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Annual Review 2004

I approached my look back at 2004 with a little trepidation - I don't seem to recall so many memorable wines tasted this year. But I needn't have worried - 2004 has been a great year for wine. Some bottles have been intrinsically great - in particular, there have been some stunning sweet wines, and some great Champagnes. In these categories I was spoilt for choice, even more so than usual. Others, however, were helped by the circumstances in which they were tasted, or merit attention for the education they brought, especially the numerous Sherries I have tasted. (31/12/04)

Winedoctor Wines of the Year

White: Chateau Pierre Bise Savennières 'Clos de la Coulaine' 2001
Once again a narrow field for White Wine of 2004, with this dry Savennières from Claude Papin, which had an intrinsic quality quite unexpected, taking the lead. There may be an element of romanticism involved, of course; I was on holiday at the time, the wine married well with a freshwater eel caught in the Loire, and I have met Papin several times and have admired many of his wines. But Papin's wine illustrated so beautifully what this appellation is capable of, and its taste still lingers on the memory six months later - it's a runaway winner. There were some notable contenders, not least the Chateau de Fieuzal Blanc 1994, Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon 1999 (and 1994!) and Champalou Vouvray Clos du Portail 2002.

Red: Chateau Haut Bailly 1985
As usual a fine selection of wines to choose from here. I do wonder whether I shouldn't divide my top wines into 'best now' and 'best potential'. After all, comparing mature wines such as Domaine de Chevalier 1988, Chateau Langoa Barton 1990 and Chateau de Fieuzal 1990 with the likes of Chateau Cheval Blanc 1998, a great wine in the making, can be somewhat fatuous. But Haut Bailly pipped them all to the post, reminding me of how much I enjoy Graves, and therefore making me question why I don't buy more of it...something to think about in 2005.

Away from Bordeaux, I thought the 1998 and 2001 Chateau de Beaucastel were stunning. Two mature wines from Chateau Musar, the 1981 & 1988, also really impressed. My annual feature, this year focussing on the Languedoc and now Roussillon, yielded few great wines although there have been plenty of very good wines that also offer great value. Perhaps the greatest wines were from Domaine Peyre Rose, especially the Clos Syrah Leone 1996, although the Domaine Clavel Copa Santa 2000 and Domaine de Ravanes Les Gravières de Taurou Grande Réserve 1998 also deserve a mention.

From the New World there were many great wines too. I favoured the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 1994 and Petaluma Cabernet Sauvignon 1994, both tasted in an evening of Australian Cabernet. Great too were the Leasingham Classic Clare 1994, from a similar evening of Australian Shiraz, as well as a very impressive 2002 Central Otago Pinot Noir from Berridge Vineyards Estates.

Fizz: Dom Pérignon 1990
One fine summer evening I met up with a group of wine-loving friends to taste some Prestige Cuvée Champagne. The wines tasted were like a role-call of the regions finest; Krug Grande Cuvée (exquisite for the second time this year), Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchill 1985 & 1986, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1988, Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 1990 and Roederer Cristal Champagne 1989. But Dom Perignon had that elegant finesse that I find so appealing in this cuvée and so won the night, and thus the year. But it's not just about great wines - it's about new and otherwise impressive wines as well; thus an honourable mention should go to Regis Camus, now cellar-master at Piper Heidsieck. His Cuvée Sublime Demi-Sec Champagne NV was astonishingly good, and gives great value too.

Dessert: Joint winners
Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume 2001
Jo Pithon Coteaux du Layon Beaulieu 1997
More sweet wines worthy of this award than I can shake a stick at this year, with a fine showing from the Loire and Sauternes in the main. From the more northerly region, stunning wines were encountered on my second trip there in the past two years; the Philippe Delesvaux Coteaux du Layon St Aubin Clos du Pavillon 1998 was very good indeed especially for a lesser vintage, and two wines with great potential were the Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Cuvée Alexandre Moelleux 2003 and Domaine Champalou Vouvray Cuvée Moelleuse 2002. There were a stunning pair of 1997s tasted at Chateau Bellerive, and I'm still drinking the odd bottle of the 1988 as well! But for finesse, elegance and impact rolled into one, Florent Baumard leads the pack. But then if one is looking for sumptuous richness, combined with and exquisite balance and overall elegance - a rare combination - the Pithon wine wins. To be fair, I have split the award; the first joint winners on the Winedoctor!

A couple of impressive 1997s from Sauternes were tasted, these being Chateau Suduiraut and Chateau Coutet. Older vintages also gave mush pleasure, in particular the Chateau Climens 1979 and both 1981 and 1983 from Chateau Rieussec. Alsace also impressed, with a trio of vendange tardive wines - Riesling 1997, Pinot Gris 1997 and Gewurztraminer 2000 - tasted in the company of Etienne Hugel.

Fortified: Quinta do Vesuvio 2000
A tiny field here. I've decided on one of the Quinta do Vesuvio wines I tasted with Peter Symington in November, which I have yet to write up. I did enjoy a Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port 1986 in springtime, but there is really no comparison. A Quinta do Noval 1985, drunk over the festive season, was probably in second place. Sherry should also feature here, and the field here was not so small. Honourable mention goes to the fine Almacenista range from Lustau, with the Palo Cortado Vides being my favourite. My recent Sherry 2004 feature has been very educational for me, and that is just as important as looking at the absolute quality of a wine.

Winedoctor Awards

Most impressive producer: Domaine des Aubuisières
There were many contenders for this category, but once again it was a Loire visit that yielded the winner. Getting in touch with the winemaker in this way is bound to affect how the wines are viewed. Bernard Fouquet, proprietor, not only turns out a dazzling array of wines of stunning purity, but he also has a wonderful demeanour and tolerated my noisy kids very well - "Jouer est normal. Ne pas jouer n'est pas normal". It was a visit I will never forget; every time I open a bottle my time in his cave will be with me - and with that he takes the prize. Runners-up include Hugel, particularly for the vendange tardive wines but a much improved range across the board, Domaine Champalou, Chateau Bellerive, Chateau Haut Bailly, Domaine des Baumard, Chateau Langoa Barton, Chateau de Beaucastel (as usual!) and many others.

Biggest disappointment: Yquem
What can I say? I attended the Decanter tasting of the world's greatest sweet wine and it was a let-down. I still have to write up my notes but there were some sorry wines indeed on the day. The 1991 was getting over the hill. Others were faulty. Some were very undistinguished considering the pedigree and the vintages on show. I'm sure many of the vintages have great longevity, with decent sugar levels and higher acidity than I am used to, with a lithe and balanced rather than luscious feel. I'm sure this is key to Yquem's reputation. But they gave little pleasure now, and I left disappointed, although certainly more knowledgeable!

Best retailer: Perardel (Calais)
I buy odd bottles and cases from so many sources that it is hard to pick one retailer from so many. So I have plumped for Perardel; situated near the port in Calais, this outlet has a good stock of interesting wines, including many top names, from all of France's regions. Even oddities like the Jura are represented. And the Champagne prices are close to if not unbeatable - more Grand Siecle, Monsieur?

Best bargain: Hugel & Beaucastel
Although I've dabbled in the auction room in the past, 2004 really has been the year of the gavel. And I've secured some great wines, generally mature bottles, usually at fair rather than bargain prices. But a few throwaway bids in a very recent auction saw some bargains turning up - Beaucastel 94 (OWC) at just £15 per bottle is a good price. And mature (1986 and 1991) halves of Hugel vendange tardive wines for less than a tenner each - when the going price is more like £30 - is probably the bargain of the year. They make excellent Christmas drinking, too, and I look forward to them in 2005 and beyond!