Our first 2nd hand blind tasting!!!! Try to figure out the wine?

Ok I have checked todays posts so far and one person is getting close, almost there!!! But he is sleeping right now (whoops a clue) so we will all have to wait 8 hours but I still do not have the Clos (hint) or the right vintage!!!!


****think grape varietal here, and it ain`t nothing from the Rhone!!!

Rats. Not me then. Coutale? 97?

I'm not so sure about Madiran or Cahors, I never detect black pepper in those. I would say it's grenache based, for the same reason, as well as for the red berry nose. The alcohol level is a little low for a southern grenache though? maybe it's some high end CdR? it's not gigondas because those must have syrah. but it could be some CdR villages. Damned if I can guess the vintage. about 5-6 years old? shouldn't older ones start having secondary characteristics?

David, you bring up some excellent points . No, not Rhone but vintage idea is pretty close. Not grenache either, best go back and ponder Ian`s original reply and what I said in reply.

I'm guessing Languedoc, maybe Corbieres (or Minervois) to be more specific, from 2001 give or take a vintage.

Clinton, you are a sport but wrong, wrong, wrong!!

Is it a 99 Vacqueyras?

Jenise, too much sea air, not even close...but right country!!!

I'm also throwing my guess to the West, Cahors. It may not have the same pepper as syrah, but there is spice and bramble..

Pretty good Rahsaan but I think we have a winner!!!!

Otto?

avoiding the fact that I'm notorious for lucking the year (hint to others - this means it's undoubtedly 1994!!) and getting the wine utterly wrong, I reckon Cahors is right.

So, another producer with a high reputation - maybe Clos ge Gamot
and a year... well maybe such a low alcohol suggests a cool but not a bad year. I don't know Cahors vintages, but maybe using Bx as a benchmark maybe a 1996.

regards

Ian

[oops - not sure if it's allowed for me to have 2nd 3rd and more attempts, but I'll leave it here for fun if nothing else]

Ian, have as many tries as you like. You were sort of close right off the bat. You had the right appellation........Cahors!!!!!!! But I am sorry to say that you have been pipped at the post!!!!!!!!

Otto, well done> Oh so close but close enough!!!!

`99 Clos la Coutale, Cahors.

Otto?

Rahsaan, I was worried you would get it sooner as I saw your old , informative Cahors trip notes on the old WLDG. I was trying to figure out how to handle your replies if you came too close early on!!!!!

Ian had a heads up from the start! He was right with initial guess Cahors but wrong on winery and vintage. I could not let on as time difference has to be taken into account!!!

So Otto wins the T shirt and I think should have to honour of setting up the next 2nd hand blind tasting????

[James Roscoe]

Thanks Bob for doing this. I hope Otto takes the challenge and tees this up again soon. It was fun.

Thanks Bob for doing this. I hope Otto takes the challenge and tees this up again soon. It was fun.

Thanks James, I was about to add some more tasting notes but saw that the game was up!!! Not all will agree with my notes on the `99 but I tried to be fair without giving the game away too early. I have tasted other Coutales and it is a pretty consistent wine but quite a sleeper. Meatyness was a good clue eh, plus the savoury character. I do wonder about the finish however but will now taste whats left and report back!!!

Yup, Otto is up to the next one I hope...in his new T Shirt!!!!!!!!

[James Roscoe]

Yup, Otto is up to the next one I hope...in his new T Shirt!!!!!!!!

I want a picture of Otto grilling his meat and drinking his wine on his back porch in the middle of a cold Helsinki winter while wearing his new T-shirt!
Maybe he should be smoking one of his cigars too. Now that would be a photo for the WLDG Hall of Fame!

Yup, Otto is up to the next one I hope...in his new T Shirt!!!!!!!!

I want a picture of Otto grilling his meat and drinking his wine on his back porch in the middle of a cold Helsinki winter while wearing his new T-shirt!
Maybe he should be smoking one of his cigars too. Now that would be a photo for the WLDG Hall of Fame!

Depending on the cost, "Musar Rocks" on the back of the shirt might be in order eh.

[James Roscoe]

Depending on the cost, "Musar Rocks" on the back of the shirt might be in order eh.

Of course that was my first guess for the next round!

Maybe we should get Otto a T-shirt with "Musar Rocks!" on it. I'm in for a couple of bucks. Anyone else? (Of course the winner of the next round gets a bottle of Musar rouge.)

It`s Ok, I have it all organized. T Shirt will read(on the front)............

Wine Tasting Champ.

"Musar Rocks!"

So Otto wins the T shirt and I think should have to honour of setting up the next 2nd hand blind tasting????

Yay! But it was won through devious means of multiple guesses. Shouldn't it go to Ian since he actually had the right idea from the start? I just started pretty randomly throwing out names when I realised my guesses were off the mark, lol!!

It's a good description of the Coutale style that I've experienced, Bob! I've only had the '97 a couple times and thought it an ok wine, but with such prominent coco-powder on the nose that I though it a bit spoofy! I don't know if they spoofed back then, but that's what it certainly tasted like. The 99 seems better from you note.

Thanks for the fun! I'll be happy to make the next one, unless Ian, the rightful winner, would like to do one first.

-O-

Good one, Bob. This sure looks like fun. Next time don't tell me the answer in advance and I'll play too!

Otto
No - very happy to have been part of it, but you're the champion

Just remember not to spoofulate the shirt

Bob
Great effort and it's been good fun.

regards

Ian

Yup, Otto is up to the next one I hope...in his new T Shirt!!!!!!!!

I want a picture of Otto grilling his meat and drinking his wine on his back porch in the middle of a cold Helsinki winter while wearing his new T-shirt!
Maybe he should be smoking one of his cigars too. Now that would be a photo for the WLDG Hall of Fame!

I'll try to arrange one then!

Are you ready for the 3rd 2nd hand blind tasting tonight? I've got a busy week and weekend ahead so I don't know if I'll be opening bottles otherwise, but I might tonight!

-O-

Good one, Bob. This sure looks like fun. Next time don't tell me the answer in advance and I'll play too!

Just to clarify, I know Bill was a Coutale fan and I asked his advice prior to setting it all up. Bill is always so supportive even when in the jakuzzi with the rubber duckies!!!

Ian I am gonna need your size and mailing address for the Tshirt "Wine Tasting Champ".

Otto Thanks for the PM, you did not give away your size for the T Shirt.

Have decided ....

Musar Rocks

Drink more wine!