Mpls Wine Club Napa Blind tasting with cabs, merlot and chard

Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)
Tasted Saturday, September 27, 2014 by rocknroller with 457 views

Introduction

This was a blind event with several flights featuring a trio of 2002 wines.

Flight 1 - Chardonnay Flight Blind (2 Notes)

  • 2012 Barnett Vineyards Chardonnay Sangiacomo Vineyard 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

    Light gold color. Drank 1 glass blind over 30 minutes. Light tropical fruit, subtle oak. Palate has tropical fruit, medium body, medium finish. Nice.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2010 Ramey Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

    Light gold color. Drank 1 glass blind over 30 minutes. Nose is nice, rich, tropical, floral, spices. The palate is medium full bodied, tropical fruit, good depth, lighter-moderate oak, medium plus finish, well balanced. Very solid 91+ to 92pts.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 2 - Merlot Flight Blind (2 Notes)

  • 2009 Robert Foley Merlot 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Very dark red-purple color. Decanted for 1.5hrs, drank 1 glass blind over 45 minutes. Nose is very fruit forward, big black fruits of cassis, blackberry liqueur, ripe, pepper with caramel and herbs emerging later. The palate is full bodied and concentrated, nicely textured, blackberry, blackberry liqueur, black pepper, and a moderate amount of heat. This did settle down over time; young, needs 2 years.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2005 Barnett Vineyards Merlot Spring Mountain District 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Very dark red color. Decanted 1.5hrs, drank 1 glass over an hour. Needed a bit coaxing despite the decant, but really blossomed over 15 minutes. Great noce with dry earth, dried herbs, dusty earth, blueberry, raspberry. The palate is elegant and silky, well integrated, blue, black, and red fruits, nice wood elements, spice, and a long finish. Maybe just past peak, but should drink well for 2 years or so. No contest vs. the Foley 2009 blind and not any question which was which.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 3 - Cab Flight Blind (4 Notes)

  • 2002 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Very dark red-purple color- no bricking. Decanted 1.5hrs.; drank 1 glass blind over 90 minutes. Nice nose with deep aromas of dark fruits, dry forest floor, briary. The palate is full bodied, cassis, oak, black cherry, very round attractive tannins, anise, integrated and fresh. Long finish. Had a little heat on the palate. I found this to be very good and it evolved over the 90 minutes. No change on day 2. 92+ to 93pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2002 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cyrus 94 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

    Very dark red-purple color - no bricking. Decanted for 1.5hrs; drank 1 glass blinde over 90 minutes. Rocking nose, toasted, blackberry, cassis, scorched earth, tar, complex spices, mushroom. The palate is intense, yet elegant, powerful but not over the top, gravel, Blueberry, black cherry, cassis, scorched earth, very long finish. I had hoped this was the Montelena, but the scorched earth made me question whether it could be. WOTN (not to mention QPROTN), 94+pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2003 Robert Foley Claret 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Very dark purple -red color - no bricking. Decanted 1.5hrs; drank 1 glass blind over 60 minutes plus. Big black fruits on the nose, mint, more earthy, chocolate, minerals. The palate is big, bold, full bodied, menthol, blackberry liqueur, blackberry, dark chocolate, spiced, alcohol, firm tannins, long finish. This definitely improved, but has some heat and firm tannins that needs to hopefully settle down a bit more. 91+pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2002 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Very dark red-purple color - no bricking. Decanted for 1.5hrs; drank 1 glass blind over 60+ minutes. Nose: spices, alcohol, black fruit, mildly herbal, cassis, oak. The palate has full body, deep black fruits, spicy, herbs, oak, heat. Medium plus finish.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 4 - Bonus Sauternes (1 Note)

  • 2001 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    Medium gold color. PNP, drank 1+ glass over 60 minutes. Nose is scrumptious; orange marmalade, honey, spiced, lemon, apricot, vanilla, floral. The palate is intense and concentrated, deep, honeyed, honeysuckle, orange marmalade, tangerine, pineapple, apricot, spices, rich and unctuous with a very long finish. Delightful. Still youthful. 94+ to 95pts.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Closing

Clear WOTN was the 2002 Cyrus.

×
×