Every now an again, a bottle of wine comes along that is so wonderful, it is like a gustatory epiphany. Here are a few of my favorite wines, ever. The odd thing is, they are all California reds, even though my tastes lean a bit more toward whites and European wines.

Beringer Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 1982

This wine is a stellar example of this vintage, which was an incredible vintage everywhere. I tasted it at a blind tasting. The person who brought it was given the bottle as a reward for single-handedly stopping and detaining two men who were robbing a friend’s wine cellar. The wine was as incredible as the story. Sure, it had some dark cassis and toasted licorice notes and still had some of the vibrancy of youth, but the dominant smell was a heart-stopping muskiness. The aroma was unmistakably reminiscent of a woman in a very intimate way. I had never smelled anything like this in a wine, this combination of spice, fruit and animal smells. The aroma did well with the wines heavy tannin structure and the braised oxtail on pureed celery root. This was truly like nothing I had ever had and it was amazing. This wine is ready, but will still age well. You can find it online for around $110.

Fritz Russian River Clonal Select Pinot Noir 2004

This is what a Pommard clone pinot is suppsoed to taste like. Funk, big raspberries, black cherries, cracked white pepper and a nice sprinkling of black pepper on the back end. This would be a difficult wine to find now, but the internet should have some.

Leo Steen Syrah Sonoma Mountain Syrah 2005

It is rare that you see a California syrah like this. This wine was not just a fruit-bomb with some spice thrown in, but instead was really complex. First came the leather and musk notes combined with a not-quite-lavendar floral element and some mint and dill. Then came the small gobs of blueberry and a smattering of spice cabinet: allspice, anise and white pepper. Really, this wine is a find and is not well known. It costs $27. E-mail us for help finding it.

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