WOML - Wine of my life - what a great concept

[DJ]

In the thread on the Bass Phillip Pinot, Kris refers to the 1904 Para as the WOML. I can't help thinking do I have one?

I am searching for an absolute stand out unforgetable. At the moment I can't get just one but a series.

The first one 1954 Tulloch Private Bin - this was opened for Dad's 40th so I must have been only about 15 when I had it - twenty years on it is a faint memory.

In 1993 a group of Uni friends got together to try Grange - we had the chapel room at Darling Mills and had 61, 71 and 83 Grange - wine of the night? 1977 Chateau Reynella Vintage Port some of the others might not have agreed with me but a great wine.

In 1994 a bottle of 1973 Leo Buring Watervale Riesling (DWC13 I think) - stunning fresh as a daisy less than 5 years old not 21

Round 2000 a couple of bottles of 1970 Lindemans Hunter River white (White Burgundy and Chablis) - the good bottles were sublime. Along with the '73 Buring permanent guarentee that I could never be a red bigot

A few others are definite possible to be added to this list. The above seems to be a common theme of long aged wines but things like 90A and a 97 Speri Amarone would give them a run for their money. Nevertheless I can't nail down a single earth shattering 100 pointer Perhaps for the best always room for something new.

Over to you - do you have wine of your life?

Cheers

[Gavin Trott]

Well

I'm like you, no WOML so far, however, a few.

A few years back, well more than a few actually, I had a case of 1970 Lindemans Hunter River white (White Burgundy and Chablis). As per your thoughts, the best of those were sublime!

Also, on the same night as each other, 1970 Chateau Latour and 1963 Mildara Cabernet (Peppermint Patty). Both were superb.

These are about the best so far.

[Craig(NZ)]

Nevertheless I can't nail down a single earth shattering 100 pointer

Oh dear! i come across one hundred pointers about once a fortnight

[Red Bigot]

Nevertheless I can't nail down a single earth shattering 100 pointer

Oh dear! i come across one hundred pointers about once a fortnight

You are a funny chappie, Craig. You revel in your own unique 109 point system then make statements like this that may be factually correct in your own little context but are quite inane when comparing, as you did, to 100pts under the system that many other people use.

So in reality from their perspective your 100 pts is about a crappy 92 points... But then who cares about points anyway?

[Craig(NZ)]

You are a funny chappie, Craig. You revel in your own unique 109 point system then make statements like this that may be factually correct in your own little context but are quite inane when comparing, as you did, to 100pts under the system that many other people use.

So in reality from their perspective your 100 pts is about a crappy 92 points... But then who cares about points anyway?

Cant fault that statement at all. I agree with everything you say dude as long as you define "your own little context" as my personal palate.

However another thing to consider.... one could apply your statement to the 100 point system too. Its harder to get 95 points out of Tanzer or our own Danny Baby Chickpea than it is to get 95 points out of Parker, Halliday, Bob Campbell, or own Atilla. So "in reality from their perspective" is Dannys super 92/100 really an Attilla 97/100??

Lets not kid ourselves that the world operates under a uniform 100 point system! As you say "But then who cares about points anyway"

109 Points

[I'm Thirsty]

I too find it hard to whittle this down and pick out that one WOML bottle but here are 3 from the top 10.

'85 Domaine Ponsot Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru Monts Luisants
Picked this bottle up on a whim at the Auction when it was about to go for a long way under the estimate knowing absolutly nothing about it. This bottle was life changing!!! The nose was breathtaking from the moment it hit the glass and continued to change and evolve for about 2 hours until it finally started to drop off a little. Changed from initial fruit and honey to butterscotch and coffee by the end.
Wine was tried in 2004

'93 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill
The second this bottle was opened the smell literaly filled the room. Plenty of citrus on the pallet but much more in balance than other vintages from Pol Roger. Really long finish on this wine we didn't touch anything else for about half an hour just to savour it. I have had 2 other bottles of this vintage but they did not compare to the first one.
Wine was tried in 2005

'71 Penfolds Grange Hermitage
This wine was trully great, I have tried a few vintages of Grange and this was by far the best i have had so far. Still showing an amazing amount of fruit for a 35 year old wine. Very complex wine with great balance of flavours. We had this wine straight after an '81 Bordeaux that we thought was quite good and the Grange completly eclipsed it.
Wine was tried in 2006

[Shadrach]

It is difficult to have an absolute WOML, however in the fortified category I can probably name one.
- Quinta de Noval 1961 Vintage Port - Had a bottle with friends in the cellar of The Barn at McLaren Vale and the open bottle filled the whole cellar with the most wonderful bouquet before we even had a chance to drink it. Bitey European acid with layers and layers of fruity, nutty, spirity flavours made it the best ever. The second best was also drunk that night - Chateau Reynella 1971 Vintage Port - amazing licorice and powerful dark fruit flavours - you could almost stand a spoon up in this one! The third best was also drunk that night - Wyatt Earp Vintage Port 1969 (I think). WHAT A NIGHT Ahh for the good old days when VPs reigned supreme!

