Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
California Vs Burgundy Blind
Frank Murray's Casa
Tasted December 4, 2010 by WetRock with 932 views
Introduction
The theme was California versus Burgundy, white and red. Everyone contributed at least one bottle which was bagged and unknown to the group. We served them all in flights of three and did all reveals after each group was done(white and red groups). Not a lot of wows among the blind wines though many were very interesting. Some of the bonus end of the night wines were actually the most interesting with one being my WOTN.
Thanks again to Frank for setting up another great and fun night.
Flight 1 - Pre-Event Tastes (2 notes)
White
2008 Alice et Olivier De Moor Bourgogne-Chitry
Very steely and racy. Strong acidity and very clean. Could have used more fruit but is well made and would make a nice dinner companion.
White - Sparkling
1988 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Vintage Rare
The nose shows some oxidation along with mushrooms and yeast. Clean, balanced palate but not a lot of complexity for a wine so old. Nice and fresh still but it doesn't appear to be improving.
Flight 2 - White Flight #1 (3 notes)
I voted:
1 - 08 Sauzet
2 - 08 Rhys
3 - 08 Carillon
Overall winners:
1 - 08 Carillon
2 - 08 Sauzet
3 - 08 Wind Gap
White
2008 Wind Gap Wines Chardonnay
Served blind. Reticent nose with some pear and ripe tropical fruits. Touch of minerals. Rich with a very thick midpalate and clipped on the finish. Saying that, it wasn't overdone though there was a touch of heat on the finish. Guessed Cali, maybe an Aubert.
White
2008 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ-Canet
Served blind. The sulfur/smoke nose screamed Burgundy to me. Otherwise the nose showed very little but the palate was very good. Tight and precise with an acid driven expression, even grippy across the palate. This lingers for quite some time and showed some minerals. I think its best days are ahead of it but it was the easy winner for me of the flight. Very good.
White
2007 Wind Gap Wines Chardonnay Brosseau Vineyard
Served blind. Tight nose of graham crackers and Gatorade. Odd, weak palate with some grip and butterscotch notes. This bottle was a mess. Best guess was Cali.
Flight 3 - White Flight #2 (3 notes)
White
2008 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard
Served blind. Rich nose with smoke and caramel. Touch of heat. Rich palate with a nice clean finish. A pup still showing some oak but lovely for a richer Chard. Guessed Cali, most likely Rhys. I voted it #2.
White
2008 Louis Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Perrières
Served blind. The nose is reticent but shows some sushi salinity with funky earth. Funky mushroom note on a tight palate. There is powerful fruit lurking here underneath but its not exactly stitched together right now. Clearly needs some rest but the complexity and tight fruit are intriguing. I voted it 3rd.
White
2009 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords
Served blind. Decanted about 5 hours before serving. Bright and big nose for the type showing pear and minerals strongly. Clean palate with a ton of minerality. Very good length. I recused myself from voting on this since I knew what it was. Definitely in contention for the top 3 even if it wasn't Chard.
Flight 4 - Red Flight #1 (3 notes)
I initially had the 03 Lambrays marked for a top spot but a revisit made me rethink that. I also liked the Weber, Dublere and Rossignol besides what I voted for.
My votes:
1 - 04 Prive
2 - 99 Mugneret-Gibourg
3 - 09 Wind Gap
Overall winners:
1 - 03 Lambrays
2 - 04 Prive
3 - 06 Copain
Red
2008 Weber Wine Company Pinot Noir Kelley Family Vineyard
Served blind. Piny spice on a bright nose with reductive stank coming out later on. Sharp and biting on the palate with more reduction. The nose made me think of a Rivers Marie. The palate feel short.
Red
1992 Etude Pinot Noir Estate Carneros
Served blind. This bottle clearly showed aged qualities on the nose and the palate though the color was still very dark with not much bricking. Rich nose with notes of meat and oxidation. Dark cherry and tea palate with plenty of oxidized notes. Still good grip. Interesting but past its prime.
Red
2006 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard
Served blind. Decanted about 6 hours prior to serving. Tight nose with notes of cranberry and juniper. Lean feeling palate with more cranberry. This showed far less than I would have expected. Seemed perfumey on the nose later on but the palate still seemed in its shell being acidic and tart. Guessed Cali.
