New York Wine Experience 2018

It’s that time of year again and time for great reviews of great wines. As with every year, I try to do something different this year. In order for me to tell you about a bottle of wine this year, it needs to meet certain criteria and they are as follows: 1. Easily available you will be able to find all of them on wine-searcher.com 2. Affordable, by this I mean a Quality Price Ratio(QPR) in general of equal to or less than 1.0 with the better values less than 0.5. These are high-value wines at a reasonable or low price. Wines with a QPR between 0.5 and 1.0 are of high quality but more expensive. I may think they are worth it, you may not. In general, I will not recommend wines with rare exceptions with a QPR higher than 1.0 as I feel the price is just too high and you can get similar quality and close to the same tasting wine a lot cheaper. I did recommend approximately 10 wines with a QPR greater than 1.0 because to me there were exceptionally great wines some approaching a spiritual realm. 3. There has to be fruit in the flavor profile and it needs to be a pleasant good tasting wine. 4. There should be a good finish and a good prolongation of the finish. 5. There must be good balance with all of the components of the wine including acid, tannin, alcohol %, etc. 6. If it has oak is the oak a good balance and good flavor and appropriate for the wine and does it not overwhelm the wine or taste like a cheap bitter oak. The wines I present to you will meet or exceed these criteria.

I have reviewed 45 wines here out of approximately 300 at the event and of those 45, 15 that I personally would buy. I have to say this continues to be a labor of love and this meeting continues at times to be overwhelming. I realize it is a nice problem to have but from early in the morning until late at night you are eating, drinking, and tasting wines and frankly, at some point, you get tired and get palate fatigue. This year a couple of people just volunteered that they were getting palate fatigue because there was just too much wine to taste. I'm not making any decisions yet but the thought has crossed my mind to not attend next year as a lot of the wines continue to be the same, albeit different years, but the same high-quality wine that you really should be able to predict are going to be great in any given year. So please enjoy what I have prepared here and I trust it will help you with your wine buying adventures.

My favorites I would buy now QPR less than 1.00 except one at 1.24

Kistler Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Stone Flat Vineyard 2012 WS93 $80 QPR 0.86
Chateau Fuisse Pouilly Fuisse Le Clos 2015 WS93 $82 QPR 0.88
Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere St. Emilion 2014 WS95 $61 QPR 0.64
Chateau Clerc Milon Pauillac 2006 WS91 $45 QPR 0.49
Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac 2015 WS94 $117 QPR 1.24(best one ever)
Domaine Carneros Brut Rose Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour NV WS90 $37 QPR 0.41

Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley L'Ermitage 2011 WS93 $48 0.51

To me worth the price due to the high quality

Aubert Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Lauren 2013 WS93 RP99 $200 QPR 2.02
Eredi Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2012 WS98 $210 QPR 2.14
Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes 2015 WS98 $369(1/2 bt $174 at Total Wine) QPR 3.57

Chateau Montrose St. Estephe 2005 WS95 $130 QPR 1.37 

Chateau Pichon Longueville Lelande Pauillac 2005 WS94 $140 QPR 1.48
Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Gravelly Meadow 40th Anniversary 2012 WS92 $200 QPR 2.17 

Adobe Road Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard 2014 WS94 $145 QPR 1.54 

Champy Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots 2011 WS92 $170 QPR 1.85

Chardonnays

I regret I have only 3 Chardonnay's to recommend and they are not the lower priced ones but Clark, whose opinion I trust on Chardonnay, and I really was not impressed with the other Chardonnay's presented this year. They may have been rated over 90 points but we found them to be highly overoaked and not in a good way with really bitter oak flavors that drowned out the fruit. We have heard for years that too much oak is an issue with Chardonnay's and other than the White Burgundies that I have included as a separate category the current crop of California and Rest of the World Chardonnay's are just not that good especially the lower priced ones.

Aubert Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Lauren 2013 WS93 RP99 $200 QPR 2.02

A close call. Many years ago I was on too many allocation lists and ran out of money and room. I received yearly cases upon cases of Kistler, Dumol, Peter Michael, and Aubert. Mark Aubert made Peter Michael’s wine for years and then started his own thing. After a long time, I decided Kistler was the best and the one for me. Early on I did not think Aubert's matched up to the others. So I was going to pass until my wife said it was pretty good and frankly it was the best Aubert I have ever tasted and RP.s 99 points I agree with. It had a perfect buttery, smooth vanilla oak that melted in your mouth. Great balance and finesse and a nice long buttery finish. For those on the hunt for good not over oaked buttery Chardonnays, this is the one.

Leeuwin Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series 2010 WS 95 $80 QPR 0.842

Unfortunately, 2010 is no longer available but 2009 and 2011 are This was one of three great chardonnays from Australia tasted Friday AM. I have to admit that the chardonnays from Australia at this showing were much better than I have had in the past. 2009 is described as having a lot of peach pineapple taste. These wines are in fact full-bodied. The one I tasted there was not an over predominance of Oak. It was a pleasant and nice wine though I did prefer the other two Australian chardonnays I would not hesitate to purchase this one the average price is $80 making the quality price Ratio or QPR 0.842 which is better than some and less than one.

Kistler Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Stone Flat Vineyard 2012 WS93 $80 QPR 0.86

I have said for years that Steve Kistler has been making the great American Montrachet indicating that his Chardonnay's stack up equally with the greatest White Burgundy's in the World and I continue to believe it to the point that this is the only Chardonnay allocation I have kept over the years other than Marcassin. This particular wine is perfectly balanced. There is nothing off here. Kistler has continued to reduce the oak presence in his wine and this one is a good example with a really light hint of oak. It starts out on the nose with apple and lemon citrus flavors that carry over to the taste and then you pick up the mineral tastes which is what is so consistent with White Burgundy and wines from Puligny Montrachet in particular. This is a great wine completely comparable with the greatest of White Burgundy and at least half the cost.

