Some of the memorable 100 point wines by Robert Parker I’ve been able to buy, cellar and enjoy that were also not super expensive. What I have found is it pays to be super patient. One thing the best have had in common is a sense of profound beauty combining richness with lightness that induces one to spend long moments savoring. 2009 Smith Haute Lafite purchased a case on futures for around $80. Tasted summer of ‘23, it is WOW deeply beautiful in every way. Rich pure complex flavors and a nose of seemingly bottomless depth that keeps bringing you back for more and invites prolonged contemplation. The body was almost like a liqueur in its richness with very refined tannins but no heaviness almost ethereal despite being powerful. 2009 Pontet Canet: purchased a case on futures at I think around $150/ bottle, similar in quality to the SHL but darker and spicier, perhaps a bit more dense needs more time. Stunning beautiful wine that one could spend hours with. 2009 Leoville Poyferre purchased a case on futures but paid >$200. This one has been disappointing so far. Yes it is very rich and pure but has been relatively inert and last bottle over 2023 holidays actually had some graininess and bitterness to it. 2007 Janasse Vielle Vignes CDP: on several occasions came across flat and monolithic, was probably too young, last bottles with at least 10 years of cellaring were magical, with deep pure flavors and richness combined with incredible lightness.
High eighties and low nineties will do for me just fine. After half a century of enjoying wine, mostly reds, and after quitting smoking only some five or six years ago.
Matthew , maybe 20 years ago, I visited my close friend and his partner for Thanksgiving. They went to estates sales on Sundays to see what would be interesting to buy. To my surprise , they picked up from a elderly woman , a bottle of 1973 Dom Perignon - for $5.00 !!! We had it , big smiles all around ,it was indeed drinking the stars. My 100 point wine experience. Cheers!
Parker was a wine critic for consumers. He promoted e. g. the full bodied wines of the Rhone. The normal wine drinker will prefer a rich taste over "freshness" which wine geeks are often promoting. So credits to Robert Parker ;-).
Great analogy with regard to wine scores Matt. Love Laurent Perrier champagnes. The Grand Siecle is always a winner, adore it. In fact I think because it’s a blend of vintages, it’s generally superior to single vintage deluxe champagnes.
Totally agree but there is one Parker 100 point wine that I have no doubt deserves its reputation. That is the Valdespino Toneless which is truly a legendary wine. It's an aged Muscatel. Some say it's 100 years old and only a tiny amount is allowed to be released annually in half bottles. I've had a full bottle and I have two more as I stashed up because I new it was going to become mega expensive and restricted. It is absolutely stunning and worth 100 points. You would have no hesitation marking it 100 points even in a blind. It really is one of the wonderful treasures of Spain to the world and a wine that is definitely one to try before you die. Valdespino also have some aged sherry that is very close, depending on your style, worth 98+. Valdespino Toneless is undoubtedly a 100 point experience and a benchmark, actually, for what 100 points should mean. It's in a league of it's own and brings into question other super high point marks. WT
Really getting into this channel. Love the way it is never a lecture but much more open ended. As for the 100 pointers... Clarendon Hills Astralis was the first one where I actually went "Wow!!" As once I take that cellaring element away and just want to drink the stuff I normally struggle with anything North of 95 - they all taste fantastic
To me a 100 point wine is one I taste and say 'wow, I must buy another bottle'. This happened a few days ago when we opened a 2016, single vineyard, Cirillo1850, Ancestor Vine, Grenache from the Barossa Valley. The vines were planted in 1848.
Thanks again Doc! Great discussion too. 100 point systems? Perfect? Make the test realistic instead of mythical... rate 100 wines -- 1 to 100... simple? 1% should receive 100 points. Let perfect people decide what a perfect wine is. Tasting blind is a real test of a person's realistic appreciation, more that a wine's value, ... maybe Appreciation is the key? You are really good at it too!🙏
@@drmatthewhorkey It is so easy to score low for personal safety. It takes guts to score high. Maybe? More appreciation to you! You get a high score for sure!
I have trouble getting a wine above low 90's and distinguishing the degrees there, as well as using the full end of the lower decades (60s and 70s in particular). I am finally letting myself rate wines very highly and just put a wine at 94 points for the first time - Innocenti Brunello di Montalcino 2016. Then I bought a Brunello the next day at the store because it captivated me so much!
@@drmatthewhorkey I definitely heard it was one of the best in a while. The Brunello I bought the next day was from 2017. I heard that was a much more difficult vintage, but only after I bought it. It was the oldest one the store had in stock and I definitely want to be sure I give it enough time to develop, but with this vintage, what do you suggest?
