Cathleen hosted SOBER last night, and did a superb job- interesting wines and smashing food. Wines were blind as always, the group flailed at times, with some occasional flashes of insight.
We arrived and found cheese and salumi on table, and three blind bubblies made the rounds:
Bubbles #1 : Chalky, full, lemony, a bit stern. Dan declared mostly Chardonnay. Opens up and becomes friendlier, my fave. 1996 Dom Ruinart Champagne (doesn't say on label, but folks confirm it's Blanc de blancs). B+/A-
Bubbles #2 Fruitier, spiced, seems to have some oak. I liked at first taste, then less and less attractive. A bit clumsy. NV Roger Pouillon "Fleur de Mareuil " 1er Cru Brut Champagne . B-
Bubbles #3 - could you come up with 3 more different sparklers? This is a wildly different wine, that really reminds me of old-fashioned ginger ale. Tutti-fruity, lighter, a touch of RS. But I like it, even when revealed as the NV Bouvet Cremant de Loire Brut. B
White Flight
White #1 - Pine resin, lemon and grapefruit, we had some guesses of old CA Chardonnay, but no one went for Burgundy. 1986 Regnard "Mont de Milieu" Chablis 1er. B/B-
White #2- this seems rather geriatric, and seriously austere (Andy said "someone forgot to let these grapes ripen"). Not a lot of pleasure found here, but interesting to try. 1981 Jean Paul Gauffroy "Poruzot" Meursault C
A really nice risotto with chicken appears, along with Red Flight #1
Red #1- red fruit, pure, some Pommard guesses but she says Cotes de Nuit. Really beautiful Burgundy, a pointe, once in Chambolle guesses include Bonnes Mares, but we're stunned it's a village wine. Overschiever award to the 1988 Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny (at the moment drinking better than the '88 generic 1er). A-
Red #2 - Animal, red berry fruit, a couple times I thought I got TCA then I couldn't find it when I went looking for it. Seems to actually clean up in glass, nice but not compelling. 1985 Jadot "Clos de la Croix de Pierre" Pernand-Vergelesses. B (John likes better, thinks just not mature yet).
Red #3- This is dank and unpleasant at first, gets better, but never good to me. Stewed fruit, a moldy edge, declared an off bottle. Too bad, because it's a super rarity, the 1985 Faiveley Musigny. NR
Red Flight #2 (with leg of lamb, creme fraiche potatoes)
Red #1- Meaty, red fruit, licorice/anisette and herb, some Beaucastel guesses, it is CdP, but it's the 1989 Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape. B/B+
Red #2 - dark berries, minerals, good acids but I confess I thought it might be Bordeaux till I heard Cathleen call it "precise" (not a term I thought she'd use for claret). Tim says Northern Rhone, that seems correct. I'm surprised how young this is when I hear how old it is. 1976 Guigal Hermitage. A-
Red #3 - much more modern, fat, some oak, less interesting. 1997 Cabreo "Il Borgo" (Tuscan IGT). B-
Red Flight #3 Pretty clearly Bordeaux
Red #1- Structured, on the less ripe side, when a guess of '86 was deemed too old, I was about to guess '88 when she said from 90s. Hmmm. I'd have never gotten in 50 guesses. Nice showing for a '93. 1993 Gazin. B/B+
Red #2- medium bodied, cassis, cigarbox, leather, balanced. Quite nice. 1988 Cos d'Estournel. B+
Red #3 - mdium bodied, some tired fruit, a little mushroomy, not so long. 1980 Ch. Margaux. C+
Steve's ice cream was served here, I think he said rosemary (I don't do dessert). Last blind wine was obviously port, sweet and powerful, still young, John got Taylors immediately, after she said younger from an '85 guess I went with '94, apparently from 2 half bottles. 1994 Taylor Vintage Port. B+/A-
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.