WineLovers Discussion Group

Happy New Year everyone! How did we fare in 2013? Feel free to list your favorite/most enjoyed/most memorable wines of 2013, as many as you like. Most of the best wines I had this year I had during my week in Indiana this summer, but I've just recently had two wonderful Christmas treats (that I haven't even typed my notes up for yet - those to come soon).

5 Stars
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, La Grand Dame, Rose, Champagne 1988

4.5 Stars
Renato Ratti, Marcenasco, Barolo 2006
Casey Flat Ranch, Estate Red, Capay Valley 2009
Chateau Lascombes, Margaux 2005
Domaine de la Vougeraie, Clos Vougeot 2009
Segla, Margaux 2003 (2nd wine of Rauzan-Segla)

4 Star Honorable Mentions
Concha y Toro, Don Melchor, Cabernet Sauvignon, Puente Alto 2007
Royal Tokaji, 6 Puttonyos, Szt. Tamas Primae Classis, Tokaji 2000
Chateau Beaux Hauts, En Tirage, Extra Brut, Russian River Valley 1992
Valiant Vineyards, Wild Grape, South Dakota 2006
Caymus Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2007
Poggio al Tesoro, Dedicato al Walter, Toscana 2005
Diez Caballero, Vendimia Seleccionada, Gran Reserva, Rioja 2001
Chateau Haut-Beausejour, St. Estephe 2010

Leoville Poyferre 1990

Guigal La Landonne 1995

Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2010
Schubert Pinot Noir Marion's Vineyard 2010

2008 Lammershoek Chenin Blanc.
2011 Weissburgunder Kellerie St. Magdalena.
2008 Tantalus Riesling Okanagan V.
2009 Muscadet l`Oiseau d`Or.
2012 Verus Pinot Gris Slovenia.

2011 Badenhorst Secateurs Red.
2003 Weinert Gran Vino.
2009 Cameron Hughes Lot 279 Cabernet Sauvignon.
2010 Ch. Pesquie Quintessence.
2007 d`Arenberg The Cenosilicapholic Cat.

1999 Noval LBV
Taylor-Fladgate 20 yr Old Tawny Port.

Not an exhaustive list,but some stunning bottles I remember:
1959 Magdelaine
1971 Gaja Barbaresco
1983 Ausone (had twice, one great, one less amazing)
1971 Magdelaine
1990 Taittinger Comtes
2001 Truchot Gevrey Combottes
1976 Heitz Marthas

Not quite at same level, but maybe biggest surprise
1981 Trotanoy

Oustanding:

1975 Ch. d’Yquem
1966 Ch. La Tour Haut Brion
1970 Ch. Petrus
1988 Ch. Margaux
1988 Ch. Latour
1977 Dow
1975 Ch. Suduiraut
1982 Ch. L’Evangile
1988 Sassicaia

Very good:

1982 La Lagune
1975 Las Cases
1974 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour
1988 Ch. Lafite
1983 Grahams
1998 Ch. Rieussec
1995 Ch. Montelena Cabernet
1990 Ch. de Beaucastel
1995 Santa Duc Gigondas Hautes Garrigues
2000 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri
1990 Tignanello
2000 Lamborghini Campoleone

I enjoyed a lot if fine wine during 2013.
The one I want to have the most again is the 2010 Occipinti, il Frappato.
Best, Jim

Surprising to me the best of the year was a 1994 Newton unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon.

Interesting Harry.

I really can't decide, but it was a great Champagne year.

In no particular order.

1. Chateau Suduiraut 2005
2. Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 1990
3. Dom Perignon 1996
4. Bruno Giacosa Falletto 2007
5. Egon Muller Kabinett 2011 - Just a simple Kabinett but so much concentration in this.
6. Cossart Gordon Bual Madeira 1976
7. Chateau Margaux 1929 - Fabulous aroma but barely drinkable. In this list because it's a 1929 First Growth.
8. Chateau Musar 1999
9. Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 1986 - Fully deserving of its awesome reputation. Probably one of the top 5 wines of my life.
10. Champagne Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart 1976 from magnum - Beautiful champagne that's still youthful with a very gentle sweetness about it.
11. Valdespino Solera de su Majestad Oloroso VORS

Valdespino makes such lovely Sherry.

The most outstanding experience:

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 1990

Vega Sicillia Unico NV (2012 edition)

Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence 2001

Eli

Red: 1982 Haut Brion
White: 2010 Sea Smoke Chardonnay
Sparkling: NV Bonnaire “Variance” Blanc de Blancs

Most suprising: Becca Valley (?) Winery "Black C." blend from Bulgaria. First Bulgarian wine I've ever seen, let alone tasted. Big, powerful and impressive.

