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Annual Review 2007

The end of the year is a natural time for reflection at the months just past, as well as an opportunity to look forward and make new plans. Here at The Winedoctor I will be doing both through my annual review of the year. Normally a straightforward account of wines good and bad, however, this year I thought I would examine just how the site has developed in 2007 before I wade in with my wine commentary.

Initially purely a labour of love reflecting my passion for wine, I like to think that The Winedoctor has grown into a useful resource since its inception, a period that now spans close to eight years. It has grown in a very gradual fashion, but since January 2007 I have pressed forward with a more concerted effort to provide comprehensive coverage of Bordeaux, whilst continuing to improve, expand and update other regions that also really interest me, specifically the Loire, Champagne, Germany and one or two others. A review of the updates made this year informs me that I have added 50 brand new profiles for Bordeaux this year, and have updated or revised another 45, and more often than not these revisions were extensive amounting to a complete rewriting of the profile. Beyond Bordeaux, there have been another 17 new profiles, many for the Loire but also for famous Port houses, German stalwarts, cult New Zealand estates and more, and a further 19 profiles saw extensive revisions. Hopefully these statistics support my claim that this is a valuable (and certainly free) online resource useful to all, but especially those interested in Bordeaux. At the UGC tasting of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage held in October earlier this year, a gentleman pulled me to one side and congratulated me on the site, and he intimated that it was used by many in the trade as a resource. Although I also learnt at the same tasting that the online team at Decanter weren't even aware of my existence, providing an appropriately humbling balance, it was rewarding to receive this feedback. The gentleman in question was Hugo Rose MW, so I associate his feedback with the gravitas it deserves. His message also served to soften the blow of my usual lowly placing in the Best Tasting Notes Sites in Tom Stevenson's Wine Report, this year just below a trio of sites which see rather less regular updating than this one, including one that last saw a new addition in 2005. With the successes of 2007 - over 130 new and updated profiles, new wine guides for Germany and Bordeaux, vintage assessments for Bordeaux 2006, 2005, 2004 and 1996 and for 1995 and 1996 Champagne, my Mouton labels library, the vitally important April Fools gag and more -  and with plans for 2008 well underway (see below), is there any chance of me improving my ranking in future editions? Now that really would be an achievement worth celebrating!

The year has also seen a number of fabulous tastings written up for the site, with perhaps the aforementioned Bordeaux 2005 event being one of the most memorable, because it was my first chance to taste what is no doubt one of the greatest Bordeaux vintages of recent decades, which has I think given birth to many great classics of the future. I consider it a true privilege to have had the opportunity to taste these fledgling wines, and I wonder if I will ever see so many of the vintage gathered together in one spot again. The 2006 Bordeaux vintage, also assessed during the year, was less exalted, but nevertheless it was still fascinating to taste the wines in their extreme youth with Bibendum, the spring after bottling. I hope to do the same in 2008, and I am anticipating (I hope I am not jinxing myself by publishing this) attending the primeur tastings in Bordeaux in order to do so. More mature wines have also been under the spotlight during the year, starting with the 1996 Bordeaux vintage, looking at mainly lesser appellations or Cru Bourgeois estates, a tasting which showed the quality of this year for those looking for mature, classically styled wines. My revisiting of the 1994 Bordeaux vintage was also instructive; often on the receiving end of blanket criticism, this reassessment proved to me that there are good wines if you know where to look. Outside Bordeaux, two Champagne vintages approaching maturity, 1995 and 1996, were also the subject of some inspection. Here, the latter vintage truly shone and I am very glad to have many more bottles in the cellar, but those from the preceding year were no slouches either and on the whole they were a pleasure to taste and drink. My other main interaction with the region during the year was at the annual Champagne Information Bureau tasting when I looked at about 80 wines, revealing a mix of clunkers, drinkers and keepers. I hope next year's event will be just as informative.

