4th Saturday Brown Bagger

Wines are tasted double blind in flights, which are arranged randomly, but somewhat lighter to heavier. Each flight is discussed & unveiled before moving on to the next flight.

• NV J.C. Grill & Fils Champagne Cuvée Prestige Brut

  France, Champagne

  100% chardonnay. Pale gold color with a short mousse. Aromas of green apple and almond. Fine bead. Flavors of sweet apple with a candied almond quality in the finish. Chalk and cooked lemon qualities as well.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2021 Château La Nerthe Côtes du Rhône Les Cassagnes Blanc 86 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Double blind. Light color. Reticent bouquet. Flavors of pear and dried stone fruit with noticeable acidity. (J&S)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2021 Carol Shelton Wines Coquille Blanc 89 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Double blind. Apple and cotton-like notes follow through on the palate. Has a good bit of weight on the palate; somewhat rich texture. Reminds me a bit of the marsanne we had at the Friday group brown bagger a week ago. (J&S)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2022 Château Pesquié Ventoux Blanc Quintessence 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Ventoux

  Double blind. Light color. Aromas of apple with an earthy clay undertone. There’s a touch of spritz on the palate which is dominated by orchard fruit with a nice underlying minerality. Along with the first, another which to me seemed a bit like chenin blanc. (J&S)

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2021 Sandhi Wines Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 89 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Double blind. Very light color. Aromas of cranberry, candied cherry and clove. Light bodied and bright, with heightened acidity and flavors of candied red berry fruit. This reminded me of a couple of domestic gamays that I have tasted in the past. (V&M)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2013 Paix Sur Terre Mourvèdre The Other One Glenrose Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles Adelaida District

  Blind. Fairly dark color. Aromas of spice, black fruit and earth with a subtle meaty overtone. Full-bodied. Flavors of black fruit and pepper with blueberry notes in the lengthy finish. Well-balanced, with a satiny texture and lovely fruit. I was fairly certain this was our mourvèdre.
  
  This had been double decanted off its sediment a little over 90 minutes before the flight was poured.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2021 Constant Crush Wine Mencía Eola Springs Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  Double blind. Aromas of eucalyptus, burnt rubber, red fruit, olive, tapenade and pine forest. Lovely, complex bouquet. Medium bodied, with bright acidity, and flavors of red fruit and brine. Finishes with nice length. Seemed very southern Rhone to me- I thought Gigondas or perhaps Vacqueryas. (R&S)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 Château Grand-Pontet

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Double blind. Notes of dark berry, cedar and Oscar Mayer bologna. This is a little strange, and I think I get a touch of mustiness underneath everything but I'm not sure and no one else seems to pick it up either. Medium-bodied, with very little fruit on the palate, which is angular and rather austere.
  
  Others like this more than I, but I will maintain that this is somehow flawed and not representative, especially considering the vintage, which should be showing some rather generous fruit on the palate. (R&D)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2014 Bodegas Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Double blind. Deep color, with notes of boysenberry, red plum and pepper. Definitely ripe, but not overly so. Full-bodied. Red plum and ripe red berry fruit on the palate. Hints of vanilla and rosemary stems in the finish. Guessed Spanish grenache.
  
  This had been decanted for an hour before the tasting began. (J&S)

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2007 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 90 Points

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

  Double blind. Opens with aromas of dark fruit with hints of soy and spice underneath. Raspberry and herb elements on the palate. Medium bodied. Guessed grenache, but I thought this could have been a companion wine to the Muga in the previous flight.
  
  A surprise to see an '07 CndP unveiled, as I got none of the overly ripe, raisined qualities I have come to expect from this vintage. (MM)

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2020 Aperture Bordeaux Blend Soil Specific 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Double blind. Dark color with aromas of black fruit, currants and pepper with a meaty undertone. Full-bodied, with flavors of black fruit and pepper carrying the lengthy finish. Plush tannins; good presence across the palate.
  
