Having started these wine and poker tournaments back in early 2007, our group recently held our 60th official game over at Zach’s house, with the wines supplied by the winner of the previous month’s tournament, Blair (who also happens to be the founding father of the series). Per the usual, all of the wines were served blind. What was not the usual, however, was that I actually won for the first time since 2010!
Opening wine:
2012 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Sonoma Coast. This is pretty on the nose, with light and lithe aromas of vanilla, apples, white flowers, lime zest, and stone. In the mouth, it has greater volume than might be suggested by the nose, filling the mouth with rich flavors of vanilla, toasted oak, apple, lemon and mineral that are generous and fine-flowing yet graceful and clean, without any cloying qualities at all and showing a nice tangy finish.
Flight One:
1995 Domaine Amiot-Servelle Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes. This is quite appealing on the nose, with lilting aromas of wilted red flowers, earthy funk, gentle spices, red berries and licorice rope. It’s more linear, taut and crunchy on the palate than I might have hoped, though, with jangly acidity overwhelming the mixed berry fruit flavors a bit at the moment. Maybe give this a bit more time for the palate to live up to the promise of the lovely bouquet.
2002 Domaine Amiot-Servelle Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes. This is also rather nice on the nose, with effusive aromas of red flowers, licorice rope, raspberry fruit, sous bois undergrowth and suede leather. In the mouth, it displays juicy acidity and giving red berry fruit in a tangy, refreshing style. It’s not the deepest or most layered effort, but it’s drinking nicely.
Flight Two:
1998 Domaine Philippe Naddef Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux Vieilles Vignes. This is pleasingly earthy and textured on the nose, carrying forward aromas of leather, tobacco, baked cherries, caramel and lead pencil. In the mouth, it’s rather gripping, with a cinched feel to it brought on in part by drying tannins and spiky acidity. The black earth, mineral and dark berry fruit flavors show some refinement but the overall package is just a bit tough-skinned right now for my tastes.
1999 Sylvie Esmonin (Michel et Fille) Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. This wine possesses the darkest, smokiest bouquet of the first quartet of wines, showing off aromas of black leather, black cherry, grilled herbs and animal fur. On the palate, it’s got solid glycerin levels supporting a sticky yet slinky texture, plenty of tasty blue and red berry fruit flavors, and nice tingly acids. It’s a well-balanced wine with squeaky-clean and lifted finish to it.
Flight Three:
2010 Sandhi Wines Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Santa Rita Hills. This comes across as a bit rustic on the nose, with tons of ground pepper, raw peppercorn, smoked herb, anise, charred earth and dark cranberry tones to it. In the mouth, it’s dark and pasty—loaded with black cherry, dark chocolate, black smoke and leather flavors that are cohesive and structured but expansive and yielding. It’s a somewhat unusual Pinot style that I go back and forth on, but in the end I come down on the side of saying I enjoy it, especially on the palate.
2011 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite's Rest Anderson Valley. This wine presents a nose of creamed cherries, cranberry sauce, sassafras, birch, mushroom, scorched earth and tanned leather. In the mouth, it’s got solid concentration, easy balance and juicy acids. There’s sneaky richness to the blackberry and black cherry fruit underpinned by gentle tannins. It’s pretty even-keeled on the finish, with no one thing standing out but delivering a solid overall impression.
Flight Four:
2004 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara. Both of these wines are bigger on the nose, with this one featuring broad aromas of leather, tobacco, cherry paste and grilled herbs that have rather nice appeal. It’s old-fashioned and rugged on the palate, with flavors of black cherry and dark earth surrounded by structured tannins. It could use a bit more refinement, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless.
2006 Antoniolo Gattinara. This feels younger and more tightly-knit on the nose, showing some aromas of cherries, apple skin and spice. In the mouth, it’s juicy-fruited--loaded up with dark cherry flavors warring with drying tannins that grow pretty strong on the youthful finish. Give this one some time, but it has good stuffing.
After hours wines (also served blind):
2010 Domaine Denis Bachelet Bourgogne. This is very young and candy-fruited on the nose, with briery red berry and pomegranate aromas coming across as rather primary. It’s dry, taut and high-toned in the palate, with cinched up flavors of tutti-frutti bubblegum, red grapefruit and strawberry hard candy that aren’t all that likeable now, but maybe just need time.
2000 Thirty Bench Benchmark Blend Niagara Peninsula. This is an odd mix on the nose, with savory aromas of green pepper, juniper berry, cherry and soy nut butter popping in and out. In the mouth, it burns a bit going down, with acrid acidity and high-toned alcohol. There’s not much fruit left, with just leafy green elements dominating at this point.
2004 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva Puente Alto. This is a very dark, rather opaque color, opening right up with a heavy dose of incense, blueberry, raspberry jam, chocolate brownie and sexy oak spice aromas on the nose. In the mouth, it’s rich, pasty and fudgy, full of flavors of chocolate, blueberry, blackberry and oak. It’s finely-polished and loaded with glycerol texture atop sneaky tannins lurking far below. It’s a bit less obvious after a night in the fridge, but I’d give it another 3-4 years before trying again.
-Michael