Friday 28 December 2018

Top wines in 2018

100Chateau Latour 1950
99Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2000
98Chateau Leoville Barton 2001
97Antinori Tignanello 1995
96Giuseppe Rinadi Dolcetto D'Alba 2016
95Chateau Rauzan Segla 1948
94Chateau Haut-Bailly 2009
93Chateau Leoville Barton 1985
92Chateau Beychevelle 2000
91Chave Hermitage 1996
90Van Loggerenberg 'Trust Your Gut' Chenin Blanc 2017
89Chateau Lynch-Bages 2004
88Domaine Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 2001
87Lamarche Clos Vougeot 2002
86Armand Rousseau Mazis-Chambertin 2004
85Chateau Pape Clement 1990
84Clusel Roche Cote Rotie Grandes Places 2005
83Radford Dale Chenin Blanc 2015
82Jadot Corton 1995
81Elvio Cogno Barolo Elena 2012
80Cornas Cave Cooperative de Tain L'Hermitage 1966
79Domaine Marc Roy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur 2008
78Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Ruchottes 2014
77Leroy Vosne-Romanee Aux Brulees 1990
76Jadot Corton Pougets 1998
75Chateau Pontet Canet 2001
74PYCM Puligny Montrachet Les Champs Gains 2010
73Sauzet Puligny Montrachet Champ Canet 2009
72Chateau Pichon Lalande 1990
71Guy De Barjac Cornas 1986
70Chateau Rauzan-Segla 1985
69Produttori Del Barbaresco Pora 2007
68Pierre Boisson Meursault 2014
67Domaine Bertagna, Clos De La Perrieres, Vougeot 1er Cru 2009
66Chateau Leoville Lascases 1989
65Coche-Dury Meursault 2014
64Domaine De Montille Pommard Les Epenots 2006
63Chateau Montrose 2005
62Chateau Pichon Lalande 1983
60Chapoutier Hermitage Vin De Paille, 1997 
59Chateau Filhot Crème De Tete 1990
58PYCM Meursualt Perrieres 2011
57Chateau Coutet 1975
56Penfolds Bin 707 1996
55Hermitage La Chapelle 1966
54MG Lafite, Meursault-Charmes Les Dessus 1964
53Chateau Lafite 1997
52Chateau Latour 1983
51Chateau Lynch-Bages 1995
50Chateau La Conseillante 2001
49Bonneau Du Martray Corton Charlemagne 1997
48Chateau Figeac 1982
47Pavillon Rouge Du Chateau Margaux 2004
46Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 1998
45Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2015
44Chateau Branaire Ducru 1982
43Chateau Gruaud-Larose 1986
42Chateau Beychevelle 2016
41Robert Groffier Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses 1995
40Jadot Clos Saint Denis 1998
39Chateau Palmer 1999
38Noel Verset Cornas 1998
37Jadot Batard Montrachet 1993
36Chateau La Conseillante 1990
35Roumier Chambolle Musigny 1er Crus Les Cras 2002
34Jadot Montrachet 1985
33Chateau d'Yquem 1988
32Prunotto Barolo Bussia 1967
31Chateau Montrose 2016
30Chateau Talbot 1966
29Chateau Canon 2015
28DRC Grands Echezeaux 1992
27Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1988
26Chateau Margaux 1999
25Chateau Lafite 1985
24Chateau Leoville Lascases 1988
23Chateau Lafite 1990
22Tertre Roteboeuf 1998
21Sorrel Hermitage Greal 1998
20Chateau Leoville Lascases 2005
19Clape Cornas 1982
18Chateau Lafite 1976
17Chateau Cheval Blanc 1982
16Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 1991
15Chateau Lafite 1988
14Chateau Hau-Brion 1989
13Chateau Lafite 1983
12Laville Haut-Brion 2000
11Chateau Lafite 1978
10Chateau d'Yquem 1976
9Hermitage La Chapelle 1990
8Chateau Lafite 1986
7Chateau Lafleur 2015
6Chateau Ausone 1982 - 5L
5Chateau Haut-Brion 1953
4DRC Montrachet 2003
3Chateau d'Yquem 1967
2DRC Richebourg 1990
1Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1976

Wednesday 30 May 2018

Top 100 wines of all time

This is a list of  my top 100 wines of all time. 

Some of these wines I have tried more than once, the number of times in brackets. Some wines I have more of, though this is not noted. 

Some immense wines like Lafite 1929, Chateau Margaux 1959, DRC Richebourg 1978, Chave Cuvée Cathelin 1991 and Yquem 2001 have been excluded because they were only samples. 

Also, I may have inadvertently missed one or two wines.

