4th Saturday Group brown bagger

• 2010 Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Arneis Paicines 85 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paicines

  Yellowish color with a green tint and aromas of apple and toast with an overlying sweetness. Apple/orchard fruit flavors on the palate with a sharpness on the finish. Guessed Italian Verdicchio.

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• 2010 Tessari Soave Classico Grisela 86 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico

  Notes of crab apple and citrus on the nose and palate, once again having a sharpness on the finish. Plain and nondescript; boring. Has good acidity though and finishes cleanly, lingering for a moment. Would probably work with dinner and not overpower a delicate dish. I have no clue as to what this is though.

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• 2012 Georg Gustav Huff Kerner Kabinett halbtrocken 85 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  Apple & melon aromas with stone fruit and floral undertones. Has a slight spritz to it, with peach and apple flavors. Clean, with a short finish. Very Riesling-esque...
  
  I considered this one a win. AP 4 383 060 09 13

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• 2012 Skouras Anassa 88 Points

  Greece, Peloponnisos

  Pale color. Perfumed & florally, with bright apple and decorative hand soap aromas as well. Flavors of pear and apple and soapy white fruit. Smells like a Viognier, but doesn't have the richness that I would associate there. Sometimes I get soapy notes on Albarino, but it doesn't have the acid for that. When I get the Viognier but not quite Viognier or Albarino but not quite Albarino, it usually ends up being Torrontes, so that's what I went with.
  
  A blend of 70% Moscofilero & 30% Viognier

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• 2002 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Opens with dark, pruny, over-ripe qualities in the bouquet which never really disappear. Adds a cedar-like note with air. Nowhere near as ripe on the palate as this smells, with flavors of currants, oak spices, and cassis. Tannins are fine, with a sweet edge. Picks up a nice chocolate note too.
  
  This had been double decanted briefly off its sediment a little over two hours before the flight. Young, and in need of a few years to integrate the tannin a bit better, but one also has to hope that time will not also cause the ripeness to stand out that much more.

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• 2002 Château Angélus

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Inky crimson color. Opens with a perfumed floral note but goes downhill quickly. Tomato, black currants, ripe dark fruit, prunes and stewed fruit aromas. On the palate this is sour, stewed and acidic.
  
  Purchased at Binny's, this appears to have been suffering from heat damage.

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• 1996 Martinelli Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Light ruby color, slightly cloudy. Cherry, florals and pine resin notes in the bouquet with a subtle pruny quality underneath. Medium-bodied with some tannins and a good bit of acidity; slightly austere. On second pass, it has become candied- to the point where candy apple qualities dominate. Candied apple and red berry flavors on the finish. Decent. I had no guess.

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• 1993 Silverado Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Reserve 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Perfumed floral and prune aromas give way to dark fruit and eventually mint. Flavors of dark fruit, plum, candied black fruit. Mint tones on the nose and palate. Easy to pick out as Cabernet. 90-91 pts.
  
  Opened nicely over the evening, showing violets, leather, red currants, spice and dust. Dusty red currants and berries with nice floral tones on the palate. 91+ pts.

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• 2009 Miner Family Sangiovese Gibson Ranch 88 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  Light color with aromas of candied red fruit, sweet cherry and a meatiness that I can only describe as the aroma you get from grilled pork- a little meaty but has a subtle smoky sweetness to it too. Red fruit and sweet berry flavors. Shows vanilla, butter and strawberry jelly as it opens.

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• 2010 Ahnfeldt Cabernet Sauvignon Kreuse Canyon 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Aromas of blackberry, blueberry syrup and cherries give way to chocolate and floral notes with time in the glass. Full-bodied featuring firm but sweet tannins and flavors of blackberry, blue fruit, vanilla and chocolate. Structured, but with plenty of ripe, jammy (in a good way) fruit. Feels like Petite in a way, but not really Petite. Guessed Biale Petite Sirah.

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• 2002 Armstrong Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

  Aromas of incense, perfume, dark fruit, herbs and cedar. Currant, herb, plum and prune flavors on the palate. Maybe a touch of VA, but perhaps not; spice qualities on the finish. Guessed Napa Cab; surprised that it was a 2002.

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• 2010 Ahnfeldt Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Aromas of meat, dark fruit and graphite. Big-scaled and structured with firm, sweet tannins. Flavors of blackberry, blue fruit and kirsch liqueur. Guessed companion to wine "F" - another Biale Petite Sirah.

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• 2003 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor

  Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto

  Aromas of prune, raisins and black fruit; definitely some VA as well. Pruny on the palate as well, along with stemmy, woody qualities. Finishes rather hot and alcoholic, with a sourness that I don't care for.
  
  I was very surprised when this was unveiled as it has never shown this poorly for me. Likely a flawed bottle. I know some bottles released in the Chicago market were exposed to heat, as I returned a six pack shortly after release because there was obvious damage after I pulled a cork on the first bottle.

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• 2010 Round Pond Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  Gamy and meaty, with dark fruit and vanilla notes as well. Nice depth and complexity on the palate. Flavors of black currants, vanilla, blue fruit, black cherry and chocolate with an herbal, woody tone on the finish. Guessed young Napa Cab.

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Exception- the Clarendelle was served double blind to the group as I wanted their opinions on drinking window/pairing, etc.

• 2009 Clarendelle Blanc 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux

  Served double blind to the group with dinner following the tasting. Aromas of citrus and white fruit with a very subtle grassy note. The palate follows the bouquet and has pretty good acidity to balance things out. Finishes cleanly. Overall, a decent wine, but somewhat nondescript and plain, certainly does not give any hints at being from Bordeaux. A good dinner companion though, as the acidity is there and it won't overpower.

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• 2004 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre 93 Points

  France, Alsace

  Opened nonblind with the ham dinner following the tasting. Gooseberry, lychee, spice and poached pear aromas. Richly textured with good weight across the palate. Stone fruit, lychee and spice flavors with balancing acidity. Has a fruity sweetness to it that made for a wonderful pairing with the ham. Lingers on the finish. Terrific stuff.

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• 2010 Muscardini Cellars Barbera Pauli Ranch

  USA, California, North Coast, Redwood Valley

  Meaty, with red fruit, currant and cherry notes. Nice acidity, with red fruit and a sweet, grapey quality on the finish.

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• 2001 Château Broustet Les Charmes 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Golden color with notes of honey and pineapple. Mango and topical fruit flavors on the palate.

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