French White Burgundies

It is no secret that these are Clark's and I favorite wines of all time. We have been to the Vineyards multiple times and gotten to know some of the families. The French who make these wines are 100% passionate about them and go to extremes to produce the best in the world. Over the years they have worked toward lower alcohol and less oak and they are to us succeeding very nicely. In general, the Puligny's have more mineral characteristics and the Chassagne's are more soft and feminine. 

Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche 2015 WS95 $865 QPR 9.10

Forgive me for including this wine as the price is too high for most of us including me. But what a great wine. And if you go to the Wine Experience this wine, and others, is why you go because most likely you will never in your life be able to taste or drink this wine. But at the Wine Experience, you can say you have and you can improve your palate and really understand why this particular wine is in La La Land in price. This is the greatest white wine vineyard in the world. It's is only a few acres big and somewhere in the vicinity of 25 people make wine out of this vineyard some of them only owning one or two vines. A couple of years ago three vines were sold for close to $4 million dollars. It is ridiculous I know. In addition, this is a 2015 which was one of Frances greatest years for wine. So with that set up let me say this wine was just flat smooth and classy. The nose is completely complex with flavors of peach, citronella, honey, and that great buttery aroma and taste we look for. The texture was pure cream and velvet. It was just plain opulent. The balance is perfect again, acid blends in perfectly, and the finish goes on and on with a lot of honey flavor at the end. I had a thought tasting this that you know it sort of tastes similar to a great Sauternes-like Chateau d'Yquem. This wine is usually at the Wine Experience every year so do yourself a favor and go next year. 

Olivier Leflaive Chassagne Montrachet Clos St. Marc Domaine 2015 WS92 $109 QPR 1.18

Another great 2015 at a much better price. The Leflaive family has a restaurant and hotel at the vineyard which is smack in the middle of the Puligny-Montrachet village and they give great wine tours daily. But you have to make a reservation. As I said earlier being from Chassagne this has a little different style. The aroma and taste had a lemon, peach, apple, and some smoke flavors. It had a tangy finish that lasted a good while. Leflaive wines usually are a little pricey but ones like this one can be found at a better QPR

Chateau Fuisse Pouilly Fuisse Le Clos 2015 WS93 $82 QPR 0.88

Clark and I visited this vineyard in January of 2019. For the past couple of years I have enjoyed visiting with and speaking with the owner Antoine Vincent who has invited us to come for a while and we finally were able to put it together. Antoine has consistently been an award winner and has been invited to the Wine Experience yearly and to my knowledge, this is the only Pouilly Fuisse, which is pretty much the furthest southern boundary of White Burgundy. Of interest, Clark's and my very first wine around the end of 1978 was Pouilly Fuisse from Chateau Beauregard which incidentally is next door to Chateau Fuisse and the owner is a cousin of the Vincent family.  We have always loved them.   We had a great tasting at the vineyard with Antoine's sister and brother in law.  This wine is opulent with a smoky toasty overlay of peach, lemon, and mineral on the nose and taste. It is a complex presentation yet well balanced. The finish is great carrying on the lemon and mineral tastes with the addition of some spice at the end. Just a great wine.

Christian Moreau Pere & Fils Chablis Les Clos 2016 WS91 $125 QPR 1.37

Not a great QPR but a wine to me that drinks better than a rating of 91. I have met with Christian Moreau every year and he is consistently at this tasting with Chablis rated over 90. This particular wine was very bright on the nose and palate with lots of peach, melon, and plum flavors. There was also some lime which to me is always a good sign of good wine and something you rarely see. This wine has no oak which makes it more vibrant, yet harmonious in the flavors. It is a great Chablis.

French Red Burgundy's

Tollot-Beaut Corton-Bressandes 2016 D(Decanter)93 $140 QPR 1.5

This was a nice wine though a little pricey but within the usual price range for a grand cru Corton. There was lots of fruit and anise on the nose and within the taste. It was well balanced and food friendly. There is good tannin and acid backbone but it does not overwhelm and has a soft tannin taste.

Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley WS 95 $228 QPR 2.37

I include this wine only because it was a good wine but every time I go to Beaune, France and go out to eat I always see the French ordering Faiveley’s wine. They love his wines locally and I trust the French palate. It is a little pricey though but again for the area within what is being charged now. It is a well-made wine, feminine in character with soft tannins. Lots of bright cherry in the nose and taste and a good acid/alcohol/tannin balance. No flaws that I could see. There was a nice smoky cigar nose and taste also but not overwhelming. A good wine if you have the cash and like the style.

Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 2015 WS 95 $130 QPR 1.37

I initially did not plan on tasting this wine as I have never been a big fan, but after tasting the Faiveley Corton I changed my mind because of 1. The French love him 2. It has a better QPR ratio. 3. 2015 was a great year. I’m glad I did. It was a great wine. A nice earthy nose and soft balanced smooth tannins. A mild stony chalk undercurrent with good fruit with blackberry, cherry, and spice. And a nice pleasant finish. Well worth the cost to me. As good or better than the Grand Cru Corton at $100 less.

Louis Latour Corton Grand Cru Chateau Corton Grancey 1999 CT(Cellar Tracker)90 $75 QPR 0.833

Believe it or not still available in the USA! To me, Latour Burgundy’s usually have a characteristic oak flavor that I am not fond of and I have been told Latour sometimes uses his oak barrels too many times. But the oak in this wine was fine and not overdone and pleasant. The flavor profile was a nice smoky cherry with moderate smooth tannins and a nice finish. I would agree it is a higher quality Grand Cru Corton. Obviously, the one I had had been stored properly but be sure and question storage if you want it from the online sellers.

