Starting a "new" tasting group

My friend Eamon (vinoemo) and I wanted to start a "young" tasting group as we are usually surrounded by people 15-35 years our senoir in the industry. So we made a few calls and got some friends to come over to start a new tasting group with ages ranging from 21-33. All in all everyone was instructed to bring a bottle that they liked, and had had previously. The night was full of surprises...

This is a small grower's Champagne that we found and loved in the summer of 2007. Unfortunately the owner passed away in 2008 and rumors are that there will be no more wine past the 2000 vintage.

• 2005 Caduceus Cellars Primer Paso 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  I'm sniffing the dregs after pouring the wine into the decanter while waiting for friends. I have to say that I am far more impressed with this wine than I was the last time I had it. I almost wish I had not given away my other bottle. There is some earth and funk that lead into vanilla and blueberries on the nose. In the mouth the tannins are firm and offer good support for the black fruits and minerals to liner on the medium length finish. I'll report more later if it improves.

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• 1996 Poul-Justine Champagne Premier Cru Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  This is always a pleseant wine...but it's not getting any better in my oppinion. There is still a nice minerallity to this, and the mousse is softning up a little since the last time I had it last. There was a very faint hint of bret on the nose...and what once reminded me of granny-smith apples now reminds me of a golden delicious apple.

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• 2006 Montinore Estate Müller-Thurgau 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Scents of slate, apples, pears, and floral notes linger in the glass. Showing a pale yellow straw in the glass with medium acidity leading into flavors of green apples, pear, star fruit, and minerals. While I have to say that I am still impressed with this wine, I do not think that it has the long life that I initially thought. I would try to find this and snap it up if you can...but consume it through the summer of 2009 for the best experience.

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I called this as a 1995 Musar initially...it was so funy on the nose that I really thought he had brought out another bottle of the 95.

• 1998 Domaine Roblet-Monnot Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  Wow...earth, funk, truffles, and dried cranberries on the nose. In the glass it's a light ruby red with a slight bricking at the edge. In the mouth the acidity and tannins have melded into a lovely soft mouthfeel with lingering flavors of red fruits, herbs, and a lingering minerallity. This reminded me very much of the 1995 Musar for those that know this wine.

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What a surprise...I was shocked at the quality of this wine for a $9 grocery store pick.

• 2007 Ruffino Chianti 87 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti

  I have to say that I was pleseantly surprised by this wine in a tasting last night. It was opened and run through the Vinturi into a decanter before pouring out into glasses. There was an interesting earth and cranberry note in the nose. In the mouth it offered good acidity, firm tannins, and lithe sour cherry, and cranberry flavors. What a nice surprise for someone who was truly jaded at the sight of this $10 bottle...

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Two different producers of the same varietal, from the same year...what a difference in the two styles.

• 2005 Tapena Tempranillo 86 Points

  Spain

  What a pleseant surprise. Showing a light ruby in the glass with a bit of funk and black fruits on the nose there was actually some very interesting aeromatics to this wine...In the mouth there was good acidity that went well with the food and allowed the sour cherry and red fruits to linger on the palate. A good reminder not to judge everything comming off the grocery store shelves so hard.

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• 2005 Cosecheros y Criadores Casa Solar 84 Points

  Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla

  This was nice, but did not hold it's own in the price against other wines that cost less. A bit jammy and fruit forward in the mouth with a baked fruit component on the nose. A good wine...but nothing to wait in line for.

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One of th enew guys fell victim to the wine store clerk declaring that "Malbec is a hot grape right now!"

• 2008 Alamos Malbec 85 Points

  Argentina, Mendoza

  An inky purple in the glass with strong scents of plums, graphite, and dark chocolate. In the mouth it is full and fruity with flavors of plums, yet the finish lingers with a resonating heat in the back end that detracts from the quality and potential that this has.

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The caduceus was the huge surprise of this group...especially after my initial thoughts before it was decanted.

• 2005 Caduceus Cellars Primer Paso 91 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Three hours later: Wow...just wow! If I didn't know any better I would think that this was a completely different wine. The nose is just exquisite, scents of earth, granite, black fruits, and as one of the females noted, "It smells like 'dirtyboy'." I think she was right though...there was something akin to pheromones rolling out of the glass. This wine was the one wine that EVERYONE liked. In the mouth it was soft and silky, rolling out layers of black & blue fruits, spice, herbs, and minerals. I am currently kicking myself in the @$$ for giving away my other bottle...I guess this goes to show that this wine needs the time in a decanter. I will be buying more in the comming release.

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• 2006 Two Hands Shiraz Bella's Garden 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  This wine was as dark as old motor oil with a purple hue at the rim of the glass. Strong scents of vanilla, black fruits, and granite rolled around in the glass. In the mouth the wine is bold and unctuous as flavors of black berry, blueberry, spice, and minerals unfold. There is a good acid/tannin structure that lead me to believe that this wine will evolve into something more in the future. There is a slight bit of heat at the back end of this wine that detracts from the quality and purity of the fruit. Hold for a year or more.

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• 2004 Domaine Serene Syrah Rockblock Del Rio Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley

  This was an interesting wine...initially it was very rustic and earthy giving way to scents of game and black berries. However, the longer it sat in the glass the more vanilla I noticed and the black fruits transitioned to more blue fruits that reminded me of a blueberry cobbler. In the mouth this was nice and balanced as good acidity gave way to the fruit and medium tannins. This is a wine that still has time left...but why wait? It's good to go right now.

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The three blind moose was almost un-drinkable...so they ran for the final bottle.

• 2006 3 Blind Moose Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 77 Points

  USA, California

  I have to say that just because it's red and alcoholic doesn't mean that it should be able to recieve the label of 'red wine'. This was the least enjoyable red of the night for me. It had a burnt rubber/trash aspect on the nose that was detracting from what little fruit could be noticed. In the mouth it was light, and astringent on the finish...which was almost non-existant. I do not see how they could keep selling their product if this is what it tastes like every year...

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• NV Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1927 90 Points

  Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles

  Tasted again...with no real changes since the last time...accept a more pronounced cloying sweetness to this wine. If you have it drink it up. If I have this again it will be over vanilla ice cream or on a desert to add the fig and rasin component to the dish...

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Here is the line-up at the end of the night...