2009 ALSYSIAN WINES PINOT NOIR FLOODGATE VINEYARD ROCK HILL, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, CA. 13.9% abv. Included in a church fundraiser Food, Wine and Movie Night on Sept. 12 and retasted at home on Sept. 16. 13.9% abv. Dark purple/crimson; semi-opaque. Some hints of blueberry but also rich berries and cherries and plum. I would say it has both red and dark fruit notes. End notes of tea and leafy elements. Not my favorite of the Alysian Pinot Noirs I've had, but still quite good. The 2007 Alysian Wines Floodgate Vineyard West Block was my all-time favorite from Alysian. I gave this a grade of "A-minus" at the fundraiser, then initially didn't like it particularly at home, but it grew on me on the final evening after it had been opened, recorked and refrigerated for several days. (from CellarTracker)
2009 CHATEAU LES BARRAILLOTS, Margaux, Medoc, France.
Michel Brunot listed on label. Labeled as 12.5% abv. This was opened on Sept. 12 at the Food, Wine, and Movie Night church fundraiser and retasted Sept. 18 at home. It was popular with the small crowd at the church tasting and received several "A" grades. I thought it merited a B that evening but re-evaluated it at home and was quite pleased with it, raising my grade to a B-plus. It has a nice mixture of dark fruit (currants?) and leather and tobacco notes and a whiff of shoe polish scent also. The tannins are mild, but the wine held up well for a week, recorked and refrigerated. I don't have the breakdown on the blend in the 2009 vintage, but the 2010 vintage had about 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30-40% Merlot. (from CellarTracker)
I have one remaining bottle and view this as a reasonably priced and pleasurable Bordeaux, not always something that I come across.