Our Top 100 Wines of the Year 2004

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 2004. 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.

 96 Fonseca Vintage Port 2000 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Franca - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca
Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal BC $64.75 (375 ml), AB $259.95 (1500 ml), AB $130.00, BC $125.30

The 2000 Fonseca is a monster with huge black cherry black plum jam aromas mixed with liquorice and spice and streaks of blueberry with black pepper. Very rich, ripe, round stylish port with amazingly soft but substantial tannins and grip. Bags of blackberry and dark plum jam fruit with big liquorice, pepper, spicy tea notes. Drinkable with strong cheese now but we say wait 10 to 15 years. Very Fonseca - opulent, aromatic, structured and engaging throughout the ageing process. (AG-ST

95 Patrimo del Feudi di San Gregorio 2001 Campania Italy, BC $189.90 Speculative - Stile Wines, AB $149.99

Made from what was originally thought to be aglianico, but it's now believed to be a clone of merlot. Aged in new French oak barrels for 16 months. Very complex nose with spicy, tobacco, coffee, orange rind, liquorice, pepper and plum jam aromas with cardamom, gamey, saddle leather streaks. Rich, ripe, concentrated and round with very supple tannins. Huge spicy, coffee, plum jam, vanilla, chocolate pudding, orange peel flavours with a long, peppery, cardamom finish. A very ripe, hedonistic wine with balance and complexity. Very much like Masseto, Le Macchiole and Tua Rita wines - or the new big Pomerol garagistes wines. (ST)

95 Benziger Tribute 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc - Merlot - Petit Verdot Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County, California, United States BC $99.95 Specialty

Vancouver is the first market to get its hands on the inaugural release of Benziger Tribute, a 100 percent biodynamic, Sonoma Mountain wine produced at the Benziger single vineyard property just out of Glen Ellen. The fruit, a mix of blocks 21 and 29 wine, was fermented on 100 per cent natural yeast for 21 days before it was drained warm into barrique where it was racked twice a year. Tribute has been many years in the making but it would appear the wait was well worth it. As fine as the reserve cabernet is, this 80/12/6/2 blend of cabernet sauvignon/ cabernet franc/petit verdot/merlot is even better. The nose is aromatic with black berry jam, cassis, pepper, vanilla, coffee and black olive aromas mixed with a background of tobacco, barnyard, liquorice and gamey notes. Rich, concentrated, round the tannins are super supple and ripe. Intense vanilla, coffee, tobacco, liquorice and pepper flavours mix with mint, olive and black berry jam notes. The finish is slightly, dry and firm at this point with more cassis, violet and coffee. Long, balanced and surprisingly drinkable now it will keep for three to seven years comfortably. Certainly one of the best ever for Benziger and true "tribute" to biodynamic production. Fabulous collector's wine. (AG-ST)

95 Kendall-Jackson Stature Chardonnay 2001  Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, Central Coast, California, United States BC $99.99 Special Order - Renaissance Wine Merchants

Made entirely from a single block on the Santa Maria Bench. Look for a huge floral, pineapple, mango/citrus nose with honey and peach aromas and a spicy, creamy vanilla note. Rich, round and oily like most big chardonnays yet it is still elegant thanks to a mineral / citrus baked apple undercurrent. The flavours are peach, mango, honey, creamy spicy lees with a floral, creamsicle undercurrent. Long, intense and balanced with good acidity and a creamy, citrus apple finish. Great stuff. (AG-ST)

95 Cliff Lede Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, United States BC $165.00 Speculative - Next Beverage

Ripe cassis jam, blackberry, violet, peppery, liquorice, vanilla nose with saddle leather and Christmas pudding streaks. Rich, round, intense and smooth with ripe tannins. Big blackberry, vanilla, chocolate, peppery, spicy, cassis, liquorice root flavours and a long cedar, vanilla, cassis finish. A bit alcoholic but fine balance and intensity. Will improve over the next five years. (AG-ST)

95 Signorello Padrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 Napa Valleys, California, United States BC $126.00 Specialty

Peppery, cardamom, tarry, barnyard, coffee, olive, dill, saddle leather aromas with smoky, blackberry cassis fruit core. Rich, round, concentrated and long with supple tannins. Intense black pepper, tarry, smoky, vanilla, black olive, dill, spicy blackberry jam flavours. A bit tannic on the finish but ripe, long and balanced. Big and an excellent 2000 - should improve for the next 5-7 years. The 2001 will be even better but at a slightly higher price ($150). (AG-ST)

95 Kendall-Jackson Stature Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 Napa Valley, California, United States BC $235.95

According to winemaker Randy Ullom, Stature represents the pinnacle of Kendall-Jackson winemaking excellence and we agree. A rigourous selection process begins in the vineyard before moving to the barrel room. Stature is essentially handmade and it tastes like it. The '97 Stature cab is made mostly from Mt. Veeder and Howell Mountain fruit with a touch Rutherford and Oakville benchland grapes added to flesh out the wine. Intense black pepper, blackberry jam, cassis, chocolate, and smoky liquorice mark the nose along with barnyard and tobacco tones. A huge wine with brighter berry fruit flavours on initial entry and lots of cassis jam, mint, smoky tobacco, and blackberry jam flavours in mid-palate. The finish is long and stylish with vanilla, cherry and pepper flavours. A wonderful wine with a big future. (AG-ST)

95 Fonseca Vintage Port 1994 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Franca - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal BC $60.00

The '94 has enormous color, huge concentrated youthful aromas that stem from small berries. They added up to 22 per cent colorless spirit and it still has massive colour. This is going to be one hell of a port. Although it started out life similar to the 1992 this wine is growing in the bottle and many think it will keep comfortably until 2040. Bruce Guimaraens says, "It has the structure 1977, maybe 1955, probably also 1985 which will be a classic year. It's a tiny vintage 50 per cent less production than average. Rich supple pruny raisin packed with spicy Christmas cake flavours. Delicious. (AG-ST)

95 Penfolds Grange Hermitage Bin 95 Shiraz 1976 South Australia, Australia US $600.00 Specialty Retail Wine Shops

I must admit the '76 Grange was a bit of shock to me. So rich and supple yet full of mature dried fruits far more alive than I would have expected. The aromas are complex with just a hint of briar and dried leaves. Both rich and textured it is alive with mocha and black liquorice fruit. There's still some time left for this one. Certainly one of the best remaining red wines from the 1976 vintage from anywhere in the world. (AG-ST)

95 Penfolds Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Tawny Port N/V Shiraz - Mataro Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia BC $84.99 Specialty

The Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Port tradition dates back to the 1940s, when a blend of the company's best ports, going back to 1915, was put together for the exclusive use of the Penfolds family. Today Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Tawny a blend of shiraz and mataro is stored Solera style in French and American hogsheads. As wine is drawn off from the bottom row of barrels, they are topped with wine from the barrels immediately above, and so on up the stack. The uppermost barrels are topped with selected aged wine. The system protects the quality and style of 'Grandfather' ensuring that the average age of the wine in the bottom barrels is as old as possible. The colour is a mix of walnut brown with green edges. Open citrus rind, buttery, rancio, spicy, caramel, vanilla, raisin notes mark the nose. It has a rich, sweet, supple style with good acidity and intense sweet orange peel flavours spiked with marmalade, spice, vanilla, crème brûlée and nutty walnut overtones. Huge toffee, coffee, mineral, nutty finish. Well balanced, excellent quality for a sweet style. (AG-ST)

The complete list is available here