TN: Chillable red wine (mostly)

The new Rob was hosting our local wine group, he’s one town up so we gathered an Ubered up to his home. Nice evening on deck, with lots of food- Fred’s pate with Rob’s homemade bread, a nice grilled pizza, grilled ribeye and vegetables. There was a forgettable bubbly, and then to the blind wines - theme was Chillable Reds.

2017 Domaine des 2 Anes “Premier Pas” Corbieres
I thought Loire at first, once we got South I got Carignan, but not where I went originally.
Bright red fruits, a touch of barnyard, herbs. Not very long but pleasant. B

1995 Breton “Les Perrieres” Bourgeuil
(I double-decanted just before leaving house)This divided group, as bell-peppery Cab Franc can do. Fred immediately guessed Chinon, so pretty close. Crunchy red and black raspberry, lots of pepper notes (green and black), some leather and earth (one person thought bretty but I didn’t get that). Good acids, mostly resolved tannin. B++

2017 Whitecliff Reserve Gamay Noir ((Hudson River Region)
What a surprise when unveiled, we had gotten Gamay, when he said New World I guessed Niagara. Tart cranberry, nice herbiness, bright. Best HV wine I remember. B

2017 Descendientes de Palacios Petalos (Bierzo)
Good acids, strawberry and vanilla, light finish. B/B-
2017 Gautier “Soif” Bourgueil
I quite liked this, though I didn’t get Loire. Soft black fruit, smoke, I thought this was a Rhone VdP or something. B

2011 Italo Pietrantonj Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
I had no clue on this one, and didn’t think it benefited from bring chilled. Hard cherry fruit, tart, clipped. I’ll stick to Masciarelli (at cool room temp). B-

Prada aTope Limonada de Mencia
So when this was poured I recoiled from nose. On third try I was able to really smell. Someone said “lemon dish soap” but I insisted on “Lemon Fresh Lysol” It was better on palate, but how could it not be? OK on palate sweet, tangy, short. OK theme was chillable reds ….C

Fun night


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.

[Jenise]

Kinda shocked that for that theme no one showed up with Beaujolais or Spanish garnacha!

[David M. Bueker]

or trousseau...

OK, not shocked that there was no trousseau.

Actually there was a Beaujolais, I originally was bringing a Foillard 3.14 but saw the '95 Perrieres and remembered I had promised Fred I'd share with him So carried that, and a '14 Lapierre. Which was opened at the end - showed fine but I didn't take any notes.

I think in general folks were trying to think a little outside box. Not surprised at no Trousseau (though we have had with this group before), but thought there might be Frappato, Groulleau, or Lambrusco.

Spanish garnacha is not one of first things I think of chilled (but certainly neither is MdA).

[Jenise]

The less expensive ones with, usually, very soft tannins chill very well.

I could see that (though I'm not a big Grenache fan), most of the Spanish Garnacha I see are more in the Tres Picos mode

[Jenise]

Me neither. But someone brought one once and my husband put it in the refrigerator. I found it, pulled the cork to test it for drinkability and thinking I'd instead dump it, but actually found that the cold retarded everything I didn't like and left me only the parts I did. It was decent.

Jenise..nice wine to celebrate when Trump buys Greenland