I was coming to mention 08 cdc … so there ya go
2019 Martinelli Zinfandel Giuseppe & Luisa
The Ur Alte Reben is a must buy every year for me.
Howard - I think you are correct on the Ruinart and I agree with the Comtes comment.
I’ll make a low-end and a high-end recommendation on two wines that I doubled-down on this year:
2014 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses
Arguably the best vintage of this wine in a very long time, from a classic vintage. This will age like the famed 89/90 duo. I have actually tripled-down on this one, just ordered another six yesterday, and six of the 2010.
2014 Vieux Chateau Certan
If you don’t listen to my yak palate, listen to Mark Golodetz, I think he owns like 3 cases of VCC in this vintage. It is utterly classic, arguably the wine of the vintage among the wines that I have tried, at least. And it’s about 1/2 of the price, and IMHO even better, than 2015 and 2018, quite ripe years. An alternative, that I have bought more of this year as well, is 2011. The 2011 vintage has generally not been well-received, but it certainly produced some classic, balanced Pomerols. I had the Chateau La Providence last night, a beautiful wine.
2 Likes
+1 on '14 vcc. Bought some for about $130 in auction.
That is a great price!. I paid $125 as futures back in 2015.
had a 2011 Clinet a week or so ago that was good, not great. Nice richness and balance, but no real wow factor - not that much complexity or length. Was blown away IMHO by a much more complex 2000 Grand Mayne.
1 Like
That poor wine was doomed to failure before you ever pulled the cork. Yes, made by our good friend, Michel Rolland. 
2 Likes
Here are my notes on both from release.
-
2019 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese feinherb Ur Alte Reben - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/3/2021)
Surprisingly deep yellowing color to this, and deep scents too, that threw me for a loop at first - I would have guessed this at least a few years on from 2019 if you’d blinded me on it. It’s among the drier, crisper vintages of the Ur Alte, certainly moreso than the 2015. MFW says it’s 20g/l sugar but it tastes drier than that while still having enough fleshiness to keep it out of acid-attack trocken territory. It starts off with sumptuous aromatics with some peachy flavors adding an exotic twist to the more scaled-back melon elements though it turns paler over the course of the bottle. It segues from juice to mineral, liquid to solid, on the back end which is all chalk and salty breezes. (92 pts.) -
2015 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese feinherb Ur Alte Reben - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/26/2016)
Like the 2012 version of this, this is “spatlese feinherb” and weighs in at 12% alcohol, but it tastes much closer to the spatlese side of things than the dry side. It opens with a huge burst of fruit, practically a fruit grenade as it feels like there is a ton of kinetic material just waiting to burst. The flavors combine pale pear-like flavors with stuff that’s more tropical and luscious, like guava and passionfruit. The emphasis is more fruit than mineral at the moment, but the feinherb specs keep it reasonably precise even when it warms up in the glass.
Love the new label on this, by the way. Modern but medieval. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
2 Likes
A little more than three cases. However, having had a bottle a month, as they were young yet still drinking beautifully, they abruptly closed up. Thinking it was only one bottle, I tried again, but this too was closed. I will hold off a couple of years.
That being said, it has the potential to be magnificent, and no longer a secret, so prices are on the rise.
1 Like
I agree, Mark. This is a world-class bottle of wine and it definitely needs, like any world-class Bordeaux, sometime now. We caught glimpses of its beauty on release, but it is now going into slumber, no different than some of the other Pomerols that I really loved, like l’Eglise Clinet and Trotanoy. I had a 2016 Bourgneuf on Tuesday that remained open and was quite charming. Neal recommended this wine above, and I concur. Remarkably well-priced.
It’s a bit of an odd question. I purchased a personal record-level number of wines this year, and I more than just seriously considered each one of them, I actually put up my hard-earned money to buy them, including the one chosen in the OP’s post. But I wouldn’t believe my choices are for everyone. I will buy want I want and wouldn’t presume others should get on my train.
Still, in the spirit on the OP, I will nominate the 2019 Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Charleston. C’mon everyone, let’s help William Kelley make those satellite Burgundy appellations a thing! Do you really want him to be the Gretchen Wieners of wine critics?
There are some amazing wines that have already been listed, and some real value plays with the 2019 German wines. 2008 Comtes is a no-brainer, and I really wish I had stuck with my original plan of buying a full case…so that definitely deserves a mention, as do almost all of the library releases from Patricia Green (such a generous & kind offer from Jim). Having said all that I’m going to go to a region & producer that has not been mentioned yet.
However, at $99/bottle my choice would be for the 2019 Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge…all day long.
In the under $50 range my choice would be for the 2019 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis. At $35-$39 this is a wine you should not ignore. In my mind, it won’t be long before this is over $50/bottle and looking back on a vintage like this, with prices like this that it will be a shame to have not bought more. Also, having said that, I opened one bottle from my first case, and immediately bought a second case. I can count on three fingers the number of wines I’ve bought multiple cases of on release. Seriously…do not miss this wine. Also, age one bottle at least 10-15 years.
2 Likes
2016 Castell’in Villa, Chianti Classico. It’s hard to believe how much complexity you can pack in to a $25 wine.
2 Likes
You’re the second berserker who I see bring this one up with such high regard.
I haven’t tried them but we should really get the Fields Family in here for Berserker Day.
1 Like
I bought a bunch of 375s. My first bottle was delicious form the opening sip and sent me hunting for more. Long life ahead but really lovely now
1 Like
Sorry; slip of the fingers/synapses. Should have been 2006
1 Like
2018 Desire Lines Syrah Shake Ridge.
1 Like
La Bruja de Rozas is the only one I’ve tried- and I loved it. This is the entry level bottling. Made me very excited for this producer, and from what I read, their pricier offerings are similar in style. So, my recommendation is really to try anything from Comando G. Unfortunately, their 1er cru is tough to source and their single vineyard bottling are insanely expensive…
1 Like