99-point RED Wine vs 99-point Red WINE!!!

[@FeniciaHutt]

Hi happy to see your review!! I purchased 2015 St. Henri at a Penfolds tasting over 4 years ago and have not opened yet. I can’t wait to try again after watching your review 😊

[@drmatthewhorkey]

The 2015 is OUTSTANDING

[@bjornep2]

I've had a whole bunch of RP 100 wines over the years, mainly from Bordeaux and southern Rhône, but my absolute favourite in recent years is the 2009 Vieux Château Certan, which (only) scored 99 points by RP himself in 2011. Fortunately I have one more bottle to pop 🙏

[@JackAgainski]

Wow, nice...I have 3 of those I bought as futures at $239 ea. Suckling gave it a 100. I've had the '82 Mouton & Haut Brion as well as the '59 Lafite. The Lafite was past it's prime IMO when I had it for my 40th birthday party. The '82 I had for my 50th and was still closed. I have several other 2009's like the Montrose. Pontet Canet and others (7 cases) that I haven't tried yet.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Wowwzzaasss make sure you enjoy it!

[@bjornep2]

@@drmatthewhorkey by coincidence I ended up with another RP 100p wine today, although scored by Luis Guitierrez this time. It was the 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary single vineyard (85% Cab Franc+15% Malbec), which was of course a bit young but still very enjoyable and an absolutely excellent wine. The remaining bottles stays in the cellar for at least a couple of years👍

[@Blair338RUM]

That would have been a very interesting wine….wow. 👍

[@sanjaypatelmd4669]

Love your videos…content and style of presentation keeps everyone engaged!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thank you! Good to see you on here again.

[@stephengibson1813]

We were in Chateauneuf-du-Pape in 2013, it was actually my 36th birthday. We had a tasting set up at Domaine du Pegau. When we entered, there was a group of Norwegian Men. Their 'boys trip' was to travel Europe, seeking out Robert Parker 100 point wines. So they bought "Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee da Capo 2010" for the table, and we got to try it. A nice birthday surprise.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Nice, that's a stellar wine and not cheap!! You'll have some memories by watching Lawrence and Pegau in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gomzi5ucaamdZqc

[@stroopwafel6141]

I have been there a few times in the 90's, even spending a night in our campercar at the castle. I bought Domaine du Pegau at the estate. I cannot remember the price per bottle but certainly not close to the current price. And also not if it was a 100 point wine. What I do know is that these 6 bottles are empty. ;-) Anyway, the Vaucluse is always worth a visit, for sightseeing and tours at wineries.

[@stephengibson1813]

@@drmatthewhorkey thank you for these memories

[@nuno.peixoto]

My 99 points wine so far has been Quinta do Vale Meao 2019. I found that wine to be amazing. The balance between the fruit, wood, tannins and acidity was just perfect.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Just had that vintage last year when going to a press trip in the Douro. I love that producer and that wine!

[@laurenwalsh1837]

Your descriptions of the wines are more useful to me than the critics’ scores. Would love to hear your thoughts on them again in 5-10 years!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhhhh thank you thank you!

[@Blair338RUM]

My highest scoring wine I’ve had was a 2010 Charmes Chambertain by Rousseau that I drank at Les Climats in Paris in 2018. Charmes can be very variable but the Rousseaus put a lot of work into their plot. Gorgeous, almost ethereal wine.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮😮😮😮😮

[@gustavomgomes]

The best way to enjoy a 99 or a 100 point wine is to drink it at the right time . If one is not a critic or a rookie in the wine world , must not open such a bottle . I made that mistake in the past . LOL ! But if you can wait …the award can be huge ! Cheers !

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Wines that aren't scored that high can really impress with cellar time too!

[@gustavomgomes]

@@drmatthewhorkey for sure ! And for a much better price !

[@coryz6880]

1995 Insignia & 1998 Ornellaia both stand out as perfect wines. As you stated in your video, the company, food & social setting all played a role in my evaluation & memory of drinking these fantastic bottles.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That is what wine is REALLY all about

[@eyoung6943]

Last week, I had some 1990 Chateau Latour (100 on Wine Spectator and their #1 wine in 1993). It was a beautiful wine, and I wish we’d been able to spend more time focused on just the wine. We were dinner guests so couldn’t request they hold dinner. It was a divine experience! Like many others who have commented, I’ve had several highly rated Chateauneuf-du-Papes over the years. That was one fantastic wine shopping trip: 1995s and 1998s were available, and I spent a week going only to the vineyards Robert Parker had written about. The vintners had French copies of the same book at their disposal, and they were very well-worn copies of a relatively young book!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Wowwzzass! The wines were probably nicely price then too!

