2018 Domaine Weinbach Pinot Blanc Alsace
Doran's. A blend of PB and Pinot Auxerrois. Pear and lemon zest with a dry, stony finish. Tastes like an old castle.
2018 Friedrich Becker Pinot Gris Becker Family Pfalz
Tim's. Saline, apple, sea water, good acidity and body. Did not expect German! $20 retail; I'd buy.
2015 P. Dubreuil-Fontaine Père & Fils Bourgogne-Aligoté
Tim's. Saline on the nose and palate, lemon rind, almond, grannysmith apple, limestone. Better than average aligote body with better than average ripe vintage acidity. In fact, it drinks very cool climate overall. I would buy this.
2015 Domaine des Croix Corton-Grèves Corton Grand Cru Pinot Noir
Ben's. Big ripe tasty dark red fruit, clove spice, some wood underneath; great balance, texture and depth. Young and serious, but amazingly drinkable for a young Corton.
2015 Domaine du Chateau de Meursault Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes Pinot Noir
Doran's. Obviously French, citrussy-herbal, feels a bit older than six years, also a bit tight. Second day: more 'out' with that Volnay perfume, more body. Still more a food wine than a sipping wine but I own this wine too and won't open another before 2025.
At this point I trotted out my first red, a 2015. The label simply had the word Macedon on it. I found this at a wine store in Canada where I was carrying around a Henschke pinot noir; a salesman noted that with approval and then steered me to this Macedon. Now Macedon is not just in Macedonia, down under it's a region northwest of Melbourne in an area with huge boulders from around which you expect dinosaurs to appear. I've been there. The pinots of this region were really special and different. We had been talking about Australia--how was I to guess he meant the other Macedon?? Whatever: he should die for recommending this. Ripe and dirty, lots of iodine. Was made for early drinking, and that ship has sailed.
2018 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Rouge Pinot Noir
Gabe's. Ripe and sweet on initial opening, some iodine, gets peppery with time.
2018 Misha's Vineyard Wines Pinot Noir The High Note Central Otago
Mine. Effusive attractive nose, mulberry, raspberry, some forest notes, complex and medium bodied. Everyone loved it.
2015 Avalanche pinot noir, Switzerland
Vicki brought this. Took us forever to figure out its origins, and even I with a Swiss pinot hiding in my bag did not suspect it--I mean, when would TWO Swiss pinots show up on the same night in a group that has never produced a Swiss wine that I can remember? I had to go to Seattle for mine. Anyway, this one was soft and underwelming.
2015 Friedrich Becker Becker Family Pinot Noir Pfalz Spätburgunder
Doran's. Herbal red currant, cherry/cranberry, sassafras, crunchy texture. Officially deemed a TLF (tart little f---er). Not sure I'd buy this, but it wasn't uninteresting.
2017 Kurt Darting Pinot Meunier trocken Pfalz
Tim's. I just love all this weird shit he comes up with.
Very light color, some caramel and spice notes, powdery tannins. Only four years old but if it had been 8-10 that would not have surprised. Very nice.2019 Alpine Roots Pinot Noir Symphonie Valais, Switzerland
My wine. Spearmint, dark berries, and clearly pinot but firm and focussed without any of baby fat of a young wine. It developed significantly during a two-hour decant earlier. The group immediately presumed a more aged wine and targetted the early to mid-2000's while kindly noting "it's not tired at all". Indeed. Excellent wine, excellent surprise.
2019 Devils Corner Pinot Noir East Coast Tasmania
Doran's. Pale Red, berry and watermelon, new worldish but with loads of cool climate appeal. An amazeball for just $15ish retail, loved by all.
2010 Albert Morot Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes Pinot Noir
My bottle. Even after a dozen other pinots, here came one that was perfectly in it's moment, a real showstopper even if from a humble producer: layers of secondary nuances, including the legendary "hair of a wet dog", on top of cherries, blood orange, tea and that musty smell of old leather.
2019 Stolpman Crunchy Rôastie Santa Barbara County Syrah
Ben's ringer. 95% syrah, 5% 'white' not sure which one(s). Nose and palate all about baby poop and watermelon. There were oohs and ahs and exclamations like "so fresh!" but I detested it (and I'm otherwise a Stolpman fan).
2014 Cayuse Syrah Armada Vineyard Walla Walla Valley
Doran's bonus wine. Asphalt, kalamata olives, coffee, dark fruits, roasted meat, more asphalt. Enjoyable to taste now but needs time to show well without food.