Your top ten in ‘20

[Comte Flaneur]

If you had to nominate your top ten wines in 2020 - wines you drank this year, any criterion/set of criteria you want - you can explain why if you like - what are they?

Mine in reverse order are:

10. Cheval Blanc 1999 - starting to drink wonderfully well
9. Raveneau Chablis Blanchots 2010 - perfection in Chablis
8. Chateau D’Issan 1985 - such a revelation, pitch perfect
7. Roagna Barbaresco Paje 2011 - insanely delicious
6. Chateau Talbot 1966 - birthday treat; even better than the previous bottle in Paris
5. Pierre-Yves Colin Morey Corton Charlemagne 2011 - a pinnacle for white burgundy?
4. Cappellano Barolo Pie Franco 2004 - exhilarating and electric
3. Chateau Margaux 1996 - unfurls magnificently, still on the upslope
2. Chave Hermitage 2010 - apogee of northern Rhone in a top vintage
1. Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo 1985 - unbeatable when Gaja comes together

The surprise for me is that no red burgundies made the cut, or even came close to making it. Other wines that did come close were Cheval Blanc 1970, Ratti Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata 1970, Pichon Lalande 1986, Chateau Latour 1994, Leoville Bartons 1989/90/02/04/09, Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 2004/10

[JoelD]

Ah this has got to be easier than greatest of all time. I am limiting it to wines that I got to have more than just a small taste of.

1. Jadot Corton Pougets 1990- 375ml and somehow in amazing shape. Easily the WOTN at July burg tasting with friends
2. Marquis D'angerville Taillepieds 2008- My WOTN at a great February burg dinner. In such a perfect drinking window
3. Pichon Baron 1990- First bottle, amazing tannins and structure on this one. Another from same cellar in July did not live up
4. Gaston Chiquet BDB d'ay 2008- This could be number one, and has shown amazingly twice this year.
5. Rausan Segla 1990-Best bouquet of the year, one of the best ever. An epiphany in that way, taste didn't quite live up, but still great
6. Lynch Bages 1989- Such an experience, and the merry go round of changing flavors as it evolved over hours. Even if it didn't live up to others
7. Fontanafredda Barolo 1964- Perfect, tea like old Barolo. Post hike, just a great range of flavors.
8. Borgogno Barolo Riserva 1964- Big and brooding and tough as nails but showed beautifully after 1-2 hours in decanter.
9. Antonin Guyon Corton Bressandes 1990- What a lucky surprise, holding up perfectly and balanced. Wish I could have had next to the Pougets 1990
10. Michel Bouzerou Meursault Perrieres 2013- Almost forgot to throw in the best white burg of the year, just beautiful. The consensus WOTN at FEB burg dinner.

Honorable mention to a few tastes from BWE 2020. 1990 Ausone, 2000 Conseillante, 2000 Lynch Bages, 2005 Pichon Baron

[Racer Chris]

My top 12 for the year, starting at #1 (96pts). I went with 12 since the last 3 all garnered the same score (93) and I didn't want to choose one over the others. In a few weeks there's a good chance I'll need to revise my list.

1985 Château Margaux
1976 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
1979 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese
1983 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon
1986 Château Rausan-Ségla
2009 Château Branaire-Ducru
1992 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon
1983 Schloss Schönborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Auslese
1983 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
1988 Château Margaux
1986 Château Meyney
1975 Château Giscours

[Musigny 151]

In isolation, so far less interesting than usual.

2007 Gracher Himmelreich Auslese GK
2019 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK (way too early but incredibly promising)
1978 Gruaud Larose
2010 Glantenay Volnay Santenots
1989 Ducru Beaucaillou 1989 recorded
2008 Cristal
1969 Bruno Thierry Cote Rotie
1997 Philip Togni
1994 Mouton Rothschild


And of course 2014/Vieux Chateau Certan.

And since wine was not specified:
Hine Cognac 1942 and 1943 bottled by Harvey’s. Can’t decide which I prefer; 1942 more seamless and smooth, 1943 more aromatically complex.

[Ianjaig]

Nice post, Ian and an interesting exercise with results that surprised. Thank God for Cellar Tracker as some of these wines I had forgotten about until I undertook a search. Am envious of the wine’s others have had this year, but for me:

1. 2006 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
2. 2014 Château Giscours
3. 2004 Château Léoville Las Cases
4. 2014 Château Calon-Ségur
5. 2009 Château Bourgneuf
6. 2006 Domaine de Chevalier
7. 2009 Château Léoville Las Cases
8. 2007 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Belle Epoque
9. 2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia
10. 2011 Château Saint-Pierre

[OrlandoRobert]

1. 1982 Chateau Haut Brion
2. 2004 Krug Clos des Mesnil
3. 2008 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cuvée Duvault-Blochet
4. 1969 pre-DRC, pic below
5. 2001 Chateau Haut Brion
6. 1982 Chateau Magdelaine
7. 1999 Tertre Rotobeauf
8. 2001 Chateau Sociando Mallet Cuvee Jean Gautreau
9. 2005 Clos Rougeard Les Poyeaux (2014 is killer, too)
10. 1982 Chateau Bourgneuf (the big sleeper)

Honorable mentions:

2014 Marcel Juge Cornas - increds (2x this year)
1998 Trotanoy
1998 VCC (2x this year)
2008 Dom (5x this year)
Edmund Vatan Los le Neore (7x this year, 2014-17)

D9AB0D1A-8178-4926-B658-6F17C14DEA11.jpeg (219.46 KiB) Viewed 1052 times

[Blanquito]

In no particular order.

