The Best 40 wines tasted in 2023 Part II, exclusively for readers of Tasting Book. It has been quite a year, with far more ups than downs, especially when it comes to wine. I am lucky as well as blessed to be able to taste older, mature wines, as well as young wines and barrel samples, all of which allows me a fun look at a myriad of different wines at all ages and stages of maturity.

By ratings, these are a look at the 40 best wines tasted, so far. I have two more special nights coming up, but as we already closing in on the second week of December, this is a good snapshot of the best wines from 2023.  I hope you have at least half as much read it, as I did tasting them.

1970's tasting with Cristal, Krug, Jayer, Chave, Sassicaia, Guigal, Haut-Brion etc.

Château Suduiraut 2010 /Super nose with some exotic pineapple/mango/passion fruit undertones mixed with Vouvray-like blossom-tree and quince jelly, enormous body, but incredible purity and crystal-like transparency, great length, a masterpiece! Drink 2020-2070.

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 2016 /
An expressive Romanee-Conti with great exuberance, intensity and complexity. This is a brilliant vintage for DRC and the Romanee-Conti in this vintage is suprisingly open at this stage. The wine combines everything one would want in a great Burgundy wine – delicacy, purity, depth, complexity, length and seductive flavors. 99 points

Such an eye-opening Bordeaux tasting with flights of two wines partly from different eras and partly from the same vintages from 1982-2015.

The flight pairs gave an exciting reflection of how the wine making has changed during the past decades. Although it is because of modern equipment, better knowhow, new techniques in winemaking and vineyard management, the climate change must play a big role in equation. It is due to this that the top Bordeaux wines have more and more in common with the premium Napa reds such as Blankiet Rive Droite 2021 that we had as a parallel wine from Napa Valley in this tasting.

Champagne dinner with perfect Krug 1929, almost perfect Roederer 1915 Magnum and many other great Champagnes.

Sassicaia 2021 / Dynamic and slender in the sensory profile showing notes of lavender, plums, hyacinth, magnolia, sandalwood, camphor and lemon and bergamot peel. Agapanthus flowers, wisteria and gardenias describe the secondary profile softening and diluting the matrix. There’s complexity and composed richness that in the game between oxidation and reduction confirms its solid beauty. The body of the wine is perfectly balanced in the sip, showing a full, enveloping profile, there’s a subtle balsamic presence and it’s animated by soft, creamy tannins giving a linear, essential finale. A version of Sassicaia that’s extremely enjoyable from the start, immediately persuasive and convincing. Notwithstanding the great changes and difficulties this wine will continue to be written and spoken about as a milestone in Bolgheri excellence. Better from 2027.

Dom Pérignon Oenothèque 1990 / Big, ripe expression with gingerbread, roasted hazelnuts, straw, green apple and sea notes, complemented by gunpowdery complexity. Broad, almost oily textured yet fresh palate, with the softest mousse. Mature but healthy and fruity. Disgorged 2007.

Penfolds Grange 2018 – For me, it is simply one of the greatest young Australian wines I have seen. Truly stunning. It is a classic and cracking Grange. 

Like most Granges, a dollop of Cabernet is added to the Shiraz – this time just 3%. Multi-regional but Barossa dominant (69%), with material from McLaren Vale and the Clare Valley, the wine spent 18 months in new American hogsheads. 2018 was simply an outstanding vintage for South Australia. We have seen it with many wines and now we see it here with the Grange. 

Deep magenta in colour, near opaque. The immediate impression here is of great intensity but even more so, impeccable balance. A glorious nose, complete and complex. Black fruits are to the fore, and there is certainly oak evident, but of the finest quality and integrating superbly. The palate is fresh but dense and yet supple and seamless and with such length. Powerful, yet it sings and dances. The tannins are abundant yet so lace-like and silky that they are near invisible. Such an incredibly long finish, with the intensity maintained for the full length. Chocolate notes emerge on the finish. This should sail through 50 to 60 years in good cellars and could probably do up to 80 – not that this will be relevant to many of us. What was fascinating was that after tasting and scribbling notes, I realised that I had hardly identified any specific flavours, such is the overall balance and the way that nothing dominates to any extent, the wine already being such a complete entity. Retracing steps and with further investigation, look for mocha, blackberries, coffee bean notes, cassis, licorice, chocolate, charcuterie, beef stock and soy. Every taste brought forth new and evolving flavours. This is a truly magnificent wine, well on its way to becoming a legend. Not just a legendary Grange, but a legend in the world of wine. 100p.

Dom Pérignon 2003 P2 / Medium deep golden colour with rather small and vivid bubbles. Pure and intense nose, fine development without oxidation, roasted pine and pistachio nuts with confit de citron, fresh peach and brioche notes. The palate is ample and rather opulent with a rounded acidity yet with a nice fresh bite from fine extract, mild creaminess, nice layers of finely spicy yellow fruit, nougat and nutty flavours with a long and embracing finish. 95p

Only one day in Paris but a lot of amazing tasting experiences due to Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris. A possibility to taste some excellent wines. 

Prager Grüner Veltliner Wachau DAC Ried Zwerithaler Kammergut Smaragd 2022 / Light greenish yellow, silver reflections. Fine savoury, delicate nuances of anise, tobacco notes, delicate yellow fruit, a touch of mango and honey blossom. Full-bodied, juicy white apple fruit, well-integrated, silky acidity structure, finesse and long persistence, saline finish, lingers for minutes, Veltliner at its best. 99-100 points