Blind tasting as usual.
2005 Château-Grillet (Neyret-Gachet) Château-Grillet Viognier
Color showed a little age (lighting was very poor and it was full-on dark outside by this time), but its owner was pleased with the appearance. On the palate, applesauce, pear, preserved lemon, a little salted caramel, meringue, and hazelnut. I guessed Condrieu but not Grillet (like, who would, it's so rare). Outstanding, WOTN.
2018 Château Climens Asphodèle Bordeaux Sémillon
My wine. Relieved that this is a better bottle than the last one I opened which had fleshier flavors and more advanced color. This one was pale, almost white; and all elegance and sophistication. Harmonious notes of white peach, apple, and guava fruit with cashmere texture. The good bottles of Asphodele I've had are the best dry white from a Sauternes house I have had. Outstanding.
2020 Domaine Léon Boesch Sylvaner Les Pierres Rouges Alsace
Lightly spritzed with some classic Alsatian off-dry light spice. 11.5% abv. Nice stuff for $18.
2020 Weingut Berger Grüner Veltliner Kremstal
The usual great QPR in the liter sized bottle, though rather underwelming in this company.
2019 Rasa Vineyards Chardonnay Dream Deferred Frenchman Hills Vineyard Royal Slope
My first thought was viognier due to a bit of perfume and talcum powder on the nose. With time in the glass it showed the grape more, but this vintage doesn't show the Puligny-like limestone like the '18 I own does--er, did, but it's just as elegant. Excellent.
2019 Puech Redon Pour de Vrai Vin de France White Blend
A pet-nat. Cloudy, energetic fizz, with notes of baking soda/Alka Seltzer, some cider. Only 11% alcohol. A ringer at an all-white tasting but very welcome because it's so GOOD. I want to buy some. 85 Cinsault/15 syrah. From Chambers Street's website: "A collaboration between our good friend Eric Texier, and a biodynamic farmer named Cyril Cuche. Cyril’s family owns a massive chunk of land, which he has been working organically and biodynamically for over a decade. The estate has always practiced polyculture with wild forest, grains, vines, and more, all contributing to the biodiversity. Without any winemaking experience, Cyril turned to Eric Texier to help produce a wine with wild yeast fermentation and no added SO2. This is a frothy and refreshing rosé Pet-Nat that is unfiltered and quite delicate on the palate. A great choice for a thirst quenching afternoon bottle and a must try for fans of ancestral style Pet Nats."
2013 Domaine Belluard Gringet Vin de Savoie Les Alpes
Light gold. Nose of roasted chestnuts and herbs. Drinks well but is probably on the downhill slope.
2020 Devona Chardonnay Freedom Hill Washington
DS's. Yeasty round nose, apple fruit, very structured as is usually the case with Freedom Hill wines. From the former owner/winemakers of Washington's Abeja brand. Excellent.
2019 Old Westminster Winery Heirloom Home Vineyard Linganore White Blend, Maryland
Spice and saline--since when are those in the same bottle, but this fascinating blend of muscat, chardonnay and albarino has those attributes out front. There's a bit of chalk, too, and plenty of body. The only prior CT review called it 'simple'--don't agree at all.
2020 Bodegas Antonio Arráez Verdil Los Arraez Valencia
Mine. Peachy nose, dry on the palate, all stone fruits and clay, big bodied. Perfect for a blind tasting since nobody's ever heard of verdil and there are only like four acres of it in the whole world (all in Spain). Very good.
2021 Teutonic Wine Company Candied Mushroom Oregon Riesling
You'd think after two chenins, a GV, a cortese and a spicy Oregon pinot blanc, that a reisling would be easy to identify. It wasn't--Barnaby tricked us again. Nose of papaya and kelp, very dry, lightly effervescent. Excellent.
2017 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Blanc Dundee Hills
Heavy spice on the nose and off-dry, but questioning rules out Alsace and gewurz from anywhere right away. 13% abv, but so rich one thinks it could be more. On the reveal, surprise all around--never had a pinot blanc like this. Very interesting.
2020 Acorn Grüner Veltliner Alegría Vineyards Russian River Valley
I brought this. Very pale yellow. Young and austere with mint and pea notes, a field blend that contains 80% GV and 20% about 20 other grapes. For $30 it could use more body, but good.
2005 Stéphane Cossais Montlouis-sur-Loire Le Volagré Chenin Blanc
Medium yellow, clean floral nose, Vouvrayish, some wool, great minerality. Fantastic, and doesn't show its age on any level.
2012 Nicolas Joly Savennières Roche aux Moines Clos de la Bergerie Chenin Blanc
Deep gold with assertive fruit (quince, apple pie) and mild sweetness that will continue to age out. Very good.
2019 Cantina Produttori del Gavi Gavi Il Forte Cortese
Doran bought this at Costco for $10. Doesn't have the body to compete with the big boys but for the price, it's a screaming deal for summer drinking.
2004 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine
Left at my house years ago by a WIWP (wacky internet wine personality) who came to L.A. where I lived at the time to meet another (female) forum member who turned paranoid schizophrenic when this northeastern Canadian actually showed up on her doorstep. Desperate, he came to our house. And stayed for a week because, after all, he was on vacation. A surprising tawny red color in its old age, tangy and multi-faceted. Very good.