We’ve done this a few times in the past, though it’s hard to dig up the specific threads.
I’ve had three epiphany wines.
It started with a bottle of 1992 Arrowood Merlot picked off a wine list when I really had very little knowledge of California wine. I liked wine, but was drinking mostly $10 stuff back then. It was amazing, and started me on a search to find more.
My German wine epiphany was the 1995 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese bought right after it was released. Laura and I were both completely smitten with that wine. 26 years later we still adore German Riesling.
My Burgundy epiphany was a 1990 Bachelet served to me by Maureen Nelson. I don’t recall exactly which bottling it was, but the wine was stunning, and proceeded to destroy my wallet, as I picked up the Burgundy bug.
There have been other amazing experiences, but those three are the ones that really stand out.
Mine was a 1986 Chateau Canon. Purchased for my wife’s 30th birthday when I really only drank bourbon and we had only ever drank wine together a couple of times because neither of us were that excited about it. The original plan was going to be to buy either a 30 year old bourbon or 3 10 year aged ones but that was just annoying to ship so I started looking into birth year wines instead. the cork fell apart on us, we didnt decant it, and I strained it through whatever I could find, but neither of us had any idea wine could be that interesting and complex. it got us both much more interested in exploring what’s out there.
30th birthday with friends that were ITB. They pulled a 1992 Spottswoode. I had enjoyed good some good wines by that point in my life but that was, and still remains, an absolute lightning bolt which sparked my curiosity and spurred on a Dionysian pursuit which continues today
It was 2011, and I knew absolutely nothing about wine. I thought the most expensive wine in the grocery store was the best wine in the world. A close college friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in some time was really into wine suggested a guy’s weekend in Willamette Valley. I thought it strange but what the hell. He set up a private tasting at Anderson Family Vineyards. Cliff Anderson spent an hour with us tasting all their wines, giving us the story of the steep slopes like Burgundy, let us taste from the barrel and was generally just an amazing guy. I had never tasted a wine like that (Pinot Noir) before. That day and that 2007 Pinot Noir from Anderson changed my relationship to wine forever.
In early spring of 2005 I ETS’d out of the Army & spent months driving across the country visiting friends & family I had not seen during my 9 years on Active Duty. I did this in a black 2000 Honda Civic with a case of Estancia Chardonnay, Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha, and a few bottles of my treasured 2001 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Private Collection. I put all these wines in the trunk of my black car, never moved them for the 3+ months I spent driving across the country, all through CA, AZ, TX, LA, FL, GA, and a few other states all the way up to Maine.
Along this trip I stopped in NH, a State known for some real wine values back in the day (I walked past Chateau Latour on the shelf at $99 in 2005/2006). The NH Liquor store was where I decided I was going to splurge & spend an unfathomable amount of $33.99 on ONE bottle of wine. The 2002 Joseph Phelps Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. I had never experienced a wine that was layered, complex, and delicious like that bottle. I liked that so much I figured the 2002 Insignia had to be even better, so boom! I was now suddenly willing to spend $85 on one bottle of wine (or six bottles actually). While I rarely crave California Cabernet, it was what got me started on this little journey. There were many more epiphanies along the way…but those I can probably save for another post.
Had been into drinking wine for a few years. Started with sweeter white varietals (Gewurtz, Riesling) and had begun exploring and enjoying dryer reds, but had a $15/bottle limit.
After explaining to my favorite wine sales person at Surdyks the reds I liked and that I wanted a red with more “something” than my favorite Cline, Ravenswood Vintners Blend, and J Lohr Seven Oaks- he pointed me the Spring Mtn '94. Surdyks had it on sale for $19, so it’s the first wine on which I spent more than $15. This was early 98 right after we bought our first house.
Opened it when friends from CA stayed with us. I opened it when I turned the grill on thinking we’d be eating in 15 mins, but we didn’t start the food for another hour while catching up with old friends and giving them a tour of our new house. Paired with porterhouse steaks; grilled peppers, onions, tomatoes; raspberries, blackberries.
