A few of each
Alexandre Filaine DMY
La Rogerie La Grand Vie
Singles (do I need to find more of these?)
Oudiette Les Gras d’Huile
Amaury Beaufort Le Jardinot Rose
Trapet Chambertin 2019
Mondavi Reserve 1987
2x ‘06 Rougeard Bourg
6x ‘15 Rougeard Bourg
3x ‘19 Claude Dugat Chapelle Chambertin
3x ‘19 Claude Dugat Griotte Chambertin
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2019 Taupenot-Merme Saint Romain Rouge
Kinda sad that William has already been sucked down the 100 point rabbit hole. That’s been the beginning of the end for every critic so far.
6 x 2019 Ch. Branaire-Ducru
6X2014 Tronquoy-Lalande @£32 each. Notes on CT seem to indicate I should still leave it for a couple of years. Has anyone tried one recently?
I think William is trying hard NOT to be that points guy, so if he rated it 100 pts, it probably is outstanding.
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Mark - you caved on the Trapet. I thought you were out?
Vincent mixed case
Alan, are you being facetious or ironic here? William uses a 100 point scale, it’s not a rabbit hole. Do you expect him not to rate any wines 100 at all?
Got a £450 a bottle offer from a UK merchant. Sadly only 3 bottles. Could not resist.
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That is an irresistible price.
That’s a good price. I got one offer at 475€, but very small quantity as well.
Was at this local Italian restaurant Friday with a group a friends that we frequent. I know the owner there and his wine markup is insane, 3x plus normally, so I bring my own frequently but not this time.
This owner has some wine “connections” that one doesn’t ask many questions about. I’ve been there when he has gotten a list of offers via text and has let me pick and choose some he isn’t interested in, or not enough qty for the restaurant. For example I got a few ‘14 Dunn HM for $80ea a little while back.
Anyhow, so we are there Friday and was looking at his list then I usually walk around the restaurant looking at his wine racks for stuff he has gotten “deals” on but not worth reprinting the wine list for. I noticed a shelf of Penfolds 389 that he normally doesn’t have. I asked the waiter for a price and he had no idea what I was talking about, so I had to show him, then he asked around and somehow they came up with $75 a bottle. Done, just a little over retail and by far the best value in the place. Had a few with dinner but here is the kicker, they run a 40% off special all wine bottles for take out. That comes to $45 a bottle, so between me and a few of others at the table we cleaned out all they had.
Big week!
12x 2020 Coche-Dury Meursault
3x 2020 Coche-Dury Meursault Genevrières
6x 2020 Coche-Dury Meursault Rouge
6x 1989 Pichon Baron mags
6x 1990 Lynch-Bages
6x 1990 Pavillon Rouge
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that’d be a big year! Wow.
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It used to be that gymnastics had the magic perfect 10, which was unachievable - just because perfection in a subjective judgment cannot be obtained. And because you always need to leave room for something better. Now we see perfect scores all the time, which just devalues perfection.
So yeah, I think the magic 100 should never be awarded; or if so, it should be for a truly special bottle, that has managed to reach some rarely attainable heights at its peak of maturity. If I were a critic, my high score for newly released or immature wines would be 95, leaving room for the rare examples of unique and superb wines. But I get the pressure on critics to attract attention through the awarding of high scores.
I think the gymnastics example isn’t a great one, where there’s direct competition and very specific technical points. Those scores also use decimals, and I don’t think awarding a 99.731 rather than 100 is much better.
I also think William is both aware of the effect his scores have (he’s talked about it) and seems judicious with how often (or how infrequently, depending on your perspective) he gives them out, so I don’t get the sense he’s reacting to any kind of pressure here. Obviously he can respond for himself, but I would think he simply found the 2016 Pichon Comtesse to be a great wine in a great vintage.
Although I don’t believe in points, if I did, I’d agree 99.99% with Alan.
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