[@JonBLodi]

The '90 Latour was excellent even back in the year 2000!

[@nikolajkrarup-os9gn]

Some years ago you could but 100 points chateauneuf du pape at a very low price compared to now. For instance 2001 mordorre reine des bois rated 100 points by Parker. I could buy 12 bottles from the domaine at only 35$.. Same price for 2007 clos des pape.which I was able to buy 5 cases of. Jansse vv at bit more. Those top chateauneuf have tripled in price since then

[@fanatiek1]

I have and in over my 40 years of wine drinking I had a lot of these very good wines but honestly I still can't point the difference between a 98 Pnt or 100 Pnt wine. In any case when they are young. Although the difference in price is huge in most cases. Profs have of course, as you said, more context, a larger reference framework and knowledge. Keep the juice flowing!!!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I agree, when wines are really really good, the few point spread isn't a huge difference to me if I am drinking for enjoyment

[@hocheye]

Never have had a 89 point wine, looking forward to having one.I find most not all review scores are to high as you mentioned.I recently had a fairly pricey bottle of Bordeaux it was very disappointing, over 90 points which it was not.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That happens a lot, people do get disappointed with the antincipation!

[@mikaelplaysguitar]

Unrelated question: I know you love German Riesling but do you have any suggestions for German Chardonnay? I've had Franz Keller's Oberbergen Bassgeige and found it enjoyable at 18€.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I’ve only had nice ones not those that blew me away

[@aztechuhs]

I never knew about barrel sampling and all of that, very interesting to get a behind the scenes look.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Glad you learned something

[@zoltannemeti9192]

I kinda remember reading that Wine Spectator does not rate how a wine is showing at the point of tasting, but how it's gonna do when it hits its prime. Probably JS has the same approach, and then this causes some trouble, as the majority of wine lovers rate the actual performance of the wine (I do as well)

[@drmatthewhorkey]

There was once a claim that Parker’s ratings above 90 were all about ageability too. You are right about actual performance. Scoring is in essence simple yet it’s tough… do you score against style or overall quality? Performance now or ageability? Sense of place or uniqueness?

[@nikolajkrarup-os9gn]

I have had several 100 points wines. Mostly from chateauneuf du pape. But also when I have attended blind tastings with several other people where we all had a small glass of several wines. Such tastings are really great and educational. There is always quite a bit of different opinions of the wines and also quite different opinions about what it is. I agree with you regarding the 100 points scale. When I first got into wines about 30 years ago 89 points was considered a really good wine. Nowadays it has to be at least 90 points to get any attention. In my view the 100 points scale is inflated. I look mostly at the descriptions of the wine critics and I trust certain wine critics more than others and especially if there is a consensus among those I trust most. That is especially important to me when I buy en primeur.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That's probably the most important thing, relating to a critic or wine writer that you trust.

[@remifjelldal7299]

i'm 99-100 on the Sadie Familiy Columella 2020 (i also gave the 2019, 98points) truely exceptional wiine, it blew me away even now in its youth. Coincidentally I'm also around 98-99 for the Guigal La Turque 2007, breath-taking length and concentration and beautilful meatiness. The Stella di Campalto Rosso (!) di Montalcino i also gave 98. And finally, I had earlier in 2023 an old bottle of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle (tracked down to be iteration no19, with blend of 1995,96 and 97), that was also a 98 for me. Those are "all" the wines I've tried that have touched north of 97 for me. I've tasted a few wines that have scored as over 97 from othera such as the gentlemen above, but for me they have not been above 97 for me.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Those are some STELLAR wines!

[@CrescentRollCarl]

Although I do admit to glancing at scores from time to time, I've become very suspicious of the motives of certain critics. Lately I've been much more interested in some of the crowd sourced ratings, although these are also far from perfect.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I am a big pro-Vivino guy even if there are drawbacks. For finer wines, usually hardcore wine people are inputing their ratings, so I find the scores to be pretty accurate - NOT so much for cheaper wines hahaha

[@getsconesTRUTH]

Ive had a couple 100 pt wines. Very different experiences. Last one i drank was renieri brunello 2016. Very good, not 100 points, but immediately i wanted to taste again in 20 years. Its built to age. Contrast that to a wine i had couple weeks ago, Il bioselvatico... biodynamic sangiovese, ready to drink now, it was way more enjoyable in the moment and less than half the price. Anyway, most of the 100 pt wines i have now are laid down for future consumption. Learned my lesson.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Niceee I haven’t had the later one!

