Epic Blind Tasting with Great Buds

What an embarrassment of riches! I had such a blast with a group of great friends. My ol' bud manonthemoon cracked some gems and blinded us on them. Epic times.

• 2015 Savart Champagne Premier Cru Le Mont Benoit 94 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  From magnum. Awesome showing. Nose of red apples, raspberries, strawberries, along with rose petals, grapefruit pith and plenty of chalk and saline. The palate is bracing and tart but packed with depth and texture. Crunchy red apples and wild raspberries, mixed with notes of floral perfume, chalk dust, crushed limestone, some basil and mint. Lovely Pinot-based Champagne that has a long life ahead

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• 2017 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Clisson 92 Points

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

  The nose is infused with chalk, slate, crushed shells, and oyster brine, over lemon wedges, orange peels, some white peach. There's a pleasantly creamy texture with tart lemon/lime and lots of crunchy minerals and stony vibes, with some floral nuances in the finish. Blind guess: 2013 Servin Chablis MdT. Should've known it was Muscadet!

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• 2009 Linden Chardonnay Hardscrabble 94 Points

  USA, Virginia, Northern Virginia

  Golden colored. A gorgeous nose of white peach, whipped honey butter, apricot, with new tennis balls, some almond skin, corn husk -- really fascinating. Creamy texture and racy acidity with lovely balance and flavors of lemon bars, apricot, and orange peel. Complex notes of hay, ginger, almond cake, some croissants. I was ranting and raving about this wine. Blind guess: 2015 Cameron Clos Electrique. I love Hardscrabble but I was surprised at how well this was showing.

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• 2020 Cameron Friulano Clos Electrique 93 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Light yellow color. Aromas of creamy pears and tangy orange peel, guava, with notes of honey, tropical flowers, and some nettle and basil. Racy and distinct on the palate, it's both full throttle and racy at the same time with limes, guava, white peach. I love the integration of the denser honey and almond tones. I was really grasping at straws here but when tasted blind I guessed a 2017 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc, knowing I was off course.

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• 2018 Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Such a cool nose, like somewhat natty but it shaves and tucks in its shirt. I got lemon zest, apricot jam, yellow pears, with honeycomb, all sorts of saline and mineral infusion, some oyster shell. The palate is deep amd creamy but with bright acidity. Lemon, peach, pears, golden apples, the fruit is tossed with notes of crushed shells and chalk, white flowers, and some almond cake. Really delicious but I didn't feel good on my blind guess (some 2018 Jura Chard). Lovely stuff that I'd love to revisit in a few years.

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• 2018 Cameron Chardonnay Wadsworth Clos Electrique 95 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Incredible stuff. Smells like buttered biscuits served with lemon and orange marmalade, quince, sea salt, yellow flowers, all sorts of minerals and chalk. Rich on the palate, this starts with a tropical burst and the acidity rushes in to clean everything up. Peach and guava nectar, drizzled with lime, and the fruit is blended with notes of peanut shell, hay, almond cake, nuanced oak and spice. Gorgeous and harmonious stuff. Blind guess: 2015 Ceritas Chardonnay Martin. But Cameron comes through again with a stunner! This will be killer in four or five years, too.

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• 2009 Osvaldo Amado Dão Raríssimo Clarete 93 Points

  Portugal, Beiras, Dão

  A deep, saucy nose, like blast beats of figs and boysenberry, along with tobacco, anise, bacon fat, and magic marker. Rich and dense on the palate with smooth tannins and a ripe, saucy feel, with moderating acidity just enough to keep it from being too dense. Black cherries and boysenberry, laced with smoky earth, anise, barbecue sauce, and grilled meats, with stony, earthy undertones. Delightfully rich and boisterous. Guess: 2015 Cayuse Bionic Frog. I was surprised (likely shouldn't have been) that this was from Dao.

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• 2016 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard 96 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Cool nose of musk, black olive, roasted figs, blueberries, iron, gravel, leather. The palate is rich and deep but suave and such impeccable balance -- dense but yet fresh, still. Flavors of dark plums, blueberries, black cherry pie, laced with a lot of bacon fat, black pepper, grilled steaks, along with smashed rocks and freshly paved road. Amazing stuff, built for the long haul. Guess: 2016 Cayuse Syrah Armada. So close to a perfect guess!

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• 2008 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg 96 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny

  The nose on this shows a ton of bacon fat, black olives, tobacco, with other brighter, airier tones of dried flowers and herbs, and I get some dusty earth as well over top of tangy, mulled black and red cherries. The palate is saucy and suave with structured but refined tannins and crisp acidity. Flavors of plums and figs blend with complex notes of mint, campfire smoke, leather, bacon fat, black olives and brine, with gravelly, earthy, graphite tones as well. This was exquisite and fresh. Blind, I guessed a 2010 Baudry Chinon. A pleasure to enjoy this wine with friends.

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• 1998 Domaine Michel Gaunoux Corton-Renardes 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  The nose on this had a lot of sun-dried tomatoes, stewed cherries, roasted red pepper, mesquite, and some earthy, roasted chestnut tones. The palate had soft tannins and medium-high acidity with flavors of roasted plums and dried cherries, along with some tomato paste, black pepper, and chewing tobacco. Honestly, I really had no idea what this was so I went with a blind guess of a late 1980s Napa Cab, based on the friend who brought it's predilection for blinding us on weird old US wines.

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• 1996 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Spicy red cherries on the nose with a lot of rhubarb, mulling and pickling spices, along with dusty earth and clay. The palate shows resolved tannins on a brisk and taut frame with flavors of raspberries and fig paste. Lots of earthy, savory tones underneath, but things do feel a bit muddied and blurred from time. Tasted blind, I guessed a 1995 Chinon. Was pretty impressed actually at how this held up given the circumstances.

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• 2016 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Cool nose of black cherries and blueberries mixed with tones of musky cologne, savory broth, tar, black pepper, some barbecued meat. Grippy and dark-fruited on the palate, with lots of smoky, earthy, olive, tar, and charcoal vibes. I really liked this and I did guess a Super Tuscan, but I guessed a 2015 Syrah/Merlot blend, not a Cab Franc. Really solid stuff that should age well.

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• 2007 Cameron Rouge Clos Electrique 93 Points

  USA, Oregon

  Spicy cherries, raspberries, lots of rose hips, tar, some herbal tea, anise, black pepper. The palate is refined with dusty tannins and fresh acidity. Juicy red and black cherry fruit mixes well with earth, musk, leather, pepper, anise, spiced cranberry relish. I wasn't sure on this one at all, but through out a 1995 Columbia Valley Syrah as an uncertain blind-tasting guess. Awesome to see that even from a tough vintage, Clos Electrique still rocks.

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