The Annual BWE William "Stefan" Johnson Wine of the Year

[JimHow]

So we are a little beyond the half way point of the year.
I've decided after 21 years it is time to start celebrating some of the greatness that has personified Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts.
We are truly a group that has gained some great heights, unknown to most in the wine world. We might as well celebrate it amongst ourselves!
I lost my kid brother Dan earlier this year and I decided that life is way too short.
In my kindness and benevolence as the benevolent dictator of BWE, I have decided to rename our annual wine of the year award in the name of the heart and soul of BWE, Dr. William Johnson. I think he is only the third or fourth member of his family to have a building or award named after him. His wife Jan, aka "Lucie," is a co-BWE conspirator extraordinaire.
Those of you who do not know about his background should take a few minutes to research. He is a world-class mathematician of historic proportions. We have been honored by his presence. For two decades, we have been in the presence of greatness, he is the 1986 Gruaud Larose of our site.... the epitome of Bordeaux, the epitome of Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts. I remember like yesterday his uncorking of not one but TWO bottles of 1986 Gruaud Larose at the first BWE convention in Chicago in February 2001. It seems impossible that it has been over 20 years. Many BWE conventions and DC oyster lunches and epically fun times later, William "Stefan" Johnson remains, the bedrock, the heart and soul of BWE.
And so, as the kind and benevolent dictator of BWE, it is my honor to rename our annual wine of the year award in the name of BWE's most august and legendary member, Dr. William "Stefan" Johnson....
So it is written, so it shall be done.

While we are at it....

What is your wine of the year to date, here at just past the half way point?

For me, obviously, it was the 2001 Lafite Rothschild uncorked this past weekend with Jacques and Jill....

[Nicklasss]

Very good call Jim. Like whoopie pie and 1989 Lynch Bages, i think stefan and BWE WOTY are closely link together, as the best stuff and people on that site. I can just agree.

Up to now, tough call for my 2021 BWE WOTY, but i would have a soft spot for the 2014 Domaine de Chevalier.

But i did not had the 2001 Lafite... and the year is not over yet.

And i'm happy with your confident choice, as Jal will probably go with the 2010 Troplong Mondot... :-p

[Racer Chris]

My #1 so far this year is '61 Latour.
#2 is '74 Heitz Martha's Vineyard
#3 is '82 Margaux
Its been a pretty good year so far.

[OrlandoRobert]

Hard to narrow it down, but here are some wines from 2021 that I would put in the 95+point range:

2017 Le Pin - had twice
2015 Ausone - teetering in the edge of too much greatness
1998 Magdelaine
1986 Latour
1996 Ducru
1970 Magdelaine
2000 Dom P2
2009 Palmer
2004 Haut Brion
2005 Magdelaine
1996 Leoville Barton
Every Vatan I’ve had this year
Krug Les Mesnil

Loved everyone of them. The 96 Ducru is what I want more of. It made quite an impression. I doubt it will be my wine of the year, I have some killer wine events coming up, including another Bern’s trip, but damn was that Ducru excellent. Will be better than the 86 Latour that I had side by side.

[DavidG]

Hard to narrow it down, but here are some wines from 2021 that I would put in the 95+point range:

2017 Le Pin - had twice
2015 Ausone - teetering in the edge of too much greatness
1998 Magdelaine
1986 Latour
1996 Ducru
1970 Magdelaine
2000 Dom P2
2009 Palmer
2004 Haut Brion
2005 Magdelaine
1996 Leoville Barton
Every Vatan I’ve had this year
Krug Les Mesnil

Loved everyone of them. The 96 Ducru is what I want more of. It made quite an impression. I doubt it will be my wine of the year, I have some killer wine events coming up, including another Bern’s trip, but damn was that Ducru excellent. Will be better than the 86 Latour that I had side by side.

Definitely some Excessibe Baller wines there!

[jckba]

As far as Bordeaux wines go, here are my top 5:

1990 Pichon Baron
1999 Ausone
1996 Ducru Beaucaillou
1996 Lynch Bages
2001 Ducru Beaucaillou

[Winona Chief]

I have been drinking a bit less red Bordeaux than usual (and a lot more Champagne) so far this year but probably the best red Bordeaux I’ve had is:

1990 Leoville Poyferre

Drank this in June with Gary Rust (johnz) at a steakhouse in Minnesota. The 2007 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs that preceded it at this dinner was also a winner.

Second best red Bordeaux was probably the 1985 Pichon Lalande that Eric brought to the May 21 event organized by Joel.

Chris Bublitz

[Nicklasss]

Had the 1996 Ducru Beaucaillou too, offered by JeanFred at our last dinner, and yes a great Saint-Julien that could be BWE WOTY.

By the way, we're dining together tonight.

