You can only name one: What's the greatest wine you tasted?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 8:13 pm

If you list more than one, I will delete your answer.

Mine:

1988 Dal Forno Romano Amarone, North End of Boston, circa 1998.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 8:45 pm

1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild.

Thanks to Tom and Stuart for that.

jal · Post by **jal** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 9:53 pm

Very difficult to answer:
1995 Lafite Rothschild

But so many (very close) runner-ups

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 9:58 pm

1989 Chateau Petrus.

I have had it twice, a full bottle shared with a good friend over dinner.

Gerry M. · Post by **Gerry M.** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 10:35 pm

1955 Ch Figeac courtesy of a friend. It opened my eyes to the greatness of Bordeaux

tim · Post by **tim** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 10:43 pm

Difficult one, but I would probably say 1907 Chateau Latour, courtesy of Francois (I think that was the dinner with stefan and lucie).

William P · Post by **William P** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 10:45 pm

Tim, what was the wine you shared with the SF group at Maureen's Sonoma house? It was your birthday wine.

Bill

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 11:11 pm

1967 d'Yquem in 2002 with Francois in Paris

SF Ed

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 11:11 pm

Gosh, so many to choose from...

I hate to say it, but the 1990 DRC Richebourg edges out the 86 Mouton and the 82 Haut Brion.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 11:12 pm

SF Ed wrote:1967 d'Yquem in 2002 with Francois in Paris

SF Ed

Better than the ‘59 in Denver, Ed? Wow.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 11:49 pm

Ch. Rayas, 1990.

tim · Post by **tim** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 12:09 am

Bill, it was a 1968 Vega Sicilia Unico.

Which was my top wine until the 1907 Latour.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 12:26 am

1880 Ramos Pinto Vintage Port from their library when I was ITB. Obviously my best Port ever and just stunning. Best dry wine, just too many to name one.

William P · Post by **William P** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 12:34 am

tim wrote:Bill, it was a 1968 Vega Sicilia Unico.

Which was my top wine until the 1907 Latour.

That was a spectacular wine. Hard to pick one: the Unico, 89 Petrus, 89 Haut-Brion. Oh then the 82s I give up.

hautbrionlover · Post by **hautbrionlover** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 5:22 am

Tough call for me, but I have to go with 1982 Pichon Lalande.

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 6:24 am

Ch Margaux
Forced trade off I think 1983

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:57 pm

I have to say the 59 Lafite sdr shared with us on a jaunt to Florida. The freshness was astonishing. Very hard to pick one.

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 4:32 pm

I am still searching for that clear best wine ever. However to date, maybe affected by everything else going on it is:

1955 Drouhin Romanee St Vivant, tasted at La Paulee with Veronique Drouhin. It was half sedimen in the glass, but the sweet, floral and complex taste that I got from the clean part was something that I haven't reached with any other wine to date.

s*d*r · Post by **s*d*r** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 6:45 pm

1961 Pétrus, last tasted almost 20 years ago. I rated it 100 on three separate occasions.

Stu

dstgolf · Post by **dstgolf** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 1:11 am

There have been a tremendous number of incredible wines shared with wonderful people over the years and I/we feel blessed to have so many memories that I could wax on for a long time. Wines that were surprising and out performed all expectations. Ones that fell well below what they should have been and all those that were elevated because of the company that they were shared with. Nothing better than enjoying a great bottle with like minded friends and this site has enabled so many treasured moments that it's near impossible to only name one bottle. If I had to amongst local friends it would have to be the 54 Lafite that my buddy brought to our annual event hoping with low expectations but this wine was perfect in all ways. Exceeded expectations on all fronts and I can still taste it in the back of my memory banks still flowing violets from the glass...simply sublime.

The 82 Mouton is near and dear to my heart having enjoyed it 6 times and always superb especially the ones shared with SDR in South Fla along with an amazing bottle for my 60th....4 yrs ago!! The sad part is that on the three occasions we had this with Stu it was outshone by the Latour by a good stretch the most recent last Feb with many other BWERs. Sad but true when you compare these incredible bottles side by each there are always winners and losers unfortunately as on their own they are truly superb.