With the extra air its aromas were heavenly, lots of complexity and elegance. Then I tasted it and reveled in all that was going on, but in such balance. I think I’d tasted all the different flavors before, but not in one wine. I wondered if this was how Cabernet was really supposed to taste, if so I’d found a new favorite wine! The real treat happened with food. The tannin disappeared with the steak leaving ultra-focused fruit and I was really surprised that it had both dark and red fruit. My wife asked if something was wrong because apparently I’d stopped paying attention to anything but my wine glass. I stammered, “I think this is what Cab is supposed to taste like.” I remember that whole scene like it was yesterday.
wine that started this 35+ year passionate odyssey: 75 BV Reserve Cab. Friend brought it in 1984 to a restaurant. I was embarrassed. Had never heard of such a thing and thought all wine was basically alike. Just thought he was cheap. Didn’t know he was bringing a treat. Maître d’ greeted us w enthusiasm and raved about the bottle. Piqued my curiosity. Bottle was opened with aplomb and a glorious bouquet filled the booth. I was stunned. Hooked. Captivated. Didn’t know anything could smell and taste like that. Friend loaned me Bespaloff’s wine book and I stayed up all night reading, went next day to Trader Joe’s and bought a mixed case of wines for $84, virtually bankrupting me. Haven’t stopped.
90 Leroy Musigny. Cost $100. Less than a barrel made. Opened by myself on a lark once early 2000s. Drank it all. Half way through two angels came down, hoisted me onto their shoulders and flew me around the room. Glorious.
29 DRC RC. At a Bipin Desai tasting about 20 years ago. Looked like orange juice mixed with dirty bath water. Almost didn’t smell or drink it. Too nasty in appearance. Mindbending and still etched in my brain.
1945 Yquem . I never thought I would give a wine a perfect score , but this one … You drink history combined with glorious fruit . Honey , spices , still nice acidity , salt and freshness . Oh what a wine . My friend brought it when we went to a 3-star restaurant in Belgium: he ate an oyster that did not go well so he stopped eating and drinking while we drank one of the best bottles of wine in my life . Poor Joost…
Then Petrus 1950 . I have a friend who has a fantastic wine cellar , he always brings stunning bottles of wine . His father-in-law bought Petrus by the barrel as was custom in those days in Belgium . The 1950 was the best one he brought and in my memory the wine the best Petrus . How can a 60 year old wine taste so fresh and fruity ? The wine had all the blue fruit , tobacco and spices from a great Petrus . It was also creamy , very long in the aftertaste and so delicious . Nice father-in-law ( he was a farmer… )
Finally Lafite 1959 . I had a lunch with Robert Parker in Washington , a very nice and entertaining man . Bob had invited a close friend from NY who’s name I forgot ( he called him the Ho or something ) . The Ho was a real character , with many steaming stories I cannot repeat . But this Lafite was truly magnificent . I will never forget that wine . Besides the Ho , Bob had invited a few more" friends ’ of him to entertain us invitees from Belgium. I was very impressed when I met them , I think the smallest one still was bigger than a Giant linebacker ( Pierre Rovani was there too ) . Boy , they could eat and drink … Besides that Lafite , they had brought a " couple " of magnums …so at the end of the lunch ( around 6.00 pm ) I went to my hotel for a short nap … and woke up at 4.00 am .
In 1997, my wife was pregnant and was having a baby shower at our house, two months before our daughter was born. I needed to get out of the house, and Beltramo’s came to the rescue with a tasting of 1994 Bordueax. There were a number of 1st and 2nd growths. It was not the best of vintages, and most of the wine were hard, angular, tannic and not particularly memorable. There was an added bonus. For $25, they were offering generous pours of 1990 D’Yquem, which was more than I was paying for a lot of good bottles of wines in those days. I have never had a Sauternes before this afternoon, and it completely blew me away. One of the best wines that I had ever had and the wine that made me appreciate how glorious and wonderful Sauternes can be. The best Sauternes that I have had until I tried the 2001 and 2015 D’Yquem.
1993 Berringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and 1996 Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Red piqued my curiosity.
1986 Gruaud Larose opened my eyes.
1989 Haut Brion made me swoon!
Early 2000s Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz was the first palatable wine I ever had. While not something that I would probably buy today, it was a big step up over the undrinkable Paul Masson wines I grew up with, and it inspired me to explore other wines.
The first wine that I found to be compelling per se was a 2001 Chateau Lamothe-Guignard Sauternes. (Unfortunately, I rarely see this producer and have not had any of their wines in some time.) Another early favorite sweet wine was the NV R.L. Buller Fine Tokay.
A bottle of 2004 von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese in 2006 totally hooked me on Riesling, and there has been no going back ever since.
