Best Wines of 2011

Every year around this time, Rogov used to start dropping hints about his "Best of" lists that he would post on December 31. In his honor, I suggest we each try and post the best wines we enjoyed over the last 12 months. Given that most of us don't taste the number of wines Rogov did, I'd suggest limiting the lists to top ten wines instead of 100 but knock yourselves out and feel free to bifurcate Israeli and non-Israeli wines well. I am posting my top wines in this weeks newsletter and will re-post here once I send it out.

Looking forward to reading what people here have really enjoyed this year!

2009 Shirah Power T.T.P.
2005 Quinault
2006 Roses Camille
2007 Flor del Flor, Capcanes
2010 Weinstock Petite Sirah!

YossieH, great idea!

- Binyamina Aquamarine CS '07
- Herzog Generation VIII '06
- Castel Grand Vin '06
- Carmel Appellation Petite Sirah '05
- Odem Mountains Shiraz Volcanic '08
- Herzog Special Reserve CS/Syrah/Zinfandel '06
- Yarden CS Elrom '08 (Sommelier '11)
- Psagot Shiraz '08
- Ella Valley Cabernet franc '06
- Capcanes Peraj Ha'abib '05
- Carmel Appellation Cabernet Franc '08
- Carmel Mediterranean '07+'08
- Galil Mntns Pinot Noir '06
- Tzuba Chardonnay Late Harvest '08
- Ella Valley Ever Red '09 (best blend QPR of the year!)
- Carmel Sha'al Gewurtzraminer '07+'06 (YossieH, did you have a chance to taste Hevron Heights' Icewine at Sommelier?)
- Binyamina Reserve Gewurtzraminer Late Harvest Cluster Select '08+'09
- GHW Yarden Merlot Odem '06
- Binyamina Reserve Merlot '06
- Domaine Netofa Tinto '10
- Castel Rosé du Castel '09
- Binyamina Reserve Zinfandel '08
- Castel Petit Castel '08
- Dalton Fume Blanc '10
- Batzir CS/Merlot '07
- Galil Mntns Yiron '07
- Galil Mntns Yiron '05
- Galil Mntns Yiron '03
- GHW Yarden Syrah '06
- Gvaot Reserve CS '09
- Domaine Ventura CF '09
- Tzora Shoresh '08
- Yatir Petit Verdot '08
- Yatir Forest '06
- Dalton Viognier Reserve Wild Yeast '09
- Recanati Reserve Carignan Kerem Ba'al '09

MANY MORE!

Best,

GG

Are we self-limiting to kosher wines only, or is this open to any wines?

Nowhere did the word Kosher appear in the first post, so I assume all wines count.
However, it's not clear whether the list should include only drank wines or also the tasted wines. I assume Rogov did not drink all the wines posted in his annual list.
In any case, selecting the 10 best is a tough task that would filter out many 90-91pts wines. I'll check my notes.

Definitely not limited to kosher. Tasted and drunk are both included.

Good Form Yossi - I had a passing thought about this, but thanks for opening the topic.

Top wines for me this year:

1) Yarden Ortal Syrah 2004
2) Yarden Merlot 2007
3) Four Gates Pinot Noir
4) Galil Mountain Yiron 2007
5) Yatir CS 2006

and honorable mention to the BH 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel hand-carried from Dallas to Tyler, Texas and enjoyed after a hard-fought day at trial.

My top 10 list

1998 Joseph Swan Mancini Vineyards zinfandel
1998 Joseph Swan Stellwagen Vineyards zinfandel
2000 Yarden cabernet sauvignon
2006 Yarden cabernet sauvignon
2005 Dalton reserve syrah
2009 Besomim (from Brobdinagian cellars)
NV 4 Gates pinot noir
NV 4 Gates Soiree
2000 Spenker zinfandel
1964 Tokai Essencia

Looks like (except for the tokai) I did not have any top-ranked whites this year. Will have to correct that for 2012.

2009 Shirah Power to the People.
2006 Roses Camille
2007 Flor del Flor, Capcanes
2008 Castel Grand Vin
2008 Castel Petit Castel
2007 Yarden Yonatan Vineyards
2005 Yatir Forest
2008 Tzora Shorsh
2007 Tzora Misty Hill
2008 Brobdignanian Grenache
2008 Covenant
2007 Herzog Generation VIII

Sorry, I think that's 12 but it was a year with a lot of good wine.