My consolation wine is probably the 2004 DRC Richebourg that we shared at Ian's in London 2017 with fellow BWErs. Best white was the DRC Montrachet 2003 at Tim's 50th and number 1 for all time unforgettable was Ian's 3 litre 82 Ausone at Tim's 50th. Talk about photo ops but the wine was still wearing its baby fat and though fabulous a long way from being at its peak.

Yes memories are great to have but they are better to share and we have shared so many with great friends that choosing one bottle is simply unrealistic!!

Winona Chief · Post by **Winona Chief** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 2:13 am

So many great wines - so hard to choose. Probably 1959 Latour is the best I’ve ever had.

Chris Bublitz

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:10 am

1959 Lafite

Musigny 151 · Post by **Musigny 151** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 2:28 pm

I have had a lot of great wines, but this was the greatest by far.

Hermitage La Chapelle 1961.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 2:35 pm

Blanquito wrote:
SF Ed wrote:1967 d'Yquem in 2002 with Francois in Paris

SF Ed
Better than the ‘59 in Denver, Ed? Wow.

Yes.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:21 pm

I'm still waiting to taste the greatest wine.

: Latour61.jpg (35.08 KiB) Viewed 1847 times

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:25 pm

Romanee-Conti 1980 for my 50th

I even found the tasting note too, if you will indulge me

The initial colour is a sherry-like translucent brown. Don’t panic! Been there before. While the colour is translucent, it is at the same time a deep marauding dark maroon with a vibrancy to it. Any fears are immediately assuaged by the exotic bouquet of molasses, which soars from the glass. As you smell the wine it mesmerises you with a smorgasbord of Asian spices, Cairo spice bazaar, truffle and porcini mushrooms, then hung gamey notes and a carnal meatiness. That is just to start. It is a wine, which is continually evolving and metamorphosing. Soon you have notes of bonfire and peat bog, then Cuban cigar box/cigar wrapper, before saline notes somehow appear. Salt ‘n’ vinegar and fish ‘n’chips! Balsamico. Sea spray, seashore and seashells. Then soy, sesame.

It’s so alluring as it mesmerises you and takes you on a surreal journey. A levitating out of body experience, you are floating in the clouds, soaring like an eagle. Nothing else matters. Least of all what you happen to be eating. The palate is extraordinary: delicate, subtle and smooth on the one hand, but with a strong backbone, enormous power and mouth filling richness on the other, and an eternal finish. Mineral slate notes emerge, wet stones; then strong woodsy, sous-bois takes over; wild forest mushrooms. Next it is sweet morello cherries, ripe plums and chocolate strawberries, which come on strong. Over time the wine is firming up and transmogrifying. By now the colour is an authoritative, regal dark translucent maroon. After 3-4 hours it is at a maximum intensity, like the climax to a Beethoven symphony. It is an extraordinary wine. Kaleidoscopic and Kafkaesque, it has everything and leaves everything else in its wake.

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:26 pm

The funny thing is that this part from Ian's note -- "notes of bonfire and peat bog, then Cuban cigar box/cigar wrapper, before saline notes somehow appear. Salt ‘n’ vinegar and fish ‘n’chips! Balsamico. Sea spray, seashore and seashells. Then soy, sesame." -- is like a word for word descriptor of what I experience as an over the hill wine. OK, with the exception of "cigar wrapper", but ashy, salty, vinegary, seaweed, soy sauce and sesame oil in a red wine reads as too old to me. Of course some of the other notes not so much. And it also sounds like it may have been spiked with psychedelic drugs, which would certainly add interest!

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:32 pm

In response to the opening question, I have never had a clear-cut "greatest wine ever". Lots of great wines but none that stood head and shoulders above my other "great wine" experiences such that I could say it was the best. I can almost always choose the wine of a night, can usually figure out a good candidate for wine of the year, but wine of my entire tasting experience? Can't do it.

That is in part what motivated my thread on whether "super-expensive" wines were worth it, as my cap on spending per bottle is too low to afford most of the wines mentioned here.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 8:21 pm

Mark, so Hermitage La Chapelle 1961 is much better than any Musigny you have drunk? That is hard to believe. I have never drunk a Rhone that is as good as any Musigny I have had (admittedly, only a handful).

