar Selections), and great for buying and drinking now without breaking the bank (Wine Enthusiast’s Best Buys). 

Thankfully, your favorite wine shop in the world (Bogey’s, of course!) has a few wines from each list to offer you! Because we’re less of a mainstream wine shop and much more into introducing you, our customers, to more esoteric selections, we didn’t score too many wines on these lists, but the ones we did are excellent. 

A quick note about critical scores: though critics undoubtedly know their stuff, each has their own unique palate which may not reflect how your palate works. The best way to use their scores is as a guideline. They may love something that doesn’t resonate with you, and you may love something that they don’t.  We find that the key to reading critical scores is to take each with a grain of salt.

We’ve always enjoyed this particular Pinot Grigio. It is consistent, flavorful, bright, and citric. Spectator said: “This bright white has a lovely, lush creaminess, with well-honed acidity creating an appealing juiciness that carries notes of ripe pineapple and green apple fruit, slivered almond and cherry blossom. Salty finish. Drink now through 2027” and gave it 91 points.

One of Napa’s most recognizable wineries, Far Niente represents the best of the best on the valley floor. Oh, sure, not everyone will feel that way, but it’s lush, rich, and it has terrific heft. Wine Enthusiast gave it 96 points, saying “With a slight nose of reduction, this wine offers grippy tannin and sizable oak. Blueberry, currant, cedar and sage give it an elegance and classic structure of understated power, finishing in notes of tobacco and clove. Enjoy from 2029–2039.”

As one of Tuscany’s pre-eminent Super Tuscans (a red blend out of Tuscany made of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese), Sassicaia always tops at least one list. Able to drink now or to lay down for the long haul, the 2019 is an absolute delight from beginning to end. Wine Enthusiast didn’t hold back on this one, giving it 99 points: “Enticing aromas of blue flower, cassis, camphor and spice are front and center in this stunning red. The lithe, savory palate features black currant, red plum and star anise while tobacco notes linger on the long finish. Elegant, polished tannins and bright acidity keep it beautifully balanced and focused. Drink 2025–2044.” It also scored a perfect 100-points from Decanter, another trusted critical magazine!

Always a good buy and one of the most popular wines on our Italian shelf! Wine Enthusiast loved it too, giving it 90 points and saying “Ripe aromas of yellow apple, melon and white blossoms mix with a hint of candied banana. It's juicy and gently creamy on the palate, with driven acidity pushing along all the ripe fruit flavors. There's excellent presence and lift to it all.”

A great Californian Pinot Grigio for under $12? They exist and this is proof! Sitting at the midpoint of the list at #50, Wine Enthusiast had this to say about Seaglass Pinot Grigio: “This widely available bottling of a variety that is often made in a watery style is fresh and dynamic on the nose. Aromas convey grass, lime pith, red apple and rainy cement. There's a stony grip to the sip, where that red-apple flavor returns alongside Asian pear and wet stone.”

It’s no great surprise that J Lohr’s Chardonnay made it onto this list. It’s a great wine at an excellent price point. Wine Enthusiast agrees: “This widely available wine is worth stocking for midweek enjoyment. Light aromas of lemon, honey, nectarine and crushed white rock lead into a palate of baked apple and lemon juice, all framed by a chalky structure.”

A winemaker collaboration making Pinot Noir out of California, this 90-point wine for a mere $13 makes this list no problem! Wine Enthusiast’s review makes it sound pretty enticing too: “Beautiful, fresh fruit flavors light up this no-nonsense wine, delivering the varietal's classic red and black cherries, along with light cinnamon nuances and a good, lightly tannic texture. It's easy to quaff and interesting, too.”

Ok, so it comes from one of Napa’s best properties, how could it not be great? Robert Mondavi is one of the oldest names in Napa and their entry-level Chardonnay is excellent bang for your buck! “This nicely ripe yet well-balanced wine delivers the classic apples and pears accented by lightly toasted oak, nutmeg and a touch of balsam. It is complex, nicely layered and deftly spiced.”

One of 19 Crimes’ few wines to come out of California rather than Australia, Martha Stewart’s face graces the front of this bottle, making it more kitsch than anything else. But to our surprise, the juice inside is actually really good! Wine Enthusiast gave it 91 points, saying “A deft touch with oak gives this medium- to full-bodied wine spicy complexity. It ranges from a toasted baguette aroma to light butter and ginger flavors over golden apple and Bosc pear.”

Talk about a surprise! An inexpensive California Pinot Grigio (like the Seaglass further up this list), the Dark Horse is superb! Wine Enthusiast sure thinks so too: “Delicate aromas of Anjou pear and lemon blossom lead to juicy, crisp and vivid green-apple and lemon-lime flavors in this well-balanced and refreshing wine.”

This one sells out every time we put it on the shelf - we just can’t keep this one in! It makes sense, then, that Wine Enthusiast put this at the top of their Best Buys list. Scoring 90 points this year, Wine Enthusiast echoed a lot of our sentiments about it: “This full-bodied wine leads with bold new-oak aromas of grilled bread, wood char and butter, followed by luscious, ripe pear and vanilla flavors accented with toasted almonds. It's an unapologetic, barrel-fermented wine that gives a lot of pleasure.”