It was the darndest thing… I was watching this video and thinking how I would enjoy hearing you and Madeline Puckett discuss wines together when Bam!, up pops her face.
Agreed! I like scores for a point of reference. My experience is if a wine is in the low 80’s it is not worth drinking. Once wine reaches high 80’s and above it is all about nuance and what the drinker prefers. I have enjoyed a few 100 pointers. I bought three bottles of 1990 Chateau Latour ex-chateau and for my tastes, it was perfect. With that said, ten years ago, they cost $1,000 each. I love the Laurent Perrier Non-vintage Blanc-de-Blancs non- vintage. Not a 100 pointer, but fantastic with a shellfish tower. For my taste, I prefer non-vintage vs. vintage Champagnes.
Wines that score in the mid to low 80s are rarely seen anymore, publications don’t put them up and nobody wants to put that on the shelf out in the open
Grand Siecle used to be one of the most common champagnes served in First class flights. I've noticed thats changed. Would be cool if you did a blind tasting at altitude or on a plane one day!
We once ordered a couple of bottles of LP Brut reserve for a brunch party we were planning and they sent us the Grand Siecle by mistake. I kept those and re-ordered, half-expecting the same mistake. They sent the correct cuvee the second time around😆
As always , I love your reviews . Question: what are your thoughts about Deutz Champagne ? My wife don’t like it because seems to be too serious . She likes the taittinger style , more festive and fruit forward . Since you have perspective , how do you line up the entry level 50 us champagne? Cheers !
Why buy wines I won’t like for 10 years? I’ve tasted some very highly rated Bordeaux wines that I didn’t like at all. Mostly tannic, but reviews stated how age-worthy the wine was. My palate seems to be geared to Bordeaux or Bordeaux-style wines that are drinkable now.
I knew the Grand Siecle the minute you poured it. Although not biggest champagne fan back in the day. I’m curious if I would like more. Since I’m getting into wine more and more. Sidenote I tried the Lillian Ladouy the other day fantastic.
I even agree with a proposed a three star scale before. Zero star is the wine is not good, one star is the wine is good, two stars as it’s very good, and three stars is you’d run over your mother to get it!
I have not tasted any 100 pt wines but I would give Schrader T6 2012 and Bollinger RD 2007 a 100 pt if i were a reviewer =) I think my palatte is big and bold style with that earth floor/blue cheese tertiary notes that you get from aging.
Just by chance, I did the same exact tasting (I added the rose as well) 4 weeks ago. I picked out the Grand Siecle instantly. The nose is what excited me the most. It was not a 100 pointer for me either. It was very good and a worthy champagne. I felt a 95 or 96 rating was justifiable. Interestingly enough that is what I felt based on the fact that in January I had the 2016 Cattier 100% Meunier which blew my mind. Tasting and ratings are so subjective to each individual.
Nice haircut. The wine i gave the biggest score in my life was Clos de La Coulee de Serrant 2006, 97 points. But actually, in my opinion, the difference between a 96 or 97 points wine to 100 points wine is zero in technical terms. The main factor that makes you give that extra 3-4 points its totally emotional. Not only how you feel on that particular day your drinking, but also, the wine must hit a spot in you.
People in general are followers. Oh, this actor is popular well then, I will like them. Ih, this wine scored 100 points, I, therefore, must like it. The state of the world today proves that people are followers, no one is willing to step up and say no.
Well not all opinions are the same. I rather hear what an expert has to say than an average Joe. Even thou there is variability in a tasting an expert can perform well all the time adjusting his senses.
I find 100-point scale to be rather imprudent. It's 100 points, but actually only points from 50 to 100 are used. And critics are not scoring wines below 85 points. Anything below 90 is not worth stressing your liver. Anything above 95 costs an arm and a leg, unless the score is from Suckling or Maroni, but then it's called score inflation. So it's more like 8-point scale, that's great. For the notion of the perfect wine. Would a perfect Amarone be similar to a perfect Barolo? Can Prosecco or Chiaretto be a perfect wine? Can a Prosecco be perfect-for-its-style? If so, how many points is that?
