Post-Climbing Blinds at Serpentine

Post-climbing at Dogpatch. Pretty dim room. I didn't let the white warm up enough, and was getting maybe a bit cocky after my last session at Nopa. Definitely I was shooting from the hip here and not thinking so much. That said, I went through the grid pretty well - didn't stress too much about the conclusions.

I think overall it was good practice going through the grid. I can work on theory and conclusions, but really... I should cut myself some slack. I have no records of tasting an OR Pinot Blanc, and while I've tasted ~30 Spanish Tempranillos, I haven't tasted anything of quality since the 2008 Martin Scott portfolio tasting in NYC. I have strong memories of well-integrated oak - coffee, roasted nuts, baking spices, etc. This was just pure sawdust.

Overall, good grid practice. I can get more specific with the aromatic descriptors - character of the fruit, not just the fruit itself.

• 2012 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Blanc 85 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Summary:
  A nice wine. Subdued, though present, aromatics. Light, elegant balance.
  Score: Around 8.5
  
  -----------------------
  Full Notes:
  
  White wine. Served moderately chilled.
  Clear, bright, medium straw (the room is pretty dark).
  No gas or sediment, and viscosity is moderate minus.
  
  (tasted: no RS)
  
  On the nose:
  Low-intensity, clean.
  Slight bitterness, slight mushroom, orchard fruit - apples, pears. Slight grapefruit.
  Youthful, low-complexity
  
  On the palate:
  Dry. medium bodied, medium alcohol.
  Pear, a little bitterness but not to the point of phenolic bitterness. Orchard fruit, a bit of white mushroom.
  No overt oak aging.
  Medium acid (malic).
  No impression of tannins.
  Wine is balanced.
  Low complexity.
  Finish is short, mostly bitter. Sort of in the direction of wood/earth.
  A little minerality.
  
  Initial:
  Old World style wine from a cool climate.
  Possible varietals: Chardonnay, Godello, Sauv blanc (no pyrazines, acid isn’t very high), Pinot gris (don’t get much phenolic bitterness)
  It has a bit of heft to it - could be Southern Rhone blend, but there’s pommaceous fruit, not florals.
  Italian pinot grigio, but has too much weight.
  Age range: 1-3 years.
  
  Final Conclusion:
  Given the apple fruit and structure, I’m going with:
  Chardonnay
  France > Burgundy > Macon from an entry level producer.
  Vintage is 2012 (a little bit of secondaries).
  
  Actual:
  Pinot Blanc
  The Eyrie Vineyards
  Oregon > Dundee Hills
  2012
  $20
  
  Notes: unoaked (stainless steel), full malo.
  
  Analysis:
  I picked up on the slight extra stuffing of this wine - “has a bit of heft to it - could be southern rhone blend.” And the phenolic bitterness, which was subdued. Overall, it was a tough call. As it warmed up a bit I picked up more terpenes. I think this was a difficult call given I’ve never tasted an Oregon pinot blanc before. I don’t think this is necessarily a “classic” style. But it would have been nice to get pinot blanc.

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• 2012 Viña Sastre (Bodegas Hermanos Sastre) Ribera del Duero Viña Sastre 75 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  I'm quite confused over exactly which bottle I tasted. The wine list just said RDD, Vina Sastre, 2012.
  
  Summary
  Ripe fruit underneath, but tastes like a mouthful of sawdust.
  Score: Around 7.5
  -------------
  Full Notes:
  Wine 2:
  Red wine.
  Clear, bright-to-off-bright.
  Dark ruby, moderate concentration. (it’s dark in the room)
  Moderate/moderate minus viscosity.
  
  Nose:
  Moderate intensity, earthy.
  Dark fruit, dark cherry, little bit of mushroom.
  Something reductive, maybe along the lines of black pepper, black raspberry.
  A bit savory. Picking up a little bit of maybe French oak - baking spices.
  
  Palate:
  Medium body, moderate alcohol.
  Lots of wood. Black pepper. Full of sawdusty wood.
  Dark fruit, black raspberries, some earth. Primarily savory.
  Just moderate acidity.
  Low+ tannins.
  This wine is relatively in-balance, but there’s too much wood.
  Low plus complexity. Mostly dusty wood.
  
  Conclusions were based entirely on Black Pepper - I didn’t
  Syrah or grenache syrah blend.
  Syrah is dominant grape.
  Cote du Rhone 2011.
  
  Actually:
  Vina Sastre, Tinto
  Tempranillo
  Spain > Ribera del Duero
  2012
  
  7 months in 2-year-old American oak.
  
  "The Tinto, after its long maceration and seven months in two-year-old American oak barrels, has a beautiful violet color with flavors of cacao, spices, and ripe fruit that wrap around a rich, powerful, and dense palate.”
  - source: 2012 Vina Sastre RDD Tinto - Fact Sheet from the producer's website.
  
  Analysis:
  Black pepper could be:
  Syrah, Mourvedre, Schioppettino, Vespolina, (Gruner Veltliner for white).
  I must have mistaken it somehow. or associated it with reduction or savoriness etc.
  I think the sawdusty oak is probably American oak. I don’t know how it ended up so overblown.
  I should have called Old World Style from a moderate to warm climate, based on the ripeness.
  
  While I can’t find anything online about tempranillo and rotundone, Josh Raynolds in IWC notes for this producer lists “cracked black pepper” as a descriptor on two different wines.

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