Poll; the BEST wine you've had in recent past

Karly (Amador County) "The Last Syrah". This wine was as the name says the last syrah produced from their estate vineyard. They then turned the fields because of declining crops from the sharpshooter. The wine can be summed up with one word...INTENSE.

I haven't had a whole lot of wine this summer, it's been so hot here on the east coast of the US, even up in Maine. Nonetheless, I did open a

2002 Justin Isosceles a couple of weeks ago, with some grilled strip steaks. It was marvelous. A little tight (OK, a lot tight) at first, and I decanted an hour before mealtime. An hour into the meal, it had opened up quite nicely, not a silky as the 2001, perhaps a touch less fruit (give it time though, and who knows?), but still an amazing wine.

- Chris

Summer isn't the time for us to open many profound bottles, but the '99 Dom. Coteaux de Bel-Air Chiroubles that we had earlier this summer was a standout.

Mark Lipton

'83 Cheval Blanc. 'cause it rocked.

1987 Beringer Howell Mtn. Bancroft Ranch Merlot. OK, OK, I know I am NOT normally a domestic (US) Merlot fan, but this was one wonderful wine. Still intense, but starting to reveal itself nicely. I played with it in my glass for almost 45 minutes, and would not let the waitstaff refill, until I was ready.

Hunt

Muddy Waters Waipara James Hardwick Riesling (2004). Love NZ Rieslings (and have never yet had an even mediocre one), so had high expectations when unscrewing this one. Even then, it blew them all away. Intense fragrances of citrus, steely character with great acidity. Absolutely loved it.

Salil

1989 Chateau Maraux, it was fabulous! Rick

Ch. Laville Haut Brion Creme de Tete 1982 was outstanding in June. This is one of the best dry white Bordeaux wines I have ever had. It was full, but well balanced. It was very complex and had the right amount of acid. It was every bit as good as most top Burgundy whites, but in a very different way. Unfortunately there is very little of such top dry white Bordeaux wine.

"Ric" asked -

1998 Primo Estate Joseph "Moda" Cabernet Merlot (South Australia).

Joe Grilli uses the Amarone grape-drying technique (not dried to the same extent).

Now, eight years old, from the stunning 1998 vintage: still dark and brooding, beautifully perfumed, sweet berry fruits and enough ripe tannins to believe that this wine will last another decade or more.

Palmer 2002. Deep and intense nose with plenty of floral and fruit notes, undiscernible oak (a plus!) and a silky mouth in which there was fine grained tannins. A lovely wine.

S.

"Ric" skrev i meddelandet news:kWuCg.5326$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...

Chablis 1er cru "Montmains" 1978 Jaboulet & Vercherre [1]

Cheers

Nils Gustaf

[1] I do not share the political opinions of the incumbent J&V

My own recent best wine - 2001 'Terzetto' from the Volker Eisele Family Estate vineyard and winery (Chiles Valley). Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot - all co-fermented. The price is not for the faint of heart, but this is a remarkable wine, that compares well to many of the finest contemporary wines from Napa or Bordeaux.

Like many others I haven't been drinking many top flight wines due to the warm weather - simple glugging whites have tended to be the order of the day.

Best one in the last month was the Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial

1991. A sublime wine (though probably drunk too young).

It knocked all the other wines tasted that evening (a friend's 50th) into a cocked hat because they all tended to have some sort of imperfection. None were faulty or bad, on another night most of them would have come high in any list, it was just that most were not nearly as well integrated as the Ygay. It was how I and my friends like our Rioja and a testament to what 50 months in oak can do.

The nearest to it in terms of pleasure was a 95 Jadot Corton Greves which was still showing a lot of youth and tended to be bitty (lots of discrete sensations rather than a well rounded whole).

Sadly I'm now out of the Ygay having only ever had a couple of bottles. Anyone know of a UK supplier?

James James Dempster

You know you've had a good night when you wake up and someone's outlining you in chalk.

For recent wines, it would have to be the Hanna 2000 Cab Franc I reported here on earlier. I only wish I had more of it, and could have put up a better pairing. I still have the 01, 02 and 03 (one bottle apiece) but I think I'll lay them down longer to let them develop. Hanna was a good find.

Stretching back several (too many) years, there's a Valdiguie I got at the Hop Kiln Winery in 1997 (or was it perhaps '99?) which was absolutely exceptional; another one I wish I bought a few cases of. As it was, there was only room for one more bottle, and she who must be obeyed must be obeyed. :)

I find that the Hop Kiln winery, when they are exceptional, are off the scale. But when they are not, they are uninteresting.

Jose

Rex Goliath 47 pound rooster Pinot Noir. OK, I'm cheap, it was $6.24 at Sam's. wow, this is WAY GOOD.

Jacob Frnaklin Hoffman Ranch Cabernet 2002. Rich wine, deep color, outstanding nose long full finish and great mouthfeel. I can't recommend Elyse wines enough and their tasting room is the best bargain in Napa Valley.

Santa Tresa Avulisi 2004, a wine made from Nero d'Avola grapes from Sicily.

$32/bottle.

Milat Napa Valley Zinfandel...........mouth full of berry.................outstanding wine.