Sunday Group: Mini-Horizontals- Mondavi, Dominus & Chappellet

Mike's
Tasted Sunday, July 9, 2017 by AllRed with 314 views

Introduction

The 2nd Sunday group gathered for our regular double blind tasting. For this group, we are presented a couple of double blind warm ups before the main flight. The warm ups are discussed & unveiled before moving on to the themed main flight. We spent forty five minutes or so tasting and evaluation the eight wines for the main flight before ranking the wines and then making guesses as to what we were tasting. Wines are ranked 1-8, one point for each place, and then unveiled from last place to first place. After the tasting, dinner is served with the additional wines brought by the group, nonblind. For this tasting we had twelve tasters and the cost was $50.

Flight 1 - Warm ups (2 Notes)

Double blind.

Flight 2 - Main Flight (9 Notes)

Our host intended to have the Chappellet Pritchard Hill but could not locate the bottle in the cellar and switched things up to the 2002s. I was not at all surprised that the Mondavi trio ended up as my top three as the Reserve almost always ends up at the top of my rankings in blind tastings- I enjoy the style. I was a bit surprised that the Dominus trio ended up, for the most part, at the bottom of my rankings as that had historically also been a style I preferred. It is my understanding that the style shifted a bit around this time frame to a more generous Napa-like style, so that very well may explain it. I had guessed 2007 Napa, and was very surprised by the Chappellets as they were every bit as dark in color as the 2007s, so it never occurred to me that we had a flight of older wines in the mix. In any case, a very fun theme.

  • 2002 Chappellet Mountain Cuvée 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Opens with notes of dark grapey fruit and plum. Medium tannins with dark fruit dominant. Notes of black cherry currant and florals emerge, remaining plummy and dark-fruited on the palate. 89+ pts.

    My #6, Domino's #2
    Group #4, 52 pts

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  • 2002 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Sam's Cuvée 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Aromas of coffee and dark plummy fruit, perhaps also a touch of VA. Dark fruit on the palate with a nice finish. Doesn't change much as it sits; slightly tannic.

    My #7, Domino's #7
    Group #5, 65 pts

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  • 2002 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Chocolate, plum, coffee and rose petal notes. Medium tannins with plummy dark fruit and chocolate on the palate. Another that doesn't change very much as the wines sit in the glass. 89+ pts.

    My #5, Domino's #4
    Group #8, 72 pts

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  • 2007 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Has a greenish overtone with mocha, red and black fruit and floral notes underneath. Fine-grained tannins are soft and approachable, with dark fruit and currant flavors. The greenish notes turn more towards eucalyptus as it sits. lovely black currant fruit. 91-92 pts.

    My #2, Domino's #9
    Group #9, 77 pts

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  • 2007 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Double blind. Notes of currants, black cherry and green tobacco. Flavors of currant, tobacco and chocolate with a long finish. Develops a lovely perfumed floral quality as it sits. Elegant. 91+ pts.

    My #3, Domino's #5
    Group #6, 65 pts

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  • 2007 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Perfumed dark fruit leads the way for flavors of dark fruit- cassis and black cherry- with fine tannins and good balance. This is very pretty. Floral and dark fruit qualities. 92-93 pts.

    My #1, Domino's #1
    Group #1, 45 pts.

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  • 2007 Carpe Diem Cabernet Sauvignon 85 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Notes of red currant and sandalwood, somewhat stemmy too. Tannic, with black fruit and a bitter quality in the finish.

    My #9, Domino's #6
    Group #7, 70 pts

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  • 2007 Dominus Napanook Red 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Lifted and bright. Aromas of perfumed black fruit and root beer. Tannins are very fine, with flavors of cassis and blackberry. Develops a subtle earthy quality as well, which is very enjoyable.

    My #4, Domino's #3
    Group #3, 47 pts

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  • 2007 Dominus Estate 87 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Similar to wine H, with notes of root beer and black fruit- currant and plum. Dark fruit and coffee flavors on the palate with a decent, if slightly short, finish. Develops an herbal quality with air, remaining tannic with ripe dark fruit on the palate.

    My #8, Domino's #8
    Group #2, 47 pts

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Flight 3 - Dinner/dessert wines (10 Notes)

With grilled flank steak and trimmings.

  • 2016 Stefania Mourvèdre Rosé 89 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Clara Valley

    Cherry, rose and melon fruit notes. Strawberry and subtle spice qualities on the palate. Excellent. 89+ pts.

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  • 1996 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia

    The leftover portion from Wednesday's magnum. Red berry fruit and black currants in the bouquet and on the palate. Hints of florals remain as well. Hasn't lost much, and remains very well-balanced on the palate. 92+ pts.

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  • 2001 Château Duhart-Milon 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Dark berry fruit aromas with a nice earthy forest floor undertone. Mixed fruit, cherry, spice box and tobacco flavors. Drinking very well and will hold at this level for some time.

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  • 1992 Kunde Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 86 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    From magnum. Notes of cherry, white currants and red berry jam. There's an interesting spice note as well. Cherry and red fruit flavors on the palate. Tannins have fully integrated at this point. Just a little thin through the midpalate and finish.

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  • 2000 Clos du Marquis

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Dark fruit and earth, but very muddled. There's just something lurking underneath here and I wonder if this isn't just ever so slightly tainted.

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  • 2003 Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy Mazis-Chambertin 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

    Gorgeous floral overtones with cherry and stone notes underneath. Medium-bodied and silky, with flavors of cherry, mineral, spice and rose water. Well-balanced. Lengthy finish.

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  • 2004 Château Faugères 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Dark color. Aromas of dark fruit, incense and plum with grapey overtones. Dark fruit and plum flavors with a shortish finish.

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  • 2010 Xavier Vignon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points

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

    Peppery red berry fruit and spice notes. Medium-bodied with flavors of olive, pepper and red fruit. Lengthy finish dominated by currant and pepper.

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  • 2013 Viader 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Dark color. Plum, blackberry and more dark fruit on both the nose and palate. Vanilla and sweet but firm tannin.

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  • 2005 Château Suduiraut 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    Tropical fruit and pineapple aromas follow through on the palate. Rich texture. Honeyed pineapple carries through the finish. 92-93 pts.

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