Where possible I have pinned down the date and location, usually by postcode. Where N1 or N5 this usually means at home. The date indicated where the wine has been tried more than once was, from memory, the most impressive showing. 

It was been a wonderful journey through the world of fine wine. I am most privileged. 



  1. Romanee Conti 1980 - 25/5/2013, London, W1 (1) 
  1. D’Yquem 1937 - September 1998, Bad Homburg (1)
  1. Romanee Conti 1985 - 31/12/1999, London N5 (1)
  1. Petrus 1964 - 31/8/1997,  Lower Slaughter (1) 
  1. La Tache 1985 - 16/4/2010, London N1 (1)
  1. Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1976 - 25/5/2018, London N1 (2)
  1. Petrus 1971 - 1996, London N1 (1)
  1. Latour 1982 - 23/5/2013, Kew (5)
  1. Hermitage La Chapelle 1978 - 2008, Brighton (1)
  1. DRC Richebourg 1990 - 14/4/2018, London W1 (1)
  1. Lafite 1995 - 13/6/2011, Chappaqua (2)
  1. Ramonet Montrachet 1982 - 1998, London N5 (1)
  1. Cappellano Barolo 1961 - August 2011, Manhattan (1)
  1. Lafite 1955 - September 1998, Bad Homburg (1)
  1. Coche Dury Meursault Perrieres 1986 - 9/6/2003, London N1 (1)
  1. Lafite 1989 - October 2009, Manhattan (6)
  1. Lafleur 2015 - 28/2/2018, London W1 (1)
  1. Chateau Margaux 2010 - 18/5/2013, London NW1 (2)
  1. Mouton 2009 - 23/10/2016, London SW1 (1)
  1. Cheval Blanc 1985 - 27/12/2017, London E14 (6)
  1. La Tache 1996 - 2/5/2017, London N1 (3)
  1. D'Yquem 1976 - 23/12/2009, London W11 (4)
  1. Mouton 1982 - 17/10/2016, London SW10 (6)
  1. Chave Hermitage 1990 - June 2012, Vienne (3)
  1. Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanee Clos Parantoux 1996 - 2009, Manhattan (1)
  1. Rousseau Chambertin 1996 - 2009, Manhattan (2)
  1. Le Pin 1990 - 2002, London N5 (2)
  1. Petrus 1978 - 23/12/2009, London W11 (3)
  1. Ponsot Clos De La Roche, Vieille Vignes 1985 - 1992, Gevrey Chambertin (1) 
  1. Leroy Grands-Echezeaux 1964 - 2008, Manhattan (1)
  1. Chateau Margaux 1996 - April 2001, London W1 (4)
  1. Cheval Blanc 1982 - 12/4/2012, London W1 (6)
  1. Chateau Margaux 1986 - February 2012, London EC4 (4)
  1. Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino 1990 - October 2008, Manhattan (5)
  1. Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo 1971 - 2007, Stamford, CT (1)
  1. Rousseau Chambertin Clos De Beze 1995 - 27/4/2011, London W11 (2)
  1. Penfolds Grange 1998 - 2/5/2017, London N1 (2) 
  1. Lafite 1985 - 25/5/2012, London EC3 (4)
  1. Haut-Brion 1982 - 12/4/2012, London W1 (5)
  1. Ramonet Montrachet 1983 - 31/12/1999, London N5 (1)
  1. Haut-Brion 1989 - 9/10/2000, London NW1 (4)
  1. Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva 1996 - October 2014, London W4 (2)
  1. Jasmin Côte Rotie 1990, - 22/3/2012, London W1 (2)
  1. Lafite 1986 - 1/3/2018, London W4 (4)
  1. Penfolds Bin 90A - May 2014, London E3 (1)
  1. Lafite 1978 - 1/3/2018, London W4 (3)
  1. Cheval Blanc 1975 - 17/5/2015, Bordeaux (1)
  1. Ausone 1982 - 17/10/2016, London SW10 (4) 
  1. Ramonet Montrachet 1988 - 25/5/2013, London W1 (1)
  1. Lafite 1998 - 26/3/2016, Bordeaux (4)
  1. Noel Verset Cornas 1990 - January 2014, London EC1 (7)
  1. Petrus 1990 - July 2013, London E3 (3)
  1. Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet 1992 - December 2009, London W11 (12)
  1. Guigal Cote-Rotie La Mouline 1985 - April 1996, London N5 (1)
  1. Mouton 1985 - 31/12/2012, London E3 (2)
  1. La Fleur Petrus 1971 - 25/1/2013, London W1 (1) 
  1. Lafite 1988 - 1/3/2018, London W4 (2)
  1. Palmer 1983 - 12/11/2015, London W4 (4)
  1. Chateau Margaux 1983 - December 2006, Manhattan (4)
  1. Mouton 1986 - 2008, Manhattan (6)
  1. Latour 1990 - March 2011, San Francisco (1) 
  1. Laville Haut-Brion 2000 - 24/4/2018, Bordeaux (1) 
  1. Lafite 1983 - 1/3/2018, London W4 (1)
  1. Figeac 1982 - 26/11/2017, London SW1 (6)
  1. La Conseillante 2016 - 5/7/2017, London SW1 (1)
  1. Leoville Lascases 2016 - 5/7/2017, London SW1 (1)
  1. Lynch Bages 1982 - 8/10/2017, London N1 (5)
  1. DRC Richebourg 2004 - 8/10/2017, London N1 (1)
  1. D'Yquem 1971 - 20/10/2016, London W4 (1)
  1. Penfolds Grange 1981 - 1990, London N1 (6)
  1. Pichon Baron 2010 - 22/5/2015, Pauillac (3)
  1. Leoville Lascases 2010 - November 2014, London EC2 (2)
  1. Montrose 2010 - November 2013, London NW1 (3)
  1. Jamet Cote Rotie 2010 - n/a (1) 
  1. La Conseillante 1982 - November 2011, London EC3 (11)
  1. JF Mugnier Musigny 2005 - January 2017, Meursault (1)
  1. Rousseau Clos Saint Jacques 1989 - 27/4/2011, London W11 (1)
  1. La Conseillante 1990 - April 2016, London SW1 (11)
  1. Haut-Bailly 2009 - April 2015, London SW3 (1)
  1. Noel Verset Cornas 1991 - March 2012, London W1 (3)
  1. Louis Jadot Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses 1985 - Q3 2014, London W1 (1)
  1. La Mission Haut-Brion 1982 - 17/10/2016, London SW10 (1)
  1. Smith Haut-Lafitte 2009 - 21/5/2015, Pessac (1)
  1. Leoville Lascases 1985 - 9/7/2015, London W4 (2)
  1. Penfolds Grange 1985 - January 2014, London W11 (1)
  1. Chateau Margaux 1990 - December 2006, Manhattan (3)
  1. Noel Verset Cornas 1998 - September 2015, London SW6 (6)
  1. Penfolds Grange 1982 - January 2014, London W11 (4)
  1. Latour 1970 - 1997, London W1 (2) 
  1. Ausone 1971 - 2012, London SW3 (1)
  1. Chateau Margaux 1961 - May 2016, London SW17 (1)
  1. DRC Richebourg 2000 - 23/7/2009, London W11 (1)
  1. Rousseau Clos Saint Jacques 1991 - December 2006, London EC1 (12)
  1. Henri Bonneau Reserve Des Celestines 1995 - 30/10/2012, London W1 (1)
  1. Chateau Rayas 1995 - 30/10/2012, London W1 (1)
  1. Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline 1982 - n/a (1)
  1. Soldera Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva 2000 - Q4 2012, n/a (1)
  1. Lafleur 1995 - 25/1/2013 London W1 (1)
  1. Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2013 - November 2017, La Morra (1)
  1. Meo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot 1990 - July 2017, London N1 (1)