I don't know if I've had a 100 point wine but I'm sure I've had a 99 point Luca Maroni wine (how could it be any other way???). I don't care about points but I am fascinated by the concept of a perfect wine. I find that a perfect wine is one that delivers what it promises, be it a German Riesling which manages to hit the perfect balance between acidity and sweetness, an Italian wine getting married to a pizza in my mouth or a simple, refreshing Vinho Verde after walking in the heat in Lissabon. All of those three wines could perhaps be improved in some way (and get a higher score), with regard to complexity, length, ageability or whatever, but they would still be perfect.
I think every time I’ve had grand siècle has been on an airplane. My biggest issue with 100 points is its interpretation as perfect. It’s not a %, like the school scale that it’s modeled after. So it’s kind of an arbitrary ceiling rather than a calculation. This doesn’t make it useless, mind you
Hate to be a killjoy, but value for money is what I am alwys on the lookout for as a wine enthusiast. Anyone can sweep their credit card and by a bottle of rotgut at a price of a decent second hand car.
Part of the reason to spend money on those wines at least once is to give you a reference point. If you can find a similar wine that is 80% as good at 20% of the price, you've got a winner!
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Some of the memorable 100 point wines by Robert Parker I’ve been able to buy, cellar and enjoy that were also not super expensive. What I have found is it pays to be super patient. One thing the best have had in common is a sense of profound beauty combining richness with lightness that induces one to spend long moments savoring.
2009 Smith Haute Lafite purchased a case on futures for around $80. Tasted summer of ‘23, it is WOW deeply beautiful in every way. Rich pure complex flavors and a nose of seemingly bottomless depth that keeps bringing you back for more and invites prolonged contemplation. The body was almost like a liqueur in its richness with very refined tannins but no heaviness almost ethereal despite being powerful.
2009 Pontet Canet: purchased a case on futures at I think around $150/ bottle, similar in quality to the SHL but darker and spicier, perhaps a bit more dense needs more time. Stunning beautiful wine that one could spend hours with.
2009 Leoville Poyferre purchased a case on futures but paid >$200. This one has been disappointing so far. Yes it is very rich and pure but has been relatively inert and last bottle over 2023 holidays actually had some graininess and bitterness to it.
2007 Janasse Vielle Vignes CDP: on several occasions came across flat and monolithic, was probably too young, last bottles with at least 10 years of cellaring were magical, with deep pure flavors and richness combined with incredible lightness.
Great price for those 2009s!
Best analogy to wine scores I have seen yet. As to giving a wine 100 points seems wrong as it assumes there is such a thing as a perfect wine.
High eighties and low nineties will do for me just fine. After half a century of enjoying wine, mostly reds, and after quitting smoking only some five or six years ago.
Thank you
Matthew , maybe 20 years ago, I visited my close friend and his partner for Thanksgiving. They went to estates sales on Sundays to see what would be interesting to buy. To my surprise , they picked up from a elderly woman , a bottle of 1973 Dom Perignon - for $5.00 !!! We had it , big smiles all around ,it was indeed drinking the stars. My 100 point wine experience. Cheers!
What a story!
Very good way to express how the top critically acclaimed wines differ! - Jon
🙏🙏🙏 sir and thanks for jumping on memberships
@@drmatthewhorkey The least we could do to support your meaningful work!
Parker was a wine critic for consumers. He promoted e. g. the full bodied wines of the Rhone. The normal wine drinker will prefer a rich taste over "freshness" which wine geeks are often promoting. So credits to Robert Parker ;-).
Hahahah many people still do like the rich style
Great analogy with regard to wine scores Matt.
Love Laurent Perrier champagnes. The Grand Siecle is always a winner, adore it. In fact I think because it’s a blend of vintages, it’s generally superior to single vintage deluxe champagnes.
I do like what blending vintages can do in Champagne and fortified wines
Totally agree but there is one Parker 100 point wine that I have no doubt deserves its reputation. That is the Valdespino Toneless which is truly a legendary wine. It's an aged Muscatel. Some say it's 100 years old and only a tiny amount is allowed to be released annually in half bottles. I've had a full bottle and I have two more as I stashed up because I new it was going to become mega expensive and restricted. It is absolutely stunning and worth 100 points. You would have no hesitation marking it 100 points even in a blind. It really is one of the wonderful treasures of Spain to the world and a wine that is definitely one to try before you die. Valdespino also have some aged sherry that is very close, depending on your style, worth 98+. Valdespino Toneless is undoubtedly a 100 point experience and a benchmark, actually, for what 100 points should mean. It's in a league of it's own and brings into question other super high point marks. WT
Ohhhh I am very curious now! Thanks
The paper bag is even "deformed" from the bottleshape 😆
??
