Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs - Double Blind- Guests Christine Bruce & John Hilliard

Attendees: Christine Bruce(Guest Winemaker), Alvaro Dangano, Barry Diamond, Mark Friedman(me), Al Heltman, John Hilliard(Guest Winemaker), Pablo Lancella, Jerry Pinnas, John Radencic, Bob Radziewicz

• NV Mumm Napa Cuvée M Red 85 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (1/25/2012)

  Alvaro's wine. Crimsom color with medium pearls and aromas of strawberry. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of strawberry with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a short finish - Quirky bubbly. Saccharine, not to my taste.

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HILLIARD BRUCE (Santa Rita Hills) trumps CERITAS' Porter-Bass (Sonoma Coast)

• 2003 Château de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel Blanc 75 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  (1/25/2012)

  Al's wine. FLAWED, OXIDIZED!

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• 2009 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  (1/25/2012)

  - Light gold color with medium forming legs and aromas of lemon and geranium. It's balanced and has flavours of lemon with a medium body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - My wine. I brought it to vie w Christine(Bruce) and John(Hilliard's) Santa Rita Hills 09 Chard, as I loved it last month and has an avg CT rating of 93 points. Side by side it was no match, the Hilliard Bruce was infinitely better.

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• 2009 Hilliard Bruce Chardonnay 95 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  (1/25/2012)

  - Light gold color with medium forming legs and aromas of cut green grass, lemon and geranium. It's in total harmony and has flavours of lemon and cloves with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a long finish - John(Hilliard) and Christine(Bruce)s' wine. I had both the 09 Ceritas and 09 Hilliard Bruce within the past month. On their own I loved them both. Side by Side it was a mismatch. I would equate the Hilliard Bruce to an excellent Batard or Chevalier MONTRACHET. John said that James Suckling rated it 2nd or 3rd best vs all other area Chardonnay's in his recent tasting trip. Bravo, Christine and John.

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HB MOON & CINQ CEPAGE STANDOUT!

• 2008 Hilliard Bruce Pinot Noir Moon 95 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  (1/25/2012)

  - Purple color with fast forming legs and aromas of blackberry, raspberry and violet. It's in total harmony and has flavours of Bing Cherry blackberry and raspberry with a full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Christine and John's wine. Decanted for 2 hrs in am.I LOVE THIS WINE(so does Gallioni)! If you go to their web site and see John holding this tiny Pinot berry one begins to comprehend what is involved in viticulture. In Oregon in 99 I had tasted ripe fruit off the vine and then it seemed very good. The berry however was substantially larger than John's. I can now better understand Ellen's criticism of many Pinot's as being Pinot "Light", vs the verve present in small berry wines such as this. Again, Bravo Christine and John. What you have achieved in such a short period of time is extraordinary.(Vineyards planted in 2004. First vintage 2007.)

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• 1996 Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru) 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  (1/25/2012)

  - Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant, violet, eucalyptus and menthol. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Alvaro's wine.(I also have a bottle, I believe bought at WOLFE'S at his inventory clearing make a bid sale.)

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• 2005 Anthonij Rupert Cabernet Franc 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley

  (1/25/2012)

  - Fast forming legs and aromas of blackberry. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Bob's wine. Was hard to ID as Cab Franc as it ripeness didn't reflect the green vegetation I normally associate w Cab Franc. Very good, however.

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• 1994 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Finca Dofí 90 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  (1/25/2012)

  - Violet color with fast forming legs and aromas of eucalyptus, blackberry, black pepper, violet and tar. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, black currant and tar with a full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Pablo's wine. Several of us guessed Priorat.

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• 2003 Lindhorst Statement 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

  (1/25/2012)

  Barry's wine. I don't remember much about it, but the CT score is 89. If any participant would like to add a note e-mail me.

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• 1997 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  (1/25/2012)

  - Purple color with fast forming legs and aromas of black currant, blackberry, chocolate, violet and cedar. It's in total harmony and has flavours of black currant and blackberry with a medium body. Silky texture with a long finish - John's wine. Great to have this again as I finished my last 97 a few years ago(1 - 96WOTY left). It is still going strong at age 15. I believe those vintages were made while Richard Arrowood was the Winemaker at Ch. St. Jean. Used to be one of the great California Wine values, before WS prematurely crowned the 96 WOTY PRIOR TO IT'S RELEASE!!!

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• 2001 Masi Campofiorin 89 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Veronese IGT

  (1/25/2012)

  - Violet color with medium forming legs and aromas of tar, blackberry and violet. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and molasses with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Jerry's wine. Corvina, apparently somewhere between Valpolicella and Amarone. A lighter Ripasso, I presume less time in the Sun.

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It was our pleasure to have Christine and John join us!