Perhaps just one or two other events are worthy of mention this year. A recent examination of New Zealand at the annual tasting was informative, but I feel that the best way to get to grips with any wine region is to visit, and although I am unlikely to be treading in the vineyards of Central Otago very soon I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Rioja in June, looking particularly at the wines of Marqués de Murrieta. This was, quite simply, a great experience, taking me away from the culture of Bordeaux and the Loire with which I think I am so intimately familiar to something completely different. Another experience that might be classed as 'completely different' was my attendance at the Wine Society's Syrah and Shiraz tasting, where I felt perhaps a little akin to Louis Theroux when he is surrounded by people he doesn't truly understand. I wasn't quite sure whether I should be looking at the wines, or the Edinburgh glitterati that I encountered there; as you might imagine I sought the refuge of the wines. Speaking of which, there follow my annual wine awards, which I have abridged somewhat in comparison with previous years, citing just one winner in each category, followed by the top three also-rans, hopefully avoiding the lengthy link-lists that the process has generated in years gone by. (27/12/07)

Winedoctor Wines of the Year

White: Chateau Pierre-Bise Savennières Roches aux Moines 2005

This was a breathtaking wine that stopped me in my tracks when I tasted it at the domaine, with Claude Papin's wife, during my summer visit to the region. Thank heavens that somebody has had the good sense to sell their vines in this fabulous Savennières cru to Claude. The top three also-rans were:

• Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre et Maine Le L d'Or 1996
  Simply beautiful clarity, acidity and vivacity here. Muscadet shows its true colours with a leading producer like Pierre Luneau.
• Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2001
  The quality of the spätlese and auslese, also tasted were just as high. These are great wines from a great producer in a great vintage, and after this exploratory taste I look forward to trying these again in the future.
• Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 2005
  A brilliant vintage for reds, but less so for the whites I feel, but one or two wines really shine. At the UGC tasting it was Domaine de Chevalier.

Red: Margaux 1996

I was fortunate enough to visit Chateau Margaux in December 2006, although I experienced a more extensive tasting of the wines in London. Of all these, it was the brooding 1996 vintage that really impressed. A stunning wine. The 1983 was also delightful. From a huge shortlist I have managed, with difficulty, to whittle it down to just three other favourite wines:

• Latour 1961
  From a tasting of the 1961 vintage where Trotanoy was the other top performing wine on the night, Latour really impressed with its integrated structure, and staying power. Even at 46 years of age, it still has more to give I think.
• CVNE Viña Real Rioja Gran Reserva 1976
  A difficult choice, the inclusion of this or the La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 1989, but I think on reflection the 31 year old wine from CVNE just pips it.
• Léoville-Barton 2005
  A very convincing showing at the UGC tasting brought me to the conclusion that this wine is a future classic. The corresponding Langoa (last year's winner) also remains very fine, the greatest Langoa ever I believe, and Pichon-Lalande is another seductive stunner. In truth there are a huge number of contenders from this vintage; regard these three mentioned here as merely representative.

Fizz: Roederer Brut 1989

For sheer pleasure this wine takes the prize. Some other below may have greater complexity in time, more finesse to come, and overall more potential. But right now, those looking to wallow in a sumptuous experience should look here. My other possible choices included:

• Krug 1995
  Broad, serious, vinous and reserved, but absolutely loaded with promise for the future. This will be a great wine one day and simply had to make my list of the year.
• Bollinger Grande Année 1996
  Sumptuous stuff which is already stunning but can only get better. The 1990 is equally sublime, with both power and elegance.
• Charles Heidsieck Brut 1996
  A surprise late addition to my 1996 tasting, and the second wine from this year to feature here, showing the strength of this vintage. This turned out to be wonderfully elegant and finely intertwined wine which clearly displays the blending skills of the late Daniel Thibault.

Sweet: Chateau Bellerive Quarts de Chaume Quintessence 1997

A stunning, breathtaking wine. There is little else to say; I was part speechless at the time of tasting, and so why shouldn't that be reflected here? Three other contenders were:

• Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2001
  As with the Kabinett, a truly great effort from the Prüm family.
• Domaine Cauhapé Jurançon Quintessence du Petit Manseng 1999
  A past winner, retasted, and I cannot exclude it purely on the basis it has topped this list before. Truly a stunning wine.
• Domaine des Aubuisières Vouvray Cuvée Alexandre 2003
  Another stunning effort from Bernard Fouquet, which I happily add to this list.

