I have been lucky enough to taste many well made wines. But to score something 100 points has required true perfection and I have never felt a wine merited such a score. Until tonight. This wine had absolute seamless integration of fruit and tannin, with layers of texture that create one picture, not many. A finish that reduplicates the taste without creating false images or adding false notes. The adjectives that describe the individual parts are irrelevant. The parts do not add up to the whole. A wine that simply is. I had such a wine tonight. The 2001 Abreu Madrona. Tasty juice.
Great note.
According to my notes, I have had this one twice and both underwhelming. It is one I always wanted to love. Maybe the third will be the charm?
My only ‘hunny’ to date is 2002 Bryant Family CS, so at least we live in the same neighborhood.
I, too, have been reluctant to score a wine 100. Especially as I score a wine based on how it tastes now, not based on potential. To me, a score of 100 requires harmony, balance, hedonism and everything else positive that I want in a wine with no detectable flaws. Semantically and philosophically, does a 100 mean perfection? I guess that depends on how you define perfection.
I believe that they only way you can say a wine is “100 pts”, is if you are in the perfect setting, with the right people, with the right food, and the right frame of mind.
100 pts, is a place in time, a mind set…a coming together of many components, and not necessarily all about the wine.
Curtis, thanks for the note. I own one bottle of this and have been wondering when I should open it. Based on your score/note, it sounds like you think there’s no reason to hold off?
For me, a 100 pt. wine is a “know it when I taste it” thing. If I have to really think about it – is this a 100 pt. wine? – as soon as that question enters my mind I start to have doubts. I’ve had a couple wines that I thought “might” be perfect ('01 Prum WS Auslese; '90 Beaucastel), but I’ve only had one that I felt was “perfect” - an 1865 sherry. That sherry provided an experience decidedly different than the Prum and Beau — it was pure thrilling magic. I just “felt it,” is all I can really say. Until that moment, I had my doubts as to whether I would ever consider a wine a perfect wine; that sherry, however, left absolutely not a smidgen of doubt in mind.
+1 I don’t score wines on a 100 point scale because of all variables describes above. What may the perfect wine for friends around the campfire may not be the perfect wine for that sublime dish that you cook or have at made by a great chef.
I used to wonder why I never rated a wine over a 97-98. Went years like that. And then in a 3-month period in 2010-2011 I had the '89 Petrus (twice) and the '82 (twice, but out of three bottles). Both were served with my very best of friends in a celebratory environment, but one that was also quite serious about the wine and cuisine. I considered these wines, and these moments, perfection. Had an '89 Haut Brion in a wine dinner and was searching for perfection, but was let down not to find it. It was a phenomenal wine, but perhaps to Steve’s point, all other sensories where not firing on all cylinders.
I scored the '01 Integrity 100pts consumed at a NY/OL organized by Steve Wolfe. Well balanced as it was over the top on everything. Twice since not close.
I only believe in 100 point bottles which require the prefect setting … I have never had this experience but I believe it possible. Quite a few 99-98’s though …