Open That Bottle Night 2009

Each year, WSJ suggests one night duing the year that wine drinkers set aside and open a bottle that has some sentimental value, or for whatever reason are reluctant to open. We hosted a wine tasting with 4 such bottles and 7 close friends. When the tasting was done, we just starting drinking out of the celllar.

This tasting was blind - all taster knew which 4 wines they could be tasting.

Started out light and festive with a refreshing reasonably priced prosecco.

• NV Zardetto Prosecco Brut 88 Points

  Italy, Veneto / Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Prosecco

  **
  Color: Pale straw
  Aroma: Fresh pear with some grapefruit
  Taste: Apple and pear with a clean sitrus finish. So enjoyable and not too sweet.
  This is just the perfect sparkler for and opening beverage to tasting night. Everyone enjoyed.

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• NV Zardetto Prosecco Brut 88 Points

  Italy, Veneto / Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Prosecco

  Consisant notes with last bottle

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Wine #1: 1991 BV Georges Latour Private Reserve
Wine #2: 2002 Macari Bergen Road
Wine #3: 1967 Bertani Amarone
Wine #4 1995 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron

• 1991 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  **
  Color: Garnet, with very little bricking
  Aroma: Plum, cherries and leather
  Taste: Cherries, Plum and ripe fruit upfront with leather and earth. A smooth, but shorter than expected finish.
  this was a delightful bottle, far better than the 1990. We opened this bottle up 3 hours before drinking, but did not decant. The cork fell apartn (althought the edges were intact) upon opening. LOTs and Lots of sediment in this. this was my wine of the flight.

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• 2002 Macari Vineyards "Bergen Road" 91 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  **
  color: ruby Red
  Nose: Plum with flowers
  Taste: Cherry, raspberry, ripe fruit with a hint of chocolate. The finish was lush with a mouthful but not quite as long as I had hoped for.
  For a little Long Island wine, this held it's own against some really bigger, well know names. Don't tell Joe Macari or he'll raise the price. Well worth the $$ for a nice Bordeaux style wine.

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• 1995 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  **
  Color: Purple
  Aroma: Tobbaco and leather with balc currant
  Taste: Blackberry, leather, toast and tobacco
  this was a lush wine, with a drier than expected finish. Drinking well, and I suspect a good qpr for this wine

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• 1967 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 91 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

  **
  Color: Opaque red with bricking
  Aroma: earth, stewed prunes, barnyard
  Flavor: Raisen, Prune with and earthy mushroom taste
  We opened this a 10 AM and decanted. We drink this bottle at 8 PM and it had really evolved and benefitted from the air. Even as we drank this wine over the course of an hour it became more intense with a long, long finish. This bottle truly tasted like a little slice of Veneto.

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After our official 4 wine tasting we opened and offered a 2005 Shelter 27-29 as well as a 2001 Almaviva.

• 2001 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva 91 Points

  Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto

  **
  Color: Deep Red
  Nose: Cherry with mineral
  Taste: Blackberry, fruit, oak, minerals with a little spice. This had a long fisnihg with a tannic bite.
  Maybe it was palate fatigue from the tasting, maybe the taster or maybe the wine. This isn't showing as well as it had in the past. Less fruity a little more astringent. With all the tannins still left, perhaps it needs a little time. Was showed up by 2005 Shelter 27-29.

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• 2001 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva 91 Points

  Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto

  Second bottle drank tonight. Consistant notes

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• 2005 Shelter Cabernet Sauvignon 27-29 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  **
  Color: Deep Plum
  Nose: Black currant, oak and violets
  Taste: Plum with jam lots of integrated fruit with a splash of oak and a long silky finish. Tannins are so soft and lush but linger for a good while. This wine blew away the 2001 Almavia for its lush feel and depth of fruit. A great QPR and great go to wine for a group.

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• 2005 Shelter Cabernet Sauvignon 27-29 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Seccond bottle opened tonight. Consistant tasting notes with previous bottle.

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Guests could chose from the cellar and picked this odd assortment, and we finished with the dessert wines.

• 2005 Oriel Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Palio 86 Points

  Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

  **
  Color: Bright red a little thin
  Nose: Cherry fruit
  Taste: Cherry with a taste of herbs, thinner than expected but nice easy drinker. Short Finish

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• 2000 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia

  **
  Color: Dark Red
  Aroma: Black Currant and vanilla
  Taste: Black currant, plum, vanilla with a creamy taste.
  This was just a delectable wine with a powerful, long, lingering finish.
  this was my WOTN. I think I just love super tuscans.

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• 2005 Macari Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Block E Sweet 90 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Color: Pale Yellow
  Nose: Apple and oranges with honey
  Taste: Smooth and sweet with fresh apples and a splash of citrus finish. Enjoyable but I prefer the Block E blend

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Surprisingly GREAT showing for Macari Bergen Road 2002. Tasters couldn't believe it was a mid priced Long Island Wine.
Great food, great wine and great friends. Can't wait until next years event!