It is such a pleasure sharing great wines with family and friends. It has been a hard time in the wine industry. Traffic remains down on the West Coast and we all need to do our best to support the wine community. I have had the great fortune to taste many top champagnes, Rhones and Bordeauxs this year. Today I share some of my favorite world wine choices that I tasted in 2025.
What were some of your favorite wines that you tasted this year? Here are mine:
10) 1988 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Bordeaux- We were at one of the great wine restaurants in the world, Noble Rot in London and I noticed this great ’88 on the menu. It took actually a bit of time to unwind but what evolved was a seamless melange of grave, dark currants and tobacco that was simply unforgettable.
9) 2018 Hors Categorie Syrah- drinking right at its peak right now this was a massive and dense wine, filled with heady dark fruits and iodine/stony nuances. The color was just incredible. I was blown away with the florals from this wine as well which have evolved since its release four years ago.
8) 2006 Dom Perignon- Not a great vintage in Champagne, the 2006 wine right now are really singing. They are dense and heady, and won’t improve but this was such hedonistic and delicious stuff with loads of citrus and melon fruits, alongside musty wild mushroom notes.
7) MV Laurent Perrier ‘Grand Siècle No. 26’ Champagne- Top champagne on an airplane can’t be beat. On my first class flight to Doha I savored this beauty, loaded with chalky minerality that is finally really coming around, with a 2012 base. It is intense with a silky mousse and a finish that doesn’t want to end.
6) 2013 Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Champagne- In my mind not the best vintage but this wine is second to none. It has so much intense lemon oil flavor and diatom that it can only come from one source. It is honestly a shame to enjoy this so young but what a pleasurable experience. The length and concentration was incredible.
5) 1998 Chateau Haut-Brion- This vintage seems to really be peaking right now. It was such a pleasure to revisit this very earthy and impeccably balanced Pessac wine. The gravel character was astonishingly good. I would not cellar this anymore, given the balance right now.
4) 2019 Upchurch Vineyard ‘Hero Twins’ Cabernet Sauvignon- In the Mayan tradition the Hero Twins was the story of the genesis of the Sun and the Moon. This wine is made entirely from Clone 2 Cabernet Sauvignon at Upchurch Vineyard, and it was even more fun enjoying this with proprietors Chris and Thea Upchurch. We all marveled at the power and floral notes of this beautiful wine that is really coming into its own right now. It quite simply flirts with perfection.
3) 2005 Chateau Climens Sauternes- One of my all-time favorite Sauternes, the 2005 Climens is a sensational joyride throughout the drinking experience. It is not overly sweet but has such incredible power, finesse and stony character. I savored every sip.
2) 2017 Chateau Mouton-Rothchild- I have now tasted this several times and it is just such a joy to enjoy right now. For those who do not like 2017, I think that you really need to taste a top example of the vintage. This is plush, loaded with heady dark fruits, but also has such nice stony and damp earth nuances. Make sure to open several hours beforehand.
1) 1995 Krug Champagne- Sometimes wine notes are best shortened. Perfection in a bottle. Perfect time to drink this beauty.