win's 40th Birthday Party

Saturday night a few local winos had the priviledge of getting together to celebrate the 40th birthday for win. Happy Birthday win!

A few whites to get the evening started.

• 2002 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl Vendange Tardive 93 Points

  France, Alsace

  WIML93,NOWA,WS93
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel restaurant series white wine glass. Yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of beeswax, lemon and whetstone. Flavors of candied pineapple, apricot and lemon. Good acidity with medium body. Drink over the next 5-7 years.

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• 2005 Tablas Creek Viognier 87 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  WIML87,WA92,NOWS
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel restaurant series white wine glass. Straw to light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose was muted with notes of citrus fruits and a base of minerality. Mineral dominated on the palate. Light acidity with matching body. I suspect this bottle has been open a while or just not showing as well as I would have expected.

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• NV Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Brut 87 Points

  France, Champagne

  WIML87,~WA89?,~WS83-91?
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel restaurant series white wine glass. No notes taken on this wine. Seems fairly consistent with my previous tastings of this bottle. Decent QPR.

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Title says it all. I always enjoy these blind tastings. The are humbling on most occassions but very fun nonetheless.

• 2001 Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon 80 Points

  USA, California

  WIML80-82,NOWA,NOWA
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Longhorns”. Dark garnet color in the glass, fairly clear throughout. Light and dusty nose of white pepper, red berries and maybe some potpourri or violets. “Pedestrian” flavors of red currants, red licorice and red berries. Definitely new world. My bet is this is the 2001 Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon.

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• 2000 Château Haut-Brion 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  WIML94,WA98,WS94
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Bears”. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of tobacco, violets, dark fruits and a touch of leather. Flavors of chewy dark fruits and minerals. Young and bold acidity with youthful tannins. My guess is this is the 2000 Haut Brion. COMMENTS: I believe this wine was deanted upwards of 8 hours or more before returning to bottle for the tasting.

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• 1998 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  WIML87,NOWA,WS86
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Sooners”. Garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking throughout. Nose of balsamic and anise. Flavors of pepper and red cherries. Decent acidity, tannins and body. This is new world whatever it is. Could this have been the 2001 Charles Shaw instead?

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• 2003 Château Bahans Haut-Brion 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  WIML90,WA89,WS90
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Spiders”. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of dried herbs, pepper and mixed crushed berries. Flavors of Bing cherries, red berries and maybe some plum. Medium to full acidity and full throttled tannins so this is probably pretty young. Medium body. Seems like it needs more time. Old world, I’m guessing maybe right bank. Could this be the Angelus? COMMENTS: once this bottle was revealed I was somewhat gratified I even got the country right. This wine is made more like a California wine than a traditional Bordeaux in my opinion.

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• 1989 Château Calon-Ségur 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  WIML90,WA88,WS87
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Bulldogs”. Garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking throughout. Nose of leather, dried herbs, black currant(?) and maybe just a touch of brett although not bad. Flavors of light red cherries, a dash of mint and maybe some currants/cassis. Moderate acidity with slightly drying tannins. Old world. My guess is either the 1998 Pavie Macquin or the 1989 Calon Segur.

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• 1998 Château Palmer 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  WIML94,WA91,WS90
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Razorbacks” (probably my favorite college team). Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of graphite, grilled meat and crushed dark fruits. Flavors of black cherries, black currants and plums. Medium acidity, youthful tannins and full bodied. Very good. Seems young and probably needs more time. Definitely old world, not sure what it is. COMMENTS: this wine was very good. Definitely still young and needs more time but seems to be getting close to start of the drinking window. If this wasn’t my wine of the blind tasting it was doggone close.

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• 1998 Château Angélus 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  WIML92,WA93,WS93
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Tigers”. Purple to dark purple in the glass, clear hue throughout. Tight nose giving away a little “perfume”, raspberries and crushed mixed berries. Flavors of cherries, raspberries and pepper with a minerally/flinty undertone. Medium acidity, young tannins and full bodied. Seems REALLY young and probably needs more time. Definitely old world. No guess but probably right bank. COMMENTS: I brought this wine. I can’t believe I had this at a dinner on February 19, 2005 and I still couldn’t peg it in this lineup, although close overall.

