SFwine double-blind tasting at Dave's

Our biweekly double-blind, BYO night. I brought the two piedirosso based wines out of curiousity since one had a recent glowing TN posted on the Squires board, but had to promise everyone i'd never bring something so obscure again. :)

• 1996 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Spätlese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Exquisite diesel, pineapple, brassy nose, clearly an aged riesling. Some grippy acid, some detectable RS, seems like Spatlese level. Ripe, almost tropical fruits, honeyed. I'd prefer a touch more acid and freshness, but this is just delicious. Kind of pathetic i didn't recognize the specific wine, since i've tasted the wine twice in the last couple of months. I guessed 1993 German Spatlese. (Tasted blind)

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• 2005 André-Michel Brégeon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

  France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

  Oily, resinous, bit spicy nose. An aromatic, delicate light-bodied white, maybe from a riper year. The wine is more about aromas and flinty minerality than fruit. Nice, a little simple, short finish. I guessed an '05 Touraine sauvignon blanc; in retrospect the focus on mineral and aromatics over fruit probably should have pointed me to Muscadet. (Tasted blind)

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• 2001 Domaine Stirn Gewurztraminer Brand

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  Intense candied, acetone, krazy glue nose. Sweet honeyed caramel apple on the palate, thick, ripe. Delicious flavors, but a little flabby, nearly a late harvest or dessert wine. I guessed Alsace pinot gris. (Tasted blind)

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• 2005 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Seasmoke

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Very aromatic nose mostly showing toasty oak. Grippy acidity on the palate with cider, leesy flavors, a rich mouthfeel, touch of oak-butter. A rich, mouthcoating wine with surprisingly good acid and no noticeable RS. I guessed an '04 Santa Cruz Mountains chardonnay. (Tasted blind)

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• 2001 Vietti Barolo Castiglione

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Light, faded ruby color. Initially some nail polish, crunchy cherry, sweet-tarts on the nose. Sweet cherry and strawberry on the palate, light bodied, with good purity of fruit and plenty of acidity. This was actually my favorite wine of the flight, and my first thought was an older cru Beaujolais. But then someone pointed out the oak -- indeed, some creamy oak is evident on the finish. Felt like an idiot when the bags came off as nebbiolo is one of my favorites, although the lack of intrusive tannin surprises me. In fact this wine is nearly wide open at the moment, if you don't mind the oak. (Tasted blind)

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• 2000 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso 91 Points

  Italy, Campania, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio

  Tons of barnyard on the nose initially, but this blew off in about an hour or so revealing sweet/tart black fruits, sous bois, slightly mushroomy, suggesting a nearly mature wine. Light bodied, with a delicate palate presence and flavors of tart (but ripe) black fruits, earth, white pepper, with good freshness and acid. Fine-grained, mostly resolved tannins. Good stuff, and showing better than the two previous bottles i've tasted of this wine. I brought this. Update: Took the remaining 1/3 of the bottle home. The next night the wine was just sensational. Not a hint of brett, just pure black cherry, iron, sous bois, incredibly light and delicate body, improved depth and length. Added a score.

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• 2004 Roar Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Spicy, funky, dark fruit and a superripe, raisiny nose. Slightly sweet (RS) in the mouth, with a greasy mouthfeel. Some cherry-cranberry fruit, some vegetal flavors but this is just clobbered with oak, and the finish is very buttery. The sweet, raisiny character had me scratching my head for awhile -- amarone? Ultimately the cranberry-cherry fruit convinced this is just an oaked-up California pinot noir cocktail. Pretty awful, for my palate. (Tasted blind)

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• 2005 La Sibilla Piedirosso Campi Flegrei

  Italy, Campania, Campi Flegrei

  Nose of green tobacco, spicy black fruit. Very light bodied, with tart, nearly shrill blackberry/cherry flavors that seem slightly underripe. Very light tannins, perhaps deceptively so, and a relatively short finish that leaves savory notes in the mouth. Overall the package feels rather wound up and i do wish there'd been some left over to try tomorrow. I brought this.

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• 2003 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa

  Overripe, nearly rotten candy-berry, caramelized banana aromas. Caramelized, overripe banana and blueberry cream on the palate. Certainly the most revolting wine i've tasted in recent memory. My guess: '05 Aussie shiraz. Absolutely baffled to find this is highly rated/allocated stuff. (Tasted blind)

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• 2005 Lazy Creek Vineyards Syrah Roemer Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Opaque and very dark, nearly black. Nose of ripe, jammy/estery dark fruit and some coffee grounds. Lots of juicy, ripe fruit on the palate but with surprisingly good balance and acidity. Young. A well made wine, if not my preferred style. I guessed '04 Sonoma Coast syrah. (Tasted blind)

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