Italian Brunello di Montalcino

To me as a grape varietal this year the Brunellos were the stars of the show. I did not taste one Brunello that I did not think was great. They were all spectacular. As a group, they also have the best QPR ratio of the reds. In 1865, an agricultural fair in Montalcino noted that the prize winning wine of the event was a "select red wine" known as a Brunello.  In the mid-19th century, a local farmer named Clemente Santiisolated certain plantings of Sangiovese vines in order to produce a 100% varietal wine that could be aged for a considerable period of time. In 1888, his grandson Ferruccio Biondi-Santi a veteran soldier who fought under Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Risorgimento released the first "modern version" of Brunello di Montalcino that was aged for over a decade in large wood barrels. In addition at the tasting was a 5 year vertical of Biondi-Santi Reserva 1983, 1997, 1990, 2004, and 2011. They were all great and it is the second time I have had the 1997 but the QPR is nowhere close to reality, the least expensive is 2004 at $660 a bottle so I won't bore you with the details on these wines suffice it to say they are excellent wines but other Brunello's are as good and at a lower price I present 6 great ones with a QPR under 1.0 except one wine.

Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino 2012 WS95 $65 QPR 0.68

A stunning well made balanced wine. Tannins were soft and smooth. Great aromas on the nose of leather, tobacco, and fruit. Berry fruit and tobacco and a cigar box full of complex flavors. A pleasant long finish. No flaws and a great dinner wine with meat.

Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino 2010 WS93 $43 QPR 0.46

My first impression was this was a bold wine. It had a great fruit nose and the taste and aroma were complex yet well balanced. The wine had soft, round fruit on the palate with a hint of grainy, bitter tannins on the finish but overall smooth and well balanced. Fragrant finish and just a little rustic with some woody oak characteristics I found pleasant. Certainly will be great with food. This wine is well known in the USA and I see it on the shelves often.

Eredi Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2012 WS98 $210 QPR 2.14

Another one of those pesky high QPR wines I probably should ignore. But truly this was the best Brunello I tasted. My comments were "Best". It is brilliant and juicy fruit with flavors and aromas of cherry, strawberry, with floral and mineral flavors. One thing that was impressive was a very long finish that went on and on. Well structured totally balanced in every way just a well made wine and very pleasant and enjoyable. One you might want to consider splurging on. It was one of only a few 4 stars(my highest) wines for the weekend.

Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo 2013 WS93 $79 0.85

Frescobaldi wines are my favorite Italian wines. They all have great QPR ratios and my favorite Chianti of all time is their "Nipozzano Riserva " that I highly recommend. The family has been making wine continuously for over 600 years so I think they have the process nailed down. This Brunello has aroma and flavor in a complex combination of tastes of cherry, leather, and tobacco. The tannins are dense and well made yet not overpowering. The wine is well balanced again and has an incredible long expansive finish. I buy it frequently and it is readily available.

Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2013 WS93 $85 QPR 0.91

Got to meet Alessandro Bindocci, the winemaker. A super guy with lots of passion for making this wine. One you should see on local shelves but definitely available online. Lots of balanced fruit on the nose and taste of plum, cherry, leather, tobacco, and earthy mineral flavor. Very balanced, good tannin structure and a long finish. It is a very well made wine.

Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino 2013 WS92 $70 QPR 0.76

A very nice Brunello and I spent some time meeting with the owner and winemaker who were overwhelmingly passionate when telling about this wine. Actually to me one of the more feminine Brunello's. Great nose and taste of cherry, leather, and mixed complex spices Nice chewy mouth feel with a little salty minerally long finish. Nice balanced tannins just a well-structured wine with an elegant finish that I thought is in its youth and will last for a while.

Rose(only one)

Hampton Water Wine Company Languedoc Rose WS90 $22 QPR 0.244

Remember the lower the QPR the better the deal and this was one of the lowest. A really good rose to drink in the summer on the porch. It is made by Bon Jovi and his son from Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. It is well made light and creamy with berries and melon fruit tastes. It has a nice long finish from a light wine. Nothing complex but a very pleasant wine to drink as an aperitif.

French Bordeaux

Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere St. Emilion 2014 WS95 $61 QPR 0.64(good)

Pretty wine with cedar and spice on the nose. The palate is light but with moderate well balanced smooth tannin with a good body and structure and a nice velvety mouthfeel. Tastes of currant and tobacco and chocholate. Overall a great wine and a great value for Bordeaux.

Chateau Canon-La Gaffeliere St. Emilion 2005 WS94 $182 QPR 1.94(not good)

Here is where the QPR ratio becomes important. No idea why this year is 3X the 2014. To be sure it is a great wine also. Lots of Currant and cherry fruit on the nose. Those taste continue on along with anise and apple. It has a nice long finish and frankly very similar to 2014. But when you see them and taste them side by side you should buy 2014 as the value is much better. You can buy three 2014s for one 2005 and they are close to the same.

Chateau Montrose St. Estephe 2005 WS95 $130 QPR 1.37

For the most part, Chateau Montrose, Chateau Leoville Les Cases, and Chateau Pichon Lelande are my 3 go to vineyards in Bordeaux that are going to consistently produce high scoring wines that are as good or better than the 1st growths at a much lower price. How long that will continue I have no idea. I have been to both vineyards and met their winemakers and no one is more dedicated to great wines that they are. This particular wine was to me unique and spectacular. It had perfect balance, perfect oak, and perfect fruit. The nose smells of charcoal, fig, and black currant who flavors go onto the palate and then seem to linger on the finish forever. There is plenty available still.

Chateau Clerc Milon Pauillac 2006 WS91 $45 QPR 0.49

This is one of the best QPR wines you will find in Bordeaux. This particular is still young and can be cellared for another 10 years. It is balanced and has a solid acid backbone. Lots of blueberry fruit and chocolate on the nose and palate. Tannins and mouthfeel are velvety and it has a good finish. Great Value.

Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac 2015 WS94 $117 QPR 1.24

No question the absolute best Pontet-Canet I have ever tasted. I have been to the vineyard now 3 times and met the owner Alfred Tesseron at least 4 times. He is making great affordable Bordeaux wines and this is one I highly recommend you buy. The nose and palate are complex with a smoky nose full of plum, berry, and currant. The mouthfeel is pure velvet. On the finish tobacco and charcoal can be tasted. Other flavors that come out are juniper, bay leaf, etc so again it is highly complex yet well balanced and with velvet tannin. I cannot recommend it enough.

