The 41st annual New York Wine Experience was held on October 20-22. The Experience was sponsored by the Wine Spectator, an influential magazine which covers all aspects of the wine world. A good score on its 100-point scoring system is highly converted.

The three-day event was a chance to meet the influential winemakers, owners and chefs and to sample their wines and eat their food at seminars and at the chefs’ challenge. They also unveil their top 10 wines of the year.

On Thursday and Friday, they hosted the Critic’s Choice Grand Tasting. It was two days with two floors of wines rated 90+ points by the Wine Spectator from over 250 wineries/chateaus. The Grand Tastings were sponsored by the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation.

One thing that was missing this year was the Awards dinner which was held on the last night in which they presented the wine of the year awards followed by a performance from some recognizable band or singer.

I was able to make it on Friday night. As per usual with the sheer volume of wines available, I planned to focus on Bordeaux and California reds. which I did and after four hours I still didn’t get to all of the Bordeaux and Napa Cabs.

Looking back and looking through the tasting book, there were so many good wines I never had the chance to sample but would have liked to, but I still did sample some of the top-notch wines of the world.

California Reds

2002 Ridge Vineyards Red Blend “Monte Bello” (Santa Cruz Mtns): Always a favorite, opaque dark red to medium brick, beautiful perfume of wood chips, chewy and dusty with dried leaf notes on the finish, great balance

2007 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon “Spring Mtn District” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, citrusy nose, concentrated black fruit with a firm finish.

2012 Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Hillside Select” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, crushed black fruit and cooked fruit notes on the nose, dense dark chocolate fruit, tight silky tannins and along finish.

2013 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon “Three Vineyard Blend” (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red with a purple rim, crushed cooked black fruit on the nose, chunky cherry dark chocolate fruit with silky tannins.

2014 Opus One (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, crushed black fruit on the nose, dense fruit with some toast notes.

2015 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Fay” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, pickle juice notes on the nose, dense and chewy with dark chocolate and dusty brick notes on the fruit, nice balance.

2016 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon “Mt Veeder” (Napa Valley): Opaque, purple rim, perfume of crushed red fruit, mint and warm spices, tight red fruit with crisp acids at the end.

2017 Bond “Vecina” (Napa Valley): Black in color with a purple rim, warm crushed plums and cooked vegetable on the nose, chewy, juicy black fruit with a mouthful of tannins.

2018 Accendo Cellars (Napa Valley): Opaque black, earth and crushed black fruit on the nose, dense and chewy with mint notes on the balanced finish.

2018 Adobe Road Cabernet Sauvignon “Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard” (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, ripe red fruit and warm cooked berries on the nose, chewy dark chocolate and coffeee fruit ending with silky tannins.

2018 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon “The Reserve” To Kalon Vineyard (Napa Valley); Opaque black, purple rim, sage and dried herbs on the nose with concentrated red fruit.

2018 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Heritage Clone” To Kalon Vineyard (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, dark chocolate on the nose, dense, chewy red fruit ending with crips acids and firm tannins.

2018 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Private Reserve” (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, crispy bacon on the nose, silky dark fruit ending tight and firm with a long finish.

2018 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot “Three Palms Vineyard” (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red with a purple rim, roasted meat on the nose, chewy red fruit with a juicy finish and a good balance.

2018 Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon “Lot No. 1” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, crushed red fruit and green herbs on the nose, juicy red fruit with a crisp finish.

2018 Pahlmeyer Winery Red Blend (Napa Valley): Black in color, violets and roast meat on the nose with dense and juicy black fruit.

2019 Ovid Red Blend (Napa Valley): Opaque black, spice notes on the nose, dense, chewy red fruit with a juicy finish.

2019 To Kalon Vineyard Co. Cabernet Sauvignon “Highest Beauty” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, crushed red fruit, cinnamon and spice on the nose, thick and dense with silky tannins.

2019 Continuum Estate “Sage Mtn. Vineyard” (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, chocolate and crushed green berries on the nose, dense and syrupy chewy dark chocolate fruit, good balance.

Bordeaux

2010 Chateau Haut-Brion (Pessac Leognan): Opaque dark red, closed nose of crushed dark fruit and mint, silky red fruit with great structure.

2010 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion (Pessac Leognan): Opaque dark red, nose of sweet smoke, violets and crushed red fruit, silky red cherry fruit with crisp acidity.

2010 Chateau Pichon Longueville (Pauillac): Opaque medium red with a brick rim, toasty red fruit on the nose, tight and balanced.

2011 Chateau Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac): Clear medium red with a brick rim, forest floor on the nose, tight red fruit with a bit hit of tannin at the end.

2011 Chateau Margaux (Margaux): Dark brick in color, beautiful perfume of spicy violets, tight and silky with fine tannins, nice finish.

2015 Chateau Cheval Blanc (St Emilion): Clear medium brick, crushed rocks and rosemary on the nose toasty dark fruit with dried herb notes.

2015 Chateau d’Armailhac (Pauillac): Opaque dark red with a purple rim, spicy cooked fruit on the nose, tight red fruit with a firm finish.

2016 Chateau Montrose (St Estephe): Opaque medium red, roasted meat on the nose, tight red fruit with a firm finish.

2018 Chateau Leoville Poyferre (St Julien): Opaque black, toasty tree bark on the nose, chewy and juicy with mint notes, firm tannins at the ends. Getting some heat.

2018 Chateau Pichon Baron (Pauillac): Black with a purple rim, roasted meat on the nose, silky red fruit with dusty tannins with firm and long finish.

Others

2012 Bodegas Vega Sicilia “Unico” (Ribera del Duero): Opaque dark red with a brick rim, perfume of toasted oak and roast meat on the nose, silky red fruit with a nice long finish.

2015 Gaja Barberesco “Sori Tildin” (Piedmont): Clear medium brick, sweet tar on the nose, dusty fruit with gritty tannins and a long finish.