Upon further reflection:

Of all wines: 1989 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Moelleux Réserve 1ère Trie

Current/new release white: 2012 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett
Current/new release red: 2011 Arnot-Roberts Clary Ranch Syrah
Current/new release Champagne: Chartogne-Taillet Les Alliees Extra Brut

The 1999 Alligrini Amarone we drank Christmas Eve was amazing. Some of the wines we had at MoCool were equally off-the-charts.

I'm never ready for this question! I don't keep track that way during the year, and tend to remember best the wines I enjoyed most last and am also most guilty of remembering those that were in some way particularly memorable because of the occasion and the company more readily than those that were merely technically amazing. To the extent I can be a judge of that.

I'll check out my own TNs on cellar tracker to see what rang up highest on the point count, but it will be hard to compete with the 99 Woodward Canyon Dedication Series cabernet that my beloved and I shared at The Copper Leaf in Seattle two nights ago with one of the most perfect meals in recent memory. I know that in the past year I've had many as good, but better? Would be hard-pressed to say.

With your beloved!! Guess Bob .

Bob Parsons Alberta wrote:With your beloved!! Guess Bob .

Of course! Otherwise, I'd have said "tall, dark, handsome stranger."

2011 Foillard Cote du Py
2011 Lapierre Morgon
Valdespino Mazanilla Deliciosa en Rama
2004 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Seven Springs
2011 Baudry Chinon Rosé
1989 Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons
1995 Montevertine Il Sodaccio
2008 Huet Le Mont demi-sec
1995 Clape Cornas

Mark Lipton

Hi Mark,

I tasted the '04 St. Innocent Seven Srings Pinot in early 2012 and thought that it was a bit on the oaky side at that point. Had the oak integrated a bit in the bottle that you tasted?

As for me red is going to be between 2008 Sassicaia and 1986 Lynch Bages

Don't think I could pick a white, but for sparkling it'd have to be this NV 1er cru champagne I had at new years - the copper/gold label didn't have any champagne house named on it or anything so I don't really know what to call it, but it was fantastically crisp and complex. Sound familiar to anybody?

It was a pretty busy year with building the house here, the move and all the little surprises along the way but I did manage to drink a few decent wines. Here's a few from our cellar that I marked outstanding.

1988 Pegau Cuvee Laurence (much better than previous bottle of same wine).
1969 Musar - A beautiful old bottle of wine!
2001 Chateau Margaux - too young but showing well.
1998 Pegau Cuvee reservee - this vintage is drinking very well right now.
1988 Musar - this has matured faster than I expected and drinking nice.
2003 Pegau Cuvee Rservee - one odd bottle and one great one ?
1999 Pegau Cuvee Reservee - I loved this vintage and sorry to say this was my last one.

I think I see a pattern here.
Cheers, Gary

Our Wine of the Year was without a doubt, a 1995 Canalicchio Di Sopra, Brunello Di Montalcino; with which we celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary in August.

Mark Lipton wrote:2011 Foillard Cote du Py
2011 Lapierre Morgon

I'm impressed that you include Foillard and Lapierre in this list. I always enjoy the wines and get plenty of pleasure from them (especially Foillard), but they don't necessarily 'stand out' for me in the same way as some of the more typical 'best of' wines in your list.

For me, I'm never that good at remembering or classifying stuff for these lists, but one of the most memorable wines has been the 1998 Chamonard Morgon. Some folks have posted mixed views on their bottles, but I've had three and each one has been a rare treat.

I suppose honorable mention would have to go to 2009 Ganevat Savignin Les Chalasses Marnes Bleues for such pure elegant and exciting joy from a region where I don't drink very much any more.

A few worth remembering:
Chris Ringland Three Rivers 1993. He is a personal friend, but this bottle would top my list anyhow. The greatest Shiraz I have ever had. Consistently.
Grange 1976. Normally not a big fan of this negociant blend, but my oh my how good this wine is.
Latour 1982. The difference between this guy and the competitors of the vintage just gets bigger and bigger. (Has anyone had the Margaux lately? Meh.)
La Tâche 1962. Superlative Burgundy no words could do justice to. Amazing.
Keller Westhofener Morstein TBA 2003. Keller or not, this purity is admirable.
Weil Gräfenberg Spätlese 1996. The greatest Spätlese I have ever had. And I mean including all Prüms and Müller auctions. Just bought new ones for less then 50 USD; people do not know what they are missing...

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L