BWE Personal Top Ten 2017

[sdr]

Roberts Rules:
You must have drunk the wine in 2017. You should have have had more than a tiny sip at a trade tasting, ideally a leisurely glass or more. The wines you list should be the ones most memorable to you, the most thrilling, the ones that will linger in your memory, not necessarily the “best” or highest scoring.

My List:

1. 2007 DRC Montrachet

Simply the most stunning white Burgundy I have ever tasted and moves the goal posts for me on what white Burgundy can be.

2. 1959 Latour (magnum)

Oh, my, a Platonic ideal of old Bordeaux, breathtaking.

3. 1970 Pétrus

Magical combination of sweetness and power, far superior to any other ‘70 Bordeaux at this point.

4. 1961 LMHB

In a vertical of LMHB, the ‘61 was king, so dark, so deep, so full of energy.

5. 1981 Yquem

Astonishingly elegant and complex, the other face of Yquem, from a supposedly “off vintage.”

6. 1975 Yquem

Could the ‘75 Yquem be just as good as ‘59, ‘67, ‘71 or ‘01?

7. 1985 Dom Pérignon

Absolutely perfect stage of maturity if you like DP, incredibly flavorful and lively.

8. 1982 GPL

Shockingly good, gorgeous fragrance and deeply fruity.

9. 1982 Lynch Bages

As good as ‘89 LB, even more fruity and complex, yet another great ‘82 Bordeaux.

10. 2010 LMHB Blanc

Fabulous texture and richness for a such a normally shy type of wine.

[stefan]

Incredible list of great wines, Stuart. It is interesting that no red Burgundy could make it onto your list.

[Comte Flaneur]

OK Stu here goes:

10. Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2013 - better than the 2010 and 1990 both also drunk this year
9. Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1981 - ethereal as only Lafite can be, the 2007 at the Chateau was a younger version
8. Pichon Comtesse 2016 - we drank a large glass of this at the Chateau - this is a star in arguably the best ever vintage
7. Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 1995 - a magnificent wine just entering its drinking window. Watch this space
6. Penfolds Grange 1998 - drunk with Tim, Ed and Alex in May
5. JF Mugnier Musigny 2005 - drunk with Alex, Ian Westcott and some burgundy winemakers in February
4. DRC Richebourg 2004 - drunk with Danny, Jim and Tim who said this ‘kicked ass all night long’
3. Chateau Figeac 1982 - a perfect bottle drunk at lunch on the day we saw Deep Purple - 11/23 what a day!
2. Chateau Lynch-Bages 1982 - from Tim’s cellar, best LB I ever drunk, my wotn with Jim, Tim and Danny...and
...drumroll...
1. DRC La Tache 1996 - tried twice - the one I am drinking - right now - is even better than the bottle we had in May

Cheers!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/S7HcA4WMgt3agzMs2

Honourable mentions:

- Various Giacosa Barbaresco and Barolo
- Gaja Barbaresco 1989 and 1990, especially the former
- Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis 1996
- Gorelli Il Pottazzini Brunello Di Montalcino 2012
- Meo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot 1990
- Mouton 1989, 1996 and especially 2000 drunk with BWErs - I thought they were all excellent especially the 2000
- Leoville Lascases 1988
- Leoville Barton 1985 - the perfect glass of claret - but only machine pours
- Tim’s 1970 Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne - my dry white wine of the year
- Coche Dury Meursault 2012
- The brilliant Kiralyudvar Tokaji 6 puttonyos 1999 Alex served in Bordeaux and Ch Coutet 2014

[DavidG]

In no particular order. The 1988s tend to get extra credit in the memorable category as wedding year wines.

1989 Haut Brion
1989 Conseillante
1988 Lynch Bages - my 89s are still too young to make the list, the 88 is à point
1988 Krug
1996 Krug
1996 Salon
1988 Yquem
2001 Yquem
1988 Dal Forno Romano Recioto della Valpolicella
1994 Harlan Estate

And one that goes in my 2017 hall of shame:
1977 Taylor Fladgate Port
Was expecting great things but this bottle was corked. Taken to a dinner out of town so no backup at hand.

[dstgolf]

2017 brought with many highs and lows both with wine,family and friends. There are always fabulous surprises at any BWE gathering and the highlights were the annual event in San Fran and BWE London where amazing wines were shared with very good friends. The lows of the year included the death of my mother and a horrible vertical of Mouton with my good local buddies with the 71, 78,81,88 & 89 all being duds. Tasted blind these wouldn't have been given a second sip but with the labels showing and expectations high we pondered ,waited, sniffed, swirled and discussed these sad souls of two hours and unanimously concluded they were all a disappointment. The irony is my WOTY:

1. 82 Mouton...When Mouton is good it's very good and this was an exceptional bottle on an exceptional day. What more can one ask for but the 60th anniversary edition on my 60th birthday.

2. 98 Guigal la Turque was perfection in a bottle. The nose, integration, length and complexity were amazing and especially to be shared with good friends...Superb!!