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 8:40 pm

stefan wrote:Mark, so Hermitage La Chapelle 1961 is much better than any Musigny you have drunk? That is hard to believe. I have never drunk a Rhone that is as good as any Musigny I have had (admittedly, only a handful).

I think Northern Rhone vs Burgundy depends a lot on how your palate perceives Syrah. It's a very distinctive and particular grape with a lot of characteristics kind of on the border between being fascinating/terrific and being kind of crude/rustic/too much depending on your palate. I've accumulated a fair amount of Northern Rhone but am still wrestling with how much I love it vs just like it. No other grape will scratch the Syrah itch but as you say it doesn't quite reach the heights. Of course I've never drunk a Northern Rhone older than about 20 years old.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:59 am

marcs wrote:In response to the opening question, I have never had a clear-cut "greatest wine ever". Lots of great wines but none that stood head and shoulders above my other "great wine" experiences such that I could say it was the best.

Ok marcs, let say which was your best until now? The one wine you noticed and purchased more? From what I can read from your different posts, that 2009 Chevillon Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Vaucrains could be it? This is just fun and we know it will change in time.

Nic

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 2:57 am

"The greatest wine you tasted" doesn’t have to be head and shoulders above the second-greatest wine you tasted. Or the third-, fourth-, or fifth-greatest wine you tasted. This was tough for me because there are a handful of wines vying for the title.

Marcus, your reaction to Ian's TN is a perfect demonstration of chacon à son goût, and what makes this obsession so interesting.

NoahR · Post by **NoahR** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:48 am

1878 Christopher’s Bual Madeira - my first really old vintage Madeira.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 4:10 am

1994 Dominus

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 5:09 am

I love Dominus too, but this surprises me Arv. The 91 and 92 are excellent.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 5:56 am

I had the 91 and 94 Dominus once, in the same line up, and as great as the 91 was, I preferred the 94.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:31 am

marcs wrote:The funny thing is that this part from Ian's note -- "notes of bonfire and peat bog, then Cuban cigar box/cigar wrapper, before saline notes somehow appear. Salt ‘n’ vinegar and fish ‘n’chips! Balsamico. Sea spray, seashore and seashells. Then soy, sesame." -- is like a word for word descriptor of what I experience as an over the hill wine. OK, with the exception of "cigar wrapper", but ashy, salty, vinegary, seaweed, soy sauce and sesame oil in a red wine reads as too old to me. Of course some of the other notes not so much. And it also sounds like it may have been spiked with psychedelic drugs, which would certainly add interest!

I hesitated to post that but it was an accurate description of how this kaleidoscopic wine evolved over the evening. MEK will vouch for that. Not dissimilar to a 1985 La Tache consumed in 2010, and a 1985 RC consumed far too early on New Year’s eve in 1999, both of which had that saline note. In no way were any of them over the hill. Great DRC wines like the 1990 Richebourg we drank with Patrick and Tim develop extraordinary complexity, which no other wine I have ever encountered comes close to matching. The 1990 Richebourg still has its best years ahead of it. The 1996 La Tache I think will approach the 1980 RC, but it needs 10-20 years. But it was an easy choice.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:16 pm

Blanquito wrote:I had the 91 and 94 Dominus once, in the same line up, and as great as the 91 was, I preferred the 94.

I tasted the 94 once. The owner insisted on pop and pour and the bottle never really opened up.

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 7:09 pm

Claret wrote:
Blanquito wrote:I had the 91 and 94 Dominus once, in the same line up, and as great as the 91 was, I preferred the 94.
I tasted the 94 once. The owner insisted on pop and pour and the bottle never really opened up.

The 94 is the best Dominus that I have had, and it was better on the 2nd and 3rd day opened. Definitely a candidate for a decant and it should shine. I have a bottle of 91 and 94, although these fall into Marcus's "super expensive" category now by current value of over $300 each. I am not sure they are worth that and theres a decent chance I sell them off for a good second growth.

JCNorthway · Post by **JCNorthway** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 7:59 pm

I've owned one single bottle of Dominus in my life. It was the 1989 which WS gave 96 points to, and I bought it on sale, which was quite surprising. On sale, it was not even half way to a $100 bottle. Based on what I had read in reviews, I put off opening it year after year. Finally in 2000 I decided to open it for some special meal - it was corked!