[1.3] Blinds at Ungrafted

Blinds at Ungrafted. Calibration wines: 2019 Cos Labory (clear pyrazines, medium tannins) and 2020 Müller-Catoir Herrenletten Riesling (barely felt the alcohol or RS; pyrazines leapt out of the Bordeaux). Three whites and three reds blind.

Wines: 0 atypical (McLaren Vale Grenache questionable)
Score: 1.3 (8 misses in 6 wines)

3 calibration misses:
- Overestimated alcohol on the Bürklin-Wolf Riesling (guessed 13.5%, actual 12%), also acid and phenolics
- Perceived RS on the Allram Grüner (it's dry)
- Acid on the Grenache (soft, not elevated)

3 identification misses:
- Missed vegetal character on the Grüner
- Fruit character (strawberry, watermelon, bing cherry) should have suggested Grenache
- Falsely ID'd pyrazines on the Felsina Chianti

2 logic misses:
- Semi-terpenic laterals should include Riesling
- Chianti Classico should have been in laterals for Red 2

• 2021 Domaine Les Hautes Noëlles Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie Les Parcelles 86 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie

  (Blind)
  Pale straw. Dry. Rotting fruit? Semi-terpenic — some peach on the midpalate. Slight vegetal hint.
  Medium body, 13% alcohol. Elevated acid, medium plus bitterness. Viscosity. Savory on the palate.
  
  Semi-terpenic laterals: Albariño (more terpenic), Pinot Grigio (lighter overall), Grüner (fits vegetal hints).
  Initial call: 2023 Federspiel Grüner, Wachau.
  
  On retasting: light, neutral, tons of lees (bready) impressions. Not bitter. High acid. Lees impression on the finish. Too aromatic for Muscadet.
  
  Called: 2023 Chablis.
  Actual: 2021 Muscadet (Domaine Les Hautes Noëlles, Les Parcelles, Côtes de Grandlieu).
  Analysis: Pretty close. On retasting, a bit "hollower" than I'd expect from a Chablis.

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• 2022 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Riesling trocken 87 Points

  Germany, Pfalz

  (Blind)
  Pale straw. Dry. Quite terpenic on the nose. Riper than the first one.
  Medium body, touch of viscosity. 13.5% alcohol (actually 12%). No oak. Elevated acid, medium bitterness.
  
  Laterals: Viognier (higher alcohol, lower acid, probably oak), Torrontés and Muscat (more terpenes, more acid), Albariño fits in a riper style.
  
  Called: 2023 Albariño from a non-coastal appellation, Val de Salnés.
  Actual: 2022 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Riesling Trocken, Pfalz (12%).
  Analysis: Calibration miss on alcohol (lower), acid (high), and phenolics (low). Semi-terpenic should have included Riesling on the laterals.

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• 2023 Weingut Allram Grüner Veltliner Strass 87 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal

  (Blind)
  Pale straw. Slight RS — 5-6 g/L. Semi-terpenic, heavy ripe nose. Riper and more apple-y than the other two — maybe some oxidation or botrytis?
  Medium acid — lower than the other two. Medium bitterness.
  
  Laterals: Grüner (more structure, no RS, more vegetal nose), RS suggests Pinot Gris, Alsace.
  
  Called: 2021 Alsace Pinot Gris, slight age, not grand cru — good village quality.
  Actual: 2023 Allram Grüner Veltliner 'Strass', Kamptal (12%).
  Analysis: Calibration miss on RS — it's dry. Missed the vegetal character. On retasting, has cut radish on the nose. Just lower acid and more bitter than the others.

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• 2021 Worlds Apart Grenache Blewitt Springs 88 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  (Blind)
  Pale ruby, no rim variation. Slightly confected red cherry nose — whole cluster, but not full-blown carbonic maceration.
  Light body, 12.5% alcohol (actually 11.4%). Elevated acid, low plus tannins. No oak.
  
  Laterals: Beaujolais village (more overt carbonic), cool-climate Pinot/village Burgundy (more structured tannins, earthier), New World Pinot (higher alcohol, ripeness).
  
  Called: 2023 Cru Beaujolais.
  Actual: 2021 Worlds Apart Grenache, Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale (11.4%).
  Analysis: Acid is a bit soft — medium/medium plus, not elevated. Fruit character (strawberry, watermelon, bing cherry) should have suggested Grenache. Not familiar with McLaren Vale Grenache — is this really typical?

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• 2021 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  (Blind)
  Medium minus ruby, slightly red rim. Earthy, slight Brett (animal fur), very slight pyrazines, deep red fruit.
  14% alcohol. Medium plus tannins. Elevated acid. Slight new oak — not a lot. Heftier than the reference 2019 Cos Labory.
  
  Laterals: Bordeaux (plusher than the Cab, maybe right bank), Rioja (more overt oak), Supertuscan.
  
  Called: 2017 St. Émilion.
  Actual: 2021 Felsina Chianti Classico.
  Analysis: Chianti Classico should have been on the laterals, especially given lower oak. Falsely identified pyrazines.

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• 2020 Château La Croix Bellevue 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  (Blind)
  Deep ruby to magenta rim — deeper than the reference 2019 Cos Labory. Ripe nose, dark fruit — dark cherry, slight pyrazines, new oak.
  Very ripe, lots of new oak, slight Brett (???). 14.5% alcohol.
  
  Laterals: Bordeaux (pretty ripe though), CA Cab (wouldn't have Brett), Ribera del Duero (no pyrazines, more red fruit), Rioja modern style (too extracted).
  
  Called: 2020 Bordeaux, classified growth, left bank, Pauillac modern style.
  Actual: 2020 Chateau La Croix Bellevue, Lalande de Pomerol.
  Analysis: Right region and vintage. Called left bank (Pauillac) when it's right bank (Lalande de Pomerol).

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