R&D's
Tasted Sunday, April 12, 2015 by AllRed with 757 views
The Sunday Group events are a bit different than our other double blind tasting groups. For this group, the hosts select eight wines, served double blind to the rest of the group in one flight. The wines are to be grouped into some sort of theme which can be a loose theme such as Pacific Northwest reds, or something more narrowly focused, such as a vertical of Phelps Insignia. The cost of the tasting is shared by the group. The group spends thirty minutes or so evaluating the wines in the flight trying to determine the theme. Wines are ranked by each taster from 1st to 8th. Votes are tallied as the group offers guesses as to the wines' identity. Wines are revealed from 8th place to 1st place, as ranked by highest points against. Ties are broken in order of 1st place votes, 2nd place votes and so on.
As everyone gathers we taste some warm up whites, double blind, provided by the hosts, with the occasional bottle of Champagne as well (usually nonblind). Following the themed flight of wines, we enjoy dinner and dessert provided by the hosts. Each taster brings a wine to enjoy with dinner which is served nonblind.
For this tasting, we had twelve tasters and the cost was $45/person.
This is the 2nd time since February that we have tasted the 2013 Terredora di Paolo. I really had no idea on the two Falanghinas. I thought they were definitely old world on account of the higher acid levels present, which I suppose could have led me to Italian varieties, but the hosts are not fond of Italian wines on account of the acid so Italy was not in mind, and there was no palate memory whatsoever from our previous taste. In any event, these were both pleasant, and I would not turn down a glass of either during a meal. The Champagne was tasted nonblind, courtesy of Neil, and while a little bit too mature to be truly special, it was still a pleasurable glass. Thank you for sharing, Neil.
Right from the first smell of wine A, I knew it was Bordeaux and that remained obvious as I got to each of the wines in the flight. At that point I merely tried to identify what we were drinking and the vintage(s). Honestly I did think we had second labels, but that came about more because I know our hosts well and have a good feel for what's in their cellar. I would have expected Sarget de Gruaud, Réserve de la Comtesse or Les Tourelles de Longueville and the like (then again, for those wines the cost would have been less). Each of the wines had a fairly vibrant core but displayed some bricking as well, so these certainly had some age on them. I narrowed the range possible vintages to 2000-2003, and further to 2000/01. I thought we had a single vintage as the color on these was so similar.
In any event, this was a fun tasting. I was a bit surprised by the bricking on the 2005s, as I would have expected, perhaps incorrectly, a darker color. I was also surprised, as were our hosts, that the Bahans did not show any Pessac qualities of tar or iodine. This was certainly too small a sample to make any generalizations, but I will anyway. On a purely points against ranking, I had a slight preference for the 2003s, 16 pts vs 20, as my top two were 2003s, but two of my bottom three were also 2003s. I would say that the producer mattered more, but Haut Brion, and the wines of Pessac generally, I love, yet they were my bottom two. The Les Forts fared well- two of my top four spots, and Domino's top two. I will say this- the more 2003s I taste, the more I realize I should have bought more. In my mind I always expect to find them too ripe or plush, and it seems like every time I find myself enjoying them. My last thought is that I can start pulling the corks on my "lesser" 2005s as well, as prior to this tasting I'd have held them a few more years yet.
Dinner was a spring pasta salad with peas, asparagus and lardons, accompanied by a nice green salad. D made a terrific walnut "gooey" bar/blondie for dessert. All of these wines were tasted nonblind.
Thanks to R&D for another fun tasting.
2013 Cantina del Taburno Falanghina del Sannio Taburno 90 Points
Italy, Campania, Falanghina del Sannio
Pale color opening with a steely apple quality, along with mineral and white fruit. Dry, with a good bit of acid beneath the fruit. I enjoyed this, despite not being able to venture a guess as to its identity.
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2013 Terredora di Paolo Falanghina Irpinia 89 Points
Italy, Campania, Irpinia
Orchard fruit with hints of smoke and florals in the background. The palate is similar to the bouquet,again with higher acidity; also has a bit of a wooly quality. Again, I had no real guess here.
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1989 Deutz Champagne Blanc de Blancs 88 Points
France, Champagne
Tasted nonblind before moving on to the reds. The mousse dissipates quickly in the glass. Oxidized overtones with hazelnut, cashew and baked apple underneath. Flavors of apple, roasted pear and toasted marshmallow.
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