Inaugural Sanger Wine Challenge: Chateauneuf du Papes (Blind Tasting)

In the warmth of Stephen & Alison's generous hospitality, five couples tasted three whites over hors d'oeuvres, seven Southern Rhones over dinner of perfectly roasted tenderloin and breadcrumbed brussel sprouts, and then two white dessert wines with homemade rhubarb pie and homemade buttermilk icecream. The Rhones were poured blind and sequentially during the seated dinner. It was the perfect mix of attention on the wines, conversation, and laughter. The food was stellar top to bottom too.

• 2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Possibly starting its decline, still lively though. These are better younger.

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• 2008 DuMOL Chardonnay Chloe 86 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Ripe with saltwater taffy, oakey, and complex. I can't say I really enjoyed it but it sure is a fascinating mix of creamy tropical flavors including the smokey ocean water itself.

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• 2010 TOR Chardonnay Durell Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Harmonious with a beautiful finish. The care and attention in producing this really comes through. My white wotn.

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Wrapped in aluminum foil and poured sequentially. Much discussion followed by voting first through third favorite (each first place vote 3 points, each second 2 points, each third 1 point).
Disappointing that the '98 Mordoree Reine des Bois was corked.

• 2007 Domaine Paul Autard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée La Cote Ronde 94 Points

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

  Bright black raspberry and roasted meat bouquet. A mixed modern style with crowd-pleasing raspberry cream and a clarity and building energy that really accelerates into the more traditional finish. My third place, the party's third place, several first place votes.

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• 1998 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois Flawed

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

  Corked #$@&!!

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• 2004 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 94 Points

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

  Such a contrast to the '99, this '04 Pegau has a clean modern style with a mild captivating spice-box bouquet. A beautiful wine with citrus and garrigue. Is Pegau finding a sweet spot or are they losing some character? I like the direction. My second place wine tonight.

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• 2007 Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape 95 Points

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

  A wine of tantalizing restraint and my wotn! A dreamy bouquet leads to a just-right-bodied wine with remarkable persistence and clarity, this offers deliciously pleasurable symmetry between its melted black licorice, dark red fruits, garrigue, minerals, and flowers. My first place, party's second. I'll have to try their high-end Val de Dieu bottling.

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• 2008 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points

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

  Complex and enticing bouquet but a heavy handed palate.

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• 2009 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape A la Gloire de mon Grand-Père 93 Points

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

  An even-keeled excitement. A beautiful, balanced wine that showed more tannic structure than any of the others tonight. Also the youngest wine poured. My fourth place, this took first in the overall voting.

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• 2010 Tensley Syrah 87 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Intended as a ringer in a 7-bottle Chateauneuf du Pape tasting, the crowd immediately pegged it as a CA syrah. We were pleased, considering how humbling these blind tastings can be. Juicy, tasty, and intense but also just too too much, at least in light of its peers tonight.

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• 2005 Château Suduiraut 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Excellent though somewhat big and a gooey sweet right now. Couldn't drink a lot of this. Suspect it needs more time. Suggest serving cold at this point.

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• 2006 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 93 Points

  Hungary, Tokaji

  Fruity, floral, and exotic with better balance and more complexity than the '05 Suduiraut.

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