Sorry, I put my list on the wrong thread. Oh, well.
1. Discovered Chablis, one in Provence, 2004 La Chablisienne, and one here, 2009 Pascal Bouchard --- both mevushal!, both delicious.
2. Two Cotes du Rhone: the Mourre de l'Isle red (which is available here), and the dry rose (to-date only available in Provence)
3. 2009 Domaine Netofa red
4. Two Dalton's: 2009 Petite Sirah and Viognier
5. 2010 Teperberg, Terra, Sauvignon Blanc
6. 2009 Bravdo, Cabernet Sauvignon
7. 2007 Psagot, Cabernet Franc

2007 Brobdignanian Syrah
2007 Agur Special Reserve
2004 Yarden Ortal Syrah
2006 Shiloh Mosaic
2005 Capcanes Flor de Primavera
NV Four Gates Pinot Nor
Adir Port
and just this week: 2008 Recanati Special Reserve

Here is my top ten list. It is based on what I drank this past year and how enjoyable the wine was when I drank it (as opposed to what I think the future potential of the wine might be). The list is in alphabetical order b/c it is impossible for me to distinguish with sufficient accuracy and thus I do not want to be unfair to any winery.

2003 Baron Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild bordeaux
2005 Carmel Limited Edition
2006 Castel Grand Vin
2007 Psagot Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vinyard
2006 Recanati Special Reserve
2006 The Cave
2004 Yarden Ortal Merlot
2004 Yarden Ortal Syrah
2006 Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Yatir Shiraz

Here is my "honarable mention" short list - also in alphabetical order:

2004 Barkan Merlot Superieur
2002 Carmel Cabernet Sauvignon Kerem Zarit
2006 Galil Mountain Yiron
2000 Yarden Merlot (1.5L)

Limited to 10 per geographical region and orded by vintage only (too tired to sort any other way). Like Adam, based on how enjoyable it was when I drank it, as I drank plenty of wines that have the potential to be great.

Argentina
2009 Flechas de Los Andes Gran Malbec

Austria
2002 Hafner Gruener Eiswein

California
1994 Herzog Special Edition Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
1997 Herzog Special Edition Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Herzog Special Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Herzog Special Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Eagles Landing Sauvignon Blanc
2008 Four Gates Chardonnay
2008 BR Cohn Trestle Glen Cabernet Sauvignon
2009 Shirah Power to the People Syrah
2009 Covenant Lavan
NV Four Gates Pinot Noir

France
1995 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte
2000 Chateau Leoville Poyferre
2001 Chateau Piada
2003 Chateau Rollan de By
2003 Chateau Patris
2003 Sarget Gruaud Larose
2003 Chateau Lafon Rochet
2005 Chateau Quinault
2005 Domaine St Benoit Chateauneuf du Pape
NV Laurent Perrier Rose Brut

Hungary
1998 Langer Reserve Tokaji 5 Puttyonos

Israel
2003 Yarden El Rom Cabernet Sauvignon
2003 Galil Mountain Yiron
2004 Yarden Ortal Syrah
2005 Yatir Forest
2006 Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Recanati Special Reserve
2007 Carmel Mediterranean
2007 Ella Valley Cabernet Franc
2007 Barkan Superieur Pinotage
2009 Dalton Wild Yeast Viognier

Italy
2006 Falesco Montiano
2008 Terra di Seta Chianti Classico

New York
1978 Kedem Estates Port Wine

New Zealand
2010 Goose Bay South Island Sauvignon Blanc

Portugal
2004 Porto Cordovero LBV

Spain
2000 Capcanes Flor de Primavera
2005 Capcanes Flor de Primavera
2007 Capcanes La Flor del Flor de Primavera
2009 Capcanes Flor de Primavera

the best one i tasted was yarden syrah 07.h

With this week's newsletter I mentioned my top ten wines for the year and eight of the most interesting/exciting wines for the year, which I have listed below. Other than the 1990 Katzrin, These are only the wines I tasted in the past year for the first time (unless prior tastings were barrel tastings or before the wine was ready to drink). To see the full tasting notes for each wine you can sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://www.yossiescorkboard.com where I have also listed the runners up at: http://www.yossiescorkboard.com/?page_id=1354.

