Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+

• 2006 Hubert Lamy Puligny-Montrachet Les Tremblots 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  Yellow straw with amber hues; lots of honey, apple, pear, white flowers and distinct minerality are on the nose; good richness to the mouthfeel but in a smaller frame, pie crust, lemon, limestone, with lit candle and hints of lime on the finish; aging at a quicker pace, so consume sooner than later.

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• 2004 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna d'la Roul 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Semi-translucent dark ruby; sandalwood, a hint of vanilla, cherry, rose, floral, sexy, almost peppery; a little vanilla cream on the palate with big tannin, lots of ripeness, higher alcohol, very dry with strong cherry; tasty and still needing more time but these '04s will not take as long as the '01s.

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• 2009 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges

  Translucent ruby crimson; youthful nose of cherries and cream, sour, pent up, floral; great rocky minerality on the palate with thinner fruit (though it is great for this bottling in this vintage) almost lean and mean, great balance, fine tannins; overall this was kind of singular but very impressive; everyone enjoyed.

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• 2005 Terralsole Syrah Solista Toscana IGT 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Dark almost black core; black cherry, licorice, sandalwood, and dark fruit; ripe, dark fruit, good bit of tannin, ash; this bottle (unlike the previous one) got better with air exhibiting a beautifully perfumed wine.

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• 2004 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Wow, what a difference some air makes! Initially I agreed completely with Shiaxonna, but this wine is an example of what makes Burgundy so great. When poured this exhibited thin hard red fruit, the bitter herbaceous quality from this vintage and the worst was the disjointed (f'd up acidity) making the wine hardly drinkable. Everybody smiled and politely took small sips because the wine was not cheap, but I did not hold back and bashed it up and over again. One of the guys mentioned to give this some air and we'll see what happens. Low and behold 1.5-2 hrs later this wine completely transformed. It showed none of the green notes, the acidity calmed down, soft rich fruit and leather came together and the wine was overall harmonious. I felt very sorry for the owner who left thinking he wasted $170, but man we thoroughly enjoyed the rest of that wine!

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• 2010 Domaine Lafond Roc-Epine Châteauneuf-du-Pape 88 Points

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

  Light purple ruby with lighter extraction; graham cracker, purple fruit, tart, cement, raspberry pie, dark; peppery, Grenache but darker profile, dark berry, violet, big and brooding but had good acid; very different than previous bottle.

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• 1998 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Porrets St. Georges

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru

  Cloudy dull crimson; rustic and ripe in a way that reminds me of older CdP, mature, stewed fruit; rich, deep, cherry, cranberry, soft, plummy; drink now if you have any left.

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• 1998 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo Veneto IGT 91 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT

  Dark color almost like root beer; very complex nose of spice, clove, cinnamon, root beer, dark fruit, seems sweet; savory, aged, ried maple syrup, darker fruit profile; delicious.

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• 2009 Orma Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Darker with red hues; reductive and new smelling, purple fruit, plastic; tobacco, blackberry, ash, rich and very new, sweet, some tannin, green pepper, fresher fruit; good but needs to be reassessed in a year or so.

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• 2004 Domaine Jean Grivot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru

  Translucent crimson core with bricking; acorn, hints at the green quality which I knew was '04 Burg, spice, fresh, red fruit, depth; drinking beautifully, leather, red fruit, the green is gone and the wine was very plush; this was really different from the previous bottle, and I think some '04s are turning a corner.

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• 2011 M. Chapoutier Shiraz Domaine Tournon Shays Flat Vineyard 91 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees

  Dark color with good clarity; sweet, crème brulee with black pepper, lavender, dark fruit, herbs de Provence; fresher even though there is good sweet density to it; this wine surprises me every time I see it is not St. Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage.

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An interesting group of wines where there were no dogs in the bunch. Who knew the '04 Burgs (both of which I've had before and didn't like that much) would have turned a corner and been showing this brilliantly? That's why I love wine, especially Burg.