SAG (Blind) Tasting

Chez Weber - Chicago IL
Tasted Tuesday, August 1, 2006 by Burgundy Al with 447 views

Introduction

First flight was identified as all Syrah-based or Pinot-based, we just had to guess which. Second flight was meant as a continuation of the Syrah dominated first flight with some fun extra confusion

Flight 1 - Is it Northern Rhone? Or is it Burgundy? (5 Notes)

I identified two of five correctly!

  • 1995 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Blind tasting. Good fruit on nose, good pepper as well. Palate shows austere red fruit and good spice. Fruit seems a bit hidden behind lots of acidity, not quite in balance yet.

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  • 1990 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

    Blind tasting. Very ripe fruit and lots of spice and pepper. Some mushroom character as well. Dark fruit with a smoky element. Finish also seems quite black and ripe, somewhat short. Tasted blind and asked to identify this as Rhone or Burgundy, I thought it Rhone, as did most others. While this was a very good wine, I'd hardly consider it a very good Bonnes Mares.

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  • 1962 M. Chapoutier Hermitage 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Blind tasting. Incredibly elegant from first sniff. Aromas of earth, smoky red fruit and good spice. Flavor was mostly mushrooms and some roasted meat. Spice reappeared on the finish. This was just lovely, charming and incredibly interesting from the beginning through its long finish.

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  • 1995 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne 86 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Blind tasting. Good spice on nose, then lots of forest floor aromas. Less fruit flavor than I'd expect at barely ten years. Short and simple.

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  • 1997 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Blind tasting. Tons of fruit on nose and palate, for now hidden way behind tannins.Spice comes and goes but doesn't seem balanced with the fruit. Seems like a very good wine that was in a very awkward place. I guess my "blind" assessment was a bit short sighted. Others liked this wine a great deal. I just wish it had more time in decanter and/or glass.

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Flight 2 - Continuing the Syrah Theme.... (4 Notes)

  • 1989 Noël Verset Cornas 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

    Blind tasting. Really interesting combination of elegance and concentration. Aromas and initial taste was mostly red cherry and even strawberry with some earthy charm. Closer to the finish, and with more time in glass, darker fruit started emerging and the fruit took on great density and length.

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  • 1989 Penfolds Grange 85 Points

    Australia, South Australia

    Blind tasting. I knew as soon as I smelled this wine that most others would really like it but I wouldn't. Aromas of black fruit, eucalyptus and dark spice and dark roasted coffee. Similar profile on the palate. Obviously high quality raw materials, I just thought it over ripe and overdone. I guess I was ripe on the high quality raw materials.

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  • 1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Blind tasting. Inviting aromatics to start were spice and red and black cherry. Spice continued on to the palate, where some great roasted meat flavors also emerged and the fruit transitioned into darker cherry and berry. Really well balanced and intense. Still lots of room to get even better.

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  • 1977 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva 88 Points

    Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG

    Blind tasting. tough wine to appreciate in this flight, given its age and entirely different flavor profile. Good fruit dominated by earthy character and some red cherry that just wouldn't die. Too much acidity given everything else that is left in this wine.

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Closing

Much, much more wine was opened and enjoyed after the "formal" part of the evening.

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