Fortified: Taylor's Vintage Port 1970

Following on from the 1970 Graham's featured last year, in 2007 I experienced another birth year wine, this time the Taylor's. As its presence at the top of this list suggests, it was sublime. The respectable also-rans were:

• Warre's Vintage Port 1980
  An under-rated vintage, tasted three times with pleasure during the year and convincing enough for me to subsequently add some to the cellar.
• Fonseca Vintage Port 1985
  Another good vintage although I have heard some in the trade question the potential of the 1985 vintage as a whole for developing any further. This is something I will investigate with a future tasting, I think.
• Graham's Vintage Port 1997
  Young but fabulous. Opening this bottle leaves eleven for me to enjoy over the coming years. What a trial that will be!

Winedoctor Awards

Most Impressive Producer: Joh. Jos. Prüm

Three fabulous wines from a great vintage, tasted for the first time earlier this year, demonstrated just what this estate, with Dr Manfred Prüm at the helm as he has been since 1969, is capable of. Leading estates also putting in an impressive showing in my tasting experience this year included:

• Chateau Rieussec
  For consistency and high quality across many vintages in Sauternes, it is hard to beat Rieussec. My tasting of several vintages this year, including the 1997 (twice), 1998, 1999 and 2003, as well as the 1986 and fabulous 2001 last year, provided good evidence of this.
• Bernard Baudry
  Bernard is a genial character who I met this summer, and together we tasted through a lovely set of wines which showed how he has taken full advantage of some recent favourable vintages for Chinon and the Loire.
• Pierre-Bise
  Another Loire stalwart. Here Claude Papin produces a stunning range of wines, spearheaded by true greats such as his new Savennières Roches aux Moines cuvée, Quarts de Chaume and the sweet Chaume, among others.

Biggest disappointment: Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1999

A great vintage for the Northern Rhône, but tragically a poor wine in this context. In itself it is drinkable, but in comparison with what Jaboulet were turning out as recently as 1996 it is very sad. Now the Jaboulets have lost control of their family business and have all, I believe, been dismissed. Expect, under new owners the Frey family, both quality and prices to rise. Other disappointments included:

• The 1961 Vintage
  There were highpoints (Latour and Trotanoy) and lowpoints (Cheval-Blanc, Haut-Brion, Batailley, Cantemerle) at this tasting. Although overall it was a fabulous event, it is for these latter wines that the tasting receives a mention here.
• Couly-Dutheil Interdit 2003
  During my visit there this summer I experienced this wine for the first time; my tasting guide at the domaine suggested it was a fabulous and rare wine. The latter might be true, but as for the former, I was distinctly underwhelmed.
• New Zealand Pinot Noir
  The potential for Pinot Noir in New Zealand is fabulous, and has in part been realised, but at this tasting I felt too many were jumping on the bandwagon; high prices abounded, but top quality was harder to find (although it is out there).

Best retailer: The Wine Society

So underwhelmed was I by Jaboulet's Hermitage La Chapelle 1999 that, for the first time ever, I made use of the Society's offer to provide a refund on any wine that fails to satisfy. The Society's buyer, Marcel Orford-Williams, expressed an opinion that the wine was fine, and on a recent tasting was "dark, still rather dumb, quite thickly textured, ripe and sweet flavoured with fine tannins and good length". I must say I disagree with his assessment. But whatever his opinion, the Society was true to its word. I made no direct request for a refund, but upon hearing my opinion of the wine I was offered one, in full and without condition. I do not think there is any other UK merchant that offers anything close to this unquestioning service.

Bargain: Loire 2005

This section is really meant to highlight the bargain purchase of the year, but such deals seem to be few and far between these days. Long gone are the times when the big UK brokers knocked out case after case of claret with huge reductions in order to make room for the next vintage...although this situation could easily return at any time. I did pick up some inexpensive Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Réserve NV in Calais, about £8 a half, and some 1998 Janasse Vieilles Vignes Chateauneuf du Pape at one third of the usual price from the Wine Society, but I have decided to highlight the continued good value offered by the Loire, especially in a great vintage such as 2005. As the mob clamour for famous labels from Bordeaux, it is great to know there are still wines, undiscovered by many, which can provide excitement and tasting pleasure at a good price. I look forward to tasting and drinking more of them in 2008.