This is my end of year round up of favourite wines drunk during 1997. This was a nice opportunity to look through all my notes and recall some fabulous wines. I have split these into 7 categories:
Best red wine – Echézeaux 1989, Domaine Dujac
Best white wine – Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru les Champgains 1995, Neillon
Best budget red – Côtes d’Oakley blend 1995, Cline Cellars (California)
Best budget white – Monopole barrel fermented Rioja 1993, CVNE
Best sweet wine – Château d’Yquem 1989
Best sparkling wine – Vintage Champagne 1988, Pol Roger
Best fortified wine – Amontillado del Duque NV, Gonzales Byass
Read the tasting notes for my best wines of 1997
It’s cheating I know, but this is a really tough task, so I’ve allowed myself a free choice of another baker’s dozen that really stood out and could easily have made this list:
Château Gruaud-Larose 1990
Château Lynch-Bages 1990
Château Leoville-Las-Cases 1985
Château Leoville-Barton 1985
Château Cantemerle 1983
Château Pichon-Lalande 1983
Gevrey-Chambertin 1990, Rossignol-Trapet
Penfold’s Grange 1992 (Australia)
Caballo-Loco Number 1, Valdivieso (Chile)
Basket Pressed Cabernet/Merlot 1994, Chateau Reynella (Australia)
Maximin Grünhäuser Bruderberg Riesling Kabinett 1994, von Schubert (M-S-R)
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 1997 (New Zealand)
HWB 1996, Houghtons (Australia)
Vintage Champagne 1989, Veuve-Clicquot