Single greatest American wine ever made?

Ken_Strauss · June 17, 2016, 9:29pm

Bruce Leiser_owitz:

Robert Alfert:

Bob Foster:

1968 BV Private Reserve Cabernet

I’m not sure it’s the greatest - I’m certainly no Cali expert - but that 68 BV was excellent when I had it a few years ago. Stood its ground following a mature Petrus.

Back in the day, the 1968 and 1970 BV PR Cabernets were wonderful, classic examples of “old school” CA Cabernet. Most of those bottles, though, are now past their prime. Some of them are simply
shot at this point. Good bottles of the 1974 Heitz Martha’s and 1991 Ridge MB, by contrast, are still drinking very, very nicely.

Although I haven’t had it in a long time, the 1994 Harlan Estate was one of my top CA Cabs of all time. If I may switch varietals, something like a 1994 William Selyem Hirsch Pinot would be right up there as well.

Bruce

1994 William Selyem Hirsch pinot is on my list!
Love at 1st nose in the glass!

Mark_Golodetz · June 17, 2016, 9:31pm

Add 1975 and 1978 Eisele, Gemello 1970, Diamond Creek Red Rock 1978 (marginally preferred to Volcanic Hill) and Ridge 1991 and I think you have a quorum.

S_Stevenson · June 17, 2016, 9:42pm

It has to be 1951 BVPR. And I did taste it as well.

S_Stevenson · June 17, 2016, 9:44pm

The '58 is thisclose to the '51. Both all time favorites of mine. Had the '51 3 times, the '58 1/2 dozen times.

Mark_Golodetz · June 17, 2016, 9:58pm

It’s going to be impossible to find objective criteria, let alone objective choices. Of all the wine regions, California seems to divide people most into modern versus traditional camps. I suspect as this thread gets longer, we will see the split even out, but at the moment the traditionalists seem to be in charge.

mattbillet · June 17, 2016, 10:08pm

87 Togni, BV de Latour and Ridge Montebello side by side!
91 Ridge Montebello
2005 Saxum JBV
92 Beringer Reserve
Really old Stags Leap and Turley Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirahs

Howard_Cooper · June 17, 2016, 10:23pm

Seems like a lot of votes for

70 BV Reserve
91 Ridge Montebello
74 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard
78 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill

I have all of these except the Heitz and they are fabulous choices.

A few others:

75 Chappellet
78 Diamond Creek Red Rock and Gravelly Meadow
78 Montelena Sonoma
91 Montelena Estate
74 Sterling
84, 85 and 96 Ridge Montebello
91 Togni

anthonyshideler · June 17, 2016, 10:35pm

2003 Marcassin Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge. Arguably the sexiest wine these lips have ever touched, and miles ahead of the estate bottling in my opinion.

Mel_Knox · June 17, 2016, 11:17pm

Speaking of Marcassin I had the 97 Lorenzo and the 97 Estate PN last year and they were both fantastic.

All those great cabs made in the late 60s and early 70s now seem to have added up to a Golden Age:
75 Clos du Val
the Chappellets
Mayacamas 70, 71, etc.
martha s Vineyard 68, 70 and 74
BV Private reserve, 68 and 70
Souverain 68 and 70…I must have druink 3 cases…54$ a case
Ridge Monte bello…the 64 was fantastic…so many great wines
71 Ridge Eisele
the early Diamond Creeks

The Martha V wines were so smooth back then yet have survived ages. Joe believed in SO2.

I’ve had some older Swan wines that were just mind blowing. 74 Lytton Springs…92 W Selyem Allen Chardonnay…drank that at a Burt Williams party a few years ago…tried to check into a furniture store afterwards…95 WS Rochioli PN

The early Acacias aged very well…I had the 80 Madonna at a party in Burgundy alongside 80 La tache and 80 Cros parantoux and it mor e than held its own.

Hard to name just one wine

Victor_Hong · June 18, 2016, 12:00am

Be sure that your wife does not read this post.

Dennis_Kanagie · June 18, 2016, 12:08am

She wasn’t trashy yet back then.

Nick_Ellis · June 18, 2016, 12:33am

But if I remember correctly, she was as hairy as two raccoons fornicating in a cotton gin.

Mel_Knox · June 18, 2016, 12:46am

I had a different wife back then…who cares what she thinks.

Todd_Hamina · June 18, 2016, 12:50am

Obviously the greatest American wine is from California, so I’ll go with the 92 Harlan.

In Oregon, we only do terrific.

Mel_Knox · June 18, 2016, 1:22am

Todd,
How could I forget the oak knoll raspberry wine from the 93 vintage?
Or the DE ferrari late harvest zin…

Had an auction lot of 93 Drouhin pinot a while back…alzo stunning.
83 Ponzi reserve…still alive last year…

David_Henry · June 18, 2016, 1:53am

I have no frickin’ idea. My favorite of thousands I’ve tried: the 1970 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered drank in 1988. My number 2, the 1978 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve drank in 1990. And I’m generally not a Cab. Sauv. lover.

Peter_Petersen · June 18, 2016, 2:10am

I though we were talking “single” greatest. To add more:
'70 BV
'74 Martha’s V.
'58 BV
'62 Monte Bello
'78 Monte Bello

David_Glasser · June 18, 2016, 3:14am

With “greatest” and “American” in the title, doesn’t the answer have to be Trump Brut?

Standouts for me (obviously I’ve not tasted every US wine ever, not to mention S. American if we want to get pedantic) that have already been mentioned
1991 Ridge Monte Bello
2002 Shafer Hillside

I’ll add
1994 Shafer Hillside
1991 Dominus
1994 SQN Queen of Spades
1994 Harlan

Never had the 1974 Heitz Martha’s but the 1975 was awesome.

And many others come close. An impossible task.

Pat_Martin · June 18, 2016, 3:52am

I’d have to add the 91 and 94 Dominus, the 1989 Ridge Monte Bello, the 1980 Montelena Estate Cab, the 1993 Dunn Howell Mtn, and assorted Ridge York Creek and Jimsomare cabs from the 80s and 90s.

I only have had the 91 Ridge Monte Bello once, and while good, it had too much caramelly oak for my tastes (that bottle at least).

George_Chadwick · June 18, 2016, 6:05am

I’m very surprised to say it’s the 1994 Harlan. I’m not a huge Harlan or even cabernet fan.