[@getsconesTRUTH]

@@drmatthewhorkey worth seeking out. A very exciting wine imo

[@Blair338RUM]

Agree with your comments regarding St Henri. I always prefer it over Grange.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhh finally someone else!

[@Blair338RUM]

@@drmatthewhorkey The other wine of this style that I like a lot and is considerably cheaper than Grange is Jim Barry’s the Armagh.

[@LiveWellandWander]

I have not had a 100 point wine.........yet! Looking for a high point (97-100) Napa Cab for $200 or less for an upcoming tasting I'm having. Any suggestions/comments?

[@seankaveh]

Definitely a little tricky to find a Napa cab at that calibre under $150, but if you can splurge a little bit you can go for the Spottswoode Estate cab (‘19 is a fantastic vintage and received multiple 100 pt scores including from RP) and I’ve seen it as low as $215. Otherwise your best bet might be the 2018 Rivers-Marie Panek for $129, outstanding cab and received mostly 95-96 pt scores or the 2018 Bevan Cellars Ontogeny. Hope that helps!

[@LiveWellandWander]

Appreciate the response@@seankaveh Yes, budget should be $300-$500 next time. Ha I will look at your suggestions and I thank you again. Cheers!

[@seankaveh]

No problem @LiveWellandWander ! Hey, most of us don’t have that kind of money lying around so I totally hear you! Always great to maximize your enjoyment and quality to price ratio 😊. Hope those help! Cheers.

[@sanjaypatelmd4669]

My opinion Sodaro estate cab…2018 and 2019 vintages -amazing

[@seankaveh]

@@sanjaypatelmd4669 Great rec! Sodaro produces some beautiful cabs for the money like the Felicity (want to say I got that for ~$40 or so). Do they produce some higher end reserves as well? Would love to hear if they’re worth trying!

[@diegogodinhorocha9448]

So, I started drinking a lot of cheap wines from Chile, and one day I decided to buy expensive wines to see how it was. I bought a Red Burgundy (probably on the 40-50 dollars range, retailing for around 100 dollars in Brazil) and a Brunello (Banfi!!!). I drank them both with my wife in the same day, and they honestly scored 100 points in my scale at the time. A neighbor showed up that day, and loved the whole deal (my wife cooked a delicious pasta to boot), and a week later, he said he was keeping a wine to drink with someone, but decided to share with us instead...and it was a Magnum from Tignanello, and it scored something like 250 points in my scale, and my life was never the same. I agree that scores are not the be-all-end-all, but are necessary. Unless you are the lady from the Cab Franc Chronicles, who deep dives on every aspect of the wines she drinks and honestly, doesn't need to score anything. And she does't taste...she drinks those babies, and she gets poetic about them. Knowing the critics help. As you said "Jeb Dunnuck" and mentioned a 99 points wine, I figured the Rhone would be involved. When you mentioned "single varietal", I figured Northern Rhone x Australia.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Those are some damn solid ‘first’ good wines!!! Sounds like your wife made food for the perfect pairing too

[@kylearmstrong2340]

Chateau Troplong Mondot 2019 got 100 points from Wine Enthusiast (I think?), one of my favorite wines, though I am still a novice.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Niceer I was at the estate last year and had it. They are in the process of changing and the wines keep improving

[@powdork]

I was close. The different bottle shapes gave the grape and region away before you even mentioned the meats in one, and pepper in the other. My guess was Grange and Ermitage (also Chapoutier).

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That woulda been a heckuva face-off!

[@scottdunlap8668]

Was fortunate to pair off a ‘15 Kanonkop vs a Sena(can’t remember the vintage), both 100’s . Wonderful evening. The SA wine was obvious in its wonderment, the Chilean snuck up on it by the end of the evening.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That sounds like a heckuva night!

[@WineWorldTV]

I've had a few 100 pointers over the years. Were they perfection? Maybe to that critic on that day. When I have a wine that scores 96-100 I become hyper-critical of he wine so maybe I'm not being "fair" to it. But I'll agree that almost any wine I've had with such high ratings have been excellent. Not that I need anymore wine glasses, but those are a really good deal!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Hahaah they are quite the deal for the price!

[@Jonnhy99]

The most i gave a wine was 97pts, a 1989 burgundy that i had last year. Remoissenet Père Et Fils Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. The finish went on for ten plus minutes

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Nicceeeee I've had that experience with some Burgundies too.

