"Imposter Night"

In a moment of rare inspiration, I conceived of a tasting theme designed to challenge our erudite group. The idea was to serve two wines blind, one a representative example from a fairly iconic traditional wine region; and the other a "wannabe" pretender from somewhere else, meant to fool us. A gracious host provided a tremendous venue and even paid for our talented chef Jake, whose cooking took the evening to the next level, including aged jambon and cheese with olives; a bright salad featuring something called honeynut squash; risotto with plump scallops; a beautiful lamb ragu on a bed of sweet corn polenta.

• 2013 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont 91 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Darker in color and more advanced than I would have expected 8 years in, but still had a lot to offer, especially as the wine warmed up. Subdued but sufficient acid alongside balanced apple, apricot and lime, slightly oxidized. Best when enjoyed with manchego cheese.

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• 2020 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon Mâcon-Villages 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Villages

  Fresh and delicious if a bit straightforward, with ample melon, peach and floral notes along with a touch of smoky minerality. Such a killer value too.

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• 2013 Domaine Yves Cuilleron Condrieu Vertige 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Past peak but still stood out in a blind pairing as the "authentic" Condrieu when served alongside a much younger Alban Viognier. Pear and apricot notes dominates, with a glycerined texture. A touch bitter on the finish.

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• 2019 Alban Vineyards Viognier Alban Estate Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Served blind alongside a 2013 Cuilleron, with the idea being to fool the group as to which one was the authentic Condrieu. Delicious in its own right, but nobody placed this as being the "authentic" version (most preferred it, though). Oddly cloudy, but clean and fresh on the palate, blending citrus and apricot notes with honeyed melon and some spice.

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• 2019 Weingut Keller Riesling von der Fels 92 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  Soundly asleep, and didn't budge despite a multi-hour decant. Compacted and unyielding, showing more extract than fruit (and loads of acid, of course). I could pick up some lemon, white berries and herbal notes. Let these rest. Hard to score, but in time this will shine. Served blind alongside a Central Coast Riesling, and the crowd was split as to which one was the German representative.

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• 2016 Tatomer Riesling Kick-on Ranch 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Very reductive at first, all sulfur and tire rubber, but as the wine took air it blossomed into something we very much appreciated. Balanced and delineated, with floral and muted honeyed notes interplaying with some tangerine oil. Some found the RS distracting but I thought it suited the wine, and several of us erroneously flagged this as the German Riesling in its blind pairing flight.

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• 2015 Francois Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  Rich and ripe, maybe to a fault. Ripe orchard fruit, butter and spice, a touch flabby and showed some heat, I thought. Served blind alongside a 2012 Littorai "Burgundy imposter" candidate that was a bit too advanced to make this a really successful flight.

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• 2012 Littorai Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard 85 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Too advanced to offer up much pleasure, and came off as a bit stylized and "manufactured," characteristics that probably were present even before it started to oxidize.

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• 2019 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

  Fresh, energetic and quaffable at this early age, with loads of bright red and black berry notes, some orange peel and muted spice. A smooth, lifted texture added to the enjoyment. I suspect complexity will be added to this litany of praise with a few years' age, too.

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• 2019 Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Bloom's Field 86 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  A hard wine to figure out, not very generous in terms of fruit flavors at this early age, and there was a significant bitterness on the finish. If truly underripe, time will not cure these ails. Easily called out as the "imposter" Burgundy in its blind pairing flight.

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• 2018 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape 88 Points

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

  Somewhat of a hot mess, if you will, so oaky, and ripe beyond restraint. Maybe this harmonizes with time, but I found it a bit sad that we easily called this out as the legitimate CdP in our blind pairing format -- for all the wrong reasons -- and strongly preferred the Jimenez-Landi Mentrida from the same vintage served alongside this.

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• 2018 Jiménez Landi Méntrida Ataulfos 93 Points

  Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Méntrida

  My first encounter with this, and an easy winner in a blind flight pairing with an oaky 2018 Saint-Prefert CdP. Loads of lifted red fruit, orange peel and pepper, well-balanced, with the Garnacha in the clear lead. Highly recommended, drinking beautifully.

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• 2018 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Served blind as the authentic Northern Rhone entry alongside an "imposter" from Jonata. I struggled to enjoy more than a few sips of this wine, which came across as overly polished and manipulated. Some wondered if it wasn't Pinot, in fact. Maybe with time that serves this wine well, but it does seem to be an awfully big contrast with the older Chaves I have previously enjoyed so thoroughly. I pegged it as entry level Chapoutier rather than being from elsewhere.

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• 2018 Jonata Winery La Sangre de Jonata 96 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Ballard Canyon

  A fabulous showing, easily besting the Chave Hermitage served alongside it (both were presented blind). I am used to this bottling needing many years to show its best, but there was no need to wait on this one. Gorgeous lifted red fruit and a touch of apricot, energized by some evident stem inclusion, with additional notes of bramble, fennel and a touch of menthol. Just superb.

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• 2002 Château L'Evangile 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Time is serving these bottles well, it seems. Once the barnyard blew off, I found this to be in very fine form, lacking a bit in terms of concentration but otherwise displaying delicious black and red berry notes, balanced by a touch of greenness, some bitter chocolate and a salinity that served the wine very well.

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• 2009 Miani Friuli Colli Orientali Rosso Flawed

  Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Colli Orientali

  Disappointingly, this was much more advanced than other bottles I have had recently, and came off as raisiny and a bit volatile. Drink up, if not too late already.

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• 2012 Château Pontet-Canet 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Handily the best 2012 Bordeaux I have encountered, with concentrated cassis, graphite, green pepper and licorice all in play. Full-bodied, with resolved tannins and a lovely richness on the finish. A stunner for the vintage, fully approachable after a 5-hour double-decant, and for me was unmistakably the Pauillac in our blind Left Bank pairing flight, served alongside a rather restrained Napa Cab.

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• 2017 White Rock Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  I thought this was classy and presented well in a blind Left Bank Bordeaux pairing format, though the 2012 Pontet Canet screamed Pauillac to me. Crunchy red fruit, restrained oak, some pepper. A good value, too.

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• 2007 Château Suduiraut 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Spot-on as the genuine Sauternes in a blind pairing format, with loads of apricot, tropical fruit and honeyed ginger notes, lush and viscous but held in check by its appropriate level of acidity.

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• 2010 Oro Puro

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Made by dear friends so I won't score this, but I am happy to relay that it held its own when served alongside a 2007 Suduiraut in a blind pairing, and was generally viewed as equally delicious to the authentic Sauternes, though the style did differentiate it sufficiently for most to call the flight correctly. Fresh and energetic, with waves of concentrated tropical fruit and and candied orange peel notes. The acid is starting to fade. Time to drink up.

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This tasting was a huge success, stimulating some of our best conversation, delivering a superb level of wine insights and providing general enjoyment.