WTN - Depauw Fest (i.e., Rhones at Redwinger's)

The Jamet was a 1999. It was double decanted for about 3 hours and seemed to show more fruit on the nose when it was initially opened...fwiw, which isn't worth much.

Thanks! I've edited my post to reflect that. I can't even blame alcohol for the error: I wrote that down in my notepad before I'd had a drop of wine to drink. I've got to agree with Rahsaan that it was quite evolved for a '99, but perhaps that was a result of the early decant you gave it.

Mark Lipton

Nice to see some lively debate on the board!
Palates do differ.

But...

Domaine du Pegau, Cuvee Reservee, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1995
Medium ruby/garnet. Gorgeous nose. Black cherry, black raspberry, red currant, cocoa, great minerality, earthiness, and a touch of spice. Great body and firmness. Awesome. Perhaps the best Chateauneuf I've had, the only other candidate being the 2001. 10 - 15 years or more ahead of it. Extraordinary (93 - 95).

1995 Dom. du Pégaü Cuvée Réservée, which alas was just corked enough to spoil it for me. I got the sense of a very attractive wine underneath the cork taint, which was reinforced by the raves I heard from around me, but for me the wine was irretrievably spoiled. Such is the onus of a TCA sensitive

So Mark was the only one too sensitive to enjoy this!!??

Too bad indeed!

Apparently they do, Rahsaan. I think I'm pretty TCA sensitive, and I didn't get it. In fact, it was the WOTN for me..or at least tied with Robin's mystery CdP. I wish Mark would have mentioned it at the tasting so that I could have given it serious contemplation. Or maybe not...ignorance is bliss, as they say. And I was pretty darn blissful with that wine!

JuliaB

Apparently they do, Rahsaan. I think I'm pretty TCA sensitive, and I didn't get it. In fact, it was the WOTN for me..or at least tied with Robin's mystery CdP. I wish Mark would have mentioned it at the tasting so that I could have given it serious contemplation. Or maybe not...ignorance is bliss, as they say. And I was pretty darn blissful with that wine!

JuliaB

JB, I long ago resolved not to be the TCA wet blanket when other people enjoy the wine. You guys loved it; why should I rain on the parade? My general rule is that if someone else raises the prospect, I will then chime in. I just don't initiate it much anymore in social situations. And, as I said, there was no question even to me that there was a very nice wine underneath, but I was just getting too much moldy cardboard to really enjoy it. With any luck, the next bottle will allow me to fully appreciate it.

Mark Lipton

Aww Mark, you couldn't rain on anyone's parade if you tried! For me, it would have been a challenge to see if I could detect the same. I'm usually the canary, but you must be a bloodhound!
Fun, nonetheless. Let's do it again!!

JB

JB, I long ago resolved not to be the TCA wet blanket when other people enjoy the wine. You guys loved it; why should I rain on the parade? My general rule is that if someone else raises the prospect, I will then chime in. I just don't initiate it much anymore in social situations.

Interesting philosophy. But you did raise the issue here in your notes. So there was some rain on the parade. But I suppose only after everyone had their fun. Which is quite gentlemanly in a way.

As Julia says, I think the exchange is one of the fun parts about drinking with wine geeks. So if you ever spot a corked wine that I can't detect, feel free to let me know. I get TCA when it's obvious (by definition!) but am always happy to work on isolating the minor instances of taint.

JB, I long ago resolved not to be the TCA wet blanket when other people enjoy the wine. You guys loved it; why should I rain on the parade? My general rule is that if someone else raises the prospect, I will then chime in. I just don't initiate it much anymore in social situations.

Interesting philosophy. But you did raise the issue here in your notes. So there was some rain on the parade. But I suppose only after everyone had their fun. Which is quite gentlemanly in a way.

As Julia says, I think the exchange is one of the fun parts about drinking with wine geeks. So if you ever spot a corked wine that I can't detect, feel free to let me know. I get TCA when it's obvious (by definition!) but am always happy to work on isolating the minor instances of taint.

Rahsaan,
Hence the use of my term "in social situations." I make the distinction between a more formal jeebus/offline in which the give-and-take about wine is part of the agenda vs. a social get-together such as this was, where the focus is on interacting with one another. I guess that I just feel that it would have been overly geeky of me to shout "Hey! I think that this wine is corked. Anyone agree with me?" YMMV, of course.

Mark Lipton

Rahsaan,
Hence the use of my term "in social situations." I make the distinction between a more formal jeebus/offline in which the give-and-take about wine is part of the agenda vs. a social get-together such as this was, where the focus is on interacting with one another.

Fair enough!