Chateau Leoville Las Cases St. Julian 2003 WS96 $190 QPR 1.98

Well the QPR is not where I would like but this is a great wine. And 2003 is still widely available and unlike other 2003's you may have heard of this one has not lost anything in aging yet. It still has great balanced acid, tannin, and alcohol. The nose and palate are complex with charcoal, stone, currant, fig, licorice, and tobacco. It still presents young and if it keeps up at this rate can be cellared for another 20 years though I don't have that kind of time.  I tasted 2015 in the barrel a couple of years ago and to me, it was a 100 point wine so I purchased a case of 2015.  I hear 2016 is even better.

Chateau Pichon Baron Pauillac 2010 WS95 $225 QPR 2.37

Another high QPR but a great wine. I usually don't like the style of this house but I had to admit it was a great wine. It is very well made, very balanced, and the tannins are very smooth. Lots of fruit to include currant, berry, and fig. You can taste bay leaf and espresso later one and the finish is long. It is from the great 2010 vintage and as such is a great value compared to the other Bordeaux's that can go much higher priced.  I will doing barrel tastings at the vineyard September 2019 and will have an update after.

Chateau Pichon Longueville Lelande Pauillac 2005 WS94 $140 QPR 0.42

A great wine in a great year and I feel lucky as I have some in my cellar. Very juicy and velvety on the mouthfeel. Nose and flavors of vanilla, berry, fig, and currant followed by charcoal and tobacco. Overall just mouthwatering and a bottle of great wine with a great QPR worth buying. The tannins are smooth and the finish is forever.  I did barrel tastings a couple of years ago and will be back for more September 2019 with an update after.

One Sicilian Superstar

Tasca d'Almerita Nerello Mascalese Sicilia Il Tascante 2014 WS90 RP93 $50 QPR 0.54

Tascante's 2014 Sicilia Nerello Mascalese Il Tascante offers two distinct sides. On the one hand, it shows a lighthearted and delicate approach with wild berry, cassis and rose petal. On the other hand, the wine extends far beyond primary aromas to offer more complex layers of cola, brimstone and pencil shaving. There are light layers of balsam spice and leather as well. The finish closes with firm astringency that could use another year of bottle aging. An elegant red, this layers flavors of dried cherry and citrus with hints of mint and spice, structured by fine-grained tannins and a subtle, smoky underpinning. Light- to medium-bodied, with a lingering finish. For many years Sicilian wines were a little rough and hard to approach. Not this one. It is the best Sicilian wine I have ever had and you can get it online at a great QPR.

Sweet Wines

Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes 2015 WS98 $369(1/2 bt $174 at Total Wine) QPR 3.57

This is my 8th or 9th Spiritual wine. I saw God. It was such an experience I have already purchased it and it is in the cellar. What an amazing wine. Spectacular. It is highly complex yet perfectly balanced. Lots of sweet fruit on the nose and palate of peach, nectarine, almonds, figs, pears, coconut with a honey feel and taste on top of everything else. A never ending finish. For those who are interested, this is what I want for Christmas.  Clark and I are excited to announce we have an appointment to do barrel tastings at the Chateau in September 2019.

Chateau Coutet Barsac 2014 WS96 $37 QPR 0.39

Starts with a sweet oaky aroma and nose followed by a fruit bomb of honey, apple, and pear. A well-balanced wine with a lingering finish. Really excellent and the price is right.

Chateau Coutet Barsac 2015 WS95 $43 QPR 0.45

Well may not be d'Yquem but it sure is close and it's the same great year. Nose and palate flavors of pineapple which I really picked up on and peach, pear, and apple. A little lemon in the taste. Well balanced and again not quite as rich as the d'yquem but a great price for a 2015 Sauterns.

Oregan Pinot Noirs

I visited the Willamette Valley in June of 2011. At that time I said that 90% of the Pinots I tasted were extremely Tannic and unapproachable. All the wines were "Good". No one makes "bad" wine anymore so it is more a question of style than anything else. But I really had a problem appreciating the fruit in these wines due to the overwhelming tannins. Most of them were also high alcohol, greater than 14% and had a slight amount of bitterness to them. I am happy to say that thankfully things have changed. The 2015's tasted below were all very approachable. They were more balanced, had lower alcohol, and better fruit and I did not detect the bitterness I did in 2011. They clearly have improved.

Big Table Farm Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Sunnyside Vineyard 2015 WS93 $60 QPR 0.65

Starts with an earthy grassy nose which follows over to the taste with a slight grassy character. Tannins are balanced and do no offset the fruit which is a nice cherry flavor. It also has a nice long finish. Overall a well balanced good Pinot

Chapter 24 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Last Chapter 2015 WS91 $80 QPR 0.88

Starts out with a smoky nose but the mouthfeel was pure velvet and the wine is well balanced. Tannins to me were soft and sweet and the wine had a long finish. Plenty of cherry and berry fruit to taste. Not over oaked.

Lingua Franca Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Mimi's Mind 2015 WS94 $60 QPR 0.64

An interesting nose. When you first smell it, it is like smelling pure alcohol but that all goes away immediately upon tasting where a good strong showing of fruit to include cherry and here blackberry come in. Tannins are again soft and balanced with everything else. The finish is long and complex. I felt this was the best of the 4 in general.

Resonance Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton District Resonance Vineyard 2015 WS91 $35 QPR 0.38

Starts off with a smoky earthy nose but once on the palate lots of sweet fruit. It has a lighter body and seems to be a brighter wine. Has a great mouthfeel and the finish is long and pleasant. Had the best QPR of the bunch and at $35 you cannot beat it.

Sparkling Wines and Champagne

Krug Brut Champagne Grande Cuvee 163eme Edition NV WS 95 $160 QPR1.68

This has always been and for the foreseeable future a special Champagne. It's a good go-to Champagne for very special occasions. My first comments after tasting it were sweet, pleasant, and smooth. The nose and palate are full of toasty vanilla, mandarin orange, anise, cinnamon, and coffee. Just a highly complex wine that all blends into a perfect balance. It is velvety and silky, just an extraordinary wine.