Came here to say this
Really getting into this channel. Love the way it is never a lecture but much more open ended.
As for the 100 pointers...
Clarendon Hills Astralis was the first one where I actually went "Wow!!" As once I take that cellaring element away and just want to drink the stuff I normally struggle with anything North of 95 - they all taste fantastic
Ohhh nice! Was it a single vineyard Riesling? Thanks a lot btw
@@drmatthewhorkey 2010 Syrah 100 points WA
Exciting tasting! Thank you for sharing this with us! 👏🤗👍
🙏🙏
To me a 100 point wine is one I taste and say 'wow, I must buy another bottle'. This happened a few days ago when we opened a 2016, single vineyard, Cirillo1850, Ancestor Vine, Grenache from the Barossa Valley. The vines were planted in 1848.
😮😮😮 that sounds awesome
Thanks again Doc! Great discussion too. 100 point systems? Perfect? Make the test realistic instead of mythical... rate 100 wines -- 1 to 100... simple? 1% should receive 100 points. Let perfect people decide what a perfect wine is. Tasting blind is a real test of a person's realistic appreciation, more that a wine's value, ... maybe Appreciation is the key? You are really good at it too!🙏
🙏🙏🙏🙏
@@drmatthewhorkey It is so easy to score low for personal safety. It takes guts to score high. Maybe? More appreciation to you! You get a high score for sure!
I have trouble getting a wine above low 90's and distinguishing the degrees there, as well as using the full end of the lower decades (60s and 70s in particular). I am finally letting myself rate wines very highly and just put a wine at 94 points for the first time - Innocenti Brunello di Montalcino 2016. Then I bought a Brunello the next day at the store because it captivated me so much!
Great vintage in Tuscany too
@@drmatthewhorkey I definitely heard it was one of the best in a while. The Brunello I bought the next day was from 2017. I heard that was a much more difficult vintage, but only after I bought it. It was the oldest one the store had in stock and I definitely want to be sure I give it enough time to develop, but with this vintage, what do you suggest?
It was the darndest thing… I was watching this video and thinking how I would enjoy hearing you and Madeline Puckett discuss wines together when Bam!, up pops her face.
Hahahahha nicee
Agreed! I like scores for a point of reference. My experience is if a wine is in the low 80’s it is not worth drinking. Once wine reaches high 80’s and above it is all about nuance and what the drinker prefers. I have enjoyed a few 100 pointers. I bought three bottles of 1990 Chateau Latour ex-chateau and for my tastes, it was perfect. With that said, ten years ago, they cost $1,000 each.
I love the Laurent Perrier Non-vintage Blanc-de-Blancs non- vintage. Not a 100 pointer, but fantastic with a shellfish tower. For my taste, I prefer non-vintage vs. vintage Champagnes.
Wines that score in the mid to low 80s are rarely seen anymore, publications don’t put them up and nobody wants to put that on the shelf out in the open
Grand Siecle used to be one of the most common champagnes served in First class flights. I've noticed thats changed. Would be cool if you did a blind tasting at altitude or on a plane one day!
Ha ha I just gotta get an airline to sponsor me for a first class flight
We once ordered a couple of bottles of LP Brut reserve for a brunch party we were planning and they sent us the Grand Siecle by mistake. I kept those and re-ordered, half-expecting the same mistake. They sent the correct cuvee the second time around😆
That is a great story. I would have tried the same ahhaha
As always , I love your reviews . Question: what are your thoughts about Deutz Champagne ? My wife don’t like it because seems to be too serious . She likes the taittinger style , more festive and fruit forward . Since you have perspective , how do you line up the entry level 50 us champagne? Cheers !
I love Deutz but Taittinger might be more friendly. LP is one of the ‘softer’ houses along with Piper H IMO
Why buy wines I won’t like for 10 years? I’ve tasted some very highly rated Bordeaux wines that I didn’t like at all. Mostly tannic, but reviews stated how age-worthy the wine was. My palate seems to be geared to Bordeaux or Bordeaux-style wines that are drinkable now.
Many people do want that too
I knew the Grand Siecle the minute you poured it. Although not biggest champagne fan back in the day. I’m curious if I would like more. Since I’m getting into wine more and more. Sidenote I tried the Lillian Ladouy the other day fantastic.
Glad you tried it and yes not everybody loves champagne and if you don’t like it you don’t have to force yourself to like it
Not a fan of the 100 point scale. I like Hugh Johnson’s 5-star scale. The divisions between each are meaningful.