Flight 5 - Red Flight #2 (3 notes)
Red
2006 Craggy Range Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Te Muna Road Vineyard
Served blind. Big dark fruits on the nose coming with a baked quality and notes of sassafras. Bright big fruits that are juicy and baked with a touch of heat. Would have bet on Cali.
Red
2003 Domaine des Lambrays Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Les Loups
Served blind. This was intriguing early on with its complexities and I initially marked it as a possible favorite. A revisit after tasting all the wines wiped that hoped away as the ripeness showed in an ugly way with some volatile acetone notes dominating. Very dark in color. Complex with subtle qualities. Notes of dill and wood. Balanced palate showing lots of fruit but backed by a strong acidic core and lots of tannin for a Pinot. Guessed Burgundy initially but the revisit really threw me. Seeing the vintage on the reveal explained a lot. I think this is a drink now wine.
Red
2009 Wind Gap Wines Pinot Noir Gap's Crown & Griffin's Lair
Served blind. Woodsy notes with pine, cranapple and sweet chalky characters. Juicy palate with woodsy lignified stem characters. This was interesting and balanced and probably needing a few years. I guessed Copain from Anderson Valley and voted it 3rd.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 6 - Red Flight #3 (4 notes)
Red
2007 Domaine Dublère Volnay 1er Cru Pitures
Served blind. Tight nose showing some rocky mineral notes. Juicy cherry with strong acids and minerals. Even with the mineral acids the finish came up weak and watery. Never took a stab on a guess in my notes. Hard to tell if it was a weak Burgundy or a Cali wine from a producer trying to go way restrained.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2004 Privé Vineyard Pinot Noir Le Sud
Served blind. This was an interesting changing wine that had me guessing France for certain. Sharp nose with stems and apple skins. There is some volatility present also and a note of iron. Clean long palate with lots of acid and a sweet cherry finish. The more this sat in the glass the better it got also. The complexity and balance won me over and made me vote this one #1. Nice going Oregon.
Red
2006 Copain Pinot Noir Monument Tree
Served blind. Ripe baked fruits on a round candy like nose. Little bit volatile. Broad and clean palate. Very juicy at the finish. Clearly Cali. Never would have guessed Copain though this bottling has never wowed me as much as some of the others.
Flight 7 - Red Flight #4 (3 notes)
Red
2005 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay 1er Cru Santenots
Served blind. Nose shows some stewed fruits and sulfur. Lean acidic driven palate with a strong rip. Very tight as it gets towards the finish. I guessed Burgundy. Seems like a nice wine in need of more bottle time.
Red
2007 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Chambolle-Musigny
Served blind. Ripe baked fruits on the nose. Ripe fruit on a tart palate. The finish at that acidfied sweet 'n sour quality. There was a touch of earth so I guessed New World instead of just Cali.
Red
1999 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux
Served blind. This was decanted shortly before serving. Not much on the nose. Big yet pretty mouthfeel, well balanced with lots of grip. Concentrated with an acidic core and underlying complexity. I wish we had had this with more air but it was a winner even as tight as it was. I guessed France and voted it #2. Very good.
Flight 8 - Some After Event Treats (5 notes)
The Bouchard was great. Incredible for a village wine to drink so well so long. Still don't get the RM Cabs(love the Pinots!) and the Hartwell was a nice contrast to it even if it represents a more middle style. The Turley is a nice rarity. Worked nicely with the cake for me.
Red
1961 Bouchard Aîné & Fils Chambolle-Musigny
Nose of tea, leather and mushroom. The fruits are still sweet and pretty and there is still tannin present. A terrific surprise that would have been fun among the blind wines. My WOTN.
Red
2008 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon
Rich, dense, thick and chocolaty. Not my type of hype. Prototypical modern Napa Cab.
Red
1993 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard
Dirty dry soil on the nose with some aged mushroomy notes. Lean and tart, bit clipped. Some nice soy notes. Pretty good and far lighter than we think of Turley these days.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2002 Hartwell Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Some graham cracker oak notes and leafy aromas. This got better and better in the glass. Classic Cab flavors backed up by strong oak notes and pleasing tannins. Much leaner in feel than the RM. I liked this though I think it best with more air or bottle time.
Red
1998 Kalin Cellars Pinot Noir Cuvée DD
Nose of tea and mushrooms. Tart palate than seems passed it's prime. I'm usually more impressed with the Kalin whites and find the Pinots variable.