Thanksgiving 2013 + a couple other parties

Tasted Monday, December 23, 2013 by pgb67 with 373 views

Flight 1 - Cali Pinots (4 Notes)

  • 2010 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Central Coast 89 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    In most vintages I like the Central Coast as an interesting, ripe take on the W-S house style, but this one didn’t have a lot of character – not particularly ripe, but not burgundian either – just sort of played it safe and boring up the middle. Traditional notes of black cherry and plum.

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  • 2009 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    I wouldn’t have picked this out as W-S if tasted blind – shows a ripe, K-B style and does it reasonably well, although perhaps too much candy and not enough fruit – flavors and aromas of kirsch, framboise, almond extract and vanilla.

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  • 2010 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Muted and uninspiring on Thanksgiving Day and was a pass for most guests, but on day 2 it really shined and clearly was opened too early. NR

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  • 2010 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 94 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Crowd favorite at Thanksgiving dinner and probably also my WOTN, eclipsing the Vosne over the course of the meal. Fit KB “hey look at me” profile – upfront fruit with potent boysenberry and ripe raspberry flavors but held itself together on a slightly tannic, sophisticated frame.

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Flight 2 - Rhone Varietals (3 Notes)

  • 2010 Carlisle Mourvèdre Bedrock Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Made in a restrained, continental style, which I liked, but I was probably expecting more of an expressive Carlisle signature. Notes of Rhone bacon/meat and tobacco, along with blue fruits.

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  • 2008 Saxum Booker Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Possible WOTY – bold and thick but balanced with evolving flavors and aromas, among them gingerbread, espresso, cigar box, and nutmeg, along with some fruity flashes of ripe blackberry and boysenberry. Love the Saxum syrahs.

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  • 2006 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape 90 Points

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

    My go-to entry-level CDP, although I've liked other vintages better – this was a little too “down the middle” for me – not classic or modern – just there. Notes of black tea and clove dominate, with some kirsch in the background.

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Flight 3 - Misc. French Stuff (4 Notes)

  • 2010 Domaine Comte Abbatucci Faustine 90 Points

    France, Corsica, Ajaccio

    Corsican wines are new to me and I picked it mainly because I needed something unique on the Thanksgiving wine list and I’m a fan of Kermit Lynch products. And this met my expectations and was popular with my guests who proved more adventurous than I thought they’d be! Notes of earth, mineral, cypress, garrigue, the sea …

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  • 2008 Clos de l'Oratoire 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Guests who are used to drinking, ahem, cheaper Bordeaux loved this wine because it is classy (tannic, dense, silky and long) but it was not particularly aromatic and the flavor profile lacked pop – subdued flavors of cassis, fig, red licorice.

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  • 2009 Domaine d'Eugénie Vosne-Romanée 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

    Wonderful bouquet, smooth texture and nice tannic backbone. Notes of black currant, cherry and underbrush. In a good drinking window although on the early side of it. More fragrant and classy than the American pinots on the card. Like a lot of burgundies, picked up weight over time and perhaps got less interesting.

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  • 2011 Pierre-Marie Chermette Fleurie Poncié 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie

    Fleshy, showing ripe raspberries and baking spices, but with a good core of minerals and a sophisticated tar-driven finish. Chermette hits my bojo sweetspot.

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