And your top wines of 2009 would be....?

Gosh...there were so many.

Off the top of my head, which means many are quite recent:

2004 Fontodi Chianti Classico
2003 Diamond Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon (Diamond Mountain)
2005 Ahnfeldt Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2003 Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Quixote Petit Sirah Napa Valley
2005 Heitz Cellars Petit Verdot
2004 Havens Hudson Vineyard Syrah
2006 Storybook Cellars Mayacamas Range Zinfandel
2000 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon

As usual our list is TJ heavy:

1997 Dehlinger, Russian River Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon

2001 Tobin James, Ranchita Canyon Vineyard, Petite Sirah

2001 Easton, Shenandoah Valley CA, Cabernet Sauvignon

2002 Easton, Shenandoah Valley CA, Estate Bottled, Zinfandel

2003 Tobin James, Silver Reserve, Syrah

2003 Tobin James, Dusi Vineyard, Zinfandel

2003 Tobin James, James Gang Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon

2004 Tobin James, James Gang Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah

2004 Tobin James, James Gang Reserve, Cabernet Franc

2007 Hermann J. Wiemer, Semi-Dry, Finger Lakes, Riesling

Most of my top wines were tastes or by the glass rather than entire bottles. These include:

Reds:
1999 Domaine G. Roumier Chambolle Musigny, Burgundy
2005 Williams Selyem Flax Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
2003 Sherrer Old and Mature Vines Zinfandel
2007 Belle Glos Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
2003 Cain Five (blend of Bordeaux grape varieties)

Whites:
2007 Alex Gambal Puligny-Montrachet
2006 Olivier Meursault


Dessert wine:

1989 Francois Pinon Vouvray Liquoreux Premiere Trie, Loire Valley, France

For bottles I think my favorites were the 2004 Calera Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan (San Benito County), CA and as an after-dinner sweet wine the 2002 Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese, M-S-R, Germany

As usual our list is TJ heavy:

D@mn Carl, Looks like you went through more than one shipment!

1999 Domaine G. Roumier Chambolle Musigny, Burgundy

I love Roumier! but you already knew that.

1. 2004 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard

2. 1994 Joseph Phelps Insignia

3. 1987 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate

4. 2006 Saxum James Berry Vineyard

5. 2006 Saxum Syrah Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard

6. N.V. Jacques Chaput Champagne Brut Cuvee Calypso

7. 2007 Miner Family Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard

8.1995 Château Léoville Las Cases

9. 1991 Ridge Monte Bello

10. 1997 Arcadian Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard

This year's list is rather all over the place (listed by vintage)

(5) 2002 Clos Rougeard, Loire

I really enjoy this producer. I still have some of the 2001 Les Poyeux tucked away. It is fun to share with friends and let them try and guess the grape and where it is from.

Mark

This year's list is rather all over the place (listed by vintage)

(5) 2002 Clos Rougeard, Loire

I really enjoy this producer. I still have some of the 2001 Les Poyeux tucked away. It is fun to share with friends and let them try and guess the grape and where it is from.

Mark

Me too! Love their stuff all thorugh the range. I'm jealous of your stash as I only have 04's and 05's left now. It is hard to keep my hands of these......

My list:
Red:
'70 Ducru Beaucaillou
'88 Chave Hermitage
'90 Pichon Baron
'90 Mugneret Ruchottes-Chambertin
'90 Dom. de Pegau Cuvée Réservée
'90 Joguet La Chene Vert
'94 Ch. de Beaucastel
'95 Capellano Otin Fiori
'98 Dom. Tempier La Tourtine
'99 Ridge Geyserville
'02 Breton Clos Senechale
'07 Causse Marines Marcillac
(and whichever Puzelat wine the VLM opened for me)

White:
'89 Huet LHL Moëlleux
'99 Hirtzberger Hochrain Riesling Smaragd
'01 Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese
'02 Luneau-Papin Excelsior Clos de Noëlles
'05 Ollivier Granite de Clisson
'07 Valdesil Valdeorras

Sparkling:
'89 Veuve Clicquot "La Grande Dame" (3 L)

Mark Lipton

Some of my top wines of 2009 include....

