Some of the Best Wine, Spirit, and Beer Picks from 2015

Wine Enthusiast put together its annual Best of Year wine, spirits, and beer picks from 2015.

For wine, its tasting panel reviewed more than 19,800 wines from around the globe. The top 10 in order were: 2011 vintage San Felice Grigio Gran Selezione (Chianti Classico); 2012 Michael David Petite Petit (Lodi); 2014 Trisaetum Wichmann Dundee Estate Riesling (Dundee Hills); 2011 San Vicente Rioja; 2012 Alta Vista Single Vineyard Temis Malbec (Valle de Uco); 2012 Domaine Cauhapé Symphonie de Novembre (Jurancon); 2012 Ramey Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay (Russian River Valley); 2012 Cayuse God Only Knows Grenache (Walla Walla Valley); 2011 Quinta de Foz de Arouce Red (Beira Atlantico); 2011 Borgo Scopeto Borgonero (Toscana).

The Top 25 Beers were selected based on the most exciting brews reviewed. The top 10 in order: Westmalle Tripel Trappist Ales (Belgium); Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale; Unlbroue La Fin du Monde (Tripel); Lindemans Oude Kriek Cuvee Rene Grand Cru (Fruit Lambic); Alaskan Brewing Co. 2014 Smoked Porter; Orval Trappist Ale (Belgian Pale Ale); Ultra Cockeyed Cooper Bourbon Barrell Barley Wine Ale; Left Hand Polestar Pilsner; Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout; Trappistes Rochefort 8.

For spirits, here’s the top selection from each category: Bourbon: Elijah Craig 23-year-old Single Barrel (Heaven Hill Distillery); Rye Whiskey: A Midwinter Night’s Dram (High West Distillery); Other American Whiskey: Hillrock Single Malt Whiskey (Hillrock Estate Distillery); Canadian Whisky: Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel Canadian Whisky; Single-Malt Scotch: Glenmorangle Tusail (Scotland); Other International Whiskey: Sullivans Cove Double Cask Single Malt Whisky (Australia); Gin: Boreal Juniper Gin (Vikre Distillery); Wheat Vodka: Absolut Elyx (Sweden); Absinthe (Nouvelle-Orleans Absinthe Superieure (Hood River Distillers); Reposado Tequila (Tequila Herradura Coleccion de la Casa Reserva Scotch Cask Finish Reposado Tequila (Brown-Forman Beverages); Cognac: Cognac Park Borderies (Baron Francois); Pisco: Campo de Encanto Grand & Noble Pisco (Gemini Spirits & Wine); Cachaça: Avua Cachaça Oak (Avua Imports); Fruit Brandies: G.E. Massenez Poire-Prisonniere Poire Williams (Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.); Liqueurs: CelloVia Coconut Lime; Rum: Diplomatico 2000 Single Vintage Rum (Domaine Select Wine Estates).

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