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Gismondi on Wine Our 2002 Top 100by Anthony Gismondi and Stuart TobeWe taste thousands of wines a year including a large number of wines that are no longer available through traditional retail channels.
Gismondi on Wine Our 2002 Top 100
by Anthony Gismondi and Stuart Tobe
We taste thousands of wines a year including a large number of wines that are no longer available through traditional retail channels. This list is our top 100 picks that for the most part were released in 2002. Some may still be available somewhere in your market at better wine shops or on auction. Notes and prices are from the year they were tasted.
Number 1
96 Boisrenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2000 Grenache - Syrah - Mourvèdre - Cinsault Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France BC $78.95
Made from 60-90 year old vines, unfiltered, 18 months in oak casks. About 70% grenache, rest equal syrah, mourvèdre, cinsault. Super aromatic black raspberry jam, pepper, spicy, garrigue, and smoky floral game aromas with hint of vanilla and black licorice, wonderful intensity and ripeness. Rich, round, silky smooth ripe tannins but quite substantial in the finish. Almost unctuous on the palate, has very ripe plum jam, black raspberry, peppery, spicy earth flavours with a big dried orange peel, licorice, vanilla and spice finish. Long, concentrated aftertaste and big ripe tannins. Great fruit intensity. This will last for fifteen to twenty years but some may be tempted to drink it now while so ripe and fruity. Classy and relatively good value for a top cuvée. (ST)
No. 2
95 Warre's Vintage Port 2000 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Franca - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal BC $77.95 Specialty, ON $77.95 Vintages
Peppery, spicy, black berry and plum jam, stewed apple, very aromatic with fresh fruit notes in the background. Ripe, round and somewhat tannic, has big licorice, peppery, earthy, mulberry, red plum jam flavours. Fresh and lively with good acidity. Very full with good grip, one of the best young Warre's tasted - quite big. (AG)
No. 3
95 Graham's Vintage Port 2000 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Franca - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal BC $88 specialty listing
Ripe plum, blackberry jam, floral, peppery, spicy chocolate aromas with some spirity, fresh cherry notes. Ripe, ripe, and concentrated with moderately tannic structure and good acidity. Sweet, ripe, plum jam, blackberry and pepper flavours. Good structure, somewhat hot with some elegance and ripe fruit aromatics. (AG-ST)
No. 4
95 Quinta do Crasto Vintage Port 2000 Douro Mixed Vines Cima Corga, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal BC $60.00 specialty listing
Big white pepper nose with licorice and intense black berry fruit. Tastes like it smells pepper spice licorice and fresh blackberry pie fruit. Excellent acidity and well balanced alcohol. The acidity signals great life ahead. Good value. (AG-ST)
No. 5
95 Chateau La Nerthe Cuvée des Cadettes 1999 Grenache - Syrah - Mourvèdre Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France BC $85.00
A blend of 39/26/35 grenache/mourvèdre/syrah aged in new barrique for 12 months. Intense dark cherry colour. Open vanilla, cedar, smoky, very spicy, ripe plum aromas mixed with prune, sweaty leather and game notes. Quite complex on the palate with rich, round supple tannins. Intense smoky, cherry, plum, pepper flavours mixed with vanilla and spice. Long, rich and fruity this will require another five to ten years to fully mature. (ST)
No. 6
95 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese 1999 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany BC $75.00
Winery Only Opulent rich fat peachy fruit. Simply put, this is sensational wine and it's perfectly harmonious too. Nowhere near its final essence but you can still enjoy it now. Will live for decades. This is the magic of the Mosel. (AG-ST)
No. 7
95 Domaine Carneros Estate Pinot Noir Famous Gate 1999 Carneros, Napa Valley, California, United States BC $99.95
Open spicy, licorice nose with cherry and strawberry jam aromas. Lots of barnyard, forest floor and smoky vanilla in the background. Great complexity and fruit. Rich and round, it fabulous intensity of flavours with spicy, licorice, cherry jam, smoky vanilla flavours and a long jammy, forest floor spicy aftertaste. Very light, velvety tannins in the finish. Rich, balanced and very ripe although a tad hot. This is top quality pinot. Too good to hold but will probably age 2-5 years. Bravo. (AG-ST)
No. 8
95 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 1999 Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia BC $130.00
Black colour, black pepper with ripe black cherry and vanilla cherry cola with a roasted bell pepper character. Super intense, warm rich and powerful. Baby Grange-like style. Ripe blackberry black cherry licorice and vanilla flavours with a hot, earthy, smoky, leather finish. A blockbuster style red with a decade of life ahead. Full measure for shiraz with very attractive flavours. (AG-ST)
No. 9
95 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon To-Kalon Vineyard 1998 Napa Valley, California, United States BC $225 Maxxium Canada
Fabulous fragrant aromas waft of the glass. Toasted oak, vanilla bean blackberry jam earth licorice and spice. Superb density and sweetness of fruit. Surely one of the best '98. Firm tannins more austere a tighter package than the reserve but they are supple. An estate wine versus the reserve which is a Napa valley wine. Marjorie Vineyard and Z Block. 97/3 cabernet Sauvignon/petit verdot and malbec. (AG)
No.10
95 Hugel Riesling Vendange Tardive 1989 Alsace, France BC $69.25
Bright yellow colour. Sensational nose petrol lemon oil, fabulous varietal character with big creamy flavours and a long, long finish. Great balance, wonderful flavours incredible bottle that may be at or near its peak. A great '89. (AG-ST)
The complete list is here.