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• 1997 Byington Cabernet Sauvignon Bates Ranch 87 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  WIML87,WA87,WS91
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Hurricanes”. Garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty throughout. Nose was a little green with a heavy balsamic aroma I found unappealing. Flavors of blackberries and plums with yet more unappealing mint on the palate. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Balance is OK but not an enjoyable wine sensory wise. Unfortunately, I know this wine. It is definitely the 1997 Byington Cabernet Sauvignon Bates Ranch. I brought it. Fortunately, it was my last bottle.

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• 2001 Château Latour Grand Vin 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  WIML94,WA95,WS95
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Seminoles”. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of roasted coffee beans, roasted meat and lots of dark fruits. Flavors of plums, blackberries, currants and minerals. Perfectly balanced and full bodied. Either the 2001 Insignia or the 2001 Latour. Seems new world. Really good either way. COMMENTS: I believe this wine was deanted upwards of 8 hours or more before returning to bottle for the tasting.

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• 1997 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  WIMLNR,WA98,WS95
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Buckeyes”. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Dusty nose, that is about it. Pretty flat fruitwise on the palate. Good acidity but mouth puckering tannins. Medium bodied. I hope this is the 2001 Charles Shaw because if it isn’t then it is the 1997 Montelena. COMMENTS: I believe the cork on the wine was removed and reinserted about 8 hours before tasting. I’m hoping it simply died over that time or maybe provenance of this bottle is questionable because I have 4 botttles of this in the cellar.

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• 2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  WIML91,WA95,WS90
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Mustang”. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of violets, incense and a touch of balsalmic (maybe from the previous wine?). Flavors of blackberries, currants and maybe some licorice? Medium acidity, firm tannins and medium body. Seems young. Hold. No guess on the wine.

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• 1998 Château Pavie Macquin 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  WIML90,WA95,WS93
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Horned Frog”. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Tight nose of dried herbs, pepper and maybe some dark fruits. All of this seems to carry through to the palate. Medium acidity, firm tannins and medium body. I have no idea about this wine. 98 Heitz or maybe one of the Bordeaux? COMMENTS: I couldn’t believe it when this wine was revealed. It started off good at the start of the blind tasting but didn’t taste anything like that during the revisit. Plus I’ve had this at least 2 times before! This wine is a conundrum for me.

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win was kind enjoy to open up his cellar for a cellar raid. Opening the Petrus was way and above beyond generous, especially after opening the two first growths for the blind tasting! Baumard continues to amaze me as well.

• 1999 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine 92 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon

  WIML92,NOWA,WS91
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel restaurant series white wine glass. Yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of oranges and almonds. Flavors of orange marmalade, pears and nuts. Perfectly balanced. Drinking really well now but should hold based on tastings of previous vintages.

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• 1999 J.L. Chave Sélection St. Joseph Offerus 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  WIML89,WA87-89,NOWS
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Somewhere between dusty rose and garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking. Huge bacon fat nose that pegs it as Northern Rhone with some roasted meat. Yum. Not quite as pleasing on the palate, mainly raspberries and maybe red berries. I’d like the opportunity to try this again by itself.

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• 2002 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru

  WIML93,NOWA,WS97
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel restaurant series white wine glass. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of oranges, almonds and exotic tropical fruits. Flavors of oranges, tropical fruits and a little dash of honey. Perfectly balanced. Slamming good wine although not as good as my previous tastings. Hold.

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• 1999 Pétrus 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  WIML93-94?,WA94,WS90
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and decanted between 1 and 2 hours before serving in a Riedel Sommielier Bordeaux wine glass. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of violets, black currants and black cherries. Flavors of black currants, black licorice and black cherries. Good structure and balance. Needs lots more time in bottle, extreme infanticide here.

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• 1998 Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  WIMLNR,NOWA,WS95
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. No notes. Sorry.

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• 1999 Château d'Yquem

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  WIMLNR,WA92,NOWS
  
  Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel restaurant series white wine glass. No notes. Sorry.

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Many thanks to win and Mrs win for inviting us to attend and their overwhelming hospitality and generousity.