1964 C.V.N.E. Rioja Viña Real Reserva Especial
1942 López de Heredia Rioja Viña Bosconia
1978 Ridge York Creek Cabernet
2000 Gaja Sperss
2004 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs
2016 Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumées Clos de la Truffière
2017 PYCM Pernand-Vergelesses Combottes (had twice and yes this lowly appellation produced an irresistible white)
1989 Canon
1990 Jaboulet Crosses-Hermitage Thalabert
1966 Haut Bailly

Honorable Mention: 1983 Lynch Bages, 1983 Gruaud Larose, 1990 Ridge Jimsomare Cabernet

[jal]

In no particular order

2000 Dom Pérignon P2
2002 Lafite
1982 La Lagune
2000 Leflaive Puligny Pucelles
2004 Drouhin Musigny
1982 Latour
1978 Cheval Blanc
1989 Lynch Bages
1989 Pichon Baron
1998 Mouton

If anything, we drank ok in 2020.

[stefan]

Not the ten best, certainly not the ten worst, just ten I remember from 2020.

2002 Dom Pérignon P2 The first time I have had the Dom P2 cuvee. P2 takes Champagne to a new level.
1982 Mouton. Great, as always.
1982 Latour. Even better than the '82 Mouton.
1982 La Lagune. This held its own in a line up that included all of the 1982 FG.
2008 Louis Roederer Crystal Brut. Best Crystal I have ever tasted.
2004 Drouhin Musigny. No Burgundy I have tasted has a better bouquet than Musigny.
1985 La Lagune. An excellent bottle of an old friend.
2008 St. Innocent Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir. I own more from SI than from any other producer.
1989 Lynch-Bages. So that the BD will not expel me.
1979 Palmer. My favorite Bordeaux drunk with family over the long Xmas-New Year holiday.

[Nicklasss]

Pandemic time not helping, and if i don't consider wines from the 2020 BWE DC convention. From 1 to 10.

1989 Chateau Léoville Barton (thanks to Danny/Larry)
2006 Chateau Léoville Las Cases (thanks to JeanFred)
2011 De Montille Pommared 1er Cru Pézerolles
2016 Gilles Barge Côte Rôtie Cuvée Du Plessis
2005 Chateau Duhart Milon
2012 Auguste Clape Cornas
2014 Domaine d'Ardhuy Corton Renardes
2009 Chateau Calon Segur
2016 Chateau Bourgneuf
2006 Chateau Pontet Canet

Nic

[DavidG]

Many of mine were from our BWE trip to Ft Lauderdale, where Stu did, well, what Stu always does - knocked it out of the park.

My list goes to 11.

1988 Krug
2008 Cristal
2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
1996 Krug
1982 Latour
1982 Mouton
1982 Haut Brion
2000 Haut Brion
1982 Lafite
1996 Lafite
1989 Lynch Bages

[s*d*r]

2000 Dom Pérignon P2

2000 Dom Pérignon P2 The first time I have had the Dom P2 cuvee. P2 takes Champagne to a new level.

So do you guys like the 2000 P2 better than the 2002 P2 we had in February in Ft. Lauderdale?

Stu

[Comte Flaneur]

Spoken with pitch perfect De Niro intonation...

(Sorry I couldn’t help myself I am enjoying a great De Niro film, Analyze This...)

[stefan]

Oops! It was the 2002, Stuart. I copied and pasted from Jacques' post and neglected to change the vintage. I changed it now.

[AKR]

Wow you all are drinking some great stuff.

I can hardly remember ten wines I've had this wretched year.

Not for lack of drinking though.

[s*d*r]

#1: 1961 Haut-Brion
What you dream of finding when you pop a FG in a great old vintage, so lively and fascinating

#2. 1990 Le Pin
Very different from any other Pomerol

#3: 1989 Pétrus
The winner of the Pétrus vertical

#4: 1982 Latour
Stunning again, still the wine of the vintage

#5: 2002 Cristal Rosé
Unique and mesmerizing in the world of Rosé champagne

#6: 2014 Roulot Bouchères
Young but just so damn delicious already

#7: 1995 Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon
Amazingly good - and it’s not even Bordeaux

#8: 1982 La Lagune
I had no idea LL could so good it easily competed with the FGs in 1982

#9: 1989 Monrose
Better than the FGs this year

#10: 1983 Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune
Astonishing, better than all the younger ones in the vertical, proof of age ability of Riesling

Stu

[Blanquito]

“Petrus vertical”.

Not two words you really ever see in the same sentence.

[jal]

So do you guys like the 2000 P2 better than the 2002 P2 we had in February in Ft. Lauderdale?

Stu

Actually I do Stuart, by a fraction. I thought the 2000 was not as rich and powerful but it had a better balance.