The November 2007 edition of Robb Report showcases the magazine’s Top 100 Vintners, focusing exclusively on “vintners who have consistently turned out wines of the first rank for at least a decade.”

Written by Brett Anderson, the Robb 100 is not a numerically ranked list (unlike Wine Spectator’s annual Top 100). In his lead-in, Anderson indicates the magazine “structured (the) list to ensure a measure of geographic balance.” So the honored vintners are divided by country and then, where applicable, by regions or appellations, under which they appear alphabetically. A few choices we found of interest are detailed here.

An impromptu wine tasting among friends last weekend escalated into a premium Cabernet Sauvignon summit. We started with a 2002 Gemstone (76% Cabernet) that is thriving only two years after being cellared. (The 2004, just released, is 91% Cab). The ‘02 is a beautifully balanced Yountville release, the essence of meticulous California winemaking. Then we turned our attention to the increasingly celebrated 2004 vintage.

Next on the roster, the 2004 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Oakville Cab ($249/btl). This is a 537-case production destined to be a collector’s classic. It upholds all of the hype surrounding Napa’s 2004 vintage. Our assembled experts, including two devout collectors, were blown away by the Hobbs. The consensus is that this is an even juicier wine than the juicy 2002s. It presents an enormous burst of black fruit on the front end, bathing the palate in those signature Beckstoffer vineyard flavors.   

Premium wine source Hinsdale Cellars’ Private Steward customer service program eliminates the daunting challenge of populating showcase residential wine cellars. 

Discerning owners of state-of-the-art, luxury residences today can master the intimidating task of stocking empty custom wine cellars by turning to experienced consultants. 

Hinsdale Cellars, the essential premium wine and luxury lifestyle web site destination, continuously upgrades its Private Steward customer service initiatives to address strategies for stocking and maintaining world-class residential wine cellars. This includes calling on industry leaders.

“With proper construction and design, building a cellar into the kitchen, dining room or family room has never been easier,” said wine cellar management expert Marc Lazar, founder of Cellar Advisors. “In speaking with clients and architects, glass ‘curtain walls’ are a welcome trend that allow a cellar to feel integrated in the living space while still properly insulated and safe for wine.”