Double Blind Tasting and Dinner

David Burke's Primehouse - Chicago IL
Tasted Monday, April 28, 2008 by Burgundy Al with 601 views

Introduction

Gary Weber wanted to embarrass himself and all of us with a double blind dinner tasting. Everybody had to bring a $100+ bottle of wine and the Sommelier then flighted them together. Points were awarded for correctly identifying grape varietal, country of origin, region commune, vintage and producer.

Flight 1 - Champagne to Start (1 Note)

Flight 2 - Halibut (2 Notes)

  • 2005 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 93 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

    Tasted double blind. Lots of cut grass and citrus aromas. Lemon and grapefruit on palate, very energizing, great minerality.

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  • 2000 Lur-Saluces "Y" Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

    Tasted double blind. Corked. Impossible to assess, other than its rich, oily character. i shouldn't say impossible, because Ken identified this wine correctly.

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Flight 3 - Lobster with Truffle (2 Notes)

  • 2002 Verget Bâtard-Montrachet 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

    Tasted double blind. Lots of ripe stone fruit, lots of new oak. Very good density indicated Grand Cru to me. Fat and lush character made me think this Bâtard-Montrachet. Ripeness, acidity and age made me think 2002 over 2004 from a modern styled producer. My best showing of the night - I guessed everything correctly on the wine, just couldn't decide between Girardin and Verget as the producer and my coin flip went the wrong way.

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  • 1994 Marquis de Laguiche (Joseph Drouhin) Montrachet 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

    Tasted double blind. Lush fruit, very advanced with good spice, decent mineral textures, but just modest acidity. Clearly Chardonnay, I struggled to identify if this was a 15-20 year old Burgundy or a 5-10 old from Napa. Overall still good, but certainly past its prime.

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Flight 4 - Seared Foie Gras (1 Note)

Flight 5 - Porcini Mac& Cheese with Pork Rillette (4 Notes)

  • 1983 Pierre Ponnelle Bonnes Mares 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

    Tasted double blind. Mostly mushroom and earthy aromas with some red and black cherry hints. Moderate concentration and density made me think this was 1er Cru and the minerality made me think this from Chambolle-Musigny. Its evolved flavors made me think this from a good vintage in the 1970s, most likely 1979 because it also seemed a little ripe & muddy. So...I was close in several regards, but basically wrong. Better than another bottle I recall from a few years ago.

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  • 1982 Vietti Barolo Riserva Villero 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Tasted double blind. Lots of red and black cherry, licorice, slightly floral, with moderate earthy aromas. Similar fruit profile on palate with very crisp acidity, good textures, good length and finesse.

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  • 2000 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins 95 Points

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

    Tasted double blind. Incredible spice with black and red cherry aromas and some barnyard hints. i thought this older than 2000 based on those earthy hints, but thought it had incredible length, power and concentration. I think this was the first time I have ever had Bonneau's Célestins.

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  • 1990 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac 92 Points

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

    Tasted double blind. Very rip black fruit with good balancing tannins. Also good spice coming through mostly from middle to finish.

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Flight 6 - Duck Tortelloni (2 Notes)

Flight 7 - Tenderloin (2 Notes)

  • 2002 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Tasted double blind. Black fruit with lots of new oak spice aromas. Same black fruit on palate, very good accompanying spice, starting to shed its baby fat and show early maturity, which unfortunately is making the alcohol more prominent. I thought this older when tasted blind. Not quite as exciting as i recall from when last tasted a couple of years ago.

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  • 2003 Torbreck Grenache Les Amis 89 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

    Tasted double blind. black color. Super ripe aromas and flavors with a real sense of jammy character and modest spice, but still good acidity in support. I thought this was probably 2000 Chateauneuf. Oops again.

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Flight 8 - Cheese (2 Notes)

Closing

Since I mostly drink Burgundy when I drink this level of wine, I didn't expect to do well tonight. And while I finished in the bottom half, I would have been near the top if I had made some very, very small corrections in my analysis of the two Burgundies.

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