Domanie Caneros Brut Rose Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour NV WS90 $37 QPR 0.41

Another year and another year of an empty table with almost no one visiting or tasting this wine and again one of the stars of the show at one of the lowest prices. This continues to be a great wine for the price. The nose and palate are a floral blush with lots of fruit to include raspberry and oranges along with cinnamon. I described it as bright and another person called it crisp. It had a very nice finish. A great sparkler again at a reasonable price.

Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley L'Ermitage 2011 WS93 $48 QPR 0.51

A great wine from Mendocino's cool, fog-shrouded Anderson Valley. There regular Anderson Valley sparkler is a great value around $20. This wine is one of their prestige cuvee and only made in exceptional years. To me, it was quite elegant and opulent and lush. Lots of complexity in smell and flavor including ginger, cinnamon, berry, and almond. Had a very long finish. So for $20 more, you get a prestige wine.

California Cabs

Adobe Road Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard 2014 WS94 $145 QPR 1.54

Not being a big Cabernet fan I actually loved this wine. Primarily because it was well balanced and very smooth and pure velvet on the mouthfeel. It has excellent smooth tannins that one writer said was "tame" which I agree. Lots of flavor of berry, currant, plum, and cassis. Of interest, I tasted cherry something you usually see more of in Pinot Noir. The finish was very long and the flavors lingered. A great wine.

Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Gravelly Meadow 40th Anniversary 2012 WS92 $200 QPR 2.17

There is something about Diamond Mountain wines that I find very attractive. To me they are unique. I got to speak with Boots Brounstein the owner this year and she is a joy to talk to. I also got to visit the vineyard last year and it is a high-quality operation. I felt this wine was wonderful and worth the cost. It is soft and feminine and nothing harsh. Has a nose and palate of herbs and cedar with dark berry and licorice adding to the complexity of the wine. The tannins are silky and the finish is very long. I have been purchasing these wines now for 2 years.

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Special Selection 2008 WS94 $130 QPR 1.38

This is always a great Cabernet. To me, it is still young and finds this particular wine to age very slowly in all years. It is a well-balanced wine with lots of blackberry licorice and cedar and plum. Tannins are intense but not overwhelming just young. One would call it full bodied. It is drinking nicely now but has years and years to go.

Others Worth Mentioning

Abadia Retueta Tempranillo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon Pago Negralada 2014 WS90 $100 QPR 1.11

There is a very interesting story regarding this vineyard. According to a retired buyer for Sotheby's in NYC about 8 to 10 years ago, there was a meeting in NYC of all the current Master's in wine who at their meeting tasted about 400 wines. They voted that the regular Abadia Retueta 2003 was the greatest wine in the world and that wine is less than $30. I have had it and it is to be sure a great wine. The Pago Negralada series and there is more than one of them, is the prestige wine for this vineyard the Duero Valley of Spain. This is a well-made wine with a light body and smooth tannins with good balance. Lots of coffee, chocolate mixed with fruity elements Very good structure and good acidity making it food friendly. I have this wine in my cellar.

Bodega Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata Mendoza 2008 WS93 $135 QPR 1.45

I've always said wine is about relationships more than anything else. About 8-10 years ago I met Laura Catena at Costco in Jacksonville, Florida.  Interestingly she is an ER physician but 15 years ago her father asked to help at the vineyard so she started doing the marketing 15 years ago and soon after she visited the USA selling her wines. That day at Costco she had multiple cases and I bought 10 cases and asked her to sign the bottles and cases and she and her helpers opened every case, unwrapped each bottle as they were wrapped with tissue paper. Reapplied the tissue paper and then signed the wooden cases. I still have a couple of cases in the cellar. When I asked her if she remembered she proceeded to hug me and tell me that I made her day that day and was the largest buyer of her trip and she would never forget it. Wow, what memory and experience. We spoke 2 or 3 times at the meeting. I have always loved Catena wines especially their whites. This particular wine was dark and concentrated yet well balanced. Lots of fruit flavors of cassis, blueberry, and black cherry. Tannins are smooth balanced well with acid. There is also tobacco and spice in the flavor profile. Has a great finish with cherry flavor in the finish.

Ca'Marcanda Bolgheri Camarcanda 2015 WS 94 $150 QPR 1.6

Angelo and Gaia Gaja are legendary Italian winemakers and usually, their prices are out of reach for most of us. Both Angelo and Gaia have attended every New York Wine Experience I have been too and each year they both are very gracious and speak with me. To me, they are trying very hard to make world-class top-shelf wines at a more reasonable price and this is one of them. It is a very nice wine with balance and drinkability. Lots of complex flavors of cherry, blueberry, and tobacco. The texture is sleek and smooth. It is a Cabernet Sauvignon with a small amount of Cabernet Franc and one of the best-blended wines with Cab Franc I have tasted in a while.

Champy Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots 2011 WS92 $170 QPR 1.85

From one of the greatest(and most expensive) vineyards in the World adjacent to the Domaine Romanee Conti(DRC) vineyards that sell in the thousands of dollars. The Les Suchot vineyard is a large vineyard located between Echezeaux to the north and Romanee Saint-Vivant and Richebourge to the south, again some of the most famous vineyards so at $170 compared to $2000 this wine is a bargain. It is a big red with black cherry, blackberry, and spice flavors. The oak is well integrated and balanced with the other flavors. It has a nice long finish.

Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Napa Valley Carneros Hyde Vineyard 2013 WS93 $70 QPR 0.75

A very nice Pinot at a good price. Patz & Hall also make great Chardonnay's and usually when you see them especially in restaurants they have moderate and reasonable prices. This particular wine impressed me in that it was another California wine that was not overoaked. The oak profile was similar to the Kistler's and a light presence of oak. On the nose, there are tons of fruit including blackberry and other wild berry flavors. The tasted has a hint of anise and cedar in addition to the fruit. It had a great finish that lasted a very long time. Tannins were soft and not overbearing.

