I had a lot to celebrate and and for which I am thankful. My wife and I just moved into a new house, have a healthy three week newborn boy and my best friend was in town from New York City for a visit. I held tastings out of my cellar on Friday and Sunday. Here are the top ten. I have posted notes on CT at one time or another on all of these wines. This is just the bi-play.
-
1994 Dominus. I was sure this would win the weekend. Everything looked perfect, but this was flat and strict. My bestie has had this in other vintages and as much as we wanted to find it flawed, it wasn’t. I understand this is a long term wine, but it was all structure and no fruit. No charm. Some top notch grilled filet mignon and oven roasted parsley potatoes saved it.
-
2012 St. Cosme Cotes du Rhone. Juicy and round. This isn’t complex, but a very handy wine to have in the pantry for Tuesday night. Or when you’re blotto and know you shouldn’t pop open a prized 44 year old vintage port. Great QPR. St. Cosme is on a roll right now at all levels.
-
2004 Marguet Champagne. I had this a couple of years ago and it wasn’t ready. This has rounded nicely into form. 90
-
2006 Altamura. I had this about three years ago and it was waves of chocolate. Tonight this was broad shouldered and tasted almost port-like and raisiny. The baby fat is gone. I think I liked the younger version better and it scored higher in my book then. On this tasting, I’m not sure the Marguet wasn’t actually more enjoyable.
-
2010 Flora Springs Trilogy. This received a nice decant. Blackberry, black currant, tobacco, milk chocolate, caramel and allspice. There was a lot to like here. This was sexy. 92
-
2002 Montrose. Ahhh, I love aged cabernet. This exceeded expectations. This was a down year, but this was just good wine. The pedigree shows through. This almost tasted new world.
-
2001 Pichon Baron. This was the dancing partner with the Dominus. Again, this didn’t turn out the way I expected. The PB was the better wine by group consensus by far. This feels about 2-3 years from hitting it’s stride. Although a shoulder vintage, I have found the 2001 slow to come around. This was excellent though. 92
-
2008 Shafer Merlot. Although I’ve had most of these wines before and it made them pretty safe bets, I was surest that this would please and it delivered. This is in the zone. The mouth feel here is silky and spherical. Miles, Miles, Miles… Thank you for keeping the price down on my beloved Merlot. 93
-
2007 Leflaive Clavoillon. Gosh, this was good. I don’t even really like white wine. I drink a few a year. Summer here lasts about two months anyway. I am a sucker for white burgundy though and this really delivered. Classic Leflaive. Rich, honeyed pears, butter and flinty goodness. This was probably the class of the show. This was unspeakably good. People that didn’t like white wine were thoroughly blown away and had to concede this was brilliant. 94. But a white wine can’t win. Plus, it would mess up my title.
-
2008 Dujac Chambolle Musigny. Let me be clear, this is the negotiant bottling and not even the Domaine. You don’t need to spend the extra money. Too many times I’ve pulled out a Burg at a party and it is the turd in the punch bowl and comes across sour and thin (and my love for Burgundy is professed, but I’m trying to please my wife’s people here). I knew this wine and I was sure it would come through. This was the best bottle of Villages level wine I’ve ever had. 93-94. This opens with overt cinnamon, cherry and had an overall infusion of air (airien). It is seemless and round and longer than any Villages wine has a right to be. It appears, lingers and tapers away cleanly. You find yourself pulling your glass up to your lips again to want the presence of that miracle to lighten your life again while it’s in your mouth. This is what I want my Burgundy to taste like. This was the consensus wine of the night for all seven souls. One of my in town wino friends got quiet for a couple of minutes after I served him. He tasted, and re-tasted. His brow furrowed and unknit. He smiled up at me and said, “This is the best wine I’ve had all year. And I’ve had a lot. And there isn’t any doubt.”