Looking back over the past year in wine, I now realize what an embarrassment of riches it was. During the course of my 2017 evaluations, I came across two wines that were worthy of a perfect 100-point score, Freemark Abbey's 2013 Cabernet Bosche and Nickel & Nickel's 2014 Martin Stelling Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and numerous others deserving of scores in the high 90s and above.

I typically taste between 2,000 and 3,000 wine samples a year. The vast majority I ignore because I prefer to review only those I can enthusiastically recommend.

Remembering which wines I enjoyed most would be next to impossible without some way of ranking the contenders. That's where the 100-point scale is most useful. At one time, many years ago, I didn't post scores with my recommendations. Inevitably, readers would ask which wines I liked best. The scoring system removes some of the mystery.

There can be no doubt that the Freemark Abbey and Nickel & Nickel 100-pointers were my favorite wines of the year. This week, I have checked the records and recorded my 40 most highly rated wines of 2017. In reality, there are 42 because of ties. These wines are the cream of the crop, the wines that I found most inspiring and profound, each with a numerical rating of 96 points or greater.

We can only hope that 2018 will bring us wines as good or better.

Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value, and the scores are simply a measure of this reviewer's enthusiasm for the recommended wine.

Freemark Abbey 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bosche Vineyard, Rutherford ($150). 100 points.

Nickel & Nickel 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Martin Stelling Vineyard, Oakville ($145). 100 points.

Archimedes 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley ($90). 98 Points.

Chappellet 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley ($220). 98 points.

Duckhorn 2013 Merlot, Three Palms Vineyard, Napa Valley ($95). 98 points.

Magdalena Toso 2013 '23 Barrels,' Mendoza, Argentina ($130). 98 points.

Castello Banfi 2012 Excelsus, Toscana IGT, Italy ($91). 97 points.

Dandelion Vineyards 2015 Riesling 'Wonderland of the Eden Valley,' Australia ($60). 97 points.

Eleanor 2013 Red Wine, Napa County-Sonoma County ($65). 97 points.

Goldeneye 2014 Pinot Noir, Confluence Vineyard, Anderson Valley ($82). 97 points.

Locations 'P4 Red Wine,' Portugal ($20). 97 points.

PasoPort 2013 Touriga Nacional, Paso Robles ($49). 97 points.

Ron Rubin 2014 Pinot Noir, Gunsalus Vineyard, Green Valley of the Russian River Valley ($38). 97 points.

Sodaro Estate 2010 Estate Blend, Coombsville, Napa Valley ($100). 97 points.

V. Sattui 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Preston Vineyard, Napa Valley ($75). 97 points.

Wayfarer 2015 Chardonnay, Wayfarer Vineyard, Fort Ross-Seaview ($80). 97 points.

Black Kite 2014 'Redwoods' Edge' Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley ($60). 96 points.

Cala de' Poeti 2014 Rosso, Maremma, Toscana DOC, Italy ($25). 96 points.

Domaine Carneros by Taittinger 2013 Brut Rose, Carneros ($39). 96 points.

Duckhorn 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Three Palms Vineyard, Napa Valley ($95). 96 points.

Duckhorn 2014 Merlot, Three Palms Vineyard, Napa Valley ($98). 96 points.

Dutcher Crossing 2014 Syrah, Hidden Hill Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($43). 96 points.

Dutton-Goldfield 2014 'Deviate' Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($72). 96 points.

Dutton-Goldfield 2014 Pinot Noir, Fox Den Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($62). 96 points.

Far Niente 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($160). 96 points.

Gloria Ferrer 2010 Anniversary Cuvee, Carneros ($40). 96 points.

Goldeneye 2014 'Ten Degrees' Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley ($120). 96 points.

Hawk and Horse 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills ($75). 96 points.

J. Lohr 2014 'Signature' Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles ($100). 96 points.

J. Lohr 2015 'Gesture' Mourvedre, Paso Robles ($30). 96 points.

Lamole di Lamole 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva, Italy ($32). 96 points.

Lyndenhurst 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($80). 96 points.

MacRostie 2014 Pinot Noir, Goldrock Ridge, Sonoma Coast ($56). 96 points.

Merry Edwards 2015 Chardonnay, Olivet Lane, Russian River Valley ($60). 96 points.

Merry Edwards 2014 Pinot Noir, Flax Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($60). 96 points.

Merry Edwards 2014 Pinot Noir, Olivet Lane, Russian River Valley ($68). 96 points.

Navarro 2016 Rose, Mendocino County ($18). 96 points.

Oakville Ranch 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville ($90). 96 points.

Pascual Toso 2014 'Alta' Syrah, Barrancas Vineyards, Mendoza, Argentina ($58). 96 points.

Santa Barbara Winery 2014 Chardonnay Reserve, Santa Rita Hills ($25). 96 points.

Shafer 2015 Chardonnay, Red Shoulder Ranch, Carneros ($52). 96 points.

Ysios 2011 Rioja Reserva DOC, Spain ($34). 96 points.

Follow Robert on Twitter at @wineguru. To find out more about Robert Whitley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.