San Diego WineSpectator.com Offline, 4/12/2013

San Diego
Tasted Friday, April 12, 2013 by Javachip with 739 views

Introduction

Mr. & Mrs. SD-Wineaux hosted another splendid cellar diminishment party at their lovely home. All wines were provided by SD-Wineaux, properly decanted at his discretion, and tasted and scored blind. Point scores are my own; rankings are by group vote.

Flight 1 (13 Notes)

  • 2003 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 92 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Clear light straw color. Delicious notes of jasmine, orange blossom, peach, lime, slate. Fresh and pure. ShaneT identified nearly the exact vineyard for this wine, whereas I was happy simply to recognize it as a riesling. Tied for SECOND PLACE.

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  • 2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

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

    Clear light straw color. Muted nose of light jasmine. Restrained on the palate as well, with light bitter herbs. I guessed white Rhone. Seems to be in that closed phase that many of them go through from ages 4-12 or so. Ranked at the bottom tonight, with no votes for first, second or third place.

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  • 2006 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Clear medium yellow. Bouquet of smoky toasty oak, butterscotch, coconut, pear, lemon, herbs. I guessed New World chardonnay. In 2011 I wrote that this wine's style is so far removed from my personal taste, that I can't score it. That remains true. It ranked at the bottom tonight, receiving no votes for first, second, or third place.

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  • 2000 Tardieu-Laurent Cornas Vieilles Vignes 88 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

    Clear medium ruby-garnet. Clean animal fur, musk, nice tart red fruit, minerals. I guessed this French syrah to be a French pinot noir.

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  • 2007 Turley Zinfandel Salvador Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County

    Hazy medium blood-garnet color. Sweet red berries, incense, rose petals, milk chocolate, marzipan. Almost port-like, but with no harshness or heat. Very unlike the bold, jammy $15 zins I usually drink. I ranked it #3 and guessed Old World syrah or pinot, with some age on it. Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Shows no hint of its 15.5% alcohol.

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  • 2005 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor 94 Points

    Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto

    Clear deep garnet color. Fantastic, powerful bouquet of cassis, blackberries, cloves, espresso, charcoal. Full body, great balance, long finish. Very youthful. I ranked it #2 and guessed New World cabernet.

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  • 2001 Cuvée du Vatican Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Sixtine 92 Points

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

    Clear deep garnet color. Cassis, blackberry, charcoal, minerals, earth. Outstanding wine with full body, great balance, long finish. Seems youthful. I guessed Bordeaux.

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  • 1996 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Merlot 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Clear medium blood-garnet color. Wonderful profile of fresh red fruit, cigar tobacco, river rocks. Fresh and pure with great balance, full body, lingering finish. My #1, group's SECOND PLACE (tie). I guessed aged Bordeaux. This Bordeaux-style wine is the envy of Bordeaux, just like its ancestor in 1976.

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  • 2007 Kutch Pinot Noir McDougall Ranch 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Clear cherry-ruby color. Attractive bouquet of raspberry, cola, stewed rhubarb, smoky oak, animal fur. Pleasantly tart red fruit on the palate, with some sassafras. I guessed New World pinot noir.

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  • 2005 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. 85 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Clear dark garnet-purple. This bottle seemed overripe with a stewed prune character. Concentrated, full body. I guessed New World cabernet sauvignon.

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  • 2001 Feudi di San Gregorio Pàtrimo Campania IGT 91 Points

    Italy, Campania, Campania IGT

    Clear inky garnet-black. Huge tannic beast of a wine with gobs of blackberry, cassis, charcoal, bitter cocoa. I guessed this Italian merlot to be a New World cabernet.

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  • 2004 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Diversite 86 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    Hazy blood-ruby color. Sharp nose of green olives, balsamic, rust, tart red fruit, cedar. Similar on the palate. A somewhat atypical Oregon pinot noir. Nice food wine.

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  • 2005 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine 92 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon

    Clear light yellow. Beautiful bouquet of grilled pineapple, Meyer lemon curd, honeysuckle, creme brulee. Similar on the palate, with fresh acidity. Most of us guessed Sauternes, and a very good one at that. Group's FIRST PLACE. SD-Wineaux remarked that it was the lowest priced wine tasted tonight.

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Closing

We enjoyed some wonderful food along with the wines -- cheese and charcuterie boards, homemade tapenade (thanks Jabe11), BBQ ribs and wings, my effort at coq au vin (a bit generous with the brandy), and more. Desserts from Azucar, a new patiserrie in Ocean Beach, were sensational -- thanks Azwiese! Many thanks again to Mr. & Mrs. SD-Wineaux. Cheers!

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