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SAG (Blind) Tasting
Chez Weber - Chicago IL
Tasted August 1, 2006 by Burgundy Al with 450 views
Introduction
First flight was identified as all Syrah-based or Pinot-based, we just had to guess which. Second flight was meant as a