WOTYs 2020 Edition -- and your Discovery of the Year

My WOTY is locked in at this point: the 1989 Lynch Bages. I absolutely loved this wine’s silky texture, grip and mouth coating flavors (with a seam of ripe fruit and layered complexity including a little funk). I first tasted this wine at a WB offline where I got the last glass and was blown away. After much hemming and hawing given the price, I snagged a bottle and it did not disappoint! I don’t drink much Bordeaux, but am starting to explore the region more as the backfilling opportunities are cheaper/easier than the regions I enjoy most (e.g. Burgundy). I enjoyed the 2016 Lynch Bages and bought a few to cellar (got a steal of a price on a pre-arrival which I hope is honored in years down the road and not swapped out for the Echo!). I have a 1996 as well, which I may just open tomorrow for Thanksgiving.

1 Like

1990 d’Yquem for me, in terms of sheer pleasure.

#1 2002 Billecart Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois - I’ve never been so fulfilled by a wine before.
#2 2018 Kelley Fox Maresh Vineyard Royal Ann Block - I haven’t been around long enough to say this will be my favorite bottle 10 years from now, but it feels like it will be.
#3 2009 Lopez de Heredia Rosado Gran Reserva Vina Tondonia

Discovery of the year: Goodfellow Willamette Valley PN

DR “70.” Over 70 year old wood aged Port from Agri-Roncao and it’s Quinta da Levandeira.
The 1832 Oscar Acciaioly Terrantez was a close second.
Best table wine was the 1982 La Mission Haut Brion.

1978 Dom Perignon but I have high hopes for some candidates in the coming weeks…

Sadly my one and only bottle was corked earlier this year but I got another to try again. Thank you for validating that purchase [cheers.gif]

For me, 2009 DRC Richebourg. Sublime

Unless I have something mindbending in the next few weeks, I think it’ll be 2001 Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese for me.

Can’t say I’m keeping track but I found nothing as delicious as the Dirty and Rowdy Outer Limits Mourvèdre. Enjoyed every sip and was sad to see it so quickly emptied. Seemed like a real achievement of a bottle.

1 Like

I think it’s a tossup between 1971 Monfortino and 1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate. I had some younger wines I’d probably rate a bit higher technically, but these were the most emotional / enjoyable today.

simple…Cristal 2008…followed by 2002 Argyle Extended Tirage.

1982 Chateau Haut Brion

2002 Drouhin Chambolle 1er Baudes - was just the most perfect bottle. That classic burgundy high.

Other close seconds:
1995 Lignier Clos de la Roche
1984 Emidio Pepe Montelpuciano
2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre
2015 Ulysse Collin Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Maillons

WOTY was a complete surprise, and dwarfed every other bottle I drank. It was a Bruno Thierry Cote Rotie from 1969. Those of you who have tasted twenty five year old Chave made by Gerard in the eighties will know the kind of wine I am talking about. Light bodied but with an incredibly intense perfume of spiced fruit, harness leather and smoked meat. But this was even better, the finish longer, and a peacock tail of multifaceted and layered flavor that lasted for several minutes.

Honorable mention to a Vieux Chateau Certan 2014, Gruaud 1978, Philip Togni 1997, a Ridge Monte Bello 1991 and a half bottle of J J Prum Graacher Himmelreich auslese 2007 gold kapsel

I may pop the cork on something potentially next level between now and 12/31, because why the F not, but mine is a 2016 Kinsman Rhadamanthus (Diamond Mountain). After decanting for 6-7 hours, it was spellbindingly good…

I have one of these teed up for this weekend, so we shall see!

As of right now it’s:

White: 1995 Kalin Cellars cuvée CH
Red: 1996 Abadia Retuerta cuvée El Palomar
Sticky: 2016 Climens
Bubbly: 2008 Dom Pérignon

1982 Lafleur. It has been my wine of the year pretty regularly over the past 30+ years. My stash is dwindling, so I now ration one bottle a year and last year’s bottle was corked. Fortunately, I have nine more to go.

Due to the pandemic, I missed my other usual WOTY this year, which is Assyrtiko from one or another of several Santorini wine makers, consumed at Sunset Taverna in Ammoudi Bay on Santorini. Hope to rectify that in 2021.

We had a blow out dinner in March. 90 Rayas was the winner.

Mine is just one Pradikat level up. My WOTY is 2001 Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenhur Riesling Auslese. I haven’t had the spatlese yet.

I looked over all my tasting notes this year and I was surprised to see the highest scores I gave were to Alsatian Gewurtz! Even more so than the Bordeaux, Cal Cabs and Chards which I drink regularly. And the standout of all those Alsatians for me was the 2007 Domaines Schlumberger Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles Cuvée Anne. I am opening a Harlan for Thanksgiving so we’ll see if it tops my Gewurtz inclination.

x2 on the 1978 Dom

[cheers.gif]