[@mattlennert]

I was able to get my hands on both the 2005 and the 2006 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon upon release. Both were 99 point Decanter and the 2005 was 100 point Parker. I held them as long as I could before i cracked and drank them a few years ago, but they did get at least a decade in bottle. My feeling was that they were really good, but didn't warrant those scores. I've had better Washington State wines from Yakima or the Rocks District, and much better wines from both the southern and northern Rhône that were scored in the low-to-mid 90s. I once had the chance to taste a 1961 Chateau d'Yquem in a group purchase. I have no idea what the score of that wine was but it was transcendental. As you say, the experience weighs mightily on the score.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Well said, I’ve had extremely memorable simple wines in good company that I’d prefer over highly scored ones

[@TheDesertWineGuy]

Very interesting information in this video. Can you do a video on what you said about how wine critics actually taste wine?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

If I can get confirmation/inside info from all the critics I would.

[@minka8047]

Wines evolve so 100 points at the time of tasting could drop at the next tasting in theory?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😂🤣

[@WWSReviews]

Wow, your prices seem to be on the high side. What country are you buying them from?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

They are retail shelf prices in the USA

[@henriklindhansen6456]

Wow. 200 bugs for the 2018 Rotie.. thats a bit of a premium.. But a fantastic wine.. :)

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It is a stellar wine but really needs bottle age.

[@AndrewSmith-rh9kt]

Of the 100's ive drank in recent memory 09 ducru was possibly the only one i thought might deserve it. Ridiculously good.

[@AndrewSmith-rh9kt]

Conversely I had a cheap(ish) pomerol (croix de rouzes) which I must have drank cases and cases of that particular vintage (2018) last year. imo they'd hit a home run. Everyone was always blown away if you didn't tell them what it was. Little critical acclaim due to small name producer.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Niccce, I just had an 89' Ducru

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Happens a lot when you taste blind!

[@JackAgainski]

Here's what I consider a 100 point wine. The '45 Mouton, '47 Cheval Blanc, '61 Latour & Petrus (at their primes of course). I have cases of the '09 & '2010 Pontet Canet that are both rated 100 as a 5th Growth and I doubt would be near as good as those wines. Of course I hope I'm wrong 🤩

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Wowwwzzass those are some serious wines!

[@numanuma20]

I like Jancis Robinson’s twenty point scale and how she is more on the academic side of the wine world. If you become a wine critic and scored wines, I’d trust your scores.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thank you!

[@Neurability]

I’ve had a few 100 point wines in my life. Each was too young to enjoy at the 100 point level. These wines can be less enjoyable in their youth than other, lower scored yet well-crafted wines. As an aside, there seems to be an unholy alliance between Jeb and certain wine consultants that market the ratings to drive up prices for their producer clients. I mean, c’mon - a winemaker/consultant with literally dozens of 100 point wines over a 5-10 year period? I’m done. Rant over. It’s no surprise to me why younger generation drinkers aren’t coming into the market to buy these wines.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Well RIP to that consultant if it's who you are pointing too...

[@JonBLodi]

Never had a 99pt or 100pt wine myself. They've always been too expensive. Totally agree that scores are annoying but a good stake in ground to hold a critic accountable. Always odd when we read a very glowing review that doesn't seem to match the point score. And I'd be very happy to see ranges used more often, as one particular number implies that the wine must be exactly that score. Other factors definitely influence how we experience the wine. As for my own records, I use a 5pt scale with 1 being dump because it's awful and 5 being unforgettably exciting. I give most wines that I get to try 3pts - they're fine. That might correspond to 85-89 points.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It is hard... I know I've gotten really excited about wines that didn't 'score high' because of price points or expectations. I can imagine as a producer it's frustrating

[@JonBLodi]

@@drmatthewhorkey Yes, low price points seem to be penalized by an automatic point reduction. Same for certain grape varieties and wine regions. Sad. Sure wish reviewers couldn't change scores after a blind tasting.

[@JonBLodi]

After seeing @eyoung6943 's comment, oh, yes, I've had the '90 Latour and it immediately took the top spot for my favorite wine.

[@stroopwafel6141]

@@drmatthewhorkey Exactly this. In this respect I like to refer to your blind tasting of grenache/garnacha, with some high scores at a relatively low pricepoint. It was a bit of an eyeopener. Keep on highlighting serious wines for affordable prices.

[@richardfeldkamp1707]

100 point scales are useful but the numbers are usually pulled out of thin air without scoring in different categories and then adding them up. Most wine reviewers are very consistent in their scoring, Find one with preferences similar to your own and you will seldom be disappointed. I always liked the 20 point scale of Jancis Robson because it has looser demarcations. Is it 95 or 96 points, who cares, it scored 19 out of 20. For my own personal scoring, I used a 3 star system. Much looser again but takes into consideration styles and concentrates on how well the wine was made. Not a commercially successful method because it is not geared to moving product or creating demand but worked well in over 30 years in assisting customers in making their purchases.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I do like the the 3 star system. One wine journalist told me his 3 star system is 1 star good, 2 stars really good, 3 stars run over your mother to get it...