Thoughts on Paris and Bordeaux France

Never go through JFK or Midway in the winter. Total nightmare! We recommend anyone thinking about doing this do it now before you get too old. Going to Europe is always difficult. There are lots of walking on uneven pavement, steep inclines, and difficult weather at times. On our cruise at least 3 or 4 elderly people fell and went to the hospital or had to be helped moving around. Imagine taking the train at 80 with minimal luggage and having to walk up and down stairs and then walk hundreds of yard to catch a train and have less than 5 minutes to get on and get your luggage on. Believe us the experience is worth it but there is no such thing as an easy European vacation that we have found. You need to be fit and a young enough age to get around. We figure we have a few more years of this but it is not getting any easier. It is worth it as the people over there are exceptionally civilized to us and makes it all worthwhile.

La Grande Lafour

A very famous restaurant. Napoleon, John Paul-Sartre, Victor Hugo, Simone De Bolivier all have eaten here. It is a two-star Michelin restaurant and is very expensive. Forget the price you see listed here on Trip Advisor. With wine, it is going to cost $300 to $500 US per person or more. Is it worth it? Maybe once in your life. To begin with, it is a little cramped. Tables are comfortable but everything is compact and it is not a large place. The décor to me was no different than the other places I went to. Very nice turn of the century art deco. The menu is a little limited and most choices are fairly classic French dishes and each menu item, for the most part, cost $120 US per item. Clark had the lamb and liked it, I was not impressed. I have had better lamb. If I had to guess I would say the lamb is why they lost their third star. There is an overabundance of Foie Gras but it was some of the best I have ever had and was cooked perfectly. The Foie Gras Mosse Presse was too die for and no question the best I have ever had. The presentations were wonderful especially the desserts. In fact, dessert was the highlight of the meal and dessert presentations were spectacular. And they just kept coming and coming. First the dessert main course, then petite fours, then candies, then more petite fours, then a special fresh made cake from the Alps, we couldn’t get out of the place! Another interesting aside regarding French culture and attitude towards others. We were a party of four and had decided to share desserts only ordering two. The reason was we were beyond stuffed and had been on a nonstop orgy of food for at least three days and did not feel we could stuff anymore down without getting sick. The French would have nothing to do with it! They just felt that was wrong so they gave us two desserts free and only charged us for two insisting that everyone had to have dessert. And then after that, the desserts kept coming and coming. We had to be carried out. Service was obviously gracious, attentive, polite, and friendly and English was cheerfully spoken. Of course, once we got the bill it would be hard for them to be nasty and give you that bill! This morning after the dinner and looking at the pictures I can say that I am glad that I came, but as before having eaten at two Michelin starred restaurants in the past I do not think I will go back again simply because the cost is very very high and we went to many other places not quite as fancy but just as good or better in terms of food quality and taste. Though again, I do not think I will ever have fois gras that good. I am totally spoiled and if it is my last, which it could well be given the US laws being passed, I can always remember the last I ever had was the best.

Paris Restaurants

Well, we have eaten in Paris for years now so we feel very qualified to recommend to you where to eat and hopefully maybe save a little money. In general, we would no longer recommend Michelin starred restaurants. Why? It is not because they are not any good because they are. We have eaten at three and have always been pleased. The problem is cost and the difference in cost from a Michelin starred restaurant and one that is not is huge. You can have four(4) dinners at a wonderful spectacular place for the price of one(1) Michelin place. And for the average person, the difference in quality and presentation is marginal. We can say this because we consider ourselves foodies and we have eaten at the Michelin starred places and have a reference point to make this kind of judgment and that is where we can save you some cash. Don’t get us wrong, they are nice places but to us, it is more about the show and renting space in a famous place as opposed to eating a great meal. Our TOP recommendations are (1) Café Marley at the Louvre. We have been eating here for over 20 years and it has always been wonderful and they have the BEST Dover sole and mashed potatoes on earth. Just had dinner there this past January and still great. (2) Benoit near Hotel de Ville. Treated extremely well here, food preparation and quality spectacular. They must have a bad night once in a while to get anything less than rave reviews. Every mayor of Paris in the past 100 years has eaten here and they celebrated their 100th-anniversary last year. (3) La Grande Colbert near the Louver. Extremely well prepared and tasty food and great wine prices. Famous because last dinner scene in “Something’s got to Give” with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton was filmed here. Staff is very nice, friendly polite and accommodating. Unequivocally the best frog legs in the world that just fall off the bone tender. Can’t wait to return just for the frog legs. If you have never had frog legs and are scared to try them this is the place to do it. Unfortunately, the last time we had dinner there it was not good and I cannot recommend it anymore. (4) Mollard next to the Opera house. This is the closest to what most Americans consider a tourist trap and sometimes they don’t get great reviews. I am not sure why because we have been twice now and everything was great. It is a seafood restaurant and we do not recommend the beef. But I don’t recommend the beef in France anywhere. Their Sea Bass is legendary. Their shellfish platters are legendary. Clark had the sea bass and said it was wonderful. A possible misunderstanding with Americans French sea bass is a smaller species than Americans get so when they bring you a small fish don’t be upset. Just taste it, you will be blown away. Both times we dined at Mollards 99% of the patrons were French which says a lot and there was always a line out the door to get in. We were treated no different than anyone else and they spoke English. (5) Breakfast in America is a chain and the one we went too is in the Marais district close to the St. Paul metro stop and another in St. Germaine.  I have been to both.  If you get a hankering for ham and eggs or pancakes this is the place. And according to the French, they now serve hamburgers. The French do not understand why you would come to Paris and eat there when you have 13,000 places to eat great French food. But then again when we eat there the place is full of French patrons. Go Figure! (6) The food market at Galleries’ Lafayette at the Opera, which is across the street from the main Galleries’ Lafayette. It is 4 or 5 stories and the same size as one of our Dillard’s. An entire department store building devoted to food and wine. You imagine if they have it. Hot food, cold food and virtually every country with a stall serving international foods. A large wine department with good prices. A caviar section, that’s right an entire section for caviar alone. The prices there are not good. We saw cans of caviar as high as $6000 per can! Imagine $6000 a can for fish bait! Wonder what kind of fish you can catch with that? It is a great place to go and pack a picnic or take dinner back to the room. Clark wants me to clarify, the entire food market to pack a picnic, not just the caviar section. She didn’t want to go fishing anyway. (7) Les Climats is right behind the Museum Orsay and you simply cannot beat it for an outstanding 3-course lunch for around 50 Euro. It has 1 Michelin star and is an experience and demonstrates the best way to experience Michelin star restaurants is to have lunch there. Prices are much lower but the same great food and gourmet experience. (8) There are 2 Marco Polo Italian restaurants, one in the St. Germain area, that have outstanding service and food if you crave Italian cuisine while in France. If the above won’t fill you up then nothing will. As a rule, you cannot go wrong eating almost anywhere in Paris. Check out travel advisor for more recommendations. In most cases, any place you see full of French people is going to be good. The French take their food and wine very very seriously and any restaurant that does not provide anything but the best cannot and will not survive in Paris. It is often said you cannot get a bad meal in France and we agree.

