Some were happy to see the ball drop on 2009.  For the new guy at the Wine Bottega, it wasn’t an easy one to see pass.  From the ongoing excitement of my recent engagement, to the new family I’ve acquired since working at this store, it’s been a very, very good year.  I can only hope that karma will be kind in 2010.  I was fortunate to have jumped into the Bottega at a particularly exciting time in its history, not two weeks before the Best of Boston announcement was made.  (The pressure is on me if we lose this year.)  Here’s my list of ten favorite wine people of 2009, in no particular order:  Matt and Jackie Carroll, Dennis Quinn, Kerri Platt, Matteo Mollo, Jeff Slavin, Theresa Paopao, Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia, Giuseppe Vajra, Sadat X.  Now, onto the wines:
2005 Jacky Truchot Morey-St.-Denis Vieilles Vignes
The common line is that it’s difficult to produce great Burgundy, whether because of the fragile, finicky nature of pinot noir, or the inconsistent climactic conditions in the region.  It just makes me wonder why there isn’t another Jacky Truchot.  Regardless of vintage, Truchot’s wines bear the firm signature of old-fashioned Burgundy, in a way that has become truly unique.  Sadly, since he had no legacy to carry on his work, Jacky was forced to sell his vineyards upon his recent retirement.  Every bottle of Truchot is a reminder of the tragically ephemeral nature of great wine.

2004 Cascina Roera Monferatto Nebbiolo
We all tasted this wine about a year ago (in different places), when the winemakers were in town showing their beautiful lineup of barbera.  This knockout nebbiolo was off-limits at the time, all destined for another out-of-state market.  Well, in true Bottega fashion, we managed to track it down and secure the entire allocation for the state.  As for the wine — it’s just crazy good.

2008 Wurtz Riesling 3L
Among other things, 2009 might be the year of the box, as far as it concerns the Boston wine scene.  I was familiar with the eccentric winemaker Dirk Wurtz from my previous employer, and had heard whispers that he was planning on boxing some of his uber-dry Rheinhessen riesling.  The day this imposing-looking black box arrived, I knew I’d be strapping one onto my bike rack, on the way to its new home on the top shelf of my refrigerator.

2006 Angiolino Maule “Sassia”
This was the year that all the hipsters started talking about orange wine.  If you’re reading this, you probably already know what that means.  (If not, click here.)  From the larger perspective, winemakers seem to be attuning themselves to the ways of old.  There might be no better example than Angiolino Maule, whose conviction regarding natural, traditional winemaking is palpable in each of his wines.

2007 Poderi Sanguineto “Sanguineto”
This was the first year Sanguineto released this instant-classic IGT.  When it seems that all you hear about is the next new or forgotten wine region, it’s nice to be reminded of the greatness of a well-established (if not over-exposed) region like Tuscany.  This is like drinking the sun’s rays.

Honorable Mention:  2007 Cascina Degli Ulivi Gavi “Filagnotti”, 2006 Pieve Rosso di Montalcino, 2004 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny, 2004 Marc Plouzeau Touraine “Ante Phylloxera”, 2004 Mark Angeli Anjou “La Lune”