The Blind Drunks monthly tasting

The wines are tasted double blind in brown papers bags, arranged in flights from roughly the lightest wines to the heaviest. We spend 15-20 minutes tasting the flight before discussing the wines and unveiling them before moving on to the next flight.

• 1999 Yves Boyer-Martenot Meursault Les Narvaux 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Tasted double blind at the September Blind Drunks tasting. Pale color, with a waxiness to the fruit. Rich and full-bodied, again with a waxy component to the fruit. I thought this was a southern Rhone.

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• 1999 Yves Boyer-Martenot Meursault Les Narvaux Cuvée Unique 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Tasted double blind at the September Blind Drunks tasting. This was poured right after the regular Les Narvaux, and what a difference! Straw color, with honeysuckle blossoms and a soft toasty oak note. The palate is dominated by tart apple fruit, with a light minerality and soe nice toast on the finish. I guessed a 2001 Burgundy.

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• 2000 Long Vineyards Chardonnay 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Tasted double blind at the September Blind Drunks tasting. Straw color, with aromas of vanilla, oak, apples and a light caramel note. Apple and pear fruit on the palate, with a nice charred oak flavor on the finish. I thought '00 or '01 Cali Chard.

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• 2004 Andrew Rich Pinot Noir 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Tasted double blind. Light ruby in color, with notes of cherries, Christmas spices, clove and a bit of alcohol. Nicely balanced, with plum and red currant flavors, and a 20 second finish. The spices and cherries on the nose had me thinking it was a Garys' Vineyard Pinot.

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• 2002 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 85 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Tasted double blind. Light ruby color. Initial aromas of clove, rose petals and cinnamon. Warm-baked cherry ad spice flavors on the well-balanced palate. However, with a bit of air, this developed a very troubling medicinal note. I thought a '00/'01 Oregon Pinot...close.

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• 1993 Canoe Ridge Merlot 92 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills

  Tasted double blind. Dave brought this bottle, which had been resting comfortably in his cellar since release. Garnet in color, showig a little age toward the rim. Notes of minerals, tobacco and spices. Sweet tannins, very well integrated, with red fruit flavors. I thought this was a mid-'90s off vintage Bordeaux, such as a '94. A very nice showing for this wine.

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• 2003 Château Lassègue 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Tasted double blind at the September Blind Drunks tasting. Deep garnet color, with aromas of tobacco, tea leaf and red fruit. Medium bodied, with cherry and red berry flavors. Nicely balanced. I thought a nice Cab Franc.

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• 2004 Greg Norman Australia Estates Shiraz

  Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast

  Tasted double blind. The darkest wine of the first flight. Deep garnet color, almost opaque at the center. Notes of evergreen/pine needles, which blew off to reveal tea leaf and...grapefruit aromas. On the palate, sweet red fruit and grapefruit. A very odd wine. I had no clue as to what this was prior to unveiling.

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• 2003 Neal Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Tasted blind. I had decanted this about two hours prior to inserting it in the tasting. Deep, inky garnet color. Notes of mint, eucalyptus and blueberry. Flavors of plums, blackberry and dark fruit, with sweet, slightly puckering tannins.

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• 1998 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape 90 Points

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

  Tasted double blind at the September Blind Drunks tasting. Bright ruby color, with smoky plum and red fruit aromas, a little pepper mixed in too. Very nice weight, with bright red fruit on the palate. Very nice! I correctly identified this as CdP.

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• 1998 Paloma Syrah 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  Tasted blind. Smoky, with light meat, evergreen and mint notes. Nice sweet tannins, somewhat chewy, with mint and black currant flavors.

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• 2002 Antiyal Antiyal 93 Points

  Chile, Maipo Valley

  Tasted double blind. Deep garnet color. Wonderfully complex aromatics, with deep briary fruit, blackberries, earth and tar. The palate is dominated by chewy tannins, with a wonderful tar and scorched earth flavor. I thought Pessac, and really liked this.

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• 1998 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 89 Points

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

  Tasted double blind at the September Blind Drunks tasting. Ruby color. Pruny, raisiny fruit aromas on the nose, with bright red fruit and a nice acidity on the palate. I thought CdP.

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• 2002 Château La Baronne Corbières Montagne d'Alaric 86 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Corbières

  Tasted double blind. Candied cherry aromas follow through on the palate. Very simple. I thought '03 Cote du Rhone.

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• 1994 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Counterpoint Sonoma Mountain 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain

  Tasted double blind at the September Blind Drunks tasting. Deep garnet color, opaque at the center. Notes of blackberry, tobacco and bell pepper. Sweet tannins on the palate, with a wealth of red fruit and a fine balance. I thought '95 Napa Cab. A very nice showing.

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• 2002 Echelon Merlot 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Tasted double blind. Deep garnet color. Notes of plum, chocolate and a faint meaty note. On the palate, red currants and plums carry through the finish, supplemented by sweet tannins.

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• 1996 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Counterpoint Sonoma Mountain 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain

  Tasted double blind at teh September Blind Drunks tasting. This was the last of the blind wines, and was a real nice bottle to end the evening with. Notes of roasted bell pepper, mint and eucalyptus. Sweet tannins and red fruit on the palate, with a rather lengthy finish dominated by plum and red fruit.

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• 2004 David Coffaro ZP2C 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

  Poured after the blind tasting to drink with the pizzas. A very nice Zin-based blend, with bright red fruit notes which follow through on the palate. Tannins are sweet, there's a bit of a briary flavor as well.

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• 2002 Rosenblum Cellars Petite Sirah Rockpile Road Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Rockpile

  Opened with pizzas after the blind tasting. Deep inky color, opaque almost all the way to the edge. Firm dark berry notes and tannins...big, and slightly hot, but not overly so. Tightly wound dark fruit all the way through the finish. I would think a couple of hours in the decanter would be about right.

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• 1977 Graham Porto Vintage 94 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  This was served with dessert after our tasting group had gone through the blind wines. Appears rather youthful, with a deep ruby color. Notes of cassis, cherries and a touch of alcohol. Wonderful balance on the palate, very well-integrated. Red fruit, raspberry and cinnamon flavors glide over the palate to a lengthy finish, where there's just a slight bit of tannin.

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