Colome Syrah 2007
Benegas Estate Malbec 2004
Felipe Rutini 1999
Escorihuela Gascon P. Producciones Malbec 2006
Matilde Lamadrid 2005

D'Yquem 2001
Krug 1988
Amon Ra 2005
Dom Perignon 1996

[David M. Bueker]

'88 Krug is an amazing wine.

[Jenise]

So is the '96 Dom, David.

Alejandro, great to see you here again.

[David M. Bueker]

So is the '96 Dom, David.

Perhaps. I've had it twice & liked it, but the '88 Krug moved me (and Laura).

So is the '96 Dom, David.

Alejandro, great to see you here again.

Thanks... I never left, just posting less than normal....

I wonder what it says that my top wines of the year are nearly always Sauternes . . . . oh well, not making any apologies for that!

Ch. Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes 1988 Incredible (97 - 99)
Vincent Arroyo, Petite Sirah, Winemaker's Reserve, Napa Valley 2003 Extraordinary (93 - 95)
Domaine du Pegau, Cuvee Reservee, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1995 Extraordinary (93 - 95)
Ch. Rieussec, Sauternes 1981 Extraordinary (93 - 95)
Albert Mann, Pinot Gris, Selection de Grains Nobles, Hengst Grand Cru, Alsace 1989 Extraordinary (93 - 95)

This year's list is rather all over the place (listed by vintage)

(5) 2002 Clos Rougeard, Loire

I really enjoy this producer. I still have some of the 2001 Les Poyeux tucked away. It is fun to share with friends and let them try and guess the grape and where it is from.

Mark

Me too! Love their stuff all thorugh the range. I'm jealous of your stash as I only have 04's and 05's left now. It is hard to keep my hands of these......

Michael

Do you have any idea what the drinking window on these wines is like? I am happy to hold onto them for a few more years if they keep getting better but it would be a pity to let them fade away.

Cheers
Mark

Do you have any idea what the drinking window on these wines is like? I am happy to hold onto them for a few more years if they keep getting better but it would be a pity to let them fade away.

Cheers
Mark

I assume you're asking about the 01 Poyeux?

Personal tastes will of course vary, but assuming you like aged Loire cabernet franc then there is no worry with holding the better vintages of Poyeux for 10-20 years, or longer depending on tastes. 01 was not quite at the level of 95, 96, 97, 02, 03, 05, etc so I can see many people finding it 'ready to go' now. But, depending on your tastes, I wouldn't worry about it falling off a cliff anytime too soon. The 01 standard cuvee is a different story.

1998 Harlan ‘The Maiden”
1977 Taylors Port
1997 Ch. La Tour Blanche
1989 Chante Perdrix Chateauneuf de Pape
1988 Sassicaia
1986 Ch. Talbot
1986 Ch. Gruaud Larose
1999 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Pogio al Oro
1985 Ch. Gilette
1990 Terrabianca Campaccio Reserve
1990 Seghesio Barolo La Villa
1982 Ch. La Lagune
1997 Eileen Hardy Shiraz
1995 A. Chopin et fils NSG Aux Murgers
2004 Yquem
Alvear 1927 Solera PX
1987 Lake’s Folly Cabernet
2003 Ch. Lafaurie Peyraguey
1978 Torres Gran Coronas Black Label Reserva
1998 Dom. Santa Duc Gigondas Haut Garrigues
1971 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo
1982 Leoville Poyferre
1999 Jacques Prieur Beaune Champs Pimont
1985 Lynch Bages
1989 Ch. Montrose
1997 Turley Hayne Zinfandel
1996 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet
1993 Ch.de Beaucastel Roussanne Vielles Vignes
1990 Ch.de Beaucastel
2003 La Mission Haut Brion
1994 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline
1996 Clape Cornas
1983 Ch. Palmer
1990 Lungarotti San Giorgo
1985 Lynch Bages
1999 Yquem
1982 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle
1982 Ch. La Lagune


Glad you didn't ask for a top ten!