Top 10
Binyamina, The Cave, Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
Covenant, Solomon, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008
Carmel, Limited Edition, 2007
Four Gates, Cabernet Franc, 2006
Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Katzrin, 1990
Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard, Yonatan, Syrah, 2007
Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard, Elrom, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008
Louis de Sacy, Grand Cru, Brut Champagne, n.v.
Segal, Unfiltered, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
Tzora, Misty Hills, 2007
Yatir, Yatir Forest, 2006
Yatir, Petit Verdot, 2008

Eight most interesting/exciting
Capçanes, La Flor de Flor, 2007
Carmel, Mediterranean, 2008
Dalton, Petite Sirah, Estate, 2009
Ella Valley Vineyards, Petite Sirah, 2007
Recanati, Reserve, Syrah/Viognier, 2009
Recanati, Reserve, Kerem Ba'al, Carignan, 2009
Shirah, Power to the People, Syrah, 2009
Teperberg, Terra, Malbec, 2007

Surprisingly, no one, so far, has listed the Yarden Rom 2006 in their top ten.

-> Pinchas

it was released in 2010 (Rom 2006 was in my 2010 best of the year... http://www.yossiescorkboard.com/?page_id=623)

I'm only listing wines I drank, not just tasted. I only listed wines I had for the first time or wines that tasted much better this year. The list is in no specific order.

My favorite wines of 2011:

2009 Recanati Carignane Reserve
2006 Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon Red C
2005 Galil Mountain Winery Syrah Yiron
2009 Dalton Cabernet-Merlot Alma
2006 Golan Heights Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Yarden Kosher
2007 Galil Mountain Winery Yiron Kosher
2006 Recanati Special Reserve
2008 B.R. Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon Kosher Trestle Glen Estate Vineyard
2006 Galil Mountain Winery Yiron Kosher
2007 Dalton Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
2007 Recanati Special Reserve
2006 Golan Heights Winery Merlot Yarden Kosher Odem Organic Vineyard
2007 Golan Heights Winery Pinot Noir Yarden
2005 Ella Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard's Choice

Yossi,

Rather than review my notes, entering those wines that with the most praise, I've decided to rely on my memory, listing those wines that are most memorable, making the greatest impression on my senses. Granted, this approach might favor wines I've had more recently than those I've had earlier in the year, but so be it. I will restrict myself to ten wines, forcing me to whittle down my initial list, making some tough choices.

1. Hagafen Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
2.Tzora Vineyards, Misty Hills 2006
3. Four Gates, Syrah 2003
4. Ella Valley, Cabernet Franc 2007
5. Hagafen Cellars, Blanc de Noir 2007
6. Dalton, Alma Syrah-Mourvedre-Viognier 2009
7. Four Gates, Pinot Noir NV (blend 2007 and 2008)
8. Covenant, Red C Sauvingnon Blanc 2010
9. Tzora Vineyards, Neve Ilan 2010
10. Dalton, Alma Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc-Merlot 2009

All the best,
-> Pinchas

Well - I finally posted my list and no, it is NOT short - sorry

http://kosherwinemusings.com/2012/01/04 ... l-freedom/

There are some real interesting wines on the list that I have tasted recently at Sommelier and other places in Israel.
David

2006 Dalton Zinfadel (Most intersting wine of the year)
2007 Barkan Superior Pinotage (My Fav Wine of the Year)
20?? Hagafen Riesling Green Label (Best easy drinking wine)
2007 Recanati Merlot Reserve ( My fav for Asian food and stir fries)
2004 Ella Vinyards Choice RR (Thought this cost much more)
2007 Tishbi Chardonnay (My Fav white of the year)
2009 Agur Blanca (Super yum wine)
2008 BR Cohn Trestle Glen Cabenet Sauvignon (Most elegant of the year)
2003 Chateau Giscours Giscours (My only french that realy got to me..and kept thinking about it all year)
2009 Bravdo Coupage (Best Potential wine of the year.. Wow what a structure and looking to see how this ages)
2010 Tulip Tulip White
2007 Gush Etzion Cabernet Franc
2009 Tishbi Brut (If you like the feel of good rich hoppy beer and love real Champagne. this is for you)
2005 Yarden Blanc De Blancs (Smooth as butter)
2009 Odem Mountain Volcanic Chardonnay ( Fruit bomb yet still dry
2007 Yayin Kafrisin (Wish they made more)
2006 Galil Barbera (What a treat that even the 07' is gone)
2006 Segal Rechasim Dishon Cabernet Sauvignon (So amazing how people miss this trying to find the Unfiltered)
2006 Falesco Marciliano (let it age amazing balanced green oak wonderland)