Top
20 Wines of 2012
Cheers!
To 2012! What a year. I am glad it’s behind me. It has been a roller coaster of a year with
emotional Highs & Lows. From my
beloved pet passing away in March. To
the last of my children graduating from High School and off to College. To my wife’s second Cancer scare. A glass of wine makes all the bad things in
your life seem distant and all the good things in your life seem that much more
important! I had a glass of wine when my dog passed away. I shared a glass of wine with my son when he
graduated. My wife and I had a glass of
wine when her oncologist told her that she needed surgery and we shared a special
bottle of Champagne when it was all behind us.
Another year Gone!
Here are my
Top 20 Wines of the 2012~
~ENJOY~
#20
1990
Chateau L’Arrosee Bordeaux
We
started the year off exactly where we ended 2011, sharing a bottle of 1990
Bordeaux. I will always cherish birth
year wines. They are just one of the
many reasons I drink wine. This Bordeaux
delivered soft tannins and earth notes with the typical cigar box and lead
pencil included. A very intense nose of
red fruit, and cherries. Pleasant mouth feel,
and medium bodied.
The wine was starting to show its age, but still in prime drinking form.
#19
2003 Cayuse Flying Pig
From an elegant Bordeaux, to a MONSTER
Bordeaux blend. I am getting soft in my older age. Perhaps that Robert Parker effect is starting
to kick in. This wine was beautiful
though. More Cigar Box, and Menthol. Bordeaux
in style I guess. This wine was very
layered & super rich on the palate.
I tasted this wine late into a big wine event, but I kept wanting to go
back to it. My first taste of a Cayuse
wine. Many thanx Mr. Stanton~
#18
2003 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf
Du Pape
Okay,
I am back in my comfort zone. France! I
don’t have as much experience with CDP’s as I do with Bordeaux. That is changing as the years go by. Probably because all of my close friends are
just now starting to bring out there Chateauneuf’s. Many thanx close friends! This wine was
“Pruney” at the start, but that quickly blew off to evolve into a powerful,
full bodied wine. Huge pepper, huge plum
with smooth tannins. Tasted from a brown
bag, I guessed the age of this wine to be a 2008. Pleasantly surprised on how young it still
tasted. I only wish that I would of
bought more Pape wines in my lifetime. I
guess that is what wine auctions are for.
#17
2003 Pago de Los Cappelanes Crianza
Consistently
one of my all time favorites Spanish wines.
Consistently have bought several vintages of this wine. All 3 wines, Joven, Crianza and Reserva from the
2003 vintage I have owned and or drank. It
is both a sad and happy day when you drink your last bottle of wine from a
certain vintage. You can only hope that someday another bottle will cross your
path at a tasting or restaurant. The
2003 Crianza has plenty of dark red fruit with layered floral components on
the nose. Huge mouth feel, with plenty of
acidity. Everything that I LOVE from a Spanish
wine. I guess that is why a few others
have made my list~
#16
2008
Alban Syrah Patrina
Back
to monster land we go! DAMN you Robert
Parker! Alban wines I have only gotten into in the last 2 years. They are huge and need lots & lots of
time in the bottle. Again, because of
the generosity of my fellow wine friends have I gotten that chance to try
them! This was an intense wine. All the California syrah characteristics were
there. Deep rich color, animal fat,
blackberry, and pepper. The tannins were
almost too soft for a 2008. The wine has
weight yet stays fresh on the palate due to its good acidity. I am looking forward to tasting more of these
wines in the near future~
#15
2006 Saxum Broken Stones
Battle
of the Monsters! Godzilla vs King
Kong. First Alban now Saxum? It was
soooo tasty though. I just couldn’t resist.
I also couldn’t resist buying a few of these wines this year. I hope that it is worth it down the
road. Spicy & complex this wine was!
I wish there was more of it to go around.
I guess I will have to wait till I pop my own perhaps later this year.
#14
1998 Leda Viñas Viejas
Okay
back to reality! The old Country,
Spain! Year after year, Spanish wines
will always make my list. If you don’t
know me by now, I love to cook! I must
thank Grandmother for that. I also love to entertain. Having friends over is always part of the
fun. Digging through my cellar, I always
try to pull the right bottle for the right moment. On this day 4 of my dearest friends came over
and I thought of my son! He was about to
graduate from High School in a few weeks, so why not pull a bottle of wine from
the year that he actually starting going to school. This wine showed great balance. Dark fruit, candied cherry, cedar, spice and
integrated oak. What more can a man ask
for when he is entertaining his friends.
#13
1996 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon
Once
again! I am truly blessed to have the friends that I have. They know exactly what I like. “Spottswoode”
My favorite California Cabernet!
How could I say no! Hanging out
with some great friends and eating Lamb Chops with that bottle of
Spottswoode~ Oh Yeah! The wine showed impressive body, with layers
of spice, cocoa, pepper, and hints of mineral, graphite and earth. Structure was excellent, with all components
in balance. What more can I ask for from
my favorite Cali Cab. Many thanx, Mr.
