What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

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AKR
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What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by AKR »

In the last year I think one of the bottles that most surprised me with its awesomeness was the 2000 Chasse Spleen. It was dense, fruit, complex, intoxicating...

Chasse Spleen certainly makes long lived wines -- I remember the 1970 and others 80's efforts -- but they were more good than great. But the 2000 was just terrific, and I wasn't expecting that when I opened it. Maybe I shared a glass with the wife, but mostly I polished the bottle off by myself on a lazy Saturday afternoon / evening.

What was your favorite upside surprise in the last year?
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DavidG
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by DavidG »

A gift bottle of 2002 Bollinger RD. Plan to take it to Chicago to open with friends this fall.

As far as a bottle of Bordeaux that was a pleasant surprise, I'll go with the 2012 Ch du Tertre that I Howed at the urging of Danny and our BD this spring.
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Nicklasss
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by Nicklasss »

For me, a wine i opened not so long ago, the 2000 Chateau Langlais. A Puisseguin Saint-Émilion running at all cylinders and excellent after 16 years.

Who said only great growths can be good?

Nic
Last edited by Nicklasss on Tue Aug 09, 2016 12:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Blanquito
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by Blanquito »

1980 Pichon Lalande. Seriously good.
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Three wines two of which I enjoyed on Saturday, and two out of three were 1966 clarets.

1966 Brane Cantenac and 1992 La Mission on Saturday.

And last winter 1966 Lafite.
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Rudi Finkler
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by Rudi Finkler »

2008 La Fleur de Gay, incredibly complex and delicate. One of the best Pomerol wines I ever had.
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Thanks for the enablement Rudi, case just ordered. Patrick take note. Works out at $75 a bottle here in the UK.
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stefan
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by stefan »

2000 La Lagune. The first few times I drank this wine it was not performing and I thought I would never become a good L-L. However, it bloomed within the last year.
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Nicklasss
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by Nicklasss »

I could add the 1995 Chateau La Lagune. A totally great claret.

Nic
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AKR
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by AKR »

Rudi Finkler wrote:2008 La Fleur de Gay, incredibly complex and delicate. One of the best Pomerol wines I ever had.
I haven't had that one but 89,90,95, 98 (and maybe more) never did much for me. I think I genuinely like the 90 Croix de Gay more than its luxe brother. Its beyond my understanding and purse now.

Not had any recent ones though.

=========

Last night we had a very middling Lagrein from the Italian Alps area. Our dinner companions complained about my pick, which was purely a whim, since I don't think I'd had a lagrein in a dozen years or so. I didn't like that one last time around either, so I guess I'm set for another decade.
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AKR
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Re: What was your favorite surprise of the last year?

Post by AKR »

Another wine that was amazing and a surprise for me was the 2003 PJA 'Raymond Roure' [Crozes Hermitage]

It's a tiny 500 case lot from one of the ripest, most Hermitage like CH hillside sites.

Used to be a Kermit Lynch import a long time ago then the estate got chopped up (perhaps due to French inheritance laws?) and the Jaboulet's got half and Rousset got the other half.

I found a Rousset example from another year and will try that soon. They have renamed their half "Les Picardaules" or something like that. That too is hard to find.

Normally I don't care for Crozes, but this is great stuff, and 2003 is an extraordinary year in the Northern Rhone. Freakish really.
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