Semi-Blind White Wine Tasting

Casa Roberts
Tasted Saturday, June 20, 2009 by ews3 with 1,224 views

Introduction

We decided to mix up a bunch of white wines into flights and give it a go... 23 wines... sushi platters from Umai Umai, and cheese from DiBrunos... as always, a wonderful tasting.

Flight 1 - Champagne Starter (1 Note)

Drank with the sushi platters from a beautiful magnum.

  • 1996 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses 95 Points

    France, Champagne

    July Disgorgement, from magnum. Very fine mousse. Green apple and under-ripe strawberry (or the white part of the strawberry) with some interesting raspberry and nutty notes -- raspberry almond danish? Extremely young. Medium (+) acid level is quite refreshing and the finish is nearly as long as any sparkling wine I've had. Very young, but it will be tough to keep my hands off the other two mags...

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 2 - Blind Chardonnays (3 Notes)

We were thrown for a loop in this flight -- humbling to be so certain... and so wrong... The Aubert was the class of the flight and my dry WOTN.

  • 2007 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Very surprising when this was revealed -- it had such a level of complexity and depth that we thought it was surely the white burgundy with age. bread, lime, pear, tropical fruit, violet, pineapple, nutmeg, and ginger made varying appearances as it evolved. Everything in very good balance. Medium(+) finish. Was a little sour after it warmed up, so make sure you don't drink it too warm.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1998 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

    mineral, banana, lime, and slate. subtle oak is well integrated. very light sandwiched between two CA Chardonnays - still, this was delicious. I thought this was the 07 Aubert (oops!). Long, light finish.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2006 Peter Michael Chardonnay Point Rouge 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

    well integrated oak. red apple and brown sugar notes dominated. long finish has too much oak for my palate. This would do well in most CA Chard tastings, but here it was too much oak.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 3 - Blind Sauvignon Blancs (3 Notes)

An OK flight -- still love the Corra, but you can't expect too much from SBs...

  • 2007 Corra Sauvignon Blanc 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Classic sauv blanc grassiness, combined with a strong white grapefruit aroma. the acidity remains a little bit too harsh on this, but I have loved the nose every time. medium(-) finish. Easily pegged as the Corra.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 87 Points

    New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough

    very interesting -- initially this had some offputting smells on it and I hought it was the Sancerre -- but with time it blew off and the classic MArlborough profile came through. strong lychee notes throughout, with a lovely tangerine aroma. the offputting notes were cabbage-y, almost like a sauerkraut. But then the grassy grapefruit herbaceous character was there. medium finish. nice wine for the price.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2007 Dominique Roger (Domaine du Carrou) Sancerre La Jouline 86 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

    an odd sweetness on this -- caramel nose with some simple grape concentrate. On the palate I got weird Sake notes -- not what I expected at all.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 4 - Blind Rhone Varietals (3 Notes)

Everyone loved the Clos des Papes.. the SQN was more controversioal, with most people coming around to it.

  • 2000 Sine Qua Non The Boot 91 Points

    USA, California

    really interesting oxidative character... apricot notes are dominant, on top of a mushroom underpinning with toffee and mushroom notes on top... now mind you, that isn't a concoction you could pay me to drink, but it does work here. medium(+) finish shows the class here. This is perhaps slightly past peak, but still very nice and from the SQN tasting this spring, I'm sure it will last.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2007 d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab 82 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

    odd tunafish notes on the nose never blew off, but I don't think this was flawed. raw almond and stone fruit is there, but this is pretty simple. a little watery. a little spritz on the tongue. short finish.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2006 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 93 Points

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

    a nice effort. really pleasant anise notes were most prominent, with some stone fruit and nutty character. also some light floral notes that, combined with the acidity, made this quite refreshing. medium lush finish fills the mouth and is really quite nice.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 5 - Blind Rieslings (3 Notes)

Again, I had the Alsace and Finger Lakes mixed up. A nice blind showing for the Wiemer... until you realize it is probably the most expensive of the flight...

  • 2007 Hugel Riesling "Hugel" 88 Points

    France, Alsace

    Blind, I thought this was the finger lakes riesling. green apple, lime, wet stone, honey, and brown sugar. a little bit of spritz on the palate. medium finish. nice.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2004 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 91 Points

    Germany, Nahe

    my last bottle of donnhoff kabinett, i'll have to restock... so pleasant. petrol, pear, honey, sweet spice, clove. a little off dry, more sweetness than the other two. also very rich and lush, but with a refreshing spritz and enough acidity to balance the RS. i could drink this all day. and at a sub-$20 price point, this is a great value...

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2006 Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling Dry Reserve 89 Points

    USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake

    peach, red and green apple, tastes a little like a chenin blanc with some quince notes. blind, i thought this was the alsatian riesling...

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 6 - Random whites (3 Notes)

An interesting mish-mash of love it or hate it wines...

  • 2007 Alban Vineyards Viognier 84 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    grass, apricot, grapefruit. sour flavor profile was a disappointment. short finish.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2007 Scholium Project The Prince In His Caves Farina 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain

    very strange wine... cloudy like I've never seen in an un-flawed wine. sweetened lychee, pink grapefruit, white apricot -- the nose is phenomenal and just keeps coming at you. palate is well balanced and though the sweet flavors are there, it is not a sweet wine. medium (+) finish. really interesting...

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1998 Domaine aux Moines Savennières Roche aux Moines 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières Roche aux Moines

    people did not like this, but i thought t was a very nice example of loire chenin blanc. quince, caramel, apricot, and sea salt. medium(+) finish. great value at $20 if you can find it (and if you like chenin!)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 7 - Dessert flight 1 (3 Notes)

Yum yum yum... couldn't decide between the Quarts de Chaume and the Eiswein -- so I took my time comparing them!!!

  • 2002 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 96 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru

    I *just* reloaded on these but continue to drink them every occasion I get. My God I love this stuff. quince, peach, apricot, honey, nutmeg, with a smooth sweetness -- very sweet, but not thick or cloying. an incredible acidity makes this smooth as can be. Not the highest score I gave at this tasting, but my favorite of the wines... LONG finish -- basically you keep experiencing this until you get lured in to another sip. 6 bottles left in the cellar and I'm already looking for more...

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2006 Margan Sémillon Botrytis 87 Points

    Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

    not sure of the vintage on this -- will correct if I am off. Ginger, sweet spice -- but not enough fruit behind the spicy profile. too much. finish is pleasant. this got very lost between the quarts de chaume and the eiswein.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1999 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Eiswein 97 Points

    Germany, Nahe

    yum, yum, yum. i couldn't find any flaws or impurities in this. just pure, concentrated grape. a beautiful thing. finish goes forever. even as i describe the pure concentrate aspect, the sweetness was equally matched by an incredible level of acidity that made this seem heavy and light at the same time. Stone, honey, red apple juice concentrate, but it's no the mix of flavors that makes this what it is -- it;s the purity. I'm not sure why I am holding 3 points back from this -- I think it's because I like the Quarts de Chaume better personally... but this is a stunning wine.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 8 - Fortified Muscats (3 Notes)

The Museum Muscat was a class above the rest.

Flight 9 - Madeira (1 Note)

Yes, Madeira is a white wine... Perhaps next time we'll go with a nice old one...

Closing

WOTN: 2002 Quarts de Chaume, with the 1999 Donnhoff Eiswein just a tick behind on personal preference. Dry WOTN: 2007 Aubert Lauren

×
×