& Mrs Branham!
#12
2004 Turnbull Napa Valley Cabernet
Another
beautiful example of Napa Valley fruit! Another great wine brought by one of my
fellow Padres Panel members. Mountains
of chocolate & cedar with beautiful tannins. I guessed this wine to be much younger than
2004. It was a pleasure to drink!
#11
2009 M Etain Cabernet
Did
someone mention monster chocolate? I
think I got just that when I popped my bottle of M Etain for my 44th
birthday bash. This was the first time
that a Scarecrow wine crossed my lips. I
got every pennies worth. Almost black in
color, but with a super smooth mouthfeel.
The tannins are already very integrated even though it is so young. I can only hope that my backup bottle
develops that much more over the next decade.
I plan to be patient~
#10
1999 Ridge
Monte Bello
Down
the home stretch and I am back in my comfort zone. One night I entertained myself by logging
onto a live chat forum with Paul Draper who is the owner of Ridge Wines. Paul is a legend in his craft. Someday I hope that I can shake his hand and
thank him personally for all the beautiful wine that has crossed my lips coming
from his winery. First thing I stated to
the person running the chat forum was that I have never ever had a bad bottle
of Monte Bello. I have been very blessed
and lucky to have tried several vintages of Monte Bello. The oldest being a 1982 vintage about 10
years ago. I own a few bottles of early
90s Monte Bello’s. They age so
gracefully that time can only do them good. When this bottle appeared at a wine
party I quickly bolted to make sure that I had a chance to taste it. I was not disappointed! Silky on the palate, with sweet black fruit,
plums, and cocoa. The fruit is still primary with the hints of oak
in the background. Keep making one of the best wines ever Mr.
Draper! I will keep bolting to taste or
buy them.
#9
2009 Ridge Estate Monte Bello
Estate
Monte Bello??? Yes another winery
decided to make a second label from existing estate grapes. I am sure you have heard that before. Only problem with this is its Monte Bello and
it was really really tasty! I guess if
anybody was going to produce a second label there resume should start with the
name Paul Draper. The man can do no wrong.
This was my best buy of the year.
Purchased early on in the year and tasted blind for my Padres Panel
group. No one was disappointed in this
wine for less than half the price of regular Monte Bello! My only problem was
that I didn’t buy more than one and after tasting it, I couldn’t find anybody
carrying it. Most places sold out very
quickly. A bit more fruit forward than big brother. That will always be the case with a young
wine. My thought is that this wine would
probably develop quite well for many years.
I will continue to kick myself over and over for not buying more. Oh well there is always the 2010 vintage. Where do I buy it???
#8
2008
Roland Lavantureux Chablis
The
only white wine to make my list this year.
Sorry! I find it soooo hard to
choose bitchen white wines over red ones.
Trust me, there were some tasty ones consumed. This one stuck out as the very best, not to
mention that it is Chardonnay! Not
typically my grape of choice. Minerals
galore on this wine. High levels of
acidity with oak waaaaay in the background.
I only wish that all Chardonnay could taste like this. To me France makes the best white wines in the
world. I am a fan~
#7
2009 Herman Story Casual Encounters
I
fell in love with this winery to the point that I bought some this year. I am getting soft! Yes, I have stated that several times now. I
flip flop from the wonderful old world style of France & Spain to the over
the top opulence of Paso Robles. Why?
Why? Perhaps I am still a California boy
at heart with dreams that someday California will become the greatest wine
producing place on earth. Nah~ Never gonna happen! Lets just agree to disagree~ Drink French Cotes Du Rhones when the time is
right or drink Paso Robles GSM big bombers when there is a need. Herman Story has just grown on me! How can a wine with 15% plus alcohol hide the
fact so well. Pure fruit expressions with
density and power. The wine is very focused in the mouth, where the balance and
texture were perfect. The finish was long, complex and exciting with loads of
raspberry, blackberry, spiced meat, baking spice, and earth. Look out France
California GSM’s are coming ~
#6
2007 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet
Every
day that I continue to consume wine another friend will show generosity beyond
my ability to pay back. I show up at a
friends house another friend happens to be there. He happens to pop open a beautiful magnum of
Pride Cabernet. We talk for awhile about
our favorites. We sip and taste the
wine. Everything is integrated and
balanced. The color is dark magenta. The nose is plum, blueberry pie, violets, and
vanilla. The Bottle disappears for awhile!
We talk some more about other favorites and other wines we may get a
chance to share someday. The Bottle reappears!
