A sort of lazy journalism day, my best of/worst of wines 2002. According to my (I am a wine anorak, and proud of it) wine file for 2002, I supped my way through about 180 different wines (didn't go to a single tasting last year, so no artificially high figure), here are the best, and worst. Top 15 Wines 1) Fondre #8 Champagne Cognac Grand Reserve (OK, so not a wine, but liquid gold all the same) 2) Montes Alpha Syrah '00, Chile 3) Barolo, Cantine Terre Del Barolo '96, Italy 4) Brut Champagne NV, Nicolas Feuillatte 5) Cabernet Sauvignon, Balgownie Esate '98, Bendigo, Oz 6) Chablis 1er Cru '97, Vaucoupin, France 7) Cobblers Hill Merlot '99, Jordan, Stellenbosch, SA 8) Don Maximiano '97, Errazuriz, Aconcagua, Chile 9) Edi2ione '00, Laithwaites, Italy 10) 8 Songs Shiraz '96, Peter Lehman, Barossa, Oz 11) Filsell Black Monster Old Vine Shiraz '99, Barossa, Oz 12) Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon '99, Portal Del Alto, Maipo, Chile 13) Lake William '96, Jarvis, Napa, USA 14) Perfection Champagne, Jacquesson & Fils, France 15) Syrah Reserva '99, Errazuriz, Aconcagua, Chile The 5 Worst Wines 1) Mouton Blanc, Black Sheep, France (My review said "Bollocks of the worst kind, stick to brewing beer, might not even risk cooking with it") 2) Mouton Rouge, Black Sheep, France ("As per the white, put it in casserole, didn't do it too much harm") 3) El Grifo Tinto '99, Lanzarote, Spain ("Ugh, thin and nasty, just nasty, why did I think of cellaring this?") 4) Domaine de Rouiere '00, VDP Des Coteaux De Fontcaude, France ("Absolute bloody bilge") 5) Chateau de Campuget Rose '99, AC Costieres de Nimes ("Oh dear, there is nothing nice to say about this wine") There are also many notes in my wine file that say something along the lines of............."I was a bit pissed and can't remember much about this one", cheers dear readers, here's to another vintage year.