Lyon Again, Eugene, OR
Tasted Saturday, November 5, 2022 by Grinner with 190 views
Started in '97 with ten year old CaliCabs, this has been a really fun group and get together! After finding out that Washington had one of its best years ever, I scrapped the '12 Oregon Pinots and here we are!
The wines were double decanted 3-4 hours in advance. Served one at a time in blind flights of 5. Each flight was unveiled as we went. Everyone had the list, so guessing gets easier!
Caviar on potato chips and some homemade clam dip
Showing its age, this was a nice smooth Syrah table wine. Very pleasant, but only medium depth and less complex than you'd expect for a great year in the WW Vly. It set the table for the wines to follow.
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Wow! What a turn around after the Anne Amie! Big, black fruit with hints of tar, leather, smoke, pepper and licorice. Loads of time!
Here's my note from 7 years ago:
"This wine has almost as much of the non-fruit flavors as fruit. Black and blue fruit framed by earth, pepper, leather, and spices that linger nicely. Tannins are substantial and if I only had 1 left (!) it'll be 4-5+ years from now (see my 2022 Retro Tasting notes...). (2446 views)"
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Blind, I thought this was a Cayuse because of its funk. Black and red cherries, red plum, meat, earth and pepper.
Borderline QPR at $70 in 2015. One of 2 wines (out of 35) that were undrinkable on day 3. Don't wait TOO long...
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This is a savory wine! Meat, leather, and pepper were the initial hits and I guessed right in this blind tasting. Transports you to the south of France (where something like this would be $30). Drink.
My note from 2015:
This wine resembles a 5-7 yr old pinot in color, but so much more earth, stone, and leather. Nice, elegant, and reasonably complex. The fruit is there but like a lot of southern French wines it takes a back seat to some non-fruit flavors. The etoh is hidden and the tannins are moderate. Now-2020. (3552 views)
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Lightest color of the entire tasting of 32 reds, yet beautiful for it's layers and complexity. Black and red fruit with underbrush, flowers and loam going on and on. Drink now, this is resolved!
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A ringer in this event. This almost came off as a little sweet after the Mourved in this blind tasting. Black cherry and berries, pepper, herbs and oak on the palate. A smidge of glycerin enhancing the texture and dueling with the 16% etoh combined to give this away as the Aussie. Now-2024.
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This was amazing start to the second flight! "Sweet", but big and lush with blackberry, currant, and black cherry on stone and floral notes. New World written all over it, but still fun! Now-2027.
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One of the higher QPR's in this group of 32 wines. A little tight on the nose, but big on the palate with some big black fruit notes, then stone, oak and earth. Still "hanging" on day 3 w/o gas. Now-2025.
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In this blind tasting, I gave the same score as almost 2 years ago:
"There's a little "C-funk!" Only bottle I was willing to commit to in this blind flight. Almost "sweet" with ripe blackberry, black cherry and plums. Funky leather, smoke, espresso, olive and pepper dance around on the finish. Polarizing, but I love it! Now-2025. (3112 views)"
The "funk" is still there on this afternoon (leading to a correct guess, after thinking the Reynvaan was this wine in a previous flight). Similar CdP notes of Kirsch, kelp, and anise notable on the long finish. BEWARE! this bottle was one of two that did not survive to day 3...
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A ringer in this event.
My wife and I were the only ones who had tasted at the winery and knew their style, leading to a correct guess (with only 5 choices...). Stoney black fruit and iron notes (Crozes-Hermitage anyone?) and less "overdone" than the bigger wines this afternoon.
Just a great wine, that could even use another year or two. Wow!
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My score might be overly enthusiastic in a blind tasting... this was big but a bit hot. Nice mix of black and red fruit with some spice and a nice mouthfeel. Drink or the etoh might win even bigger...
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This was a palate cleanser for flights to come. Pleasant and correct, berries and wet stone/ minerals of decent length. Tuesday night perfection. Drink.
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Blind, this was initially underwhelming. Blackberry, black cherry and plum notes supported by some spice and earth. Medium length. It actually gained some complexity on day 2 = 92pts. Now-2027.
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More depth and tannins than the Betz before it. Really enjoyable for its black fruit, spice, florals, and earth that linger nicely. Tannins winning a bit more on day 2 = 90. Now-2025.
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I'm so bummed the donor of this wine to the tasting woke up sick and couldn't attend! Of course we drank his wine!
IT. WAS. FANTASTIC! One of the best Cab / blends I've had in a while (until later this pm). Deep Purple ("Smoke on the Water"?) and black fruit with plum, cocoa, stone and espresso in layers so deep it's like tasting in quicksand! You just get swallowed up. Great "mountain grown" feel to it. I correctly guessed California, but thought it was from Howell Mtn. Now-2037.
