"Let's see if all of the hype is worth it." Your stories...

I just read through Neal Martin’s article about a huge 10-year vintage retrospective tasting of Bordeaux. It’s a fun read, and I’m amazed at the number of wines tasted and scored. It was also interesting that he did two tastings: one blind, and one sighted, and then posted scores for each. I like that transparency.

Anyway, that’s not the point of my post. One of the points in his article is that, in his opinion, he’d anoint the 2010 Ch. Latour Pauillac as the wine of the vintage. Perfection, 100 points. I found myself compelled enough to ask, “Wow. I wonder if all the hype is really worth it. I’d love to taste a 2010 Latour and see.” I then pulled up wine-searcher.com pro and very rapidly concluded, uh, yeah, nevermind. Wow, those prices.

Anyway, I’d love to hear some stories about you asking yourself the, “Does _____ wine really live up to all they hype?” and then tasting said wine. Did it? Did it not? I’m sure there are some great tales out there and I’d love to hear them. Good, bad, funny, all of them.

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I’m sure lots of us have more than one story, but I’ll pipe in with one that popped up to my mind first.

I’m at a business dinner function with my best friend and business partner - he’s a Cali Cult fan, I am not - having dinner with some major clients of his, so every bottle after bottle is one of those bombers we read about. Blah Blah, 100 points, this or that. Big oak, high ABV, etc. I was slow-drinking that night, none of those wines hit my note. Somehow the subject of Petrus comes up, my buddy asks the Somm to bring one, and the Somm brought back a 2000 Cheval Blanc, saying that was the best they had. My buddy looks at me, I give thumbs up, and of we go tasting with the Cheval. I was the only one at the table that liked it - loved it would be more apropos - so ended up consuming 2/3s of that bottle by myself, after the tasting pours were made. The group went back their goop, while I drank away in blissful silence. That Cheval is fantastic, every bit lived up to this station in life.

Back to that Petrus reference, my buddy and I have had the 89 Petrus twice together, the whole bottle each time, both times with our wives, who (haha) only drink white wine. Both times each of us have declared it as a perfect wine, one of the best in our lives. It is notable that my buddy and I do not share the same palate, but here we both agreed. Venn Diagram for sure.

2005 Sierra Carche

newhere

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Do yourself some money, buy a 100pt 2018 Myriad GIII Empyrean off the current release for $175!

In the case of the 2010 Latour, it’s probably not so much if it’s worth the hype as it is, is it worth the expense.

The 2010 Latour is what, $1,200 a bottle? Not even tempted at that price. A little curious of course, and I’d be eager to drink a glass of Robert’s bottle, but no not tempted in the slightest

Same price as the 1982, and more than the 2000 and 1990. I know where I’d put my $1200 were I burning up to buy a Latour!

So many wines come into the “What were they thinking?”
category.

It is a mistake to have high expectations, as there is no critic who can be trusted with a 100 point score.

Present company excepted.

Interested to hear what Neal has to say about 2010 generally. I assume he has something to say about where (globally) they are on their maturity curve. They were fairly tannic and old-school when released and I figured they would be some of the last ones I open

the wine that immediately comes to mind as one that did not stand up to the price point (to me) was a 2014 Guigal Condrieu la Doriane. granted, it was a bottle that had been passed among a couple of us to taste on separate nights and I was getting it on night three… but I don’t even know how to describe it. green strawberries wrapped in a handful of fresh basil leaves? certainly was not getting the kind of tasting notes on CT. all three of us that tasted it that night unanimously voted that it was best to never speak of it again.

on the flip side a wine that I think doesn’t get nearly enough hype (or maybe is overshadowed) is the Rinaldi Dolcetto. that was one of my favorite wines in the last 6 months and it completely snuck up on me. then again, I bought it because of hype around Rinaldi in general, because the one bottle of their Barolo that I own is being saved for a very special occasion or a very rough day.

Thanks Michael!

1996 Harlan was worth the hype, twice. I’m not a super-big fan of Napa cab, but that wine is special.

2008 Cristal was worth the hype. That was the best champagne I’ve ever had.

2009 Chateau d’Yquem was worth the hype. I can’t imagine a sauternes tasting better than that, and it’s my only 99 point score.

1990 Chateau Latour was worth the hype. My note - 98 points. Decanted 1 hour. Wow! This is one of the best wines I’ve ever had. It is completely open and delicious. It is soft and complex. There is a ton of complexity. Old world Bordeaux that is easy to drink and the palate is as good as the nose.

2016 MacDonald was not worth the hype, at least not yet. My note - 92 points - Decanted for 8 hours. The dominating flavors are berries and a ton of vanilla. There is red fruit and dusty chocolate. The wine has an extracted, intense profile while still managing to be smooth. The term “slutty” comes to mind. There was no noticeable alcohol, and a whole lot of fruit. The 6 of us had a lengthy discussion about whether these wines will age gracefully, and we did not reach a consensus. Nonetheless, based on this wine, I will not open another MacDonald until it is at least 10 years old, preferably 15 or 20.

Colgin, Futo, not worth the hype. We did a vertical of Futo (not my idea) and we were all scratching our heads at the prices.

2007 Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard - multiple 100 point scores, I don’t get it.

Screaming Eagle

Have had two vintages and it’s a $60 mediocre Napa Cab, that’s all.

95% of wine is overhyped. Very rare that a wine delivers IMO. Scores are just a random, well trained palate of one individual. For every wine one person will like it and one will not.

LMAO

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A few producers immediately come to mind as being worth the hype: Allemand, Keller, Mugneret-Gibourg, Raveneau…

Krug 164 and 2008 Cristal are two bottles that immediately come to mind as being worth the hype.

The only producer that immediately comes to mind as not being worth the hype is d’Yquem.

The 1982 Latour and 1982 Cheval Blanc were definitely worth it! But again, I bought them when they were released!

I do remember being pretty underwhelmed by the d’yquem that ive had. give me a sweet riesling for 1/3 the price and I think ill be happier.