Worldwide $100+ Wines Double Blind
Edina, MN
Tasted Sunday, March 29, 2015 by rocknroller with 349 views
Introduction
This event featured seven of us with a theme of anything from around the world $100 and up. Wines were completely blind and brought in different bottles. A 2 oz pour blind was followed by a 1oz pour after the wines had been voted on and revealed. This was a splendid night of wine, food, and friendship! Thanks everyone for some great wines!
Flight 1 (7 Notes)
Flight 2 (1 Note)
Closing
WOTN was the 1990 Pichon Lalande (3+3+3+3+3+3+2=20pts)
#2 WOTN was the 1997 Mouton Rothschild 3+2+2+2+2=11pts)
#3 WOTN was the 1999 Inglenook Rubicon (1+1+1+1+1+1=6pts)
2007 Corra (2+1=3pts)
2007 Montelena (2=2pts)
2005 Usseglio Deux Freres (2=2pts)
2004 Clerico Percristina (0pts)
1999 Niebaum-Coppola Rubicon 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
Very dark red/purple color with a 1mm clear margin. Splash double decant. Drank 2 pours double blind over 3 hours. This was delightfully good and a wine that just kept improving over the first hour. I was fairly convinced this was Napa Valley, but I did not get the signature rutherford dust on this particular wine. The pedigree however was apparent. There was plenty of blue fruit up front and a touch of menthol, but the most striking thing the floral perfume that emerged after about 20 to 30 minutes. The nose was so nice with blue and then darker fruit showing later. The palate showed nice integration, this was clearly a mature wine at great place for drinking. Really pretty fruits, blackberry, blueberry, subtle tobacco, graphite, soft and plush with fine grained almost silky tannins and a medium plus finish. I had this as Napa Cab blend early 2000's. My and group #3 WOTN.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga
Very dark red/purple color. One and a half hour decant. Drank 2 pours double blind over 3 hours. This wine had me stumped. I was thinking this was Southern Hemisphere from the ripeness and the eucalyptus that was on both the nose and palate. It was clearly young, but not what I thought would be Montelena. The nose starts with eucalyptus, some heat that fairly quickly blows off, spice, oak, black fruits, and just a touch of savory character. The palate is full bodied with blackberry and cassis, a bit of plum, sleek and supple, quite soft on the mouth, with some eucalyptus and briar that courses through to the finish with some wood and savory notes. This isn't quite what I would have expected, but very good nonetheless, and I think in 5 more years it will be outstanding. 92(+)pts.
Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Dark red color with a subtle 4mm transitional margin. Decanted for 6 hours, drank 2 pours double blind over 3 hours. This was a fun wine. Clearly a lighter color, and the licorice should probably have tipped me off, but I was thinking this was a CDP from the start. Definitely young, i was thinking around 2005 or so. This had a pretty nose with cherry, a little funk, lots of licorice, and dried herbs. The palate was light-medium bodied, fairly firm medium grained tannins, spicy, licorice, and red fruits. The palate had that firm grip, but this shows excellent promise for down the road. I agree with Wineglas at 92-94pts potential.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1990 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Very dark red/purple color. Double decanted for 15 minutes with 2 hours slow-O prior. Drank 2 pours, unblinded, as we did know our own wines. Just an intoxicating nose, with plenty of perfume and lots of great clean (as Joe said) funky goodness, leather, floral, soft cedarbox, and pretty red berry fruits. The palate was equal to the nose and just popped with bright fruit, black and red berries, vibrant with great acidity, wow, nice cassis, red berries. This was just so nicely balanced and integrated with everything where it should be and doing what it should. Seamless and long. Remarkably fresh and young still - tons of time left. For me personally, it doesn't get much better than this. 95+ to 96pts. My and group WOTN.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2005 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères 91 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Very dark purple red color. This had a 2 hr decant; drank 2 pours double blind over 3 hours. Well, I have to fully admit being fooled by this wine. I certainly did not peg this as old world, but then again, it drinks new world and modern, so I guess that's the message here. I was thinking Washington state and probably a high end syrah or blend that was youngish maybe 2007 or so. The nose was a little green with lots of black fruit, savory, and spicy. The palate was very big and modern, black fruits with blackberry, blackberry liqueur, full bodied, dense, roasted meat on the second pour, maybe a bit of prune, with baked black cherry also, very ripe fruit and a lot of pepper that comes across on the finish. My biggest question is where does this go in another 5 to 10 years. I guess I'll find out as I've got one i won't touch for at least 5 years.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1997 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Very dark red/purple color. Double decanted for 1 hour; drank 2 pours double blind over 3 hours. Well there was no mistaking this for anything besides bordeaux, and the pedigree was apparent. I figured a first growth from a "lesser " vintage or maybe a strong second. Very nice earth on the nose, more subtle initially and comes on significantly bringing leather and plenty of floral notes and maybe a smidge of veg that fades. The palate is sleek and becomes rather fleshy, nicely integrated and takes on significant depth and weight, more red fruited, dusty minerality, medium plus length and just delicious. IMO, this wine is really underscored on the whole. 93+ to 94pts. My and group #2 WOTN.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Corra Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Purple color. Decanted for 1 hr 45 min; drank 2 pours double blind over 3 hours. This was pretty clearly a Napa Cab, young, I guessed 2008 or so. The nose is reticent, and gradually emerges over about 2 hours to show a bit more, black fruits, vanilla, and a bit of earthiness shows up late. The nose seems to suggest that there is more here with patience. The palate is already in a better place than the nose, showing full body, deep and layered black fruits, creme de cassis, blackberry, herbal, smooth, plenty of oak to fold in eventually, vanilla cream. I think this should shine with another 3-5 years. 92+pts.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue