Wine Spectator
16 x No. 1
By Thomas Matthews
January 15, 2005
Every year, Wine Spectator editors review about 12,000 wines. Many are highly recommended, but only one can become Wine of the Year.
In our annual Top 100 issue, we publish the growing list of No. 1 wines. As I read the names, I wonder what the wines would taste like now. But it was purely idle curiosity until a recent dinner at Tribeca Grill in New York brought the past to life.
Tribeca Grill opened in 1990, and was an immediate hit. Over the years, wine has become a primary focus. Wine director David Gordon currently offers 1,700 selections, based on an inventory of 20,000 bottles. In 2002, Tribeca Grill earned our Grand Award.
Gordon's list features a collection that, so far as I know, is unique: It offers every Wine Spectator Wine of the Year, back to the Chateau Lynch-Bages 1985 that we named No. 1 in the debut Top 100 of l988.
In September, Gordon decided to showcase all 16 of our No. 1 wines, paired with a five-course menu created by executive chef Stephen Lewandowski. To Gordon's knowledge, this had never been done before. By opening two bottles of each wine, he could accommodate 16 people; he offered the tickets at $750 and immediately sold out. He invited me to attend and comment on the wines.
The only white in the group, the Beringer Chardonnay Napa Valley Private Reserve 1994 (Wine of the Year in 1996), was paired with a grilled scallop garnished with sea urchin, fennel and apples. The wine was vibrant. The match was seamless.
The red Wines of the Year were served in groups, matched with three courses. Squab with foie gras accompanied the No. 1s from 1988 through 1991. Lamb loin with mushrooms was matched with five No. 1s (1992 through '95 and '98). With a selection of cheeses, we drank the No. 1s from 1999 through 2003. We finished with a chocolate napoleon and the 1994 Ports from Taylor and Fonseca, which shared the top spot in 1997.
Within each flight, the wines were served blind, so we couldn't react to their reputations. It was humbling to try to pick them out, even in such small flights. I guessed eight of the 15 correctly; though in almost every case I had the origin right. I mixed up Caymus and Beringer in the first flight, for example, and jumbled the Bordeaux in the second.
The first flight of reds were all mature, with soft textures, spicy and earthy accents and long, perfumed finishes. The Beaucastel 1989 showed a distinctive sweetness, but there were more similarities than differences among the wines. My favorite was the elegant Lynch-Bages 1985, with its harmonious plum and tobacco flavors.
The second flight was an extraordinary group of wines just entering maturity. All were powerful, complex, fresh and full of fruit. The Grange 1990 stood out for its inky color and spicy red fruit flavors. The Pichon-Baron 1989 was my favorite in this group, rich yet restrained, harmonious and long. The Latour 1990 was powerful but still closed, and improved markedly in the glass.
The third flight showed the most diversity, from the supple sweetness of the Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1999 to the almost Port-like power of the Paloma Merlot 2001. The Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cepages 1996, released at only $28, showed impressive character. Though all the wines were delicious, all would benefit from further aging.
Both Ports were classics, fully meriting their 100-point ratings. The Taylor was characteristically more elegant, the Fonseca more powerful.
None of the bottles were corked or flawed. All the wines had aged gracefully; each was delicious in its own way.
For me, the tasting demonstrated how vast and varied the wine world is. These bottles came from many different regions and many different grapes. There was no dominating "international style"--each showed a unique character.
I imagine that future Wines of the Year will be even more diverse, embracing even more regions and grape varieties. After all, that's the glory of wine, in stark contrast with the standardization of so much of modern life. This dinner at Tribeca Grill was a great pleasure, and also a great comfort. Our No. 1s may not be the best wines made over the past 16 years, but they are all worthy of the honor they've earned.