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Gismondi on Wine Our 2012 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.
Gismondi on Wine Our 2012 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 2012 in Canada. Some may still be available in your market in government stores, at better wine shops or via the auction route. Notes and prices are from the date they were tasted. Not every wine we taste appears on the list because many from private cellars and winery visits are simply not available so we leave then off this list. The ranking is by score although in the case of considerable ties we have placed the wines in a specific order that we think reflects our ranking of each wine vis a vis its peers. It's a personal list to be sure but we enjoy sharing it with the many who follow the site regularly and who have enjoyed our notes and consistent scoring system. As you may have notice 2012 represents the tenth year we have ranked our top 100 wines and like the previous nine editions we present here with little fanfare. Enjoy and Happy New Year from all of us at Gismondi on Wine.
Number 1
98 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 Shiraz 2006
South Australia, Australia
BC $423.00 specialty listing, AB $450.00, ON $499.00
There is something about the number six at Grange as in '76, '86, '96 and now 2006 although winemaker Peter Gago says this Grange is more '86, '96 than '76. The blend is 98/2 shiraz/cabernet sauvignon with the requisite 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Dense rich brooding sweet voluptuous nose and attack. Alongside all 58 other edition, it begs the question could Max have made this wine? The nose is an amazing mix of smoked figs, spice and amaretto coffee. Fresh and rich but with glossy, chalky, powerful tannins, grilled meats and black fruits. Fabulous structure and power all of which suggest this one will easily last 50 years in bottle. RoP tasting, New York City 06/19/12 (AG-ST)
No. 2 96 Krug Grande Cuvée N/V Pinot Noir - Chardonnay - Pinot Meunier Champagne, France BC $255.00, AB $248.00, NF $272.00, NS $250.00, ON $245.00 LCBO - Vintages, ON $549.00 (1500 ml) LCBO, QC $275.00 Grand Cuvée is the signature Krug. So intense, so electric, so dry and fresh. Is this really made with grapes? A high proportion of reserve wine from six to ten vintages lend it a nutty, mature flavour flecked with citrus, honey, quince, lemon and mineral flavours. Long, persistent, incredibly nuanced it has no peer among multi-vintage blends. (AG-ST)
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No. 3 | |
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96 Taylor Fladgate 40 Year Old Tawny N/V Touriga Nacional - Touriga Franca | |
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Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal | |
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BC $215.00 specialty listing, AB $190.00 fine wine shops, NF $243.00, NS $185.00, ON $239.00, QC $185.00, SK $150.00 | |
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Taylor Fladgate 40 Year Old is made with estate fruit but in miniscule quantities. It's hard to imagine caring for a wine in wood for 40 years but care they do at Taylors and the result s are stunning. The essence of port its spicy nutty nose is as complex any you will ever smell yet the attack and palate is mellow and silky smooth as it gets. Any roll call of exotic spice is here along with a strong nutty, caramel, honey dried apricot flavours all within a tolerable oxidative environment that lends another layer of complexity super sipping wine and an experience few true oenophiles should miss. (AG) | |
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No. 4 | |
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96 Chateau Margaux 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Cabernet Franc | |
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Margaux, Haut-Médoc, Médoc, Bordeaux, France | |
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BC $1,800.00 | |
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Very spicy, waxy, vanilla, coffee, barnyard, black berry jam, plum, smoky, gamey, tobacco, savoury, five spice and tobacco aromas. Rich, dry, full, tannic but elegant and suave with intensity. Back cherry jam, smoky, prune/plum and coffee flavours with meaty, vanilla, tobacco, resin, liquorice root and five spice. Very fine balance and intensity with good supple tannins but plenty of them. Lots of oak right now, needs 10-15 years at least. One to keep for the future. (ST) | |
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No. 5 | |
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96 Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Roussanne Vielles Vignes 2011 | |
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Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France | |
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BC $151.00 specialty listing, AB $130.00 fine wine shops, ON $160.00 | |
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It is always a good day when this bottle is opened but with only 6000 bottles made it is a rare occurrence. The "Vielles Vignes" as the Perrin family refers to it, is made with 90+ year old roussanne vines that are always picked just past their due date. The palate is powerful and rich with a strong floral (white flowers) aromas and mixed with similar floral/honey flavours and the ever elusive minerality. There is enough acidity to keep this complex wine fresh and inviting sip after sip. I love this wine young (under five years old) otherwise the Perrins suggest you leave it alone until it is fifteen years old. (AG-ST) | |
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No. 6 | ||||||
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95 M. Chapoutier Le Pavillon Ermitage Rouge 2009 | ||||||
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Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France | ||||||
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BC $320.00 specialty listing OTB, AB $230.00 fine wine stores | ||||||
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In 2008 the edge went to Le Meal but in 2009, perhaps the edge goes to Le Pavillon here. Big blackberry, black cherry, peppery, savoury, licorice, tobacco, vanilla, gamey, menthol, Oxo aromas, very complex and fruity. Rich, full, juicy, moderately tannic and concentrated. Vanilla, liquorice, tobacco, blackberry jam, black plum, spicy, peppery, minty, floral, smoky, gamey, garrigue flavours. Very good acidity if warm but needs 7-10 years despite its elegance. Will last for 30 years easily. An interesting contrast to the 2008 which shows more elegance and climate-terroir influence but less concentration. (AG-ST) | ||||||
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No. 7 | ||||||
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95 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive 2008 | ||||||
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Langhe, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy | ||||||
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BC $200.00 speculative listing - Liquid Art Selections | ||||||
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Spicy, strawberry jam, tar, licorice, smoky, saddle leather, orange, prune, clove, menthol, gamey aromas, very complex. Dry, ripe, juicy, round and elegant palate with some fine grainy tannins. Strawberry jam, tar, resin, licorice, rose petals, gamey, earthy, peppery, tobacco flavours. Great fruit, finesse and ripeness with great acidity balance. Drinkable now but should improve for 3-7 years. Not cheap but it reveals the finest of nebbiolo characteristics you can get in Barbaresco. Bravo. (AG-ST) | ||||||
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No. 8 | ||||||
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No. 9 | |
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95 Biserno 2008 Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Petit Verdot | |
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Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy | |
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BC $180.00 speculative listing - Trialto Wine Group, ON $165.00 | |
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The latest Biserno is something special. The nose is a huge mix of cedar and dried herbs and spice no doubt stemming from its mostly cabernet franc base. The attack is silky and elegant with fabulously smooth fine grained tannins that preview a whack of dark brooding, smoky, black fruits with a spicy dried herbs undercurrent. The palate is long and supple with just a hint of signature bitterness in the finish. This wine has a big life ahead of it; no need to really open this wine before 2020 unless lamb is on the menu in which case indulge. Terrific value. (AG-ST) | |
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No. 10 | |
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95 Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru 2009 | |
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Puligny Montrachet, Côte de Beaune, Côte d'Or, Burgundy, France | |
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BC $296.00 specialty listing | |
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Baked green apple, creamy vanilla, floral, honey, buttery, waxy, apricot and lime aromas. Dry, fresh, juicy, round and concentrated with great finesse. Honey, butter, cinnamon, spicy, creamy vanilla, baked apple, pear, citrus and apricot skin flavours. Long, fresh, delicate and fine intensity. Drinkable and delicious now but will improve over the next 5-10 years. (ST) | |
The complete list is available here