Of the 100 wines 89 are French, six are Australian and five Italian. 

Of the Australian wines five are Penfolds Grange. Of the Italian wines four are from Piedmont and one from Tuscany.

Of the French wines 56 are from Bordeaux, 22 are from burgundy and 11 are from the Northern Rhone.

Within Bordeaux 52 are clarets and three sweet wines, all Yquem, and one dry white. 

Chateau Lafite is the most highly represented estate in the top 100 with nine entries. Burgundy entries are dominated by Domaine De La Romanee Conti with seven entries, four of which are in the top ten. 

These two in my option are the greatest wine producing estates in the world. 

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild - 9 entries (1955, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1998)

Domaine De La Romanee Conti - 7 entries (Romanee Conti 80, 85; La Tache 85, 96; Richebourg 1990, 2000, 2004)
Chateau Margaux - 6 entries (1961, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1996, 2010)
Penfolds - 6 entries (Grange: 1976, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1998; Bin 90A)
Chateau Petrus - four entries (1964, 1971, 1978, 1990)
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild - four entries (1982, 1985, 1986, 2009)
Armand Rousseau - four entries (Chambertin 1996; Clos De Beze 1995, CSJ 1989 and 1991)
Chateau d'Yquem - three entries (1937, 1971, 1976)
Chateau Latour - three entries (1970, 1982, 1990)
Cheval Blanc - three entries (1975, 1982, 1985)
La Conseillante - three entries (1982, 1990, 2016)
Leoville-Lascases - three entries (1985, 2010, 2016)
Noel Verset - three entries (1990, 1991, 1998)