3rd Friday Group Tasting

We gathered for our regular third Friday brown bag tasting. The hosts provide warm up wines which are followed by two flights of reds. We discuss and unveil each flight before moving on to the next flight.

• 2020 Famille Perrin / Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Blanc Nature 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Double blind. Pale straw yellow color with a dominant green apple note that eventually gives way to melon and something just a touch tropical. Abundant fruit on the palate, with hints of spice as well. Guessed S. Rhone. (J2)

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• 2020 Château Suduiraut Le Blanc Sec de Suduiraut 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux

  Double blind. Medium yellow. Lovely, complex bouquet. Notes of melon, citrus, maybe something grassy like sauv blanc(?), becoming more rich and slightly honeyed, with a beeswax element as well. Good weight on the palate, with a pleasing rich texture, and flavors of pear, melon and quince. That subtle grassy quality did have me briefly thinking sauv blanc, but the more time I spent with this the more I thought N. Rhone blend. I’m a fan. (J2)

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• 2016 Bedrock Wine Co. Petite Sirah Drummond's Cuvee 92 Points

  USA, California

  Double blind. Deep garnet color. Aromas of raspberry, boysenberry and pine needles. Full-bodied, with flavors of plum and boysenberry. With time in the glass this develops a bit more depth and complexity, adding tobacco and herb notes while becoming more black and blue fruited than red, and adding lovely floral/perfumed top notes. The herbal, savory notes had me thinking franc/sauvignnon blend…this never felt tannic enough for petite. A pretty, “lighter” petite sirah…excellent. 92+ pts. (R2)

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• 2003 Two Hands Shiraz Lily's Garden

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Double blind. A fair amount of bricking- definitely appears to be an older wine. Aromas of plum, tea leaf and bouillon. Medium-bodied and integrated, with flavors of tea, mushroom and currants. Tomato leaf and red berry fruit notes with air, with the palate showing a touch more fruit as it breathes in the glass. Slightly sour in the finish. Over the hill for sure, but not entirely without charm, one just need be patient and look for it rather than write this off and move on. Guessed old (1998-2000 era) S. Rhone. (J2)

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• 2010 Peter Michael L'Esprit des Pavots 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Blind. Medium garnet red color. Aromas of plum, pepper, boysenberry, currants and violets. Full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of plummy red fruit and leather. Lavender and macerated red berries as it opens in the glass. Nicely balanced, with just a bit of tannin yet to integrate. Now through 2033, perhaps longer depending upon one's preferences. This had been double decanted off its sediment two hours before service...could have used another hour or two to be honest.

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• 2005 Château Lascombes 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Double blind. Light crimson red. Notes of back currants, plum, cedar, leather, graphite and iron, with a subtle, slightly green undertone. Full-bodied with resolved tannins and flavors of red and black fruit, iron and graphite. Doesn't change too much as it sits in the glass, but becomes brighter and more amplified. Guessed 2000 Pauillac.
  
  A bit of a surprise, as we've found many 2005s still on the firm/tannic side, though J did find this more tannic than I. As the bottle was coming around I did pour another couple of ounces and it looked a little darker and did seem a bit more tannic. Now whether or not that's because it changed/developed or it was just suggested and I'm impressionable, I don't know. Still, I have three in the cellar so it was nice to get a read on it. I think I will continue to let ours rest a bit...perhaps 2028+. 93+ pts. (R&D)

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• 2006 Château Pape Clément 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Double blind. Dark, slightly inky color. Notes of violet, currants, plum and graphite. Full-bodied, with flavors of dark fruit and iron. Balanced. Red berry fruit and tobacco notes emerge with time in the glass. Firm to medium tannins with flavors of black fruit and sweet tobacco. Easy to pick our as Bordeaux, and again I was thinking Pauillac, but I didn't have a good feel for the age of this one.
  
  Drinking nicely, albeit in a youthful manner, from this "lesser" vintage. One to enjoy over the next ten+ years...should make 2036 rather easily. (R&D)

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• 2012 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Double blind. Decent amount of bricking, but this is fairly light to begin with I think. Notes of candied red fruit and spices, and when I say "candied" I do not mean that to be derogatory...quite the opposite as the fruit is very bright and nicely sweet. Raspberry, herb and red berry fruit flavors, with a nice vein of acidity and a pleasant finish. Has just the slightest bit of tannin supporting the fruit. Quite nice. That herbaceous quality had me thinking grenache rather than pinot. (R&R)

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• 2010 Peter Michael Les Pavots 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Blind. Touch of bricking. Notes of black fruit, violet, dill, currants and herbs. Full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of black fruit and spice. Opens nicely in the glass, showing black fruit and plum with hints of potpourri and cedar. Fleshy dark fruit carries through the finish. Excellent.
  
  This had been double decanted three hours before service...five to six would have been better. No rush on these.

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• 2002 Kay Brothers Shiraz Hillside Amery Vineyards

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Double blind. This has an interesting aroma that I can't quite place...it's something of a cross of asphalt, melted licorice and melted rubber. I like it, even though I really can't quite describe it as accurately as I would like. An abundance of black fruit on the nose and palate along with that rubbery/asphalt quality. Very interesting and enjoyable. (J2)

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• 1995 Grant Burge Shiraz Meshach 92 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Double bind. Light garnet core with some bricking. Opens with a lovely herbaceous, eucalyptus overtone with red berry fruit underneath. Shows just a touch of heat, along with flavors of red plum and sweet tea. Develops a nice blue fruit streak that works well with the herbaceous elements. Easy to pick out as Aussie shiraz with the eucalyptus note. 92-93+ pts. (J2)

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• NV Whitwham Porto Millennium 94 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Double blind. Aromas of pear, toffee, walnuts and figs. The palate follows the bouquet. There's a really nice bit of acidity here, keep this bright and balanced, along with the porty spirit element. Good length and balance. Others were talking about Madeira, but I guessed old colheita.
  
  Really cool stuff. 95% of this is from the 1880 vintage, which had been sitting in a large (20,000L) cask until 1999. Only 10,000L of wine remained at the time (1999). Niepoort added 5% of his 1945 vintage to make the final blend and bottled it in 2002. A very rare and unique treat...thank you J!

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