Once again this year, it is time to remember those wines that have been “special” during the last twelve months. This year I have also experienced great occasions, which reached their zenith with the victory, together with my dear friend Felipe, in the Canarias Wine Challenge, held on 23 October in Agüimes, Gran Canaria. The order of the wines is random, although I am going to start with the sparkling wines first, followed by the whites and finally the reds. Needless to say that all of them have moved me and, of course, this entry is dedicated to the people with whom I have shared them.
1º) CHAMPAGNE KRUG. GRAND CUVEE 164 EDITION.
Whoever has never drunk a Krug should run out and get one! What a level of perfection and delicacy in a glass! Drunk with my friends from the Benageber Council at one of our meetings.
2ND) CHAMPAGNE FLEURY. EXTRA BRUT 2010.
Another brown beast in a satin suit. Unlike the previous one, this Fleury was extremely vinous, a pinot noir -mostly- with fine and elegant bubbles. With this wine, my friend Paco decided to celebrate his birthday at the Rodamón and share it with David, Felipe and myself.
3º) DOMAINE DES ROCHES. THIERRY GERMAIN. L’INSOLITE 2014.
The chenin blanc is one of those varieties that I fall in love with when it is well elaborated. That sharp acidity combined with a touch of white fruit are big words when the bottle ages for a few years. Drunk with my dear friend Antonio at Entrevins.
4º) DOMINIO DEL ÁGUILA. ALBILLO VIÑAS VIEJAS 2015.
The selection from that meal, which my friend Felipe organised at Erajoma, was one of the most spectacular this year. It was the first time I drank this wine and I was surprised by its acidity, its balanced power and its rotundity. Fortunately, I repeated it shortly afterwards with my friends Esteban and Nacho… What a day, by the way!
5TH) JEAN CLAUDE RAMONET. GRAND CRU BATARD-MONTRACHET 2017.
A trip to Burgundy with my friends Mario, Esteban and Salva. That meal at the Ed. Em restaurant was the zenith of a few days of friendship, laughter and good vibes. Batard -Montrachet is one of the mythical vineyards of Burgundy and this Ramonet was, without a doubt, the best of the whole trip… and that’s saying a lot.
6º) MARQUES DE MURRIETA. CASTLE OF YGAY. GRAN RESERVA SPECIAL VINTAGE 2004.
I have already mentioned that Felipe’s tasting was brutal, here is another example. Every time I have drunk a Castillo de Ygay I have been thrilled and this 2004 was no exception, a real marvel!
7º) CLAIRE NAUDIN. ALOXE CORTON 2017.
In July I had to organise my monthly tasting and I wanted to include a pinot noir that would not leave you indifferent, something that, in recent times, is difficult to do at an “affordable price”. And so it was. Unanimously, it was the best wine of the evening. Claire Naudin’s finesse in the elaboration of her wines is unbelievable. I got this wine thanks to Esteban and Carlos.
8º) CHÂTEAU LA NERTHE. LES CLAVELLES. CHÂTEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2016.
What good memories! This is La Nerthe’s top wine, made from 100% Grenache. Very elegant. But I have not chosen it just for this reason, but because we bought it at the winery the day before our bronze medal at the 2021 World Blind Tasting Championship in Avignon.
9º) CHÂTEAU RAYAS. CHÂTEAUNEUF DU PAPE. RÉSERVÉ 2009.
Big words from another Châteauneuf du Pape wine made exclusively from Grenache. When a wine is mythical, it is not by chance. Huge! Wine drunk with the Benagéber Council at the Ginebre restaurant.
10º) COS D’ESTOURNELL. SAINT ESTÈPHE 2004.
It is difficult for Bordeaux not to be among my twelve wines of the year. My friend David had the happy idea of choosing this wine for his tasting of the year and it was the wine of the evening. The power of Bordeaux, well tamed, is pure magic. We drank it at Ca Xoret.
11º) PAOLO SCAVINO. LANGHE. NEBBIOLO 2020.
Another journey exalting friendship, laughter and wine. This time, Piedmont. It is a Langhe, a simple wine among the many possibilities we can find in Barolo and Barbaresco. However, I have chosen it because it was the first wine we drank as soon as we arrived and it seemed to us, after so many hours of travelling, to be the best wine in the world. Drunk in Neive, in the Degusto restaurant.
12º) BIONDI SANTI. BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2016.
Throughout the year, I have had the great fortune to drink a Biondi Santi on several occasions. Each time, I was thrilled. I have chosen the 2016 vintage to remember the last of the wines from the final of the Canarias Wine Challenge 2002, held in Agüimes. What a pain, we failed, but how good it was! Father Christmas has brought me one in return ;-))
Choosing my twelve wines of the year is not easy, as there have been many great moments with many friends, so thanks to all of you with whom I have shared a wine in 2022, because I am sure it was a happy occasion.