[@ttjwoon]

Syrah yum, next time in SG mate my shout

[@drmatthewhorkey]

🔥🔥🍷🍷

[@carlcadregari7768]

So far, my favorite 100 pointer is a ‘46 PX. A stunning wine. Bodegas Toro Albala. Had a few others, some right and left bank Bordeaux, Brunello, M. Chapoutier blamc, la landonne, But that PX stands out.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I haven't had it and I believe you when you state how good it was!

[@carlosalba9553]

Couple 08 champagne with 100pts or 98+ and above

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Niceeee

[@nichotime]

Great discussion. Logic: out of 100 wines 1 should be 100 usually. Take points off 100 only for flaws. Rating is not for great art. Money spent matters; but rare does not mean good. Good water would get a million, but only if really rare? Ya know! Flaws are the key to rating , rather than the effect = what makes things distinctive, individual = unrateable! Really? Sharing perceptions is the purpose, subjective is the only way. Objective is for things that are standard. Wine is the opposite of standard, Right? Flaws are standard. Words are best way to get the point across about attractiveness.

[@JonBLodi]

You can make a "flawless" wine that isn't at all interesting. In competitions, we'll taste wines that obviously have no problems, but are absolutely boring. Definitely take points off for flaws, but add points for complexity and excitement. Wine Enthusiast has written that they give some points for an indescribable quality.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I personally love Brett (it's a flaw to most) but I feel it adds character and would't detract scores if it was present

[@nichotime]

The greatest wines transcend scoring. Many 100 point scores and few really amazing wines. The 1980 Heublein wine auctions tastings had hundres of great wines. -many mature DRC's, 59, 64, 66, 70, of all the 1st Growth Bordeaux, but 1864 le Monrachet was way above them all. There is no way to score. Beyond understanding!!! Ya know? Wine teaches the brain how to use the senses. Boring wines are missing character=big flaw! Great wine tells a very distinct story. @@JonBLodi

[@chicojones7863]

Most of the delicious Champagnes that I drink are rated under 90 points, haha!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Niceee 🥂🍾

[@chicojones7863]

When you get past 96 points, the nuances become preference

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I would say even sometimes lower than that…

[@Matt_Bykowski]

Very interesting. I guess you get what you pay for. Cheers.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Cheers!

[@denisbeaudoing5953]

Not Gwee Gal but Ghee Gal

[@drmatthewhorkey]

👍🏼

[@christycyr]

#teamjeb

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😎

[@TonyLaveglia]

Doctor, I don’t know what you are a doctor of , but it’s pretty ballsy to call Robert Parker “ infamous”. I recently retired from the wine business after 43 years which includes an inclusive 25 year stint as a brand manager and National sales manager for an importing company. You cannot dismiss the influence of Mr. Parker as “infamous. To date, he was the most important and influential wine reviewer in the late 20th and early 21st century and you should know better then to minimize his influence with your descriptor. Your reviews are at the end of the day, subjective, and it would behoove you to remember that.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I have huggggee respect for Robert Parker and like him and what he’s done for wine. It was a bit of an inside jk because some people detest critic scores and wasn’t meant to be so literal

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ur right tho, poor word choice on my part!

[@hocheye]

That was a 99 point wine not 89! Lol

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I figured hahahah

[@DonHrvato]

My taste is not your taste, simple as that 😅

[@drmatthewhorkey]

All good!

[@peternixon1460]

RP lost all credibility when he rated the horrible, hot AF 2003 Euro vintage so highly

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Nobody’s perfect 😎

[@peternixon1460]

@@drmatthewhorkey true, big difference though between over or underating a single wine Vs the overall quality of Bordeaux, Rhone etc. in a clearly disastrous vintage resulting in a tsunami of expensive, though ordinary wines.

[@peternixon1460]

Like your take on points however.

[@dr7246]

I never understood the assumption that 100pts = perfection. In school grades, those numbers, iirc, are percentages. Whereas in wine scoring, the numbers are on an arbitrary scale that tops out at 100. This is less a criticism of the scale than it is of the interpretation of results measured against the scale

[@drmatthewhorkey]

The scale doesn’t totally make sense in wine - esp wines that are comple, but we humans like quantify and organize things the best we can.