The Gang Drinks Blind

Mesa Verde Country Club in the OC
Tasted Saturday, May 8, 2021 by Frank Murray III with 138 views

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc des Millénaires

    France, Champagne

    Jasmine flower in the aroma with a lemony brightness that starts off the wine when it is more cool. It also reflected a gentle saline component, finishing with lime zest. As this warmed up, the lemon note becomes more curd-like and the earlier balance seems to diminish, with the wine picking up more fleshiness and weight. It also becomes more tropical when warm. I enjoyed this but my advice is to drink with a chill on it, to preserve the balance and more focused flavors.

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 2012 Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Le Cran Ludes

    France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

    First of three. I had high hopes for this because of how truly special the 2008 drank for me about a year ago. I know, different vintages, different tasting setting, etc but it is fair to have expectations, especially when joy is possible. Le Cran is located in the village of Ludes, and this wine is farmed from two plots organically, grown on chalk at about 700 feet up the slope on the Montagne. 50% Chard / 50% Pinot Noir, dosage of 3 grams and rested 78 months on the lees, and like Mousse's Vignes de Mon Village, the Le Cran is aged under natural cork. This pours with a little tinge of orange in the glass. Oranges, zesty acidity of tangerine and intense concentration. For those who know the Fig Newton cookie, I got a little of that flavor, too. Structured and dense. I then took the remnants home and finished the last few ounces the following night, when the wine was still (I didn't close it well). Same orange flavor, with a little bit of red fruit skin. along with concentrated lime and some apple oxidation in the core of the wine. At this stage, really about citrus and richness. Good with potential but won't rise to the heights of the 2008.

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  • 2012 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize

    France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

    First of two. Have not had this cuvee previously but I am a devoted fan of the L-B wines so this is now part of my journey with them. 100% Chardonnay, farmed biodynamic from two old vine (roughly 50-60 year old) plots in Avize, grown on chalk. 56 months on the lees, raised in wood with 2 grams of dosage, disgorged March 2018. Drank over two nights. On the first evening, this showed juicy with lemon, mint, gentle in tone with peach, orange, yellow apple and ginger. Shows some of the chalk in the finish but it seems pretty integrated into the wine to me. On the second night, which was the last few ounces that had gone still, the wine shows a lime pith and touch of oxidation in the aroma. But what I can finally now assess pretty well is the fruit composition. Lots of pear, reminding me of the bartlett pear that used to come in the can that I ate s a kid. Yellow apple, fresh squeezed lime, kiwi and nectarine. Overall, this drank wonderfully when still and my opinion is that this is in a very good place right now to drink and enjoy.

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Flight 3 (3 Notes)

Flight 4 (3 Notes)

  • 2001 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Served blind as part of a 2001 Italian flight. This is floral and perfumed. The core of the wine showed spicy and tannic with crushed berry, charcoal and good tang. These well-built Italian wines seem like they can last forever.

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  • 2001 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Served blind as part of a 2001 Italian flight. Of note, I had this same wine back in late 2018 and I didn't care for it. Like this week, that wine was served blind as part of a Giacosa flight and I found the 2001 Falletto both fumes and over-ripe that night. So, having a chance to retaste it blind was cool, as this time the wine showed terrific. Accessible, with a fine balance between the acid, fruit and weight. The length was spot-on too. My favorite of the flight.

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  • 2001 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Served blind as part of a 2001 Italian flight. My notes are kind of sparse on this wine, as I probably was more focused on the Giacosa Falletto. For this Lisini, I jotted down the words 'ripish yet fresh' with some raisin', and 'least balanced of the three wines'. Not a great note here but figured I would log what I had written down.

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Flight 5 (3 Notes)

  • 2008 Château Pontet-Canet

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Poured blind. I was in the minority of those who called this the wine of the flight, which was part of a bag of mixed red bottles. Even with the decanting that Viet did with the bottle, it was still tight over dinner. I wrote down the word iron, as it had a ferrous quality, powerful and rocky. I also jotted down olive and blue fruit, which may sound bizarre, more like syrah I suppose, but it's what I sensed. This was the tightest wine of the flight too but there is potential here.

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  • 2003 Château Léoville Poyferré

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Poured blind. This seemed more in the realm of Bordeaux to me, much more than the 2008 Pontet Canet we had alongside it. Brewed dark coffee, dark cherries, tobacco leaf with good tannin and structure.

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  • 2006 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Poured blind. I recall having this in 2021, and I liked the wine then. In fact, this is not the first time that I found a liking to the 2006 Schrader bottlings. This is a 'bigger' red as my notes say, and powerful. Still some new toasted oak in play, with a deep, dark cab fruited palate. Even some lavender in this bottle. Chewy and spicy, my hunch is that the 2006 Schraders are going to go a long time.

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