[OrlandoRobert]

Hard to narrow it down, but here are some wines from 2021 that I would put in the 95+point range:

2017 Le Pin - had twice
2015 Ausone - teetering in the edge of too much greatness
1998 Magdelaine
1986 Latour
1996 Ducru
1970 Magdelaine
2000 Dom P2
2009 Palmer
2004 Haut Brion
2005 Magdelaine
1996 Leoville Barton
Every Vatan I’ve had this year
Krug Les Mesnil

Loved everyone of them. The 96 Ducru is what I want more of. It made quite an impression. I doubt it will be my wine of the year, I have some killer wine events coming up, including another Bern’s trip, but damn was that Ducru excellent. Will be better than the 86 Latour that I had side by side.

Definitely some Excessibe Baller wines there!

Haha, listen to you! I’m a neophyte comparatively!

Do have some really cool wines on deck, like an 08 Rayas that I’ve been thinking about. Have an 82 flight coming up as well.

[SF Ed]

I suspect I will have my WOTY in early October

Right now it is a fantastic 2003 Leoville Barton I drank in June.

SF Ed

[stefan]

Wow! What a great honor you have bestowed on me, BD. I am unworthy but delighted.

I'll vote for 1986 Gruaud-Larose, mostly because when I drank it this year it brought back memories of BWE occasions on which we drank it.

[SF Ed]

Wow! What a great honor you have bestowed on me, BD. I am unworthy but delighted.

I'll vote for 1986 Gruaud-Larose, mostly because when I drank it this year it brought back memories of BWE occasions on which we drank it.

And I'm bringing a bottle to BWE DC so we can make sure we drink it again!

What better way to honor a BWE legend like stefan.

SF Ed

[jal]

Tops is undoubtedly the 2001 Lafite
2nd is the 1979 Pichon Lalande
3rd is the 1982 La Lagune
4th is the 1982 Calon Segur

After that various Jacques Carillon 1ers, various Faury and Gonon one Vatan La Neore

[Comte Flaneur]

Well deserved … one of his finest moments was when the young cellarmaster at La Lagune metaphorically passed the microphone to stefan on our visit on May 20 2015 to wax lyrical on the last five decades of the wines of Lagune.

My woty in 2021 so far is not a Bordeaux, it is a Denis Bachelet Charmes Chambertin 2001, but we are barely half way through 2021; there is still a ways to go. But I could imagine that the Lafite 2001 will be hard to beat. I think we are all agreed that Lafite is the finest estate in Bordeaux by a comfortable margin.

[Blanquito]

My top wines so far in 2021:
1952 CVNE Vina Real Reserva Especial
1982 Calon Segur
1982 Talbot
1982 Girard Certan
1978 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge
1975 Pichon Lalande
1973 Sterling Reserve Cabernet
2017 Neillon Chassagne Les Chaumées Clos de la Truffière
1967 Guiraud
2001 d’Yquem

[Blanquito]

I would hasten to add that, while opening each of these brilliant bottles, I ran through my trig tables, pondered the brilliance of Archimedes and Pythagorus, and wrote out pi to the 100th decimal place in homage to BWE’s most eminent professor of mathematics.

[stefan]

Patrick, I think that is

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078 164062862089986280348253421170679

But I am old and might have miscalculated.

[Winona Chief]

Blanquito,

Not surprised, recent examples (within the last few years) of 1975 Pichon Lalande and 1978 Domaine de Chevalier have been very good. Good bottles of 1982 Talbot can be spectacular.

Chris Bublitz

[Blanquito]

Patrick, I think that is

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078 164062862089986280348253421170679

But I am old and might have miscalculated.

Lol. You called my bluff!

[s*d*r]

A well deserved honor for our resident Professor.

Of course it’s much too early for me to list the WOTY, but I will present my Surprise of the Demi-Year:

• 2018 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé - France, Provence, Bandol (7/10/2021)
  My first Tempier Rosé and not only did I like it but so did everyone at the table. Unique. Almost bitter when first opened, it settled down nicely and I could discern wild strawberry, orange oil, pith and ginger. A good dose of tangy acidity keeps it brisk and refreshing. You need food to tame it; don’t take it out to the pool in the hot summer sun. (93 pts.)

But I guess if you think your ‘18s are already too old, the timing for WOTY is just right .

[Blanquito]

Blanquito,

Not surprised, recent examples (within the last few years) of 1975 Pichon Lalande and 1978 Domaine de Chevalier have been very good. Good bottles of 1982 Talbot can be spectacular.

Chris Bublitz

Indeed, Chris. I’ve long been a big fan of the 78 DDC and this bottle of it was going strong. So was the 75 PLL which looked like it had been bottled only a few years ago. The 82 Talbot was extra special, like so many 82s are — they have all of that character, verve and nuance that pre-Parkerized Bordeaux have but with that extra gear of texture and fruit that make the 82s so irresistible.

[DavidG]

Congratulations, Bill, this is a well-deserved honor - one among many.