Leo's Blind Tasting Group - Nov '14 edition

Txikito, NY
Tasted Monday, November 17, 2014 by salil with 584 views

Flight 1 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Gonet-Médeville Champagne Grand Cru La Grande Ruelle Extra Brut 89 Points

    France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

    Bright pear and white fruit up front with some faint sweetness apparent - I was very surprised when this was unveiled as an extra brut Champagne, as it seems much rounder and a bit sweeter on the palate than I'd expect. It's not especially complex, but quite lively with bright acids beneath, and yeasty and faint mineral notes accenting the fruit.

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  • 2004 Saint-Chamant Champagne Brut Cuvee de Chardonnay 88 Points

    France, Champagne

    A pretty scent with yeasty and floral notes framing bright citrus and pear fruit flavours, and a palate with lots of bright orchard fruit with a gentle chalky mineral undercurrent. Nicely balanced with bright acids giving it lift, though a touch short on the back end.

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Flight 2 (3 Notes)

  • 2009 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

    A really compelling fragrance here, with exotic floral, cardamom, and other high toned spicy notes framing ripe orchard fruits. The flavours on the palate don't quite show the same intensity as the aromatics, though it has a really polished, graceful texture, without the softness I often find in a lot of Viognier.

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  • 2011 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Les Chaillées de l'Enfer 89 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

    Lovely aromatics with an array of sweet floral notes, ripe tropical fruits, and tarter citrus and herbal aromas coming together into a really complex fragrance. The palate comes across rather soft and creamy textured though, not showing as much acidity as I'd like with the flavours feeling a touch heavy, though still well balanced.

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  • 2012 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Les Terrasses de l'Empire 86 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

    Comes across the most simple of the Vernay Condrieus tasted - it has a bright floral scent, though not showing the depth of either the Coteaux du Vernon or Chaillees de l'Enfer on the nose. On the palate it seems a bit leaner than either of those, showing a touch more acidity beneath its ripe white fruited flavours, but coming across somewhat one-note.

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Flight 3 (3 Notes)

  • 2007 Nicolas Joly Savennières Les Clos Sacrés (Les Vieux Clos) 70 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières

    Honeyed, floral, and faintly oxidative nutty and sherried aromas lead into a palate that seems very disjointed - sweet honeyed and creamy notes up front, but a blur of bitter alcoholic flavours on the back end with a lot of finishing heat. I disliked this even more than the Coulée de Serrant.

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  • 2007 Nicolas Joly Savennières Roche aux Moines Clos de la Bergerie Flawed

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières Roche aux Moines

    Corked.

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  • 2007 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 73 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant

    Another swing and a miss with Joly. The scent resembles something I'd expect from a Jura white with waxy, honeyed, floral, and nutty aromas - not especially unpleasant, just not my style - but again the palate is a disjointed mess with bitter alcoholic notes dominating, though there's at least a bit more fruit here than in the Clos Sacrés, which I disliked even more than this.

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Flight 4 (3 Notes)

  • 2008 Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard 87 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

    Pleasant, though not particularly exciting. Bright red fruits accented with faint licorice and anise notes on a medium weight frame that's quite polished with fine grained tannins and decent acidity. Enjoyed drinking this, though it seemed a bit simple.

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  • 2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

    Liked this a lot, definitely one of the better wines I've had from Rhys. A core of sappy red fruits tinged with sweeter floral and faintly spicy notes, with the acidity on the palate giving it a nice sense of freshness. Definitely my favorite of the three Pinots poured.

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  • 2010 Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard 82 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

    The fruit here's much richer and darker in profile than in the 2008 and 2009 poured alongside (all blind), and it comes across rather ripe, jammy and confected on the palate. It feels incredibly dense, with most of the structure coming from grainy tannin on the back end, and not much apparent acidity. Didn't enjoy this at all.

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Flight 5 (3 Notes)

  • 1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia 93 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Another great bottle of this. A core of red and dark fruits framed by earth, cedar, dried herbs, and sweeter floral elements that all come together very seamlessly on the nose and palate. The texture here is remarkably silken and finessed, it feels fully mature with the tannins integrated and bright acids providing the structure, and the balance is impeccable.

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  • 1985 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 95 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Wow, this is stunning. Totally seamless. Layers of red apples, darker berried fruit, cedar, earth, vanilla, and more savoury leathery and earthy notes, all conveyed with remarkable elegance and grace on a medium weight frame. Classic Rioja flavours and a texture that I'd expect when drinking a great Chambolle Musigny. Fantastic, and my wine of the night.

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  • 1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 92 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    The texture here suggests this is fully mature with the tannin mostly integrated, but the fruit here feels much deeper-complexioned and richer than in the '85, which was much more about its tertiary savoury notes. The ripe red berried and apple flavours stand out more strongly here, with a sappy intensity to the fruit, and the earthy/cedary notes are more understated in the background. A remarkable contrast with the other two older Heredias, and a fantastic trio of wines.

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Flight 6 (1 Note)

  • 1989 Château Gilette Crème de Tête 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    This feels remarkably youthful and primary for a 20+ year old Sauternes - it's packed with an array of ripe apricots and other tropical fruit flavours accented by honey, orange marmalade, and higher toned vanilla and floral elements, and there's a really lovely, polished texture with good acidity giving it a sense of freshness. Very elegant, and finishing long. Great way to end the night.

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