PHMG WAG Blind Pairs

Lyon's
Tasted Friday, December 9, 2011 by Grinner with 601 views

Introduction

This tasting was meant to showcase differences in geography and grapes to a "not so serious" group. The white was opened for an hour and out of the fridge for 30' before arrival. The reds were opened for four hours but not decanted. Everyone had 2 Reidel Gourmet glasses in front of them as opposed to our usual wine specific glassware.

Flight 1 - Unique White Wine Opener (1 Note)

  • 2009 Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils Pinot Beurot Les Grands Poisots 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

    This gem was courtesy of my local wine shop guru who went straight to it when I asked for a unique white wine. Imported by Kermit Lynch, an immediate positive, this is a Pinot Gris grown in Burgundy!! Who woulda thought! It has the typical light yellow color. Nose exudes white stone fruit and spice. On the palate there's some overlap w/ pinot blanc and modest resemblance to PG grown here in Oregon. More minerality and chalkiness. Great with little crab cakes!

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Flight 2 - Flight One: Pinot Noir (2 Notes)

  • 2005 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Arcus Estate 92 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Open for 4 hrs but no decant, it has a nice dark ruby color w/ just a tinge of purple still. The nose is effusive w/ dark cherry/berry, spice, cola and earth. Similar on the palate w/ a very nice texture and depth of fruit. Has 3-5 years. 10/10 favored it blind over a Gambal Burg in this tasting.

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  • 2005 Maison Alex Gambal Vosne-Romanée 89 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

    This has a lighter color than its New World brethren, more garnet at the rim. Tart cherry w/ hints of plum, earth, mushroom, and spice notes gave it away as the Burg in this blind pair. Not worth the $, but it's a fine wine that was even better w/ the salmon spread.

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Flight 3 - Flight Two: GSM (2 Notes)

  • 2007 Domaine Paul Autard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée La Cote Ronde 92 Points

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

    Open 4 hours, no decant. Dark ruby/ purple, this wine has notes of berry, some roasted dark fruit, a little underbrush, Kirsch, and leather. Very ripe on the palate where some more earthy notes emerge. Nice long finish w/ fruit tannins, and acidity. Earthiness gave it away blind and most preferred the Betz Grenache for its more fruit forward appeal.

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  • 2007 Betz Family Bésoleil 90 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    Tasted blind, this was a nice deep dark purple tinged ruby colored wine. It has very little of the Old World grenache weediness, w/ more black than red fruits, anise and spice. Glycerin makes it plush and almost sweet. Very enjoyable and a crowd pleaser over the Autard Cote Ronde.

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Flight 4 - Flight Three: Cabernet (2 Notes)

  • 2003 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

    My WOTN, this was immediately obvious in its blind pair, mostly because smelling the Bordeaux was like having your face pushed forcefully into a cigar box... This wine has a purple/ ruby color with great currant, blackberry, plum, spice flavors with a hint of menthol. Great texture, balance, and length. Has 10+ yrs easy, I'll try again in 2013.

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  • 2003 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    I loved this wine! The cedar and tobacco were almost overwhelming at first, but I think I have an idiosyncratic attraction to those notes along with the pencil, blackberry, cassis, and earth. More austere than the '03 Montelena it was paired with but the definition and the Graves terroir are very appealing. Texture is smooth and it goes on and on...

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Flight 5 - Flight Four: Zin vs. Petite Sirah (2 Notes)

  • 2008 Robert Biale Petite Sirah Royal Punishers 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    As I was pouring this the color was a dead give away: opaque purple/ black to the rim. When someone pours squid ink in your glass you know it's a PS! Very ripe blueberry, plum, violet, and spice/pepper flavors. Nice body and length. Crowd pleaser.

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  • 2009 Seghesio Family Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County

    Purple in color w/ a ruby rim, its not nearly as dark as the Biale PS it was paired with. More briary blackberry, raspberry, some pepper and spice. Nice depth of fruit, and great with ground pork sliders!

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Flight 6 - Flight Five: Oregon "Port" vs. the Real Thing (2 Notes)

  • 2007 Abacela Port 93 Points

    USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley

    This smoked a '07 Niepoort LBV blind (as well it should at twice the price). Dark and sumptuous berry fruit w/ well integrated etoh and tannins. Nice long finish. A true crowd pleaser, 10/10 picked it as their favorite. Has loads of time if you can keep your hands off it...

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  • 2007 Niepoort Porto Late Bottled Vintage 89 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    Lighter in color than the Abacela, this leans more towards red fruit than it also. Cherry, strawberry, earth, and tar notes. More obvious acidity as well. Still a very nice wine with decent integration considering its youth. I'd probably take 2 of these over 1 of the Abacela given the price difference.

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Closing

Lotsa fun! The roast leg of lamb went great with the GSM's and Cab based wines... duh.

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