Janice Kleinschmidt
Leading sommeliers name their favorite bottles
If the Master Sommeliers of the world were stranded on a boat, (or yacht with limited luggage space) and had room for just five wines, what would they be? Lest you doubt the veracity of the following recommendations, consider the fact that among the world’s 6.6 billion-plus population, a mere 158 held the prestigious Master Sommelier title as of Jan. 1. We suggest you take their recommendations seriously — quite seriously if you’re planning a ’round-the-world voyage...
Leading sommeliers name their favorite bottles
If the Master Sommeliers of the world were stranded on a boat, (or yacht with limited luggage space) and had room for just five wines, what would they be? Lest you doubt the veracity of the following recommendations, consider the fact that among the world’s 6.6 billion-plus population, a mere 158 held the prestigious Master Sommelier title as of Jan. 1. We suggest you take their recommendations seriously — quite seriously if you’re planning a ’round-the-world voyage...
Janice Kleinschmidt
Leading sommeliers name their favorite bottles
If the Master Sommeliers of the world were stranded on a boat, (or yacht with limite... more
UNRANKED
CURRENT SCORE
less stats more stats2.28
Rank
(best ever)
146
Score
(all time)
515.00
Created
06/03/08
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1
Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva
Rioja, Spain
The 1996 vintage of this wine earned 92 points from the wine world's foremost rating authority, Robert Parker. The blend of 80 percent Tempranillo and 20 percent Grenache, Mazuelo, and Graciano with its ruby hue "hits the palate with unexpected intensity as well as flavor authority" Parker attests. Visit Rioja in the summer during La Batalla del Vino (Battle of the Wines) when the locals—and any tourists who happen along—shoot each other with red wine, using any squirting apparatus available, until everyone is drenched.
2
Robert Weil Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Goldkapsel, Kiedrich
Rheingau, Germany
Robert Weil's Kiedricher Gräfenberg (a vineyard on parcels with an incline of up to 60 percent) has represented the estate's finest wines since its first vintage in 1868. The 2003 vintage, in particular, shines—as did the sun that year, with 350 more hours of sunshine than an average year. "Combine one of Germany's top vineyards, one of its most talented winemakers, and the hottest growing season [recorded at the vineyard] in 500 years and the result is … the greatest wine I have ever tasted," says Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser.
3
Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune Riesling
Alsace, France
With a history dating back to 1626, the house of Trimbach has amassed an impressive list of clients including such well-known chefs as Alain Ducasse and Gordon Ramsay. The Trimbach family regards the Clos Ste. Hune as "the king of Alsace Rieslings." The prized wine, they claim, develops extraordinary minerality after a few years in the bottle and takes at least seven years to reach its peak. The 1996 vintage is a Master Sommelier favorite.
4
Francois Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru "Le Clos,"
Burgundy, France
When Robert Parker discovered an offering of newly released 2000 vintage Chablis from Francois Raveneau, he "pounced" and conceived a tasting comparing the wines with other classic Chablis (French Chardonnay known for its minerality). The 2000 "Le Clos" garnered 96 points and elicited language such as "Nose is positively ambrosial; rich, flamboyant, sweet, with lots of vanilla and toasty oak; impossible not to love." While noting it had "enough wood to fill a forest," Parker added that "everything [in the wine] is in perfect balance."
5
Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva "Granbussia,"
Piedmont, Italy
Aldo Conterno's "Gran Bussia" combines aged wines from all three of the winery's vineyards. For the first three to five months, the wine is kept in stainless steel vats; then it is aged in Slavonian oak barrels for 36 months. However, the wine remains in Conterno's cellars for six years before it is sold. The Gran Bussia is produced only during the best vintages—and 1989 is one of the best. Conterno's winery in Bussia lies at the heart of Barolo wine country.
6
Krug Vintage Champagne
Reims, France
Perhaps a visitor from another planet (with, of course, a smattering of wine origination knowledge) would think Johann-Joseph Krug made his name known producing a top-notch Riesling from his native country of Germany. Those of us who inhabit Earth, however, equate the name Krug with the best of the best prestige cuvées. The Reims, France-based Champagne house— now part of the illustrious Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey Group—creates sparkling wine that matures gracefully for six to eight years. Even a 1988 vintage rises to the occasion.
7
Blandy's Solera Verdelho Madeira
Madeira
When an English quartermaster was sent to Madeira in 1807 to defend the island against possible attack by Napoleon, he found time to explore the local wine trade. Two centuries later, the Blandy family remains committed to Madeira. Mimicking the historical effects of a long sea voyage, the juice is heated at an average temperature of 120 degrees for several months, resulting in wines that have remained stable more than 150 years.
8
Katogi Averoff Traminer
Metsovo, Greece
In the mid-20th century, Evangelos Averoff planted the first Cabernet grapes in Greece on a slope of the Pindus Mountains and bottled wine in the cellar (katogi) of his house. Today, Katogi Averoff makes a variety of red and white wines, as well as a rosé—all dry. Traminer is an Italian grape varietal and antecedent of Gewurztraminer, and Averoff's 2006 vintage shines. As for the label, well, it still looks completely Greek to us.
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