TN: SOBER at Dans- great Bdx, Burgs, Riojas, etc

Tuesday was a scorcher, but luckily Dan had good AC as he hosted SOBER at his home. He greeted us with smoked salmon and a nice cheese assortment, and the
1989 Deutz Blanc de Blancs (from mag). Good, long, baked bread and ripe pears, toasty notes. B+

Onto blind wines:
White Blind Flight
Franco nailed Bordeaux immediately, took a while to get wines/vintages
#1- Lemongrass, coconut, good length, I liked more than table. 1985 Laville Haut Brion B+
#2- Nose of wax, wood, & citrus; sweeter/riper than its flightmate, a bit spirity on palate. B+ on nose, B- on palate 1983 Haut Brion Blanc B
Nice wines, but not at current pricing.

Red Blind Flight #1
This took a while, no one immediately thought Burgundy on #1
#1- Some VA, black fruit, spice, tannic. I think people who know the wine thought an unrepresentative showing. Once the VA calmed down I thought good wine, though not very like any GC Burg from good vintage I’ve had. 1993 Drouhin Romanee St Vivant B
#2- Sweet fruit, sandalwood, sturdy. 1993 Bouchard “La Romanee” B+

Red Blind Flight #2
#1 Full, rich, ripe, herby, smoky, beautiful balance. 1987 Mugneret Ruchottes-Chambertin A-
#2 A bit leaner, but tasty. Black fruits, coffee, I’m shocked how delicious this is once vintage is revealed. 1986 Mugneret Ruchottes-Chambertin A-/B+

A really nice porcini ravioli in sage butter dish appeared about here.

Wanting to savor the Burgs, John asked for a Champagne intermezzo, Dan “Mr. Champagne” obliged. Hmmm, slightly exotic fruit, some sweetness, fennel, a little funky. John gets producer on first guess. NV Andre Beafort Grand Cru Ambonnay (2008 disgorgement) B+


Red Blind Flight #3
Aha, Bordeaux. Takes a few guesses (and arguments over whether Graves is Left Bank)
#1- Beautiful midbodied wine. Black fruits, cigarbox, leather, lovely balance. 1983 Domaine de Chevalier. A-

#2- advanced, a touch pruney, a nice elegant styled wine underneath. Not near as good as a bottle earlier this year. 1983 Ausone B/B-

Osso buco, barley, green beans- yum!

Red Blind Flight #4
Another clear Bordeaux flight.
#1- Someone got 70s Pauillac immediately, took a few guesses till John got wine. Elegant, sturdy, cedar & pencil lead. 1971 Les Forts de Latour B+/A-
#2 Beautful, full, and elegant- wait, it’s not Pomerol? Smooth, velvety, lush yet still with structure. 1971 Magdelaine A/A-

Red Blind Flight #5
#1- Powerful full masculine style of mature Bordeaux. 1967 Latour B+
#2 I was SURE this was a classic 70s CalCab. Good acids, mint/eucalyptus, red fruits, medium bodied. 1968 La Rioja Alta “904” Rioja Riserva B+/A-

Red Blind Flight #6
#1 ripe, spice, coconut, herbs. 1982 CVNE “Vina Real Rioja Riserva B+

#2 Full, rich, black cherries and coffee, herby. 1976 CVNE “Imperial” Rioja Gran RiservaA-/B+

#3- bretty- horsesweat and bandaid- over dark fruits and herbs 1978 Ch., Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape B-

Great night with some great wines.

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.

I enjoyed the 1976 CVNE Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva back in the 1980s and thought it was a monumental wine. Glad to hear it's still alive and kicking.

-Paul W.

As always great notes. The wines that really stood out were the two Ruchottes from 1986 and 1987 from Mugneret. This was not an evening where we distinguished ourselves with our guesses, in fact even after we were told that these were not Pomerols, we thought these were the best Burgundian Pomerols we have tasted for some time.

I liked all the Spanish Riojas, aging them had made delicious wines, but they did not have the complexity of the French flights. Still well priced, but my taste would prefer something like the Domaine de Chevalier for the same money.

[David M. Bueker]

I have had the '67 Latour twice, and both times I was amazed at how full bodied it was. It really had me wondering at the potential market for fake '67 Latour.