3. 2004 DRC Richebourg another stunner amongst great company at Ian's in London with everyone savouring this over a fantastic evening. Not sure if it was the wine or the company but this was THE star of many from the night.

4. 59 Conseillante amazed us all at its youthfulness and beauty in the glass. Nice to share another of Danielle's birth year wines thanks to Tim again in London.

5. 98 Gaja Sori Tilden is always a treat and one Italian that even Danielle loves to drink.

6. 67 Y'Quem in San Fran was perfection. I love Sauterne and this was a pinnacle. Thanks SDR.

7. 70 Latour Corton Charlemagne again from Tim in London was one of the most fabulous whites that I recall in recent memory. Held its own right through the night displaying an evolving array of complexities but never losing a step through the eve..a wonderful wine to experience.

8. 82 Lynch Bages again London and again a superb wine only down the list because of a very close arbitrary rating. This was fantastic.

9. 90 Rausin-Segla in San Fran courtesy of Nic was classic Margaux and the nose is still vivid in my memory. One of my favourites from the night.

10. 2000 Crystal excellant and for high end champagne Crystal has become one of our favourites with honourable mention to 96 DomP and 2005 Sir Winston than were also in the running for champagne of the year.

Overall a fantastic year on the wine front with many more treasures enjoyed but best of all have been the people that we've shared them with and we hope through next year we will continue to enjoy good friendships,wine and travel.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

[tim]

My top 10:

10. 2014 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Tortochot

Opened this with some friends at my place one evening, it was spectacular.

9. 2001 Margaux

This was one of the wines that Ian served blind against the 2000 Mouton. While most preferred the Mouton, I found the Margaux to be in a better place at this particular moment.

8. 1982 l'Evangile

From BWE SF, this was the one red wine that stood out for me. I only had a small pour, but it was the second most memorable of the night.

7. 1998 Vieux Chateau Certan

Alex was kind enough to open this wine blind at his place. This was the wine that he won during a BWE blind tasting contest many years ago. We couldn't guess what it was, and it did surprise us, really a delightful wine. Probably earns this spot as much for the BWE history as for the wine itself.

6. 1998 Penfolds Grange

One of the wines that Ian opened during what could only be described as a small orgy of wine. Despite being served late in the evening, this wine just floored me. I wish I could savor a bottle over the course of a dinner.

5. 1969 Corton Charlemagne Louis Latour

From the same lot from which I purchased the 1970 served in London, I opened this with Francois and SFEd several months before. It was one of those wine experiences that pushes perfection. The 1969 was slightly better than the 1970, and had I not included the 69 on the list, I probably would have added the 70 somewhere.

4. 2004 Richebourg DRC

From Danny, traveled across the ocean on planes, trains, boats, cars, etc. And if this is bottle shock, give me more! Truly an outstanding wine and my preferred wine of the dinner.

3. 1967 d'Yquem

Another SF BWE wine, this one from Stuart. This was my first 67 d'Yquem, and wow, just wow. For me the best Yquem I have ever tasted (although I think the 2001 will eventually eclipse it).

2. 1934 Latour

I brought this to the Francois/SFEd lunch as well. One of the great aged Bordeaux. The greatest Bordeaux experiences I have had have been aged Latour.

1. 1996 La Tache DRC

Everything Ian says and more. Ian served this blind. I am thankful for that. The moment we smelled it we knew we were in the presence of greatness.

2017 was a great year for wine. Amazing memories, and every wine above was somehow connected to the people of BWE.

[AKR]

9. 90 Rausin-Segla in San Fran courtesy of Nic was classic Margaux and the nose is still vivid in my memory. One of my favourites from the night.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

That 1990 was a super wine, thanks for bringing that memory back. A 1989 that Glenn poured over the summer was also terrific, so well resolved and smooth.

I'll have to think about what other wines were really memorable this year but a couple that stuck out were Californian (!). A 1978 Freemark Abbey was really terrific as well as a very Bordeaux styled 1991 Cardinale. Some of the classic Cabs are just as good as fine Bordeaux, although I grant that they can be harder to find the farther you get from the epicenter of US fine wine production

Great topic, thanks SDR for sharing these ideas, as well as some of the wines!

[dstgolf]

AKR

I never would have thought Cardinale was ever Bordeaux like. Quintessential over the top California in every way including price. This was a friend mines favourite Cali wine and he used to import the stuff through the 90s at relatively stupid prices but he loved it and I say no more because wine taste is so personal and there certainly is something for just about everyone out there.

[Carlos Delpin]

2017 was a challenging year at many levels. Wine helped navigate through some of the lows. In no particular order.

1978 Cheval Blanc
1982 Pichon Lalande
1996 DRC RSV
1998 Chave Hermitage
1989 Angelus
1986 Certan de May
1967 Haut Brion
1996 Heinz Martha’s
1982 Mouton
1982 Cheval Blanc

Feliz Navidad.