Jeb Dunnuck's Top 100 Wines of the Year

[JBrochu]

Slightly aligned to the conversation here and on the WS list (which I found very uninformative/helpful). Is there a critic or “wine rater” that is an “up and comer” who you would trust or find interesting to put together a list? Second, given there is a bias towards LARGE producers, would it not be useful or fun to do a TOP 50 of producers who are smaller (perhaps under x? cases)? Seems like more time is spent on grocery store volume where most (not all) wines I enjoy come from smaller producers who never get on list. Thoughts?

I would rather they continue to focus on things that I don’t usually purchase!

[Robert_Sand]

There´re a lot of wines on the list I´d like to drink - however:
NO Riesling?

Also some other things I don´t get:
Clos des Papes with 96 points at $ 120 is #13
Domaine du Pegau with 98 points at $ 90 is #20

• that escapes my logic.
  

[TerryD]

Lots of love for SBC Rhones - good to see. And note the pricing on most of them - some of the lowest on the list with a few exceptions. I’ll say it again - and yes, I am a ‘cheerleader’ for our area - but the QPRs continue to be very good from SBC . . .

Cheers.

Agree

[John_Telford]

Slightly aligned to the conversation here and on the WS list (which I found very uninformative/helpful). Is there a critic or “wine rater” that is an “up and comer” who you would trust or find interesting to put together a list? Second, given there is a bias towards LARGE producers, would it not be useful or fun to do a TOP 50 of producers who are smaller (perhaps under x? cases)? Seems like more time is spent on grocery store volume where most (not all) wines I enjoy come from smaller producers who never get on list. Thoughts?

I would rather they continue to focus on things that I don’t usually purchase!

Why, I would really like exposure to smaller producers who do not fit their commercial model. First, to find these niche producers and second to support these smaller direct to consumer artisans. With the exception of Bordeaux, for me, these are the wines I enjoy buying, drinking, and normally find higher quality.

[John_Glas]

Also some other things I don´t get:
Clos des Papes with 96 points at $ 120 is #13
Domaine du Pegau with 98 points at $ 90 is #20

• that escapes my logic.
  

Agree. Always see these mysteries in top 100s. No shortage of high scores for such young wines though.

[TerryD]

Anyone ever compare the Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Old Vine to the regular Summa Vineyard Pinot? Just picked up a bottle of the latter.

Been on their list for about a year so not a lot of experience yet. On a thread not too long ago someone said the gap between the regular Summa and the Old vine was closing. From what I’ve had I would not disagree.

[John_Glas]

Dude dropping max scores like NBA dunk contest judges.

Dude getting a lot of free wine samples for those high scores.

[William_Kelley]

Anyone ever compare the Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Old Vine to the regular Summa Vineyard Pinot? Just picked up a bottle of the latter.

It is a bit more concentrated and introverted out of the gate, and was historically quite a bit more complex than the regular bottling, though I think the regular bottling has closed the gap over the last few years in that respect. It’s a special site, and that has been apparent right from the first 1988 Williams-Selyem bottling, which I will never forget drinking with Burt back when I lived in California.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

Lots of love for SBC Rhones - good to see. And note the pricing on most of them - some of the lowest on the list with a few exceptions. I’ll say it again - and yes, I am a ‘cheerleader’ for our area - but the QPRs continue to be very good from SBC . . .Cheers.

Duh! And of course I hate the stuff!

This is a list I could like, but the scores read like participation trophies. I assume he would argue that the entire industry makes better wines than it used to and that’s why the scores are higher - like the continuing improvement in the world records for swimming or running.

I have already had 3 of the wines on his list and he gave them scores over 95. They are all outstanding and I would gladly own them, but my scores would be 3-4 points lower. What does that mean to those who hate scores or hate the 100 point scale? I think the wines were outstanding and worthy of mention, but none were over 95 points, which is a range that I reserve for wines that, as Ben Franklin said, “prove that God loves us.”

