95 POINT DOUBLE BLIND DINNER @ Le Provencal

Attendees: Barry Diamond, Mark Friedman(me), Luis Guttierez, Al Heltman, Pablo Lancella, Bob Muraro, Jerry Pinnas, Bob Radziewicz, and Aldo Serrano.

• 1995 Dom Pérignon Champagne Oenothèque 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  (1/23/2013)

  - Light gold color with small pearls and aromas of lemon. It's in total harmony and has flavours of lemon with a light/medium body. Bright texture with a long finish - Luis' Champage. I miraculously IDed it as Dom, but thought 98 and not 95.

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• 2009 Arnot-Roberts Chardonnay Green Island Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (1/23/2013)

  - Yellow color with medium forming legs and aromas of grapefruit and geranium. It's balanced and has flavours of grapefruit with a medium body. Bright texture with a medium finish - Barry's white. Given it's lack of oak and gravelly minerality, I took it for Chablis. Tanzer said one would not know this as a New World wine. If not, and Chardonnay, it certainly resembled Chablis. Very impressive.

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• 1986 Château Gruaud Larose 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  (1/23/2013)

  - Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of black currant, blackberry and violet. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant and blackberry with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish - Jerry's wine.

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• 2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  (1/23/2013)

  - Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of raspberry, blackberry and mushroom. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and raspberry with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Pablo's wine. No one IDed it as Italian Sangiovese.

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• 1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  (1/23/2013)

  - Purple color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced with a medium/full body. Fleshy texture with a medium finish - Barry's wine, it seemed off from the others past experience with this wine. Many IDed it as CdP. The heavy Mourvedre element in Beaucastel distinguishes it from other CdPs. A few correctly iDed it as an 89.

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• 2001 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  (1/23/2013)

  - Ruby color with slow forming legs. Raspberry and Strawberry flavor, with a Violet nose. - Al's wine. Following the masculine Beaucastel, it was difficult to ID it as CdP, let alone my favorite Clos des Papes. Feminine and ethereal, like Catherine Denueve. In total harmony, satin like with an extended finish.

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• 2001 Ramey Jericho Canyon Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (1/23/2013)

  - Violet color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant and oak. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Mark's wine(me). Decanted in am. The cork broke. Tasted from the bottle, and used Vinturi on another taste to determine if I would give it a long decant. Thought the bouquet dissipated with the Vinturi, so I rebottled. As the only California Red in the line up the predominant oak separated it from the others, despite it's 50CS/30Merlot/20CF makeup. 4 years ago it was too tight. Now it is approachable with good dark fruits. Still needs additional time. I purchased this for my grandson Joshua born in 2001. It should be singing when he turns 21.

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• 1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  (1/23/2013)

  - Violet color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant and violet. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Bob Muraro's wine. It was difficult for the group to ID it as Barolo, let alone Nebbiolo. I couldn't find the tell tale Rose element, and I kept comparing it to the Ramey, and found more similarity, than difference. Still seems exceedingly youthful and is far from it's peak.

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• 1989 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (1/23/2013)

  - Garnet color with slow forming legs and aromas of black currant, blackberry, black olive and violet and has flavours of black currant, blackberry and dusty - Luis's wine. He had given it a several hour decant. Jerry immediately IDed it as Graves. I thought either Graves or Merlot, but correctly IDed 1989. WOTN by acclamation(so was Luis' Dom Perignon). Bravo Luis for treating us to such gems. Gravelly by nature.

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• 2004 Spectacle Vins Montsant Espectacle 93 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Tarragona, Montsant

  (1/23/2013)

  - Violet color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry and violet. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and vanilla with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish - Aldo's wine. I miss IDed it as Viader, because I thought I detected Cabarnet Franc.

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• 2001 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero 92 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (1/23/2013)

  - Purple color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant and violet. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish - Bob Radziewicz' wine. I was the only one to ID it as Ribera del Duero.

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• 2004 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Carte d'Or 94 Points

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

  (1/23/2013)

  - Yellow color with slow forming legs and aromas of licorice anise. It's in total harmony and has flavours of licorice anise with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Al's Dessert! Spectacular anise note. Confused me, so I thought perhaps a Canadian Ice Wine.

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Of the three recent 95 point dinners this was by acclamation THE BEST!!! THANK YOU ALL!