Let the Countdown begin!

Ok, we'll go through my favorite wines #11-29 first. Why 29? Why not! Seriously, these are the wines that stood out from the rest. Narrowing these down wasn't that difficult. It was figuring out the top 10. They are all so close, except I think the top 10 did stand out a little bit more than some of the others. Then I'll begin the slow countdown from 10 to 1, with the top 3 all posted on the same day. Since the year isn't over yet, it is highly probable that the list will change depending on what else I get to try from here on out, and I still have the sommelier's Christmas party to go through...

#29 - 1990 Dom Perignon Rose Champagne, en Magnum - I had to add this one at the last minute. A pretty and powerful wine. Deserved the last minute add on...
#28 - 1999 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne - clearly one of the great Champagne's I've ever tried. Say what you will about this much-hyped, over publicized Champagne, but the 1999 is the real deal. So much so that I'd love a bottle for my cellar to lay down for a few years. The length on this is simply amazing.
#27 - 1985 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne, en Magnum - I expect that in 15 years the 1999 will be better than the 1985, but this year, the 1985 was gorgeous from Magnum. Beautiful brioche and toastiness and a great freshness about this wine.
#26 - 2004 Didier Dagueneau Blanc Fume de Pouilly "Silex", Loire Valley - Sauvignon on steroids... the greatest Sauvignon behind Haut-Brion Blanc made today. So flinty with piercing adicity. Amazing wine...
#25 - 1976 Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Auslese, Rheingau, Germany - WOW! While not the greatest Riesling I've ever had, it certainly is up there... always a treat to have such great examples of wine at this age. Incredible oilyness with such stony minerality and fresh fruit, I couldn't believe it was 30 years old. I only hope the 2005s age this well...
#24 - 1990 Herm Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshole Riesling Auslese, Pfalz, Germany - From 1991 until 2004, he made good, but not great Riesling. He's back now and the 2005 will be amazing. The 1990 is just starting to mature, but was so delicious, I couldn't pass this up on the list. An amazing baby...
#23 - 1989 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-St.-Vivant Morey Monge Grand Cru, Vosne-Romanee, Burgundy - This could have easily made it into the top 10 in just about any other year for me, but not this year. Mature? Doubtful, but it was absolutely perfect the night we tried this one. Clove and subtle, soft black cherries and strawberries. The best DRC RSV I've ever had.
#22 - 1976 Domaine Leroy Romanee-St.-Vivant Grand Cru, Vosne-Romanee, Burgundy - This is the best RSV I've ever had, period. Amazing how that works... This wine was so young and fresh, it's unfortunate that we only had one good bottle of this. The other 2 were so bad, it wasn't even funny. Such wonderful earth and spice, with loads of black cherries. A bit more body than the 89 DRC RSV, and it made the difference for me.
#21 - 1996 Gaja Sperss, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy - The first bottle was by far the best. Simply stunning Nebbiolo - truffles, rose petals, dried cherries and incredible depth and length. This is serious stuff.
#20 - 1998 Penfold's Grange, South Australia - This wine has closed down a touch, which is why it isn't in the top 10. It's just beginning to show the marked raspberry note that defines Grange as it matures, coupled with an old-world style earthiness. The length is amazing, and I dont' care what RP says, this is better than the 2001.
#19 - 1982 Chateau Cheval-Blanc, Premier Grand Cru Classe "A", St.-Emilion, France - I always say this is one of the best of the 1982 Bordeaux and I still say that. Fortunately (or unfortunately for this wine) I've gotten to try what I would consider the best of the 1982's this year (less one... but I have a feeling I'll open it soon, perhaps before the end of the year) so this wine got pushed around a little bit. The classic super-cedary quality and the silky, soft texture make this an amazing wine. Not bad for Cabernet Franc and Merlot...
#18 - 1953 Chateau d'Yquem, Premier Grand Cru, Sauternes - Tasted 3 times this year, with all three of the bottles in perfect condition. Pure joy in a glass. Simply stunning that a wine this old can be this fresh and yet so developed. While not a baby anymore, this still has years to go, too bad I sold all three...
#17 - 1988 Krug Champagne, en Magnum - Thank you, Remi Krug, for making Champagne like this. This is a major celebration in a bottle here. And in magnum, well, words don't do it justice.
#16 - 2000 Bouchard La Romanee Grand Cru, Vosne-Romanee, Burgundy - When we tasted it, we described it as "Romanee-Conti, sort of." A bit more elegance than Romanee-Conti (though I'm not exactly how I can say that... ah, I know) because it has slightly less weight (there we go). Cedar and clove, I'd love to try this again in a few years...

Ok, here's where the real dividing line occurs. Each of the wines below nearly brought me to tears and their ranking is pure emotional, as they are all perfect wines in my book. Some may have tiny faults, but the entire package was more than the parts.

#15 - 1985 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Echezeaux Grand Cru, Flagely-Echezeaux, Burgundy - A perfectly mature, amazing Echezeaux. Certainly the best I've ever had. So much for lowely Echezeaux, the red-headed stepchild of Grand Cru Burgundy. Such terroir.
#14 - 1994 Vega Sicilia Unico, Ribera del Duero, Spain - The best Spanish wine I've ever had, and with that, the best Vega Sicilia I've ever had. Immense and powerful, the current release (yup... just came out this year) is the stuff of legend. I think this wine still has tremendous potential and will only get better with time. Actually has the guts to be one of the top 3 this year, just not enough of "it".
#13 - 1994 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap Disctrict, Napa Valley - What a treat and suprise this was. Only have 2 left, but we're saving those for a while. One of the most perfectly aged California Cabs I've ever had. It's good to know that some of the more modern-styled wines are aging so well (though I've been less than impressed with several more recent vintages that aren't aging as well - ah hem... 1997). Didn't think I'd ever get to try this one again.
#12 - 1989 Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage "La Chapelle", Northern Rhone Valley - This is getting serious. While I've never had the 1990 or the 1978, I can't imagine that they might be better than the 1989, though everything I've read tells me they are. A spicy wine with dried leaves, meat, graphite, black wet earth and intense black plums. Made my palate dance! (FWIW, I had #'s 24 & 25 the same night as this!)

Ok, so I changed my mind. I'm going to do my favorite 11 wines of the year, why 11? Well, as the great Nigel Tufnel says "This is a top to a, you know, what we use on stage. But it's very very special because, if you can see... the numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, 11, 11, 11, 11." Marty: "Most amps go up to ten." Nigel: "Exactly." Marty: "Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?" Nigel: "Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most, most blokes gonna be playing at ten. You're on ten, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up." Marty: "Yeah." Nigel: "You're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?" Marty: "I don't know." Nigel: "Nowhere, exactly. What we do is if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?" Marty: "Put it up to eleven." Nigel: "Eleven. Exactly. One louder." Marty: "Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a litte louder?" Nigel: "These go to eleven." So my list goes to 11.