Versailles

Our first trip to Versailles was 20 years ago and we had a guide. We took the train up and walked immediately to the Queens and Kings apartments and were shown the Hall of Mirrors. We were done and gone in 2 hours. This time we took a cab, which took 30 minutes and got lost inside only to come out hours later. A totally differed perspective. The place is IMMENSE! It is the size of Texas! Louis the 14th the Sun King spent the entire GNP of the country for one year building the place. It is dripping in marble, gold leaf, paintings, carpets, etc. etc. etc. It is beautiful and is an example of the highest forms of art and building man can attain. But I am sorry it was an abuse of power. In today’s dollars, it cost trillions to build while 99% of the country was starving to death. I am sorry but when your children are crying and dying before your very eyes so the top 1% can live like this someone is and did lose their head and they should have. There is a lesson to be learned here, my friends. I support capitalism and the individual attaining his or her full potential. But there is a fine line and when the system becomes abusive as it did here don't be surprised when heads literally roll!

Final thoughts on Bordeaux.

William Osler the great American physician who founded the internal medicine department at John Hopkins University considered by many the father of modern medicine made the following statement "To study sailing going to sea without charts or books and reading books is like going to sea without a sail but studying sailing by reading books alone is like never going to sea at all". It is a prophetic statement that applies to many areas including wine. Robert Parker is considered probably the world's leading expert on Bordeaux wine and he comes here frequently and studies and drinks thousands upon thousands of bottles of wine. Until I physically came here essentially I had no idea what I was talking about when discussing Bordeaux wine. In my opinion, Robert Parker himself has missed a few things. And being here and speaking with the French correctly all the rules that I thought existed have been changed. One rule that I learned is that not all Bordeaux wines are blends of multiple different grape varieties. For the first time in history Pichon Leland 2013 is 100 percent cabernet sauvignon and according to the French their greatest wine they have ever made even though 2013 was a horrible year for weather. Parker said that he based his entire reputation for his life on the 2009 vintage yet the French stated unequivocally 2010 is the best ever. We went to some of the lesser known vineyards and they all know that in order to compete in the world market they have to produce a quality product and they are no longer laying on their laurels so to speak and are producing higher quality wine with higher quality personnel and equipment and all of them were at work upgrading everything in order to be as good as the first growths. The people of Bordeaux are most laid back Frenchman we have ever met they have a joy of life unmatched anywhere. They spend 2 hours for lunch and 4 hours for dinner drinking wine the entire time but not in excess only to enhance their joyous life and the food that they eat we all could learn from them. I highly recommend anyone who wants to fully appreciate these wines to please come and spend a week here you will be treated with nothing but courtesy and love and you will come away with a whole new perspective. I recommend you visit some of the lesser known areas of Bourg, Blaye, Castillion, Cadillac, Bordeaux Superior, etc.

People of Paris

On the people of Paris. I continue to be tired of hearing about how nasty the French people are especially in Paris. I am sorry but people just don't know they're talking about. We went to Versailles with friends one of whom is disabled who cannot walk more than 100 feet without having to stop and sit it for 20 minutes. Upon arriving at the information desk the French people gave us a wheelchair at no charge so we could take our friend around. After we finished our visit they escorted us to all the elevators and they escorted us to where she would have to walk to taxi the least distance. Both coming and leaving the Taxi drivers drove as close as they could legally. They were constantly friendly concerned and extremely polite. We went to some of the top restaurants and the waiters and waitresses and servers and were polite courteous smiling and friendly. We took cabs all over town and every cab driver has been polite and helpful especially with our disabled friend. Not one taxi driver has tried to rip us off. Our taxi driver to the airport the night before insisted on going inside the hotel with us to make sure we had the right place and were safe. One of them actually tried to refuse a tip in a polite way. We have not met anyone but the most polite and friendly and nice French people everywhere. If you want to see nasty people go to New York City. We continue to feel that these are the most gentle civilized people in the world they're like peoples world over if you are polite to them they are polite to you if you come in with an American attitude that I want what I want right now and you can go to hell you might not receive the best treatment. Clark says it's difficult to be patient and different people in the different parts of the world run on a different time scale. Clark says it is worth it. It does beg the question when do they work. I noticed that they spend at least 6 to 8 hours a day eating and receive 6 weeks paid vacation and you have to wonder when do they work and yet you look around and you see some of the greatest buildings ever made some of the greatest architecture ever made some of the greatest wine and artwork made and I can only come to the one conclusion, they are extremely productive and efficient workers. Imagine what they could accomplish if they only worked 1 hour additional a day!

