Single Blind Tasting a Dozen Wines

Each guest picked two wines from the cellar this week by email. Day of, decanted as necessary in the afternoon. Then back into the bottles at 6pm and into brown numbered paper bags sealed around the necks with blue duct tape. We had a great time and, as always, both gained confidence and were humbled by the blind tasting.

Thank you David for bringing the incredible Clos St. Denis!

• 2003 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Rose petals, the balance profile of the best dark chocolate, very good length, brawny in heft and structure but polished. It was interesting to compare this to the '03 Leovilile Poyferre Bordeaux, as they were the two more structured wines of the flight. Here, the large, joyfully round tannins wait a beat and then roll in, whereas on the Bordeaux, the fine tannins have an immediacy and form a consistent backdrop through the sip.

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• 2008 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  Involved in the most seamless way, this is gentle, expansive, and delicious but the two aged Burgundies next to it really highlighted how soft its edge is.

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• 2003 Château Léoville Poyferré 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Exquisite texture, well-made and not showy. Seemed to have good heart. An achievement. It was interesting to compare this to the '03 Valdicava Brunello, as they were the two more structured wines of the flight. The fine tannins here have an immediacy and constancy throughout the sip while the Brunello's large round tannins wait a beat and then roll in.

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• 2001 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 85 Points

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

  Have had better bottles of this. Ripe garrigue and midpalate not pulling its weight.

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• 2002 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Spritely, complex, and irrefutable. Like shining horns. My WotN.

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• 1993 Louis Jadot Clos St. Denis 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru

  Structure appears to finally be resolving in this fully mature Burgundy. Nothing tired here, but autumn's closing in on the smells and flavors. I don't think these get better, but unclear how steep is the decline.

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• 2007 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Les Claux 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas

  Largely traditional; large-scaled; quite a celebration beautiful in shape and presence but without a stand-out, memorable particular personality. Let down by expectations?

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• 2008 Baer Winery Ursa 91 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Didn't love the taste of the tannins on this one and found them distracting to an otherwise fruit-forward, cassis-driven wine. Just moderate structure remaining and a long, sweet finish. Score may be reflective of lineup and company; the new worlds lost the allstar game last night, I'd say. This was the bottle with the most remaining.

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• 2012 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  Tasted like the youngest wine of the lineup (it was). Gentle, persistent, dark, seamless, and fascinating with several enjoyable and suprising stages.

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• 2006 Thibault Liger-Belair Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  Drinking well and still carrying both structure and fruit, with earth, smoke, and a tad of spice.

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• 2014 Domaines Minchin Menetou-Salon Pommerais La Tour St Martin

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Menetou-Salon

  Held its own for beauty in a lineup of much more expensive wines. Don't see a reason to wait on these; could drink em every night.

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• 2011 Prats and Symington Douro Chryseia 93 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  Lots going on here- inky with sharp fruit, calculating salty notes, yogurt, oats. Intense and extracted.

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Thank you David for sharing the two incredible icewines to top off the evening!

• 2002 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine Oak Aged 92 Points

  Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Peninsula VQA

  Fantastic bouquet of maple, orange rhind, and Parmesan; black licorice. Sweet as candy. Orange marmalade and honey; reminds me of a buller tokay with a black licorice twist.

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• 1998 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine Single Vineyard Series Plut Vineyard 95 Points

  Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA

  Copper colored. Raisins, taffy, and maybe even the slightest sense of fishoil and deviled egg on the bouquet; hoisin. Strawberries and apricots; radish; animal; brown roots and spices like star anise; rich and sweet but not heavy. This has ridiculous life left in it. Not quite as long as you might like.

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