Wednesday Night Blind - April 2010

Peter Pratt's Inn
Tasted Wednesday, April 7, 2010 by Vinomarcus with 697 views

Introduction

The first Wednesday of every month rolls around quickly for most folks, but not quick enough for our thirsty band of oenophiles. We gathered this time with another occasion to celebrate as one of our members is turning the big 5-0 this week. Since Mike primary loves California wine, a lot of the offerings were geared that way. We were lucky enough to have the most amazing weather on tap and we found ourselves dining outdoors watching the most spectacular sunset of orange and purples setting over the distant hills. Being outdoors may affect the smell and taste of wine a bit, but it was worth whatever the cost to be enjoying 80degree temps with zero humidity at dusk.

Flight 1 (1 Note)

Flight 2 (1 Note)

Flight 3 (1 Note)

Flight 4 (1 Note)

Flight 5 (1 Note)

  • 1991 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red Caldwell Vineyard 82 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Blind Wine #2 - I brought this - The cork broke and then crumbled trying to take it out. It had a nice color, dark red with some orange edges, some notes of soy, tea leaves, pine, hints of muted fruit, very much past its prime. At this point I'm praying my third bottle will be the charm.

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Flight 6 (1 Note)

  • 1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Blind Wine #3 - Instantly recognized as Bordeaux, I say left bank, maybe 1990. Well structured, obviously had time on it, but had much time to evolve, not a lot of fruit, forest floor, cigar smoke, grilled meat and blood, some spice. Was better later in the evening.

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Flight 7 (1 Note)

  • 1994 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Blind Wine #4 - I knew what this wine was as Lance had consulted with me before the dinner to make sure I wasn't bringing the same bottle. This was a stunningly good wine, amazing depth and complexity, solid black fruit, wonderful notes of coffee beans freshly ground, obviously mature, but in danger of decline. I have yet to to have a Venge Reserve that hasn't blown me away.

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Flight 8 (1 Note)

  • 1995 Joseph Phelps Insignia 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Blind Wine #5 - So familiar, in my mind when Lance said Insignia I knew he was right. These wines flat out rock! Great dark color, huge rich fruit, deep and complicated, richly textured. Great juice.

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Flight 9 (1 Note)

  • 2006 Domaine Wardy Private Selection 93 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Blind Wine #6 - This was dark, real dark. My initial thoughts gravitated towards Petite Sirah due to the color. It had a huge bouquet of fresh lavender and violets if full bloom. Smokey with dark, rich fruit. This was a very impressive wine, even more so when it was revealed to be from Lebanon!! We were all stunned to say the least.

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Flight 10 (1 Note)

  • 2004 Fernando Remírez de Ganuza Rioja Flawed

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Blind Wine # 7 - Oak, oak, oak and nothing else save for the alcohol, later it was speculated to be mildly corked or defective in some way as our resident Spanish Wine expert had recently had a great bottle of this very wine.

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Flight 11 (1 Note)

  • 1997 Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Blind Wine #8 - This was a full bodied Cal Cab to be sure, loads of fruit, but restrained and very well built, a deft touch of oak, Christmas spices, truffles and deep core of black olives. Most folks guessed this to be an older Barolo or Barbaresco. Really nice wine.

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Flight 12 (1 Note)

Flight 13 (1 Note)

  • 2002 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Blind Wine # 10 - This was really, really good. Loaded with sage, fresh beef, licorice, smoke, asphalt and mushrooms. Medium/large bodied yet it had a feminine side to it as well, nothing brutish and unrestrained here, just eloquence. When it was revealed I was surprised how good an '02 Cote Rotie could be as that vintage is generally regarded as the worst in recent memory, but this wine really shines.

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Closing

The food was spectacular as usual as Nick and J.P. wowed us yet again. The wines were pretty damn good too, but the conversation and camaraderie was the true focus.

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