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Top 10 ‘Top 10s’ of 2016
It’s the end of the year, almost, and with that comes our round up of 2016’s biggest top 10s.
From extraordinary vineyards and top-selling Scotch, to irritating habits of the wine trade and London’s best wine lists – we’ve covered it all.
There was not a corner of the drinks trade that team db did not peer into during 2016, in an effort to bring you some of the most valuable, memorable and humorous lists of the year.
Here, we round up some of 2016’s biggest top 10s, in no particular order, before we dive headlong into 2017.
Top 10 ludicrous but true wine descriptors
The average wine drinker’s tasting vocabulary may be limited to “fruity” or “nice”, but the actual flavour of a wine is far more complex than that. As many as 1,000 different flavour compounds have been identified in wine – not all of them fruity, and not all of them nice.
From cat’s pee to kerosene to a packet of Frazzles, we delved deep into the phantasmagoria of volatile flavour compounds for this top 10 to reveal 10 of the most ‘ludicrous but true’ wine flavour descriptors.
Top 10 ludicrous but true wine descriptors
Top 10 Australian fine wines to watch
Following a visit to the country, db’s Lucy Shaw brought us her roundup of Australian fine wines to watch in 2017.
While tightly held prejudices mean many European collectors have yet to open their minds to the potential of Australian fine wine, and the value to be found there in comparison with Bordeaux and Burgundy, things are starting to change, and in the UK there is a small but growing appetite for the country’s best labels.
Here, we gave you the inside track on which wines to snap up before their prices skyrocket, rounding up ten wines we believe have great fine wine potential in the future.
Top 10 Australian fine wines to watch
Top 10 myths about Sherry
Shedding some light on why Sherry remains such a marginal drink, much to the bafflement of wine professionals, we tried to lift the veil of some of the most common misconceptions about the fortified wine from Spain.
Recognising that there is clearly a disjuncture between the reality of how good Sherry is and how it is perceived by the consumer, db was pleased to provide a touch of clarity, to shine a light on this stunning category.
Top 10 biggest Champagne brands 2016
The tail end of the year saw db publish its list of the biggest Champagne brands of, brining you all the latest stats of brands ranked according to global volume sales throughout 2015.
The feature also brought you news on the latest product launches and marketing initiatives from each of the houses behind the world’s big-hitting brands. What became apparent was brand’s efforts not only to boost sales volumes but improve quality, motivated by the need to compete with each other, as well as sparkling wines from outside Champagne.
Also notable was a trend among the biggest brands for adding more high-value products to their ranges, launching more upmarket expressions for high-spending consumers.
Top 10 biggest Champagne brands 2016
Top 10 alcohol-related tattoos
It turns out that alcohol and ink aren’t always a good combination – who could have known?
While many of these art works are an unashamed tribute to some of the world’s biggest brands – of which their marketing departments should be proud of – others are more considered works of art.
Top 10 alcohol-related tattoos
Top 10 London wine lists by price
This year saw the launch of db’s sister site – Wine List Confidential – which attempts to unravel the mysteries of London wine lists and bring you a comprehensive guide to picking a restaurant based on your wine-based needs.
Our round up of London wine lists by price proved one of the most popular in a series enlightening readers on the best places to get a well-priced quality drop of wine in the capital.
The WLC website is constantly updated, ranking restaurant wine lists by price, size, originality, service and range. Check it out the WLC website here.
Top 10 London wine lists by price
Top 10 extraordinary vineyards
From ash-strewn craters in Lanzarote to the near vertical slopes of the Mosel, this feature explored some of the world’s most unusual vineyards, which push the boundaries of viticulture to their limit.
Top 10 extraordinary vineyards
Top 10 Scotch whisky brands 2016
Another beast, and perhaps the most anticipated roundup of the year.
Every year we rank the world’s top 10 best-selling global Scotch whisky brands based on the number of nine-litre cases sold annually, in this case over 2015.
Can you guess who took the top spot?
Top 10 Scotch whisky brands 2016
Top 10 wine brands 2016
Acknowledging a need to appeal to younger consumers, 2015 saw this year’s biggest wine brands ramp up their efforts to capitalise on the growing millennial market.
The powerhouses of the US and China dominated the global wine game in 2015, so it’s unsurprising that the majority of brands in our top 10 hail from these two nations. However Chile’s Concha y Toro is one to watch, with the brand quietly, but steadily, rising to the top of the table.
Top irritating habits of people in the wine trade
One of the most popular top 10s of the year (we can’t think why), exposed the irritating habits committed by the wine trade.
From stingy pours to projectile spitters, this piece seemed to really resonated with our readers, inviting a slew of comments and tales from the tasting room by beleaguered veterans of the wine trade.