Minneapolis Wine Club - Blind Tasting

Blind tasting with everyone bringing a bottle, minimum $25 paid.

• 2008 J.M. Boillot Montagny 1er Cru Blanc 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Montagny 1er Cru

  Pale gold color. Nose is light, with some mineral, mild oak, apple, some pear, and a touch of spice. The palate has medium light body and is consistent. Nice wine. 88+pts.

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• 2008 Pascal Jolivet Pouilly-Fumé 88 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  Pale gold color. Fresh nose dominated initially by grapefruit, with some grass, and then after about 10 minutes this opens more to show pear and guava. The tropicals enhanced this from the initial nose. The palate is tart, grassy, grapefruit foloowed by tropical fruit.

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• 2010 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre 90 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  light gold color. This was quite fruity on the nose, dominated by tropicals, with guava, and florals, flinty minerals. The palate had more depth and nice long finish. I thought this was quite good and very refreshing.

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• 2007 Morgan Chardonnay Highland Santa Lucia Highlands 87 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Medium yellow color. oak, oak, oak, Full body. Oak. Toasty. There might be some apple in there somewhere. Not enough fruit to balance this one.

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• 2008 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines 90 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  Bright red-purple color, medium dark. A blend of 25-30 different grapes. How's that for multiple personalities. Nose is very herbal, a bit of floral, red fruits, some spice. The palate displays a bit of alcohol, ripe red fruits, medium body, medium finish.

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• 2004 Kaesler W.O.M.S. 92 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  DArk purple red color. Nose is complex with blueberries, blackberries, earth, spice. The palate is deeply concentrated, black and blue fruits, a bit of alcohol bleeds through at tiems, the palate is medium - full bodied., nice finish. Initially, this was my WOTN, but I thought it tailed off a little over time and I finally ranked it #2 WOTN. This was very good, but I must say I was hoping for more.

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• 2007 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Purple red color. Smokey, oak, herbs, blueberry, perfumed on the nose. The palate is quite spicy, some alcohol, deep concentration, rich dark fruits. Long finish. I thought this improved some over time to just edge out the Kaelser for WOTN, 92+ to 93pts. This was the consensus group WOTN.

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• 2006 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Very dark red color. Nose has currants, plum, oak. Palate is consistent with the nose, full bodied, prominent tannins, long finish. Very solid wine. 91+pts.

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• 2005 Benjamin Romeo Rioja Predicador Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  This was just not right, tasted like stewed fruit, prunes with a nose that is earthy,herbal, spice, red currant, oak. Almost had a CDP character to it. Pretty sure that's not what they were going for, so I'm gonna say someone dissed this bottle.

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• 2007 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  very dark red color. Nose is cassis, oak, some spice. The palate is medium full, black fruits, with marked and somewhat drying tannins, short on the finish. Disappointing, especially for the price point.

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• 2001 Clos Mogador Priorat Manyetes 90 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Dark red purple color. The nose is earthy, rustic, herbs, red fruits. The palate has medium full body, dark red fruits, medium finish. This was good, but not nearly as compelling as the last time I had this.

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• 2008 J. K. Carriere Pinot Noir 86 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Medium dark red color. Nose is a bit muted, raspberry, spice, mild toasty oak. The palate is consistent, a bit thin, a bit tannic, short finish.

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• 2006 Tablas Creek Syrah 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Very dark red color. Black fruits on the nose, a bit of smoke and spice. The palate is medium depth, black fruits, spice. Not complex.

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• 2007 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah 92 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Dark red/purple color. Nice nose, rich black fruits, currants, black cherry, quite a bit of spice, some oak, vanilla, and some earth. The palate is fairly lush, coating the mouth nicely and offering ripe black fruits, round tannins, spices, and nice long finish. My #3 WOTN.

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The 2007 Carlisle Zin took the overwhelming honors as WOTN, with the Spring Valley Uriah and the Kaesler WOMS as distant runners up, nearly tied second and third.

These blind tastings are always educational, always challenging, always humbling, and certainly quite fun!