Saturday Night Double Blind, $40+

A group of mainly New World wine drinkers.

• 2010 Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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

  Darker core with ruby rim; plum, spice, clove, dark cherry, vanilla, plush; alcohol, light tannin, spice, less oak on palate, sour cherry, long finish, asphalt, ripe; was on New World Syrah-?

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• 2010 De Toren Z

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  Opaque core with bright rim; cassis, leather, iodine, clay, lots of cigar, gravitas, earth, green pepper, oak but not obtrusive, menthol; cassis, red currant, good structure, young, green pepper; good balance of fruit earth and green pepper together.

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• 2007 Plumpjack Merlot Napa Valley

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Black core with thin garnet rim, some sediment; plum, blackberry, menthol, vanilla, seeded jalapeno, stewed fruit, layered, very ripe, cassis; smooth tannin, cedar, currant, stewed fruit, structured, pepper, some alcohol, grainy tannin; tasty.

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• 2010 Barbour Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Opaque with thin bright garnet rim; chocolate, vanilla, plum, coconut, cassis, slight green pepper, perfumed; sweet darker fruit, chocolate, smooth silky texture, good acid, spicy, plum, soft blackberry, dark cherry; very drinkable, but lacking the mid and structure of a wine at this price.

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• 2007 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Dark core with crimson rim, sediment; cigar, red currant, cedar, floral, roses, salty, menthol; red currant on the palate, brine, floral, sweet fresher fruit than nose suggested, broader shoulders, Old World-ish, cedar, green pepper; delicious.

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• 2008 Achával-Ferrer Malbec Finca Altamira

  Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, La Consulta

  Absorbs the light in the room black, tiny bright violet rim; dark fruit, stank, tar, violets, cassis, plush, blackberry, smells juicy; good cooler serving temperature, juicy, dark fruit, softer tannin, very good acid for how dark it is, tobacco, tar; tasty; also nailed it!

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

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Dark core with crimson orange rim; hints at soy, cedar, roses, sweet and dried cherry, orange zest, sandalwood, potpourri, sexy; grainy tannin, brown sugar, tannic and dry finish; this bottle was advanced with hard tannin.

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• 2005 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva

  Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto

  Dark core with garnet rim; lots of cedar, graphite, lead pencil, menthol, weedy, green pepper, clay, very dark fruit; dark fruit continues onto the palate, sharp acidity, weedy, lower acid, cigar; good.

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• 2005 Montes Alpha M

  Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

  Dark core with garnet rim; leather, stank, cinnamon, complex nose, stewed tomatoes, perfumed; soft tannin, black Russian cake, green pepper is well integrated with the fruit, some alcohol on the finish, jalapeno; tasty; tasted after the 2005 Almaviva and I thought this was the Cabernet blend but actually had more Carmenere than the more weedy Almaviva.

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• 2003 Rosenblum Cellars Syrah England-Shaw

  USA, California, North Coast, Solano County

  Dark core with dull crimson rim; vanilla, stewed fruit, plum, menthol, chocolate, green pepper; lots of menthol on the palate, chocolate, red fruit, high alcohol, spicy; thought this was Barossa or Paso Syrah.

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• NV Jacquart Champagne Brut Mosaïque

  France, Champagne

  Served as a palate refresher, green apple, tart; tasty, consistently very good.

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• 2008 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  See through crimson, lighter rim; dried leaves, sour cherry, orange oil, stank; dried red fruit, cabbage, liqueur, licorice, seemingly mature and complex- could have been all of the New World wines at the tasting; good.

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Lots of glycerin tonight from all of the glycohol in these warmer growing regions.
My top wines were the Altamira, Conn Valley, and Montes Alpha M.