By the way - since my cellar is too full already, I will give you all a recommendation. The 2018 Gigondas is FANTASTIC. Not exactly inexpensive, but compared to the wines priced in the three digits, it is a great thing to buy.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

Anyone ever compare the Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Old Vine to the regular Summa Vineyard Pinot? Just picked up a bottle of the latter.

It is a bit more concentrated and introverted out of the gate, and was historically quite a bit more complex than the regular bottling, though I think the regular bottling has closed the gap over the last few years in that respect. It’s a special site, and that has been apparent right from the first 1988 Williams-Selyem bottling, which I will never forget drinking with Burt back when I lived in California.

I agree about the comparison. Both excellent but the old vines has an extra layer of spicy complexity and is more complex.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

. . .

I found at least one white on this list: #30 2019 Guigal Condrieu La Doriane

Edit: #94 as well. A chard from Morlet.

I have only had the Morlet Chard Ma Princess once. Tres cher, but an outstanding wine

[JBrochu]

. . .

I found at least one white on this list: #30 2019 Guigal Condrieu La Doriane

Edit: #94 as well. A chard from Morlet.

I have only had the Morlet Chard Ma Princess once. Tres cher, but an outstanding wine

I own a few bottles of the 2017, but I haven’t tried it yet. I believe the grapes are from Ritchie Vineyard, which I love.

[John_Glas]

At least I can say I have some of these compared to the Spectator top 100.

WS will have wines from the Southern Hemisphere. This is the big difference between the lists.

[JBrochu]

Slightly aligned to the conversation here and on the WS list (which I found very uninformative/helpful). Is there a critic or “wine rater” that is an “up and comer” who you would trust or find interesting to put together a list? Second, given there is a bias towards LARGE producers, would it not be useful or fun to do a TOP 50 of producers who are smaller (perhaps under x? cases)? Seems like more time is spent on grocery store volume where most (not all) wines I enjoy come from smaller producers who never get on list. Thoughts?

I would rather they continue to focus on things that I don’t usually purchase!

Why, I would really like exposure to smaller producers who do not fit their commercial model. First, to find these niche producers and second to support these smaller direct to consumer artisans. With the exception of Bordeaux, for me, these are the wines I enjoy buying, drinking, and normally find higher quality.

Mostly just selfish reasons. I would like to still be able to buy the wine I love and these lists tend to drive prices up and availability down. I’m sure it would be even more pronounced for a small producer’s offering.

[John_Telford]

I would rather they continue to focus on things that I don’t usually purchase!

Why, I would really like exposure to smaller producers who do not fit their commercial model. First, to find these niche producers and second to support these smaller direct to consumer artisans. With the exception of Bordeaux, for me, these are the wines I enjoy buying, drinking, and normally find higher quality.

Mostly just selfish reasons. I would like to still be able to buy the wine I love and these lists tend to drive prices up and availability down. I’m sure it would be even more pronounced for a small producer’s offering.

Totally get it…having said that would it not be interesting and would it not help those smaller producers. I think it would be fantastic.

[Robert_M_yers]

That’s something you don’t see everyday the 95th wine scored 100

[Mark_Y]

One burg… a 2018 Charmes…probably worst GC… okkkkk…

i like this top 100 list a great deal… especially if it influences pricing!

[John_Ammons]

Does he not drink white wine?

I spied a chardonnay at #94!! A hundred pointer, of course.

If the newly released Rivers Marie Summa is 100 points, I think the 2006 Littorai Summa I had a few weeks back might cause his rating system to implode.

[John_Telford]

That’s something you don’t see everyday the 95th wine scored 100

Love it…surely there was a discussion////???

[Ed_Steinway]

Another white wine that made the list was the 2017 Chateau Rieussec at #49. Jeb gave it very high praise.

Regarding the Tour Saint Christophe, this wine has become an annual purchase for us since tasting the 2014 a few years ago. This is not a wine that I would recommend for someone who is looking for a ‘traditional’ Bordeaux, but it is a darned good bottle of wine that is very modestly priced for the quality. IMO, the 2017 is not quite as good as the 2015 and 2016, but it is a wine that I am happy to drink!

Ed