I have always loved going to restaurants, and have the great good fortune to have parents who indulged me and brought me to places that I could never have dreamed of going myself as a teenager/young adult. We visited l’Atelier Joel Robuchon in Hong Kong for a celebratory dinner - pretty much peak hoity toity at the time - and were all gloriously full and tipsy by the end of the meal. Then we were handed the dessert menu, I saw that they were offering young Yquem by the glass (I think vintage 2006 but will never be exactly sure), and my parents said why the heck not and further indulged me by letting me order it. That little glass of Yquem created the first awareness I ever had that wine could please me the same way that food did (i.e. a lot), and led directly to the first part of my wine journey: exploring all different vintages of '80s and '90s Yquem with my spouse
In 2015 I had Sassicaia for the first time (business dinner, I don’t remember the vintage) and it was an eye-opener. Then at a NYE party that year at a friend’s house who has an amazing cellar, he opened a bottle of 1998 Chateau Margaux and my mind was blown.
My first epiphany wine was Cold Duck (about 50 years ago), which was my first sip of wine…my thoughts were “wine sucks”…about 20 years later, I was at a friends and he pulled out a 1979 Guiraud Sauternes. It was not a particularly great wine, nor from a particularly great vintage, but it did open my eyes to the fact that were some actually good wines and not all wine was “Cold Duck!”
My next epiphany wine was a 1982 Le Bon Pasteur my cousin gave me to taste because I wanted to try a 1982 Bordeaux (this was in 1989). It was absolutely delicious, with plenty of fruit and no noticeable alcohol…what a treat! The same night, we opened a 1971 Barsac from Chateau Climens. It was like drinking liquid caramel…a taste I have never found anywhere again, even with other bottles of that wine…I guess this was bottle variation, but in a good way! FYI…because I think it was a fluke, my benchmark for Sauternes is 2009 Yquem (yes, it is better than 2001, IMO).
Next epiphany wine was a 2010 Marcassin…best Chardonnay I have ever tasted (for my palate) and my benchmark for Chardonnay. That was followed by a 1996 Harlan Estate, which is probably the best wine I have tasted to date. Finally, because who doesn’t like Champagne…my final epiphany wine (so far) is the 2008 Cristal…a great Champagne I wish I could drink everyday! I never how balanced, delicate and tasty a Champagne could be!
1986 in my college dorm…a .375 of 1970 Lynch Bages. It totally sang with complex, Bordeaux elegance, relative to CA wines that I was drinking at the time.
Also, an 1890 D’Oliveiras Verdelho that the always-generous Eric Ifune shared…SO much complexity, wonder…and history. Just amazing.
Lots of love here. I have a 5L bottle of 1972 Pousse d’Or Clos de la Bousse d’Or that was supposed to be for my 40th. It didn’t happen, so there it sits. Perhaps for my 50th next year.
My epiphany wine was '91 Guigal La Turque, consumed at a dim sum restaurant in Empress Harbor out of tiny crap glasses while totally hungover from a wine dinner the night before. I was holding up better than my friend, a short but muscular Vietnamese guy, who rolled in wearing a white undershirt (the type fondly known as a wife-beater), huge cowboy hat, and aviator sunglasses. We both managed to be transported despite the circumstances. I chased those 80s and 90s La Las for years afterwards.
My epiphany wine was a bottle of ‘88 Dujac Bonnes Mares that I acquired as part of a mixed case (what else was in there? No idea.) bought at a Sotheby’s auction in NY in/around 1998. Wow. Had never had a wine like that before…perfumed fruit and velvet smoothness that I can recall to this day. Down the rabbit hole I went, though unfortunately not deeply into burgundy for another few years, or I’d really have a great cellar!
My greatest epiphany wine was the champagne flute my dad got for me at a Paris brasserie when I was 16. I can’t tell you what champagne it was, but for a kid only used to drink coca cola, it was a dramatic eye opener. How could something be so apparently dry and austere, yet also so utterly vibrant and delicious? I was hooked.
My red Burgundy epiphany - an experience I never thought I could have, to be honest - was a 2010 Amiot-Servelle Derriere la Grange last year. It wasn’t a specific forum recommendation, which just goes to show how frustratingly unpredictable these experiences can be.
Another epiphany was 1990 d’Yquem, for no particular reason other than it was a great wine. One of those things which marvel you to the point of laughing in disbelief. On the other end of the spectrum would be the series of 1863 cask aged ports I had: entirely unsensuous, like listening to a great stoic philosopher give a speech. But boy, were they impressive.