Thanks to everyone for playing again for 2019. With 653 entries, I think I had a new record to work with. I also did have to make a difficult executive decision when pulling notes from Laurent’s thread. Because he started it so early in the year, I decided to only add wines from that thread where the poster had posted 5 wines or less on this thread. Sorry if that left some wines out of the mix, and I take full responsibility.
Now. As predicted early on, 2008 Dom and 1998 Jamet were in the top 3. The 08 Dom shattered any previous record for my tabulations threads with TEN votes for WOTY. 08 Cristal was 2nd with 6 votes and the 1998 Jamet was third with 5 votes. 09 Cristal (and these were the only 2 vintages of any Roederer that earned mentions) came in with 4 votes, as did 1989 Montrose.
The Montrose highlighted a trend this year. There were at least 125 entries in the Bordeaux category, and that’s not counting Sauternes. 1978 La Miss ended up with 3 votes and so did the 1982 Gruaud Larose. The other wines getting 3 votes were the familiar 1996 Salon and…2016 MacDonald Cab
In terms of house mentions, you would imagine that Dom led the way there too and you’d be correct with 19. Champers swept the top 3 spots here with Krug in at 12 and Roederer in at 10. Others receiving 5 votes or more:
Bollinger (7)
Bruno Giacosa (5)
Beaucastel (5)
D’Yquem (8) (low for them)
La Miss (8)–strong showing for them after a couple off years
Margaux (6)
Montrose (6)
Mouton (7)
Chave (6)
Clos Rougeard (5)
Comte de Vogue (5)
Comte Ligier-Belair (5) (first time they’ve shown up in a tabulation mention)
Dauvissat (6) (ditto here, I think)
DRC (8)
Huet (8)
Jamet (8)
Lopez de Heredia (7) (definitely first time for them too)
MacDonald (5)
Ridge (5)
Rivers-Marie (5) (it was almost 6–the 17 Occidental PN was my last cut from my list)
Taittinger (6)
Screaming Eagle? No votes. Surprised that board faves Aubert and Rhys garnered just one each. Kutch had 2 votes and that’s it. Bevan, just one vote. Keller had 3. No Abreu, but we had Colgin and Harlan entries this year. SQN only 4. No Lafon and only 2 Roumiers and 2 Rousseaus and 2 Leroys and 2 Raveneaus. White Burg in general didn’t seem to make it on to too many lists—there was some, but not as much as perhaps in past years.
Anyway, there you go. I leave my OP below. On to 2020.
Mike
Well, will you look at the time. How time flies. Here we are, the beginning of November already.
Many thanks to Laurent for starting an early-bird thread, I will add that in here for reference. Best wines since the beginning of 2019 - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers
Most of you know the drill by now—post away, revise as needed until end of year, I will tabulate and report on the results in this OP in early January.
Another fine year. Really, the 2015 Meo Camuzet Corton Charlemagne was again the first star. However, since I have a strict rule about not awarding WOTY to the same wine twice, we’ll go with something else. The 04 Dom Rose made a strong push to try to nudge out the Port. Scores included where my note prompted me to that extra level of description
1970 Taylor Fladgate VP Pretty easily (after further thought and reflection) the best port I’ve ever had.
2016 Chateau Pichon-Comtesse
2008 Cristal
1995 Chateau Angelus (94)
2004 Dagueneau Pur Sang
2015 Meo Camuzet Corton Charlemagne (97)
2013 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne Romanee
2014 Kutch Santa Cruz Chard (93)
2007 Huet Le Mont Demi-Sec
1997 Dow VP
A Margaine Premier Cru NV (92+)
1998 Giacosa Barbaresco Rabaja
Argyros 20 year Vin Santo (94)
2010 Emrich-Schonleber Halenberg Grosse Lage Ries (93)
2012 Emidio Pepe Colli Apurtini Pecorino
2005 Domaine Maillard Corton Les Renardes
1978 Remoissenet Clos St. Denis
2007 Williams-Selyem Litton Estate PN
1977 Chappellet Cab
2004 Dom Perignon Rose
1998 Alzinger Loibner Weingarten Gruner Veltliner Smaragd
2003 Huet Cuvee Constance (93)
Discovery was the Pepe Pecorino, but the real discovery was Scramm’s Red Agnes Mead. Wow. The Snowden wines in Napa also deserve a mention here.
My full note on the Taylors:
1970 Taylor Fladgate VP
This was the WOTD for me. One of many generous brings by Mark Golodetz. This was an absolute beauty to sniff and taste. A port in its full bloom after the requisite 50 years or so, power has been traded for complexity with chocolate, fig, buttercream and toffee all having a say. Not in any way thick or heavy at all, there is still some alcoholic excitement at the back of the throat. Easily one of the best ports I’ve ever had.
Mike