Which would be your winery for life?

My island winery would have to have riesling and pinot noir. That is not a common combination in most wineries. Although it is not my favorite winery, I would have to choose Pierre Sparr, because of the range of wines but mostly because the have good riesling, gewurztraminer, and Pinot noir. Plus their wine is usually good with seafood.

Not being allowed to have my love with me might defeat the very purpose of my choice. Still, I guess they say champagne is your friend in sorrowful times as well as happy/intimate.

I think Daniel has already mentioned my ultimate pick as well: Krug

Then again, my mind also initially drifted to Salon...then back to Krug...then back to Salon...then back to...what a delicious dilemma to have!

Jeff

What a sad question!!!

It would be without a doubt someone that makes both red and white and with lots of variation. As such, even though my first loves are Burgundy and Bordeaux, it won't be from there (so no DRC, no Roumier). For a winery to be a full range, it will most likely be New World, probably California which has a rather enthusiastic spirit to trying new varietals. It would probably be a winery like

(1) Heitz
(2) V. Sattui (are you kidding me??? they have so many versions, from dry whites to madera it will take weeks to try everything....)
(3) Freemark Abbey

Michael, what you've picked is ok, we can do better here in the valley for white and red. I'll not list them all, I live here and try not to hurt anyone's feelings. Some of the board members can chime in.

I appreciate that....I guess I was just looking for some wide scope wineries other than the best wineries?? Otherwise I would have listed others. I know there are others with a good range too.

Tough call. Because places that make many individually favorite wines (Chave, for example, or Beaucastel. Or Quilceda Creek. Or Ogier.) couldn't come close to cutting it if I only had one winery whose entire portfolio I could enjoy for the rest of my life.

So I say: Tablas Creek. Think about it, before dissing.

Ryan, not to be snarky, but while I've met a few acceptable ones, I'm still searching for that exceptional B& G

Anything I've ever read would suggest that no such thing as an "exceptional" B&G exists . But, it seems they are capable of producing "very good to excellent" wines, and given their range, I'd say that I can see myself getting bored of exceptional wines without variety faster than I'd get bored of average wines with variety.

Mind you, that was merely a afterthought that I threw out there. There'd be no competition for me between B&G and Banfi.

Niepoort.

Salil, I love Donnhoff, but I have to have reds (for the wild boar and game birds on the island)

I'll just reach for his Grosses Gewachs or an older Auslese then!

(A bottle of '07 Felsenberg GG with pan seared quail recently was absolutely delightful)

Jadot, no doubt. I love the reds and whites from Burgundy, and Jadot offers depth and breadth in both.

Jean-Louis Chave. Red & white Hermitage, St-Joseph. Yum.

I'll be on this island.

I'll be on this island.

Hope your '99 whites aren't oxidized!

Of course, Jadot has issues with PremOx, but I plan on switching between young village wines and '93 and older GCs.

I'll drink them young
Chave White Hermitage is good with seafood just on release (whatta waste)

[Jenise]

Not being allowed to have my love with me might defeat the very purpose of my choice.

Well, I didn't say your love couldn't be with you. I eliminated companionship of the type for which some people would defeat the purpose of the question by choosing something highly collectible thinking they'd be able to sell or trade.

Just say you were being sent to a desert island and could only take the products of one winery with you--or have them shipped to you from time to time, I'll allow that. Presume you'll have reasonable storage options available but no wine-related companionship--IOW there's no one to sell to or trade with, so resale value should not be a factor in your decision. This is strictly about you and what you like to drink.

Which winery would it be?

Much as I love Bordeaux, there is no Bordeaux producer who makes the variety I believe I'd want/need in this scenario. So I'm heading south with my choice: Chapoutier.

Domaine Leroy (Burgundy)

Jean-Louis Chave. Red & white Hermitage, St-Joseph. Yum.

I'll be on this island.

Throw in the mythical Chave Vin de Paille and I may use a mag of Spatlese to paddle across.

So many islands, so little time!

What a sad question!!!

It would be without a doubt someone that makes both red and white and with lots of variation. As such, even though my first loves are Burgundy and Bordeaux, it won't be from there (so no DRC, no Roumier). For a winery to be a full range, it will most likely be New World, probably California which has a rather enthusiastic spirit to trying new varietals. It would probably be a winery like

(1) Heitz
(2) V. Sattui (are you kidding me??? they have so many versions, from dry whites to madera it will take weeks to try everything....)
(3) Freemark Abbey

Cool! I am a big fan of Fremark Abbey. amd Hetiz.

Not being allowed to have my love with me might defeat the very purpose of my choice.

Well, I didn't say your love couldn't be with you. I eliminated companionship of the type for which some people would defeat the purpose of the question by choosing something highly collectible thinking they'd be able to sell or trade.

Oh good. In that case, thank you!

(Romantic) companionship is a must for the King/Queen of wines! For that matter, romantic companionship is a must even without it!

At any rate, the buy/sell/trade loophole would be one that I can easily obey and do without. For some reason, I've never gotten into the whole auctioning/investment/re-sell facets of wine enjoyment etc. I feel that's better left to the gold and stock markets, which I've been fortunate to have some good luck with, on average. Knock on wood. As simple as it seems,
I purely enjoy wine just for its romantic, learning and consumption qualities.

Now that my love will be with me, the temptation for picking Salon increases. She is a blanc de blancs girl but enjoys
Krug too. Comtes de champagne (Taiitinger) is high on her/my pleasure list too. That's when we're splurging on the fancier stuff anyway. Either will work for the island. Maybe we'll just let the shipping boat decide which of the two they want to drop off to us every month?

Jeff

Domaine Leroy (Burgundy)

Since money is apparently no object, why not Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, my dear old friend?

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

Anything I've ever read would suggest that no such thing as an "exceptional" B&G exists . But, it seems they are capable of producing "very good to excellent" wines, and given their range, I'd say that I can see myself getting bored of exceptional wines without variety faster than I'd get bored of average wines with variety.

Ryan - Your post caused me to go back and look at the number of B&G wines we have drank so far this year. I was surprised to see that we have had 22 bottles of B&G wine, across 3 of their labels, including eight different wines. While none of them may knock your socks off they all provide a good QPR, in my opinion. The Magnol Medoc can hold its own against lesser growth clarets.

Have to agree with Rainer CH

Domaine Leroy if money's no object!

Otherwise Antinori is a good choice. Just their Badia Passignagno could make me happy for a while , then they have the Brunello, Barolo of Prunotto, Ornellaia etc.

Jadot would be a good choice but Bouchard is not bad too considered the quality and variety in both red and white.

Domaine Leroy (Burgundy)

Since money is apparently no object, why not Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, my dear old friend?

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

Indeed, why being overly economical ?
I must be badly influenced by the current financial crisis.

Best regards,
Rainer

I agree with Rogov--Krug Clos du Mesnil.

If I'm also allowed to choose a red wine, it would be Jean Louis Chave Hermitage. Second choice, for year-oer-year reliability, Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

-Paul W.