Late to the Party Zoom (well, google) Tasting

Our tasting group finally got around to a distanced online tasting. Samples were sent around so everyone was double blind except me. The first flight was chosen somewhat randomly though I thought the bigger Alsace riesling might be an interesting pair to a CA field blend. The second flight was more specific, a side-by-side of 2014 CdN.

• 2012 Carlisle The Derivative White

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Double blind tasting - guesses were all over the place, from riesling to ca chard. Interestingly nobody guess bordeaux blanc (though who would ever guess that?). Medium acidity, stone fruit, floral, no noticable alc despite the 14.2%. These Carlisle whites age nicely.

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• 2008 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile

  France, Alsace

  Whoa, huge intense nose. Double blind tasting, everyone guessed riesling with some age. To me much thicker and more floral than a German riesling with much lower acidity (though still pretty high!). Great stuff and a great value especially considering it's released pre-aged.

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• 2014 Domaine Robert Groffier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

  Double blind tasting. Did not scream pinot and guesses were all over, from grenache to trousseau, though mostly CA. Lighter bodied than its flight-mate. Drinking fine now, not much tannic structure, doesn't seem like it needs or will benefit from age. Good but meh for the price.

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• 2014 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains

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

  Double blind tasting, unlike its flight-mate, this one screamed pinot. Guesses, however, were mixed between Burgundy and CA. I thought it showed pretty true to NSG, a bit chunky with darker fruit, not the acidity and cranberry of the CA guesses. Clearly the more serious and age-worthy of the two pinots, this was still quite drinkable now, definitely not the hard tannins of old-style Gouges.

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Of the 3 single variety wines, 2 were identified correctly by all participants. I think that's pretty good! The two pinot really were quite different so it's not too surprising the Groffier gave people some pause. The 2014 burgs were surprisingly approachable, neither showed very tannic or felt like they needed age.