What the Wine World is all About

IT'S PERSONAL

     Every owner and winemaker I have ever met put their entire self in making wine

IT'S INTIMATE

     Because they are so personally involved the wine makers share their deepest thoughts and concerns and bring you into their lives

IT'S EMOTIONAL

     You can see the love and care these people put into their work.  You can feel their hopes, dreams, successes and failures.  At times it is emotionally wrenching.

IT'S WARM AND ACCEPTING, INCLUSIVE, AND SHARING

     Other than being refused a visit to DRC every winery I have visited has welcomed me with open arms.  I have even been invited into some of their homes.  They cannot wait for you to taste and enjoy their wine.

IT'S ABOUT FAMILY

     One of the first thing any winemaker does when giving a lecture that I have attended is first show a picture of his or her family and explain how the family members participate in the making of the wine and who in the family will carry on in the future.

IT'S ABOUT HOPE

     Every wine maker I have known is hopeful that every year will be a great year and if not the next will be.  They all look forward to making the wine and always have a positive attitude.  No one has ever said let's make a bad wine today.

IT'S ABOUT EDUCATION

     You cannot go to a winery or lecture with a winemaker without receiving outstanding information and an education on what, how, and why they do what they do.  Listen and take notes you will learn a lot.

IT'S TOP SHELF OR HIGH END

     Even for lower price wines the investments and cost of production are huge.  No one goes into this business looking to make mediocre or bad wines.  The basic business model is to make the best wine of all time and to be the greatest wine of all time and if they sell it at a good price and make a lot of money good for them.

IT'S PROFESSIONAL

     Yes wineries and winemakers are primarily farmers.  Don't let that fool you.  Every event I have attended, especially when attended by others in the business, sommeliers for example, a lot of them more often than not wear suits and ties and present themselves as the true professionals they are.  I have only seen them in blue jeans when out in the fields or in the winery.

My Philosophy on Wine

I rate and evaluate wine according to the following principles starting from the lowest rating to the highest.  It, of course, is not a perfect system and it does not conform to the usual “Parker” or “’ Wine Spectator” rating system.  But it works for me and I hope it is helpful to you. 

Not Drinkable/ Pour down the Sink Wine

This is a wine that quite frankly makes you want to vomit.  Or as Red  Foxx used to say Puke.  It is hard to say vomit when you are puking.  This wine is awful.  It is either corked, or heavily oxidized, or simply just plain bad wine.  No matter how desperate you are to get an alcohol high you do not want to drink this wine.  It is poured down the sink!

Barely Drinkable

OK for all you wino’s out there this is your wine.  It really is a bad wine but if desperate and you need to get high you can force this wine down.  This is the “Bali High” or “Mogen David” wines that you felt compelled to drink in college.  Quite frankly I actually used these wines to clean my paintbrushes in college for art classes and when desperate to get high I drank these wines.  But with maturity no more.

Fair Wine

A slight step above barely drinkable but clearly a difference.  This is when you are on a date at a mediocre Italian Restaurant and you want to impress your date so you order Lancers Rose or some cheap Chianti.  These wines are totally unimpressive but they will do for the moment.  Something you might buy for a cheap date but something you wouldn’t serve to friends.

Good Wine

This is the minimum standard that I set for myself today after 15 years of wine tasting.  Life is simply too short to drink bad wine.  These are the wines that you serve to friends or that you have for your anniversary party or that you stock by the case in your cellar for everyday drinking.  Nothing exceptional about these wines but they are pleasant, fairly well balanced, at least a minimum showing of fruit, and no bad qualities overshadow the wine.  Generally $10 to &15 per bottle of wine.

Very Good Wine

A Step above good wine.  Generally, $15-$25 per bottle wine that has a little bit more complexity to it and clearly no overwhelming bad characteristics.  These wines have to have more than and adequate showing of fruit flavor as that what wine is all about is it not, fruit????

Excellent Wine

This is your 90-93 Wine Spectator rated wine.  Clearly better than very good and an exceptionally well-balanced pleasant wine.  Nothing strikes you as bad or not good about this wine and frankly, your cellar either is or should be 90% of this kind of wine because it is what you really want to drink on an everyday basis for the average person.  These wines in general cost between $25 - $50 per bottle.  The one example that I can clearly think of is the Stonestreet Chardonnay, particularly 1997 and 1999.  A wonderful, Excellent wine to drink every day or with friends or take to a great restaurant and enjoy it beyond description!!!

Outstanding Wine

This is a wine that has everything but for whatever reason is just a hair shy of spiritual.  These wines are clearly well made and almost perfectly if not perfectly balanced.  You enjoy them beyond reason and quite frankly some of them are very good value and inexpensive.  But unfortunately, they are just a shy short of spiritual.  But you are willing to drink them forever hoping that over time they will become spiritual and maybe with aging some of them will.  They are probably what most “: Grand Cru” wines actually are.

Spiritual Wine

I have had the good fortune to drink a few Spiritual Wines in my lifetime.  The strange thing is you spend the rest of your life searching for these wines at $10 a bottle.  The top spiritual wines that I can remember is 1978 Pichon Lelande Bordeaux, 1989  “Aux Allots” Madame Leroy Nuits – St. George  Red Burgundy, 1977 Hanzell Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, 1997 Ramonet Montrachet, 1990 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes, 2015 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes, 2003 Chateau Guiraud Sauternes, and 1933 Broadbent Madeira Malmsey(or Malvasia). You remember everything about these wines including the year, winemaker, designation, etc. etc.  After all of these years, I still remember these wines.  I have had the 1990 Chateau D'Yquem multiple times and one time cried it was such a moving experience, I also have a few more bottles in the cellar.  When you drink these wines you simply see the Glory of God.  It is like the Cheech and Chong wedding album when they talk about playing Black Sabbath at 78 speed.  You simply see God and you wonder how in the hell did a human being create this wine out of something as simple as a wine vine that grows out of the ground.  It is the experience that all those that love wine aspire to and spend the rest of their lives searching for.