Last night was our monthly SOBER meeting, Dan hosted and put out a fantastic lineup of wines. The fun of blind tasting, I didn't like a couple wines I would have thought I'd love, and one of my favorite wines of the night was probably from the least famous appellation. I'm never the best blind taste guesser, but always have fun.
We started with cheese and a couple of non-blind bubblies:
1990 Billecarte Salmon Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Floral nose, aromas of biscuits and almond, rich opear fruit. Long and strong. A-/B+
1990 Deutz Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Pretty nose of flowers, white fruit, and yeast, quickly develops some oxidative notes in glass (or so it seems to me, others disagree). B
Then we went to table, and the blind wines:
Flight 1 #1- this seemed off, and debate raged over whether it was corked. I had actually suspected soap in my glass, but Drew's smelled same. Dan declared it corked, and brought out a replacement. Rather masculine dark cassis fruit, a bit of herb, some iron. We all thought Left Bank Bdx, but he said Right.
Flight 1 #2- Ripe, sweet, and smooth, black plum Merlot fruit. Everyone was on Right Bank, but I thought a bit younger than it actually was (1989?).
#1 1982 Le Bon Pasteur (Pomerol) B
#2 1985 L'Evangile (Pomerol) B+/A-
Flight 2 #1- Slightly lifted nose, lots of vanillay oak, tannins, fruit rather hidden.
Flight 2 #2 - high acids, a little high toned, black raspberry fruit, herby.
#1 1995 Cheval Blanc (St Emilion) B
#2 1995 Joguet "Clos de la Dioterie" Chinon B+
Others liked the CB better than I. Probably just closed down, but if I was looking to splurge on a Cheval this wouldn't be it. I think the Chinon would be lovely with food and/or a little time.
some whites:
Flight 3 #1- I didn't know what to make of this. Lots of oak, somewhat flat on palate, fruit very sweet (though pretty sure wine is totally dry), some more oak. I'm thinking some new wave white Rhone, but Dan says no
Flight 3 #2 - since we had one last month, fairly quick universal agreement that this is a Coche- unmistakable remarkable nose, with vanilla, warm hazelnuts, apple butter, butterscotch and that unusual note I love and some hate, thinking it "fishy"
#1 1993 Haut Brion Blanc B-
#2 1996 Coche-Drury "Les Enseigneres" Puligny-Montrachet A-
I'm shocked when #1 is revealed. Cathleen holds on to a glass, and I smell later to find a much more attractive wine (but of course now I've seen label, so I'll just stick to my original grade). The Coche was amazing (and amazingly different) with the shrimp in pesto.
Back to reds
Flight 4 #1- a bit flat, a note of soured milk, some roasted red currant fruit, short finish.
Flight 4 #2 - wow, this is lovely,. Deep, rich, red, and long, complex mature aromas but with youthful fruit. I guess '85 Burgundy, probably GC. Dan says no. All the guesses are CdNuits, he says CdBeaune. Guesses center around things like D'Angerville Ducs. Nope.
#1 1990 Michel Gaunoux Corton-Renardes C-
#2 1978 Maurice Ecard "Les Serpentieres " Savigny-les-Beaune 1er. A/A-
Wow, an almost 30 year old Savigny, singing. I think the Corton was off bottle
"Flight" 5
Just one wine, with our excellent meat and potatoes. Not huge, but with structure, nice blackcurrant fruit, a big tobacco note. Even I get part of this one, obviously Medoc. I'm thinking St Julien, maybe a '78. We're flailing at vintages, no one gets that it's the 1967 Latour (Pauillac). Way better than vintage rep. A-/B+
Flight 6 #1 -sweet red fruit, cedar, moderate length. Good.
Flight 6 #2 - more sour milk, not much fruit, not pretty
#1 1981 Certan de May (Pomerol) B/B+
#2 1964 Jaboulet "Les Cedres" Chateauneuf-du-Pape. C
Two more wines made their way around:
Lifted nose, good acids, cherry fruit, I think Mark nails this as Barolo early. 1980 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. B/B+
Whoa, this one challenges the Savigny as my WOTN. Macerated cherry fruit, red plums, spice, sandalwood. Nice length, not big but sturdy. It's the 1991 Rousseau Clos St Jacques Gevrey-Chambertin 1er A/A-
Incredible lineup, thanks Dan!
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. 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