welcome to the fifty best wines of 2005

                 Presents

Page 3

21   Morgan 2002
Hat Trick Double L Vineyard
Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands);  $50. 
This low-production barrel selection from Morgan’s Double L vineyard is one of the best Chards of the vintage. Has everything Double L has, but more. Fabulous weight and density, and tiers of flavors ranging from pineapples through peaches, crème brûlée and butterscotch.
Fat, almost meaty, yet dry, elegant and refined.

 _________   
  T     H     E    
  F   I   F   T   Y   
  B_E_S_T  
  H O T L I N K    

22   Langmeil 2002
The Blacksmith
Cabernet Sauvignon  (Barossa Valley);  $20. 
Certainly appropriately named, but so terribly charming, irresistible and unusual. Smoldering, dark, briary, stably aromas are streaked with aromatic eucalyptus. On the palate, it’s incredibly concentrated, with more smoldering aromas: black soil, black fruit, smoke, even walnut and hazelnut. Still, there’s a shining core of red fruit deep in there, like a glowing ember in the forge. Not slammed with oak (only 20% is new); feel is dense, but not heavy. Imported by Epicurean Wines.

23   L’Ecole No. 41 2003
Fries Vineyard
Sémillon  (Washington);  $20. 
Another classic edition of L’Ecole’s best Sémillon. Big, fresh, and bursting with ripe and delicious fruit. Green apples and pears and bright, toasty tropical flavors are perfectly meshed, and the wine fills out in the mid-palate; then sails into a thoroughly satisfying, lingering finish.

 _________   
  T     H     E    
  F   I   F   T   Y   
  B_E_S_T  
  H O T L I N K   

24   Domaine Marcel Deiss 2001
Rotenberg  (Alsace);  $47. 
The 12-acre Rotenberg vineyard in Wintzenheim produces vibrant, racy wines, like this blend of Riesling and Pinot Gris. It is fresh and intense, with concentrated flavors of sweet white currants. Imported by New Castle Imports.

25   Belle Glos 2003
Clark & Telephone Vineyard
Pinot Noir  (Santa Maria Valley);  $38. 
Following on the heels of the last vintage, this Pinot is right up there in complexity and deliciousness. It’s a big, young wine, dark and full-bodied, with complex fruit, herb, spice and oak flavors that are impressive for their length and depth. It’s also very dry. Fine now despite its youthfulness, it should gain in power and subtlety through 2008.

26   Fort Ross 2001
Fort Ross Vineyard Reserve
Pinot Noir  (Sonoma Coast);  $39. 
Riper and sexier than the regular ’01 Pinot, offering a blast of red cherry compote, smoky oak, nutmeg, cinnamon, dry cocoa. Just fabulous quality, dry, complex, all taffeta and silk. Delicate but potent, with great complexity. Has a slight earthiness that should melt away in a few years.

27   Quinta do Portal 2003
Vintage Port;  $60. 
Potentially one of the best wines of the vintage, this is an extraordinary performance from a producer not previously noted for making such high-quality vintage Ports. The wine—a special selection that at this stage, has no name—has great ripe fruit and huge tannins combined to make a dense, intense wine. It is dark, brooding and rich. There are also layers of dryness which shows the aging potential of this great wine. Imported by MHW, Ltd.

   _________ 
    T     H     E  
    F   I   F   T   Y  
    B_E_S_T 
    H O T L I N K

 _________   
  T     H     E    
  F   I   F   T   Y   
  B_E_S_T  
  H O T L I N K   

28   Domaine de la Janasse 2003
Châteauneuf-du-Pape;  $45. 
The Sabons have carved out a great reputation for their wines over the past 20 years, and this wine continues that in fine style. Rich and perfumed, it manages to combine weight with a finesse that belies the hugeness of the 2003 vintage. There are fine tannins, ripe black fruits, hints of wood and a great sense of ageworthiness. A wine to savor in 10 years. Imported by European Cellars.

29   Roederer Estate 1999
L’Ermitage  (Anderson Valley);  $45. 
Extraordinarily fine for its smoothness and finesse, and the way the wine glides over the palate with a yeasty creaminess that turns smoky and spicy on the finish. The dosage stands out, yet this bubbly is also very acidic now. It should age well for at least 10 years.

30   Donatella Cinelli Colombini 1999
Riserva  (Brunello di Montalcino);  $65. 
Saturated to the max, with a violet/ruby tint that shows no breaks. If it looks like an extracted bruiser, it is. The tannins are big and precise, however, they aren’t aggressive or mean. In a fine-tuned cellar this will come around in about five years to show amazing black cherry and plum fruit, and lots of style. Imported by Supreme Wines & Spirits.

             Top of page

Next page

1-10  |  11-20  |  31-40  |  41-50

Toronto   Champagne     Homepage     Links

Best Wines of 2004   |   Best Wines of 2006