What are YOUR top wines of 2009?

WINE TALK
1

Lots of discussion about Wine Spectator and SF Chronicle top picks of the year. What are yours? I doubt I even tasted a 100 wines thia year so I will limit mine to my top 5. Please feel free to list as many as you like. All of my choices are in order of preference and were purchased in 2009.

  1. Gunther Steinmetz 1992 Brauneberger Juffer Auslese.

  2. Foreau 2005 Vouvray Demi-Sec

  3. Huet 2006 Le Haut Lieu Sec

  4. Francois Chidaine 2006 Clos Habert Montlouis sur Loire

  5. Jos Joh Christoffel Jr. 2000 Urziger Wurtzgarten Kabinett.

Sadly, not one of my splurge bottles was even in contention. Most of my splurges were amongst my worst bottles this year.

2

2002 Raveneau Valmur
1997 Quintarelli Alzero
1990 Clos des Papes
2005 Bryant Family

3

1990 Leoville Poyforre
1996 Krug
2001 d’Yquem
2007 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon BTK (Barrel Sample)
2005 Herb Lamb Cabernet Sauvignon (Three Times This Year)

4

According to CellarTracker and my memory:

2005 Mount Eden Pinot Noir
2002 School House Pinot Noir
2005 Mount Eden Chardonnay
2006 Monte Bello Chardonnay
1995 Ridge Monte Bello
1997 Ridge Monte Bello
1990 René Collard Champagne Brut Cuvée Réservée
2005 Ridge Monte Bello
2006 Stefania Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains
2008 Ridge Monte Bello
2007 Clos LaChance Chardonnay Biagini Vineyard
2007 Black Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Stefania Cabernet Sauvignon Uvas Creek Vineyard
1979 Château Léoville Las Cases

5

2002 Swan Trenton Estate
06 Donnhoff Hermenshole Auslese

Those were my wow wines

6

There are over three weeks left. Give me time to enjoy some awesome wine still!

7

I’m hopeful of having a few more of my top wines of the year, especially in the last week of this month, but here are my top 12 to date for this year, to which I gave scores of 97 or higher:
1868 Lomelino Madeira Very Old Boal E.B.H.
2005 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche
1993 Domaine Leroy Clos de la Roche
1993 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Bonnes Mares
2001 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Sélection de Grains Nobles
2000 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts
1996 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cannubi
1996 Remoissenet Père et Fils Montrachet
1845 Lomelino Madeira Quinta da Paz
1971 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche
1990 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac

8

Some off the top of my head:

  1. 1978 Ducru Beaucaillou - I’ve never been a fan of any of their vintages (and I’ve had many) until this one.

  2. 1990 Filhot Crème de Tête - A stunning sweet white, right up there with the 1967 Yquem in my opinion.

  3. 1997 DRC Romanée St-Vivant - Call me a Philistine, but I’ve never found any red DRC I’ve had anywhere near worth its price - until this one.

  4. 1998 L’Evangile - Still very young, but obviously excellent material.

  5. 1982 Gruaud Larose - The 3rd time I’ve had this within a year - and every single one was excellent, drinking very youthfully.

  6. 1986 Cos d’Estournel - Had it many times the past year and I loved it every single time.

  7. 1999 Trotanoy - A stunning performance from a so-called off-vintage.

  8. 1999 Latour - Another good one from an off-vintage; after 2-3 hours in a decanter for aeration, it was incredibly good considering the vintage.

  9. 1996 Chave Hermitage - The lone Rhône that immediately comes to my mind for 2009. I had it blind amongst '96 northern Rhône stars (including a couple of La-las) and, from the first pass, it was my favorite by far.

  10. 1963 Taylor’s Port - Excellent port and can easily go on for decades.

  11. 1983 Lafite Rothschild - What can I say?

2009 isn’t over yet…

9

I have enjoyed Ducru the few times I had it. One of those times was the 85 I enjoyed two months ago. it would probably make my short list for the year.

10

Everyone relax! Revisions are both allowed and anticipated. [rofl.gif]


I have a '97 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Spatlese that I expect may knock one of my current favorites of the list.

11

WOTY so far, thanks to the generosity of Ray Tuppatsch, was the 1969 Dom Perignon. Absolutely amazing, a wine that kept developping for as long as I could keep my (and others’) hands off it. Thank you Ray! [thankyou.gif]

12

This “fun” post is starting to get a bit depressing as I come to the realization that I will never be able to afford these great wines everyone is drinking! [basic-smile.gif]

There are no '69 DP’s or Any DRC’s in this humble Flight Attendants future!

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Not in any order and I’m sure I’m forgetting some.

70 Mayacamas
74 Mayacamas
01 Laflaive Batard Montrachet
90 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse)
95 Angelus
89 Pichon Baron
90 Pichon Baron
99 Taupenot Merme Charmes Chambertin
88 Bichot Malconsorts
63 Taylor

14

#1 2007 Perrin et Fils Cotes du Rhone “Reserve”
#1 2004 Rene Colin-Lequin Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru “Les Vergers”
#1 N.V. Vignerons des Terres Secrètes Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Noirs Brut

The above were served at my wedding.