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Super pleasant and smooth after the almost smash mouth Monte Bello. Blackberry liqueur, plum, cocoa and spice sing. Great balance of acid and tannins. 93 on day 2. now-2027.
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This bottle stood out for its blue fruit, stone and tannins. Easy to guess in a blind tasting when you knew it was coming at some point. Fell off a bit on day 2 => 90. Drink now-2024.
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Blind, I thought to myself of Led Zep's "Whole Lotta Love". Lots of everything w/o being over the top. I actually guessed "blend" because it was so smooth with a mix of currant, mocha and floral notes. Structure and layers were even more obvious on day 2 = 93! Now-2028.
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Nice and stern for a 10 yr old Cab with deep dark currant and oak notes up front. Blackberry, loam and cigar on the long backside. 94+ in the blind tasting, 93 on day 2. Now-2027.
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Just enough VA to call "off" though the palate was ok. The other Cadence in this event was similar -- yikes!
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Ooooh! Another Juan Valdez / "Mountain Grown" wine in this tasting. It did stand out for the deep dark rocky currant and tobacco notes. Super long and luxurious. The other CA wine had already been revealed in this blind tasting so I knew this one! 95 on day 2. Now-2032! or longer...
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This was like an actor who says, "I'm age appropriate!" This stood out for being sleek and smooth, integrated and deep. All the usual WA Cab flavors and one of the few out of 30+ bottles that I wrote, "tastes 10 years" in this tasting. It has the stuffing to go longer. 93 on day 2. Now-2027.
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This bottle overperformed in this blind tasting! Standing out for being smooth but big, layered and complex. Mostly black fruit with hints of Rainier cherry, spice, florals, cigar and stone. Missed it when guessing, as it was better than a bottle THE PREVIOUS NIGHT! Now-2025.
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One of the top wines this afternoon! Deep blackberry, boysenberry vs. black raspberry, coffee, flowers and stone. Really nice acid and tannin base. Just goes on and on! 94 on day 2. Now-2030
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First word in my notes for this blind tasting was, "beautiful". Not a bad start. More obviously tannic than the Palengat before it, this leaned into its creme de cassis, stone, tobacco, cocoa and spice with no apologies! 94+ down to 93 on day 2. Now-2027.
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As can happen in a long blind tasting, my notes got shorter..."Big Cab". More black than red fruited with some oak and anise / fennel. 90 on day 2, tannins winning. Drink sooner than later.
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This was somehow familiar, but I haven't bought Leonetti in 15 years (Thanks Joe/Kyla for this one). Great texture, but on a very solid base. Currants, black plum, coffee, earth/ stone, and oak that linger like a political ad (but this was pleasant!). 95+ down to 93+ on day 2. Now- 2027.
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Weird and pruney, this bottle was bought in 2015, stored perfectly with many others in this event, but tonight? Drano...
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One of the few bottles today that gave an immediate palate impression of sweetness due to glycerin. Then the big beautiful spicy black fruit hits and all is ok in the world (OK, not). 93+ down to 92 on day 2. Now-2025
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My WOTN (thanks Kyla and Joe!), this bottle was both silky and dense, deep and dark, fruity and savory. Blackberry, cassis, stone, leather, cocoa and spice just go, go, go...tannins there but nicely hiding for Halloween. 96 on day 2. WOW! Now-2030.
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Second Cadence that had JUST enough VA to call off and down the drain. Very drinkable and many wouldn't notice but there were too many other good wines out tonight!
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A very nice but not spectacular end to a long afternoon! Blackberry, black plum, chocolate, tobacco and earth don't linger too long, darn! 90 on day 2. Drink soon.
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foie gras, figs, Rogue Creamery blue cheese and/ or fruit thumbprint cookies...let's see...
A nice west coast "Sauternes" from late harvest Sauv Blanc and Semillon. Very sweet / rich and that may have cost it a point or two. The fruit is tropical and citrus with a smidge of spice making it interesting. Now-2030 (see if it mellows...).
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I'm not sure saving Washington wines makes them any more delicious, but it sure was fun to try!
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2012 Union Champagne de Saint Gall Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 93 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
A very nice mix of white citrus, green apple, chalk and dough. Great acidity and mouthfeel. No drop on day 2.
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2012 Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé 91 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Nice contrast to the Champagne before it. Red berries tossed with citrus and pear. Hints of toast and minerals, but it's all about the fruit. Drink up.
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