It’s just turned February, and I realise that I’ve not done a wines of the year compilation for 2017. This is a major oversight: such a list is pretty much compulsory for anyone who writes about wine on the internet. But rather than select my favourite bottles, I thought I’d leave it to Instagram to decide. So I trawled through my feed (I spend far too much time on Instagram) and took screen grabs of bottles that had amassed more than 200 likes, an arbitrary cut-off. I tried to make sure this was wines that I’d actually drunk, not just tasted. So, in a loose style order, let’s take a look and see what my Insta chums liked. This is part 1.
Beaujolais seems to do well on Insta. Lapierre is one of the favourites.
This Metras got a lot of likes but it was a bit past its best I reckon. It’s sad to drink a wine after its time.
More Lapierre: 2016 better than the much heralded 2015 vintage for me.
This was nice! Big and burly because of the vintage, but tasty.
Had Foillard’s excellent 2013 CdP a couple of times. It’s not always the cleanest, purest expression of Bojo, but it gives so much pleasure and ages well to boot. Both of these were drunk courtesy of Brian and Marion Smith of Elgin Ridge.
Champagne is also a great Insta hit. This Agrapart was lovely, and we drank it in Kuala Lumpa’s Troika Sky Dining joint Cantaloupe.
Just had a small glass of this Krug 1982 and it was really memorable. Just incredible stuff that lived up to its reputation. This was tasted at IPNC in Oregon. Whoever bought it: thank you!
The new PJ Blanc de Blancs is very nicely packaged. Keep it away from light though!
A new Champagne from VC that’s really impressive. A nice idea, made from just reserve wines and with a very low dosage.
After Selosse, probably my favourite producer: Ulysse Collin. I had this at Noble Rot, and another bottle in Bordeaux.
One of my favourite grower Champagnes, and such good value: Gimonnet!
Ah, Selosse. Don’t trust a Champagne writer who doesn’t like Selosse, and there are a few of them around. This was drunk at Martin and Karen Spedding’s house in the Mornington Peninsula.
And this is so fab: another Mornington treat.
Cedric Bouchard’s Roses de Jeanne is another favourite.
And Krug rarely disappoints and gets the likes, although the pugs might have helped here.
And Krug Rosé, although this was just a pour at LVMH London headquarters.
I enjoy Bruno Paillard’s Champagnes, and the Blanc de Blancs was lovely.
At dinner with Greg Sherwood and Brian Smith, this 1981 Pichon isn’t a famous vintage but it’s brilliant.
VCC 1996, had quite a few times. Really fine, and drinking very well now.
This was a special treat: probably the single best Bordeaux bottle I had last year. So elegant in its maturity.
Not a great wine but deliciously drinkable.
Really, really good. A historical property for the Languedoc, and this is a really good, ageable wine.
Trevallon is fab. It’s not a perfect wine technically, but it is beautiful and I love drinking it. This is another bottle consumed at Greg Sherwood’s.
Valentini. Proper Italian white, 2003 vintage. This was at Emily Harman’s birthday party if I recall correctly.
1979 Chinon! Love the Loire.
Frappato from Sicily, from Ariana Occhipinti. Drinkable and delicious.
And Musar, aged. Such a distinctive wine.
The 2014 Trevallon Rouge is stunning. Delicious now but built for the long haul.
Clos Rougeard is instagram gold.
Drunk late night at Noble Rot with Christina Rasmussen if I recall. Brilliant orange wine.
This was from Daniel Primack. Proper unicorn.
Essieux from Herve Souhaut: so good I had it in Blenheim and Montreal.
1 Comment on Wines of the year, as decided by Instagram (1)
“Don’t trust a Champagne writer who doesn’t like Selosse, and there are a few of them around” Interesting comment Jamie, wonder what Tom Stevenson makes of it.