  Seemed more like a nice domestic syrah than Bordeaux-style blend, but still a very nice wine with lovely dark fruit. No need to rush on these. (J&T)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2017 Dominus Napanook Red 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Double blind. Rather reticent and tight to start, with aromas of generic red fruit and perhaps a subtle herbal undertone. Flavors of raspberry, black fruit, pepper and spice with hints of soy in the finish. Medium tannins, fleshing out and gaining weight as it sits. The fruit turns a touch riper through the finish as it breathes. (MM)

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2013 Paix Sur Terre Mourvèdre Comes A Time Alta Colina Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Blind. Dark color with notes of pepper, roasted game and black fruit. Has a wild, almost feral quality, with a slight mineral tone as well. Balanced, with abundant dark fruit and spice on the palate. Adds a lovely floral top note as it breathes in the glass. Delightful.
  
  This had been double decanted off its sediment 2.5 hours before the flight was poured. Drinking well with air, but there's plenty of life left yet- now to 2027 easily.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 Château Beychevelle

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Double blind. Ripe, with jammy dark fruit, plum and black raspberry aromas, with an underlying herbal quality. Full-bodied. Plum and red fruit on the palate. Guessed Napa blend. (R&D)

  Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2009 Moschioni Friuli Colli Orientali Pignolo 93 Points

  Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Colli Orientali

  Double blind. Opens with a terrific earthy funk, along with dark fruit, raspberry and something very fresh and bright- grapey, like a barrel sample. Full-bodied, with fine tannin and flavors of black fruit and herbs. Hints of spice and dark fruit linger on the finish. Guessed Bordeaux. (J&T)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2004 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 92 Points

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

  Blind, though easy to pick out as our bottle of Pegau in the flight. A bit lighter in color, I had placed this toward the end of the table with the lighter wines so that it would end up in the first flight. Aromas of cherry liqueur, dried herbs/garrigue and red berry fruit with the signature Pegau funk underneath. Medium-bodied, with soft tannin and nice acidity. Lovely red berry fruit on the palate, with subtle spice accents. Finishes with good length.
  
  I think it faded a bit and would have shown a little better a couple of hours earlier in the first flight, although other tasters enjoyed this very much. At peak for my palate, now through 2025.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2018 Petroni Petit Verdot Cavedale Ranch 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Moon Mountain District

  Double blind. Deep color. Reticent at first, black fruit, vanilla and blue fruit notes are eventually coaxed out. There's a brown sugar element as well which reminds me a bit of TRB cabs. Full-boded, with fine tannins and flavors of black fruit, oak spice and vanilla. Guessed Napa cab sauv. (J&S)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2016 Silverado Vineyards Merlot Mt. George Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville

  Double blind. Dark inky crimson color. Notes of red fruit, earth and dried herbs. Medium-bodied, with soft tannin and flavors of black raspberry, cherry and chocolate. Medium+ finish. Very nice. (R&S)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2015 Domaine Juliette Avril Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points

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

  Double blind. Light color. Red berry fruit and peppery spice notes in the bouquet and on the palate. Medium-bodied, with soft tannins and balancing acidity. White currant and cherry as well. Soft, but eminently enjoyable. (V&M)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2016 Kale Wines Heritage McGah Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  Nonblind with dinner. Though only 16% of the blend, the mourvèdre component really shines through. Aromas of black fruit, roasted game, burnt rubber, clove and white pepper. Develops a floral quality with air. Full-bodied with flavors of black fruit, plum and pepper, with raspberry preserve tones in the finish. Excellent. (J&S)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2019 Domaine Coursodon Saint-Joseph L'Olivaie 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph

  Nonblind with dinner. Pepper and dark fruit notes. Full-bodied and well-balanced with a long finish dominated by dark fruit and spice. Lovely. (J&S)

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 1992 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage 96 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Deep ruby red color with notes of kirsch, licorice, blueberry and plum. Full-bodied. Plum, fig, raspberry , kirsch, clove and spice on the palate with a finish that sails on. Gorgeous. 96+ pts. (R&D)

  Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No