I’ll play.
Bodegas Alonso Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Amontillado 1/15 - this sherry was off the freaking charts and blew the doors off other several other awesome sherries on the table, including a Byass añada that normally would have reigned supreme. Impossible power and concentration, absolutely arresting. Probably the best sherry I have ever had.
1998 Domaine Barge Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune - a perfect Côte-Rôtie at its apogee. Link to note.
2022 Clos du Gravillas emmenez-moi au bout de terret - my discovery of the year. 100% Terret Gris, super fascinating and special wine; case purchases are a must. Link to note.
2020 Danjou-Banessy La Truffière Blanc - another discovery of the year. 100% single-vineyard carignan gris from 80+ year-old vines on black slate over limestone, whole cluster vinification, wild yeasts, and raised in older barrels for 20 months, 12.5% alcohol. A little reduced at first on the nose, then a slight smoky air over lemon and gravel. Steely and taut with lemon oil and gentle apple/pear notes, laser pure and long with a strong mineral finish. Just an electric wine, cool and crystalline.
And why not? Worst wine of the year:
2020 Laureano Serres Montagut Mendall Finca Espartal BP - Bought this at a very friendly wine shop in Girona that specializes in natural wines. The proprietor described this producer as the early leader of natural winemaking in Catalunya, a once-scientist-turned-wild man of wine. Apparently the wines are tightly allocated so I figured why not. 20€.
Mostly garnatxa. This is the avatar of natural winemaking: funky and shrill with extraordinary amounts of dissolved CO2 making this nearly a petnat. Sharp and scouring on entry, with a long finish of gout de souris. I shook the bottle for ages and it never disbursed all the gas.
I just don’t know any more.