The 2022 BWE William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year Honorable Mentions....

[JimHow]

Wine Runner Up Honorable Mention #5:

2016 Chateau Montrose

This wine was given serious consideration for two reasons.
Firstly, by almost universal acclaim, the 2016 vintage is a year of very high quality, and I have no problems continuing to sing the praises of this exceptional year, especially following the less than exciting vintages of 2017 and 2018.
Also, Montrose is a wine that to me has now come to flirt with first growth quality, a wine that year after year for at least 30 years has produced one profound wine after another, in good vintages and bad. Along with Pichon Baron, it has risen to the top of my Second Growth reclassification in the 2022 BWE/Ian Amstad Reclassification of the Wines of Bordeaux.
Perhaps another year for this august estate to join the pantheon of greatness that is the BWE wine of the year.

[Comte Flaneur]

Did you manage to get around to trying this Jim? Quite possibly the best ‘super second’ I have ever had the pleasure to drink.

[Blanquito]

I see an OWC case of the 2016 Montrose at auction currently for $166 + sales tax...

[JimHow]

I have not tried the 2016 Montrose Ian but I have no doubt it is great.
Wish I could buy it, I just bought another case of 2016 Larose Trintaudon which is....

[JimHow]

...The #4 BWE Honorable Mention Wine of the Year....

2016 Larose Trintaudon

This is a Racer Chris kind of wine. I absolutely love it.
I gave it very serious consideration for wine of the year.
I don't know about other vintages like the 2018, which I have not yet tried, but the 2016 Larose Trintaudon checks all the boxes for me.
Classically styled, accessible Haut Medoc from a great, great vintage.
Just picked up another case for $19 per bottle. Love this wine!

[Racer Chris]

...The #4 BWE Honorable Mention Wine of the Year....

2016 Larose Trintaudon

This is a Racer Chris kind of wine. I absolutely love it.
I gave it very serious consideration for wine of the year.
I don't know about other vintages like the 2018, which I have not yet tried, but the 2016 Larose Trintaudon checks all the boxes for me.
Classically styled, accessible Haut Medoc from a great, great vintage.
Just picked up another case for $19 per bottle. Love this wine!

I open a couple bottles of L-T a month at least. Currently a 2012 is on deck.

[JimHow]

I'm looking forward to trying the 2019 Chris.
That 2016 is a great deal.

[JimHow]

The #3 BWE Wine of the Year, runner up 2016 Chateau Siran....

A great QPR, the 2016 Siran followed up the compelling 2015. I also enjoyed the 2018.
Without question it is a modern wine, but a wine of substance nonetheless.
I'm a bit concerned about WilliamP's experience with the 2019, but we'll give it a shot.
In any event, congratulations to 2016 Chateau Siran for its number 3 ranking and oh-so-close rise into the pantheon that is the BWE William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year.

And now on to #2, the runner up for the 2022 BWE William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year award....

[JimHow]

The #2 BWE first runner-up wine of the year is....

2016 La Lagune.

It had the inside track of being an honorary wine of the year in the first BWE Wine of the Year celebration in which we have renamed it the Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year Award. Unfortunately, the estate is just too variable. In fact, it sucks, especially those bottles procured at auction.....

And that leaves us with the #1 wine of the year, which I anticipate announcing next week some time.

The selection has been made. What could it possibly be?

[stefan]

Will the winner be another 2016? I can hardly wait to find out.

[JimHow]

Just a reminder of past wine of the year winners....

BWE WINE OF THE YEAR

2000: 1996 Sociando-Mallet
2001: 1989 Lynch-Bages
2002: 1995 d'Yquem
2003: 1999 Haut Brion Blanc
2004: 2000 Pichon Baron and 2000 du Tertre
2005: 2000 Margaux
2006: 2003 Pontet-Canet
2007: 2002 Leoville Poyferre
2008: 2005 Burgundy vintage (protest vote)
2009: 1989 Lafite Rothschild
2010: 2005 Cantemerle
2011: 2008 Leoville Poyferre
2012: 2009 Giscours
2013: 2004 Smith Haut Lafitte
2014: 2010 Chasse Spleen
2015: 2012 Leoville Las Cases
2016: 2012 Barde-Haut
2017: 2014 Calon Segur
2018: 2015 Brane Cantenac
2019: 2016 Tour Saint Christophe
2020: 2016 Leoville Barton and 2008 Dom Perignon
2021: 2014 Chateau La Conseillante

[stefan]

Interesting that only two FG Medoc have won....

[JimHow]

I actually took a close look at the list tonight, hadn't really analyzed it in a while.
It's an interesting list.

[JoelD]

Isn't that kind of the BWE spirit though? First growths just aren't that accessible price wise anymore. After getting to know you all more, and our BD especially. That list makes a lot of sense.

[JimHow]

The selection process has evolved in the past 22 years, it used to be a little more democratic. We had a guy named Whuzzup__, who I'll always consider a co-founder of the site, who was more involved in the early days. I've seen a Comte Flaneur influence in some of the selections. And then there was the momentous 2008 Burgundy protest vote....

HM$ has never forgiven me for that.

[JoelD]

I'd love to see the thread debate on that one. I am fairly certain that in about 10-15 years, everyone will see the beauty in that wisdom. The damn 2005 village wines are just starting to show well.

[JimHow]

The damn 2005 village wines are just starting to show well.

Yep.

[JimHow]

The 2022 BWE William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year has been selected and will be announced by Friday....

[Nicklasss]

Ok Jim, i will try to guess the first BWE William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year. My impression is that it won't be a La Lagune or a 2016, not that these aren't good categories, but to honor stefan, he needs more!

Also, Mr Johnson like his wine with some age, but "at the right spot" that i would call it.

Lately, stefan had the 1996 Château Léoville Barton, on his own, for his birthday, and liked the wine a lot. He even wrote that he should have bought more than a case, at 25$ a bottle at the time... and having a second 1996 Médoc as WOTY would make sense in our listing... but no, i don't think it is it.

I might be completely wrong, but when i track back a few things on the board, as stefan pointed out there was only 2 FG that won our prestigious award, and that he wrote that the 1982 Château Latour he had in February in Fort Lauderdale at sdr dinner, with other BWEers, and in your company, is by far the best wine he had this year, I guess the first BWE William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year is the 1982 Château Latour.

[JimHow]

Ha ha you will be stunned by the pick Nicola, but I will be very interested in your opinion.

[stefan]

I am not going to hazard a guess of what Jim has selected, but I look forward to learning what it is.

[Nicklasss]

So, i'm wrong.

OMG, i can't wait!

[JimHow]

The 2022 Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year Award will be announced in the afternoon hours (eastern US time) of Thursday, December 15, 2022....

[marcs]

I see an OWC case of the 2016 Montrose at auction currently for $166 + sales tax...

This is a good price!

I got 6*2016 Montrose plus 6* 2014 Montrose for $156/bottle all in from Acker, which wasn’t bad, but I think the implicit price for the 2016s is about equal to this depending on the tax

I concur with Jim that Montrose is special and I’ve been starting to target it in my acquisitions. Happy to have 6 of the 2016 especially now that it’s achieved the prestigious stature of BWE William “Stefan” Johnson Honorable Mention WOTY