WTN: I host SOBER- 5 Sterlings, + Bdx, Burg, Tuscan, Piedmon

My turn to host SOBER, and we had a lot of fun. We had meats, cheeses, salmon, etc. out as people arrived, and a couple of non-blind bubblies.

1999 Beaufort Champagne Brut Millesime
This was somewhat funky, and a tad advanced. I’m generally a Beaufort fan, this left me a bit cold. Nothing flawed, just lacking in charm.. B-

2005 Vazart-Coquart Blanc de Blancs Special Club Champagne
This I liked more, fresh and bright, crisp. B+

Once we alerted a forgetful member who had blanked on date, we got started on the main events.

First blind red flight
These were all opened an hour to hour& half earlier, then decanted to serve. Initial guess was Italian, Andy got Cali and era, but no one identified grape in second wine.

1971 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon - good acids, straightforward, lot of eucalyptus, holding well.. B+

1971 Sterling Pinot Noir- complex, earthy, big and ripe, very NOT pinotish but good. B+

Second blind red flight
Guesses started in Italy again (those acids)
1969 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon- bright acids, red fruits, cedar, a little light on finish, a bit of ashtray. Good but fading. B/B+

1970 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon- my favorites of the Sterlings this night, full, tangy, long, with lots of green herbs over a solid fruit base. I think others leaned towards the ‘71 , A-

1974 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon - this bottle has a bit of a musty note, we debated if lightly corked, I thought so at first but the most TCA sensitive of us didn’t (and I couldn’t smell in Cathleen’s glass). Mark knows wine well and thinks an off bottle. I liked ok in end. B

Blind White Flight (served with cauliflower with pea pesto, pea shoots, and feta crema)
Opened and decanted before serving, This was supposed to be the 2 Jadots, but color darkened so quickly on Corton I thought I’d go with a backup.
Cathleen quickly called #3 California, and consensus on white Burgundy on other two.

1988 Jadot Corton-Charlemagne -Very dark color, but surprisingly not really oxidized. Quite sweet, light, very non-Corton. More like a lighter Montagny or Rully. Strange showing. B-/C+

1988 Jadot Batard-Montrachet- this is more like it. Young (someone guessed 2004), complex, complete. Rich with balancing acids, hazelnut, yellow fruits. A-

1996 Peter Michael “Indigene” Chardonnay= Cathleen said Cali Chard immediately, then Dan guessed Peter Michael on first try- nothing but net from 40 feet! Big, some oak, but with a nice rocky edge. B+

Third blind red flight
Opened and decanted before serving. Orginally first two, I was hurrying to get this flight out and didn’t taste, both declared flawed, opened a backup

1988 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve- declared madeirized, I didn’t take a pour, but sampled later. There was a caramelly note there, but not overwhelming, just advanced. Black cherry, smoke, nuts. A tired bottle, but I wouldn’t have called flawed. Unsure if it’s my palate or if air somehow helped rather than hurt. B-

1988 Castello Di Ama “Vigneto Bellavista” Chianti Classico-corked, vilely.

1988 Felsina “Rancia” Chianti Classico Riserva
Guesses centered on Brunello. Mark says this tastes of apple, I’m not sure what apples he eats.
Black plum and cherry, saddle leather, flowers. B+/B

Fourth blind red flight, with oxtails braised in Barbaresco with polenta and broccoli
Double-decanted in early afternoon
1964 Rinaldi Barbaresco
Pretty, light, floral, overshadowed by the Marcarini but a classy older lady. B+/B

1967 Marcarini Brunate Barolo
Deep, full, perfumed, gets better and better in glass, nice showing. A-

Fifth blind red flight
Double-decanted about 5 PM

1970 Beychevelle
Elegant, lighter styled classic claret. Dark fruit, mushrooms, forest floor. B+

1982 Certan de May
Black plums, coffee, anise, cigarbox. Young but showing complexity. Lovely wine with long future. A-

Great group, fun evening.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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

[David M. Bueker]

Really interesting tasting Dale. I've had some of those Sterlings, but not recently. Too bad that winery has gone to the dogs in the last few decades.

I thought the 1982 Certan de May was terrific in 2012, good to hear it is still going strong.

David, good part is that Sterling's poor showing over last 20-30 years keeps prices from good era down.

Patrick, I liked this CdM even better than bottles at Fabio's and Riverpark when we were doing 30 year retros.

Several years ago I put together a vertical of the Sterling Napa Valley Cab Sauv, with the 1976, 1977, 1982, 1984, and 1987 (K&L had fantastic prices on a bunch of older Sterling wines at the time). I was extremely impressed with their quality and longevity - the 76 and 77 were probably near the end of their plateau of maturity, depending on your preferences, and were really nice examples of fully mature Napa Cab Sauv.