He offers me the very last pour. I
gladly decline and say “Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to taste this
beautiful wine. That last pour is yours”. In my mind, I would of done the very same
thing, gladly given up my last pour from my own bottle of wine. This is the sign of a true wine lover! You the man Tony~
#5
2001
Gloria de Ostatu Rioja
The
greatest contribution I made all year. A
bottle of Spanish Rioja? Yes I did bring
it to our first Wednesday Wellness Charity Wine Tasting, but the real
contribution was knowing that our Wednesday group raised over $1600.00 for the
Wounded Warrior Project. www.woundedwarriorproject.org Forget talking about how good the wines were at this event. Yes!
They were that good! Having some
of our members organize this tasting with such a great turnout makes it all
worth while. I look forward to doing it
all over again next year. Cheers to you~
Ken Rushworth – Thad Brennan – Dave Buckley
#4
2004 Chateau de Beaucastel
Chateauneuf Du Pape
Arrive
at the Wounded Warrior Charity Wine Tasting Event! Pop Open 2004 Chateau de Beaucastel CDP. Taste the Wine! Tight!
Closed Up! Wait another Half Hour
and revisit Wine! Tight! Still Closed Up!
Come back and taste the wine one last time. 3 hours later! Wine is starting to show hints of its full
range, with licorice, graphite and mocha.
I didn’t get any more of that Beaucastel, but oh how it lingers in my mind
just how good Chateauneuf Du Pape’s age and last forever~
#3
2005 Muga Reserva Rioja
My favorite varietal of all time is still
Cabernet! Yes I do love Bordeaux which
can consist of several different varietals, but my second favorite Single
Varietal is Tempranillo. Spanish
Tempranillo. I love you California, but
please stop screwing up this beautiful wine grape. I beg you. This was just another Tuesday brown
bag/Padres Panel event. Tasted this
beautiful offering from one of my fellow group members. Quickly answered! Tempranillo from
Spain. Probably 05-06 or 07! It is light
yet elegant with the natural acid of a well made Tempranillo! The only thing that was missing was the Cuban
Roast Pork with Yuca Mash! If only my
grandmother were still alive to cook that meal for me. The fun I would have with all of the
different Tempranillo wines that I have in my own collection.
#2
Bollinger Champagne NV Special Cuvee
Cancer
reared its ugly head again in 2012.
After a 5 year absent from my wife’s life again she required surgery to
freeze cancer cells in the most sensitive of places. In February of 2007 she had a full hysterectomy
and still carries the battle scars to prove it.
5 years of testing every 3 months and she was clean and cancer
free. 5 months later Cancer once again
appeared. My wife and I have always
thought that laughter is the best medicine for major events that happen in our
lives. 6 years ago we went out for wine
the same night she found out that she had cancer. We laughed about it while we drank. Unfortunately stress and fear are very real,
and the day she had surgery we cried and worried. I cannot live without my partner. I would trade places with her in a second if
I could. Moving forward to 2012 we are 5
years older and the worry & fear are very real. Yet we still laughed thanx in part to social
media which played a huge role in the healing process. So many well wishes from so many friends! The
laughter of the “POP” youTube video that so many friends helped me send to her.
The
taste of a great Champagne! It was the first time my wife and I had ever tried
Bollinger. In late December, after the
surgery was behind us that bottle of Champagne helped us celebrate life for one
more day!
AND
THE #1 WINE OF THE YEAR IS???
1996
CARDINALE
Lets
face it! I am an emotional guy when it
comes to drinking special bottles of wine.
Like last years #1 wine. It had
an emotional connection with me because of the fact that it was my Daughters 21st
Birthday. No other wine had a
chance. In 2012, I would of gladly chosen
The Bollinger as the greatest emotional connection I had to a bottle of wine
all year. It was just that, but I can’t stress enough the generosity of all my
friends every year. Year in year out you
continue to overwhelm me. So when my
best friend whom I have known for almost 40 years popped open 1996 Cardinale
prior to my birthday. I knew we were in
for a special night. Perhaps it’s the
fact that it was just me and him. That
means more wine for us. Yeah sometimes
it is okay to be a hog. We sat at the dining
room table talking about life – family and wine. There it is again. That emotional connection! I will never forget it. Perfect timing! Only
problem was that this wine truly was the greatest bottle that I drank all
year. It was far more superior to me
than any other bottle I tasted all year.
Dark purple color. A nose of chocolate and caramel. Loads of dark berries, yet very elegant and
extremely balanced. Still plenty of life left too as the tannin structure was
one word “perfect”. Then again this was
my friends one an only bottle of 1996 Cardinale and he shared it with me and me
only. I truly am one lucky wine lover~!
Thanx
J Brother
Another
Great Wine Year in the Books~
Thank
you again; Jr. Duarte - Jon Jilg - Ken Rushworth - Dick Stanton - Thad Brennan –
Dave Buckley - Greg Lee - Brad Barker - John Walker - Tony Hawk - Thomas &
Janet Dugan - Ernie & Lisa Ceja - Randy & Celeste Branam and the rest
of my Wednesday Wellness Group!