[KMP]

WOML? Not yet . But I'm hoping the second bottle of such a mythical beast is served to me on my deathbed by several beautiful and scantily clad 18 year old virgins. And yes, all I want to do is drink the wine, so its going to have to be more than just a stunner! I figure I have at least another 30 years to find it.

Mike

[Ian S]

Difficult to pick such a wine out and I guess I'm not focussed on measurement of wine to that level of detail to be able to make the call.

Sorry for being awkward, but I will concur that the Speri Amarone's are very classy. I was beginning to go off Amarone, then drank a 97 and 98 Speri in consecutive months and both were excellent.

[griff]

Haven't got a WOML. I'm a believer in the best is yet to come. Although I do have a wine (or rather a case of wine) that started all this nonsense with wine.

I was at the Sydney Home Show with girlfriend when I was 19 or 20 and looking at all the cool gadgets of the future when there was this amiable chap offering free tastings of german rieslings. I tried them and was very surprised at the difference between them and the white wines I had tried up to that point. I ended up buying my first case of wine. I wish I could remember the producers. Remembering wines names and notes etc started later on.

cheers

Carl

[DJ]

Nevertheless I can't nail down a single earth shattering 100 pointer

Oh dear! i come across one hundred pointers about once a fortnight

Damn I shouldn't have mentioned points - was only meant to imply ecstatic perfection

[underwraps50]

WOML - what a great idea. Thanks for releasing a whole lot of great memories from 40 years of the obsession.
I'd have to concur with I'm Thirsty, the '71 Grange is probably the best wine to date. I bought several vintages of Grange over about 15 years when I was a young bloke and just put them away for a few decades. The '71 was probably the best of them and a lovely, lovely wine.
Shadrach - thanks for the memories of Vintage Ports. I was right into them in the late '70s and drank some in the late '80s. I wish I had some put away - they used to blow the minds of my dinner guests who had only experienced Tawnys. I cant remember the names anymore but there was a series of Yalumba VPs named after great racehorses that I enjoyed.
The German Rieslings strikes some chords as well - back in the '70s the main competition was Ben Ean & Blue Nun.

[n4sir]

WOML at the moment would have to be the 1930 Para Liqueur Port.

After that it starts to get a little messy, as there's been great many great bottles over the years and picking one or even just a few out is tough.

Cheers,
Ian

[David]

Here is a small list of wines that imressed me greatly when tasted -

Lindemans 1967 Hunter Riesling Bin 3255
Penfolds 1966 Minchinbury Traminer
McWilliams 1956 Anne Riesling
Leo Buring 1971 DW something Riesling
Lindemans 1970 Hunter Chablis
Tyrrells 1972 Vat 1 Riesling
Lindemans 1959 Hunter Burgundy Bin 1590
Penfolds 1966 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz Bin 620
Mildara 1963 Coonawarra Cabernet
Saltrams 1971 Barossa Cabernet Shiraz Bin 71/88
Henschke 1958 Hill of Grace
Seppelts Great Western CH21 (forget the year)
Mildara 1967 Yellow Label Cabernet Shiraz
Seppelts DP90 Tawny
Seppelts 1879 Para

Interestingly all big makers except the Tyrrells and Henschke. How things have changed

[David]

This is a great topic or are we into instant gratification.

More posts please.

[Adam]

Too many...but looking back through my notes over th elast 2 years...

1962 DRC Romanee Conti
(greatest burgundy)

1955 Chateau Lafleur/1959 Lafite...61 Latour, 1900 Margaux, aghh...just too many...
(greatest bdx blend)

1973 Dom Perignon Oenotheque en magnum
(greatest champagne)

1929 Chateau Climens
(Greatest sweet wine)

1965 Lindemans Bin 3110
(Greatest Aussie)

1999 Coche Dury Corton Charlegmagne
(Greatest White)

[Wizz]

Been watching this thread and wondering what I would say. Well...greatest wines ever:

75 Yquem
82 Mouton Rothschild
86 Ornellaia

then a bunch of wines that were fantastic experiences for all sorts of reasons:

86 Hill of Grace - this was the wine that got me hooked
89 Rieussec
Some 100 yo Muscat from when the All Saints winery was sold in the early 90s
62 Cabernet from Crittendens, reputedly Penfolds
84 Cullen Reserve Cabernet Merlot
85 Leroy Romanee St Vivant, mainly cos I got it for $75

[Justin B.]

I've not had much experience with french wines, but my favourite Aussie experiences are not necessarily the 'best wines', but the ones which I recall most vividly as well.

