EOTC Highly Rated Tasting

Ann & Thomas'
Tasted Saturday, November 4, 2006 by trankin with 675 views

Introduction

Well, after a long lapse, the EOTC tasting group got together again. The theme: wines rated 90 points or higher by one of the major critics, which cost less than $20.

As usual, a humbling experience for me, but all the wines were good, some were great, and a few are worth searching out.

All wines were tasted blind. In addition to a wine which fit the theme, I had brought a ringer - the 2003 Clos des Papes. While there were a couple moments where I second-guessed myself, the ringer stood out clearly to me from the pack. Overall, I'd say I did a decent job of ID'ing the wines - not a great job but better than I sometimes do.

Flight 1 (12 Notes)

There were in fact 2 Tres Picos wines brought. The 04 got 91 points from RP, the 05 does not appear to have been rated yet. The Piazzano also appears not to have been rated but rather was recommended by a retailer. There were also 2 bottles of the Conde de Valdemar Reserva brought independently of each other.

Points in the comments are based on what I've been told - I have not independently verified them.

  • 2002 Château de la Franchaie Savennières 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières

    Blind. Nose of superripe, juicy pineapple. Golden straw in color. Lovely fruit, with just enough sweetness. Good oak (certainly not too much), really nice. I like this alot but have trouble pegging it. Gewurztraminer? Torrontes? My guess: gewurz.

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  • 2003 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

    Blind. Beautiful, big red fruit on the nose. Elegant tannins on the palate. Beautiful red fruit, nice acids. Really well made. A touch of a sweet-tart element. Great mid-palate, slightly weak finish. Some nice earthy elements. My guess: rhone blend or garnacha from Spain. WA90.

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  • 2004 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos 88 Points

    Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja

    Blind. Nose of black licrice, a bit sweet, just a bit of spice. On the palate, this is sweet and rich, with dark red fruits, blackberries, and tons of licorice. Good but not great. A bit too sweet. My guess: Aussie Shiraz. WS90/WA91.

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  • 2005 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos 88 Points

    Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja

    Very purple in color. Nose of sweet licorice, red fruits. On the palate, this is also a bit sweet. Smoky, but a bit too sweet, and the finish is kind of thin. My guess: GSM blend from Australia or Spain.

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  • 2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 95 Points

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

    Blind. Bright red in color. Nose of grenache (yes I mean that) and white pepper. Very elegant, beautifully balanced wine. Licorice notes but not too sweet. White, black, and red peppers. Raspberries. Definitely an old wolrd wine. Needs time. My guess: my ringer - 03 Clos des Papes. WA97/WS97

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  • 2005 Piazzano Chianti 87 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Chianti

    Blind. Muted nose - got nothing from it. Well made, but not especially good. Dark fruits. Just a touch sweet (not too sweet). A bit thin, and a bit tannic. My guess: Spanish garnacha.

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  • 2000 Bodegas Valdemar Rioja Conde de Valdemar Reserva 91 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Blind. An entirely different nose from the others so far tonight. Raspberries, white pepper, and very noticeable pine needles. On the palate, there's serious pine, as well as red raspberries. Somehow the pine really works here. Sweet & fruity, but not too much so. Just a bit thin. My guess: Spanish? Difficult to place.

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  • 2003 Château de Sérame Minervois 89 Points

    France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Minervois

    Blind. Nose of eucalyptus, licorice, and red fruit. On the palate, this is a touch hot, but still nice. A bit sweet as well. Some structure, and some spicy element - sort of a cumin. My guess: Australian Shiraz. WS92

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  • 2000 Bodegas Valdemar Rioja Conde de Valdemar Reserva 89 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Blind. Nose of red licorice. Rather sweet, but great red fruits. A touch thin. My guess: southern France.

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  • 2001 Finca Allende Rioja Allende 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    Blind. Very dark in color. Smells like a syrah, with purple fruits. Hot initially, but the heat blows off quickly. Dark raspberry. Nice acids and tannins, with good structure. Very nice wine. Didn't write down my guess.

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  • 2001 Château Pesquié Ventoux Terrasses 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Ventoux

    Blind. Nose of red raspberry, very elegant. On the palate, this is elegant and restrained, with gorgeous raspberries. I like this alot. My guess: French grenache

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  • 2004 Tait The Ball Buster 88 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

    Blind. This seems like a very jammy zin. All about the raspberry jam. To sweet, but still a well-made wine. My guess: CA Zin.

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Closing

Once again, a lot of fun!

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