I even agree with a proposed a three star scale before. Zero star is the wine is not good, one star is the wine is good, two stars as it’s very good, and three stars is you’d run over your mother to get it!
I have not tasted any 100 pt wines but I would give Schrader T6 2012 and Bollinger RD 2007 a 100 pt if i were a reviewer =) I think my palatte is big and bold style with that earth floor/blue cheese tertiary notes that you get from aging.
T6 can be good! RD is always a favorite of mine
Valeu!
Wow obrigado!!!
Just by chance, I did the same exact tasting (I added the rose as well) 4 weeks ago. I picked out the Grand Siecle instantly. The nose is what excited me the most. It was not a 100 pointer for me either. It was very good and a worthy champagne. I felt a 95 or 96 rating was justifiable. Interestingly enough that is what I felt based on the fact that in January I had the 2016 Cattier 100% Meunier which blew my mind. Tasting and ratings are so subjective to each individual.
Wow, What a coincidence
Very good framing and nice haircut
🙏🙏
Nice haircut. The wine i gave the biggest score in my life was Clos de La Coulee de Serrant 2006, 97 points. But actually, in my opinion, the difference between a 96 or 97 points wine to 100 points wine is zero in technical terms. The main factor that makes you give that extra 3-4 points its totally emotional. Not only how you feel on that particular day your drinking, but also, the wine must hit a spot in you.
I’ve had that vintage of CdS before too and you are right… When you get to those Haitz 3 to 4 points isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things
People in general are followers. Oh, this actor is popular well then, I will like them. Ih, this wine scored 100 points, I, therefore, must like it. The state of the world today proves that people are followers, no one is willing to step up and say no.
Well you got that right!
I dare you to try the Franciacorta Annamaria Clementi RS. 1 1980 from Ca'del Bosco
👍🏼👍🏼
2016 d'Issan is my only 100 point so far. There was nothing I could find to improve on it.
Value for money Bordeaux for sure and a great vintage there
Scores are like opinions and opinions are like a$$holes...everyone's got one!
😂🤣
James Suckling and I disagree concerning wine scores about 95% of the time. Asa you said, I subtract three points from his rating.
💪🏼
👍👍
🙏🙏
👍
🙏🙏
Well not all opinions are the same. I rather hear what an expert has to say than an average Joe. Even thou there is variability in a tasting an expert can perform well all the time adjusting his senses.
💪🏼😬
I find 100-point scale to be rather imprudent. It's 100 points, but actually only points from 50 to 100 are used. And critics are not scoring wines below 85 points. Anything below 90 is not worth stressing your liver. Anything above 95 costs an arm and a leg, unless the score is from Suckling or Maroni, but then it's called score inflation. So it's more like 8-point scale, that's great.
For the notion of the perfect wine. Would a perfect Amarone be similar to a perfect Barolo? Can Prosecco or Chiaretto be a perfect wine? Can a Prosecco be perfect-for-its-style? If so, how many points is that?
A solid wine can be perfect depending on the mood, company, and/or food IMO
I don't know if I've had a 100 point wine but I'm sure I've had a 99 point Luca Maroni wine (how could it be any other way???). I don't care about points but I am fascinated by the concept of a perfect wine. I find that a perfect wine is one that delivers what it promises, be it a German Riesling which manages to hit the perfect balance between acidity and sweetness, an Italian wine getting married to a pizza in my mouth or a simple, refreshing Vinho Verde after walking in the heat in Lissabon. All of those three wines could perhaps be improved in some way (and get a higher score), with regard to complexity, length, ageability or whatever, but they would still be perfect.
A good wine in a GREAT setting w good food and people can become a perfect wine IMO
Sand?
Yeppers! Warm beach sand ona sunny day
I think every time I’ve had grand siècle has been on an airplane. My biggest issue with 100 points is its interpretation as perfect. It’s not a %, like the school scale that it’s modeled after. So it’s kind of an arbitrary ceiling rather than a calculation. This doesn’t make it useless, mind you
Well said
Hate to be a killjoy, but value for money is what I am alwys on the lookout for as a wine enthusiast. Anyone can sweep their credit card and by a bottle of rotgut at a price of a decent second hand car.
Part of the reason to spend money on those wines at least once is to give you a reference point. If you can find a similar wine that is 80% as good at 20% of the price, you've got a winner!
@@williamgechtman9287
True.
I agree but value for money is always relative…
Great video, The 100 point scale will always be helpful to someone it seems, but really appreciate your take on it.
🙏🙏🙏