Penfolds Bin 90A 1990 - had last year.
Leo Buring Leonnay (not sure which area) 1991 - had recently
Henschke Mt Edelstone 1992 - drunk around 1998
Wynns Oven Valley shiraz 1992 - this year.
A 1994 French Burgundy - had 2 years ago, but dont recall the name.
Brokenwood Graveyard 1994 shiraz - had this year.

[Muscat Mike]

My most memorable wine would have to be the very old Pedro Jiminez (spelling?) I had at an offline in Newtown a couple of years ago during the Sydney wine thingo.
I have only had one other similar wine and can not remember what it was. I know it was a Rutherglen sticky of incredible age and think it was a Bullers that was an almost green colour and quite thick. Looked like crap, but tasted like heaven.
Mike.
PS - Am sipping a Smithy special and loving it. A 2002 Parolas Durif. Went well with some delicious frenched lamb chops. Yuuuuuuummmmoooo. I do like it.

[griff]

I've not had much experience with french wines, but my favourite Aussie experiences are not necessarily the 'best wines', but the ones which I recall most vividly as well.

Penfolds Bin 90A 1990 - had last year.
Leo Buring Leonnay (not sure which area) 1991 - had recently
Henschke Mt Edelstone 1992 - drunk around 1998
Wynns Oven Valley shiraz 1992 - this year.
A 1994 French Burgundy - had 2 years ago, but dont recall the name.
Brokenwood Graveyard 1994 shiraz - had this year.

If you are referring to the two Leonays that were tried, you brought the Eden and it was far more impressive in my mind

cheers

Carl

[Anonymous]

a few to think about, but the memory of friends and wine at my 40th last year would put this bunch at top of the list.
Grange 1966
Bin 389 1966
Wynns Coonawarra Magnum 1966
Plus a couple of whites along with the starters

Wines were hand carried from Oz to Norway where we are currently working. Friends came in from Norway and UK for a night of great food, WOML and great company!!!

[Chuck]

Most I hope are still in the cellar but to date it has to be Penfolds Bin 90A. Awesome wine that still needs a decade or so. Closely followed by Penfolds Bin 620 (1966?). Crappy and thin on opening but singing after an hour, Gave the '89 Grange a good run on the night.

Chuck

[Duncan]

For years I never had a favourite wine, then I came across one. But it's from a winery I work with, so not really an unbiased opinion. Of non-work related wines, my clear favourite is a 1986 Salon Blanc de Blancs, though my wife disliked it (and chose a different vintage champagne instead) ! Only fair to say thanks to Roman Bratasiuk for bringing that along to meal. I've saw the 1996 vintage recently and naturally it was the most expensive wine on the shelves. Just can't bring myself to buy it, mainly because of the cost and what if I was disappointed ?

So here's a new question - would you try drinking the same wine again, or would you be afraid to spoil the memory ?

Edit: Talking about memory, I think it might have been 1982.....

Cheers, Duncan

[El Josho]

WOML has to be the one that got me started, and showed me a world beyond Nottage Hill and stuff in a cask...

...wish I could remember the vintage, but I distinctly remember sitting at the Bathers Pavilion in Sydney many years ago, making the acquaintance of a Bannockburn Geelong Pinot Noir. Had the same wine more recent vintage a few weeks back and nowhere near as angelic or mystifying as that first time, but nostalgic none-the-less.

[Wayno]

Seems odd to describe a WOML justly but said wine would need to be something connected to a moment of significance, especially as I have not been exposed to the array of wines some have mentioned here.

That said, some humble candidates for WOML (thus far):

Penfolds Bin 389 1996 - dinner at The Sauce one night and the wine just fell perfectly into place, amongst it's fellow bottles and the food. Just fantastic.

Knappstein 1996 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon (for the same reasons as El Josho) - started the tour through the wallet emptying wine world.

Most of the wines we tried in Burgundy as they were all elevated into a different plane of reality - perhaps the 1992 Drouhin that tasted like a 2002 as it was so fresh? or just all of them.

[Craig(NZ)]

00 Margaux and 01 Yquem would be in there for me, even though very young I found them extremely drinkable!

From NZ, with some age on them: 94 Stonyridge Larose, 91 Coleraine, 96 Martinborough Reserve Pinot Noir, 94 Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay, 96 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, 96 Dry River Gerwurztraminer.

From Australia 96 Grange, 93 Henschke Cyril come to mind. Also the 86 Wynns John Riddoch that Muscat Mike brought over was very tidy!

[Pamela Dyson-Harvey]

For me - Baileys of Rutherglen 1969 Shiraz, and Birks Wendouree (many vintages!) And for after dinner Morris's Liqueur Muscat ( also very good with cheese and fruit cake, by the fire on a rainy UK afternoon.... smile).
My husband is a huge fan of Sauternes, and loves Chateau Myrat - made by the Duke de Pontac.
Yours in red
Pamela