#2 1999 Mouton Rothschild
#3 1986 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
#4 1993 Jean Raphet Charmes-Chambertain
#5 2007 Gehring-Sasser Pinot Noir RRV O’Neel Vineyard (Bonded winery that ended up not releasing publicly)
#6 2007 A Donkey and Goat Syrah The Recluse Broken Leg Vineyard
#7 2006 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
#8 2000 Raveneau 1er Cru “Mont Mains”
#9 2007 Vincent Paris St. Joseph

15

Sorry for the lengthy list…


Wines that I’ve had within the last year –

1928 Faiveley Nuits Saint Georges 1er Les Saint Georges

1929 Faiveley Clos-Vougeot

1937 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Clos des Ursules

1942 DRC Richebourg

1959 Drouhin Romanee Saint Vivant

1961 Drouhin Chambolle Musigny 1er Amoureuses

1962 Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Rugiens

1968 Vega Sicilia Unico

1969 Auguste Morey-Genelot Batard Montrachet
1969 Ramonet-Prudhon Batard Montrachet

1974 Deutz

1978 DRC Grands Echezeaux

1981 Chateau de Beaucastel CDP

1985 Bollinger R.D. – en Jeroboam
1985 Gagnard-Delagrange Le Montrachet
1985 Henri Jayer Echezeaux
1985 Michel Niellon Chevalier Montrachet

1986 Chateau Lafleur
1986 Fontaine-Gagnard Criots Batard Montrachet

1988 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill
1988 A. Rousseau GC 1er Clos Saint Jacques
1988 A. Rousseau Clos de la Roche

1989 Chateau Lafleur

1990 Chateau Cos d’Estournel
1990 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
1990 Chateau Lafleur
1990 Chateau Leoville-Poyfree
1990 E. Guigal Cote-Rotie La Landonne

1991 Dominus

1993 A. Rousseau GC 1er Clos Saint Jacques en Magnum
1993 G. Roumier Bonnes-Mares
1993 Meo-Camuzet Richebourg

1995 Krug en Magnum
1995 G. Roumier Bonnes Mares

1996 Krug
1996 Chateau Latour

2000 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc en Magnum
2000 Chateau Lafleur

2001 A. Rousseau GC 1er Clos Saint Jacques

2002 A. Rousseau GC 1er Clos Saint Jacques

2004 Robert Weil Riesling Kiedrich Grafenberg TBA en 375ml

2005 Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Genevrieres

Selosse Initial
Selosse Contraste

16

Listed by vintage…

1969 La Pousse d’Or Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Bousse d’Or
1990 Clos du Mont-Olivet CdP La Cuvee du Papet
1992 Sean Thackrey Orion
2000 Guigal Chateau d’Ampuis
2001 Pegau Cuvee Reservee
2002 Alban Lorraine
2004 Cayuse Cailloux

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In no particular order other than the year . . . :wink:

1926 Calon Segur
1929 Massandra Tokay Ai Danil
1945 Rieussec
1953 Massandra Red Stone White Muscat
1969 Freemark Abbey Petite Sirah
1974 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard
1975 La Mission Haut Brion
1976 Engelmann Hallgartener Schonhell Beerenauslese
1983 Cheval Blanc
1988 d’Yquem
2003 Sine Qua Non Papa Syrah
2004 Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet
2005 Hundred Acre Ark Vineyard Cabernet
2007 Scarecrow

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Off the top of my head, here are my #1s

Released Wines (tie)
01 Guigal La Turque
05 Shafer Hillside

Older Wines
86 Kenwood Artist Series Cab

Unreleased Wines
07 Realm ToKalon

QPR
07 Keplinger Sumo Petit Sirah

Find of the Year
Arkenstone

19

With the caveat that I still have a few more really good dinners planned in December, my top wines of '09 so far are:

1925 Marques de Riscal- Rioja Reserva
1945 Huet- Vouvray Moelleux 1ere Trie, Le Haut-Lieu
1959 Ausone- St. Emilion
1959 La Rioja Alta- Rioja Gran Reserva 890
1959 Huet- Vouvray Moelleux, clos du Bourg
1959 Canon- St. Emilion
1959 Trotanoy- Pomerol
1959 Magdeleine- St. Emilion
1964 Cune- Rioja Gran Reserva “Vina Real”
1964 Bodegas Riojanas- Rioja Gran Reserva “Monte Real”
1970 Cune- Rioja Gran reserva “Vina Real”
1976 Contino- Rioja Reserva
1977 Mayacamas- Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
1981 Beaucastel- Châteaneuf-du-Pape
1983 Chave- Hermitage
1986 Margaux- Margaux
1988 Chave- Hermitage
1989 Huet- Vouvray Moelleux 1ere Trie, Clos du Bourg
1989 Foreau- Vouvray Moelleux, Reserve
1989 Vietti- Barolo, Le Rocche
1990 L’Evangile- Pomerol
1991 Ridge- Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains
1998 Beaucastel- Châteaneuf-du-Pape
1998 Donnhoff- Riesling Eiswein, Oberhauser Brucke
2000 Beaucastel- Châteaneuf-du-Pape, Hommage a Jacques Perrin
2001 Rieussec- Sauternes

Lucky 26. I’m a Gemini. I can’t play favorites and as Frankie said, “It was a very good year.”

20

off the top of my head

1983 shafer hillside select
1985 ducru
2006 seven stones
2006 weinbach gewurz altenbourg
1997 staglin
1979 chateau de pommard pommard
2005 sierra carche

those are all definitely the front runners.