To piggyback off the other thread, which seems to lean with an Old World bias, what would be the five greatest ‘New World’ wines you have ever had the pleasure of drinking?
Not having experienced older wines from the likes of Charles Krug, BV, Inglenook, Mayacamas, etc, or much from anything in Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, etc I would have to say my top 5 would:
'01 Harlan
'02 SHS
'08 Marcassin Estate Chard
'91 Monte Bello
'07 Spottswoode
Yours?
SHH?
?
You’re not supposed to know what it is. It’s a secret.
So much depends on where, when and who you drink wines with for it to be truly “great”, but these are some that come to mind.
2009 Saxum Booker
2003 Jaffurs’ Melville Syrah
2005 Round Pond Rutherford Cab
2006 Jaffurs’ Upslope Syrah
2009 Carlisle Papera
1978 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace
1990 Mondavi Reserve CS
1992 Dalla Valle Maya
1994 Harlan Estate
2004 SQN Poker Face
in no particular order
1999 Wendouree Shiraz-Mataro
1997 Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon
1975 Ridge York Creek Petite Sirah
1994 Mount Mary Quintet
2003 Harlan Estate- normally not my style of wine, but amazingly well made, balanced, compelling
TTT
Correction, “SHS”
Thx!
At first pass, I’d throw out:
1994 Harlan Estate
1978 Stag’s Leap Cask 23
1999 Shafer Hillside Select (shh, don’t tell anyone)
2002 Rochioli PN West Block
1997 Penfolds Grange
I’m sure I’m forgetting many great ones, though.
?
Cab:
1996 & 1997 Bryant
1987 Spottswoode
1970 BV GDL
1997 Araujo
Honorable mention: 69 Inglenook (can’t remember which one), 79 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill, 82 Dunn Napa, 82 William Hill Gold Label, 78 & 85 BV GDL, 87 Dunn HM, 94 & 96 Dalla Valle, 94, 95, 99, 01 & 02 Araujo, 97 Insignia, 99 Spottswoode (on release), 04 Leonetti
Port:
1910 Inglenook Private Stock Port
Zin:
1997 Turley Black Sears Zin
Pinot:
1994 Beaux Freres Estate (at years 18 & 19)
2008 Cobb Diane
1999 Rochioli Estate (at year 10)
2002 Brickhouse Cuvee Doug
1998 or 1999 Ken Wright Arcus
Chardonnay:
1994 Merryvale Silhouette
2005 Rochioli River Block
2009 Cobb Joy Road
2010 Brickhouse Casandra
2007 Kistler Vine Hill
Bubbles:
1998 Argyle Extended Triage
1999 Argyle Extended Triage
Shh, it’s a secret, “Shafer Hillside Select”
1976 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast
1977 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill
1978 Clos du Val Merlot
1980 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
2001 Van Der Heyden Cabernet Sauvignon Late Harvest
Jason - I appreciate you starting this thread. Honestly, I can’t narrow it down to the 5 top wines I’ve ever experienced. I can say that growing up in California the wine that first opened my eyes to this fruit of the gods was a 1968 Beaulieu Vineyard George de Latour Private Reserve Cab.
Off the top of my head I’ve had some really nice Tor’s (Beckstoffer To Kalon), ‘07 Maybach, Morlet’s, 03’ Blankiet Paradise Hills, Aubert’s, Bevan Cellars, Shafer’s, Lewis Cellar’s, Viader’s, Rochioli’s, '07 O’Shaughnessy Cab, Colgin’s and many others that just aren’t cropping up into the frontal lobe.
Wow – this is the first time I can recall seeing this winery mentioned on a wine board. I’ve tried a few vintages of this wine and have always really enjoyed it. Interesting tasting experience too.
My wife and I randomly stopped there on our first visit to Napa, which was before we were really into wine. I’m not sure if they still do it the same way, but it was a fun tasting experience in their barn/garage. We grabbed this bottle and hid it away until this year. It was a wonderful experience. I posted the notes here and on CT, if you are interested.
I stumbled there accidentally on purpose. The winemaker was walking around and his grandson was riding a big wheel. IIRC, their house was maybe 20 feet from where the tasting room was set-up. Very unique experience.
And I enjoyed your note as well.
2007 Carlisle RRV Syrah
2005 Pax Castelli-Knight Ranch Syrah RRV
2007 Copain Kiser En Bas Pinot Noir AV
2012 Kutch Falstaff Pinot Noir SC
2008 Novy Susan’s Hill Syrah SLH
My 98+… Somehow a couple of SE that I drank didn’t make the list.
94 Harlan
03 Clarendon Hills Astralis
09 Pingus, kinda new world
04 Masseto, kidna new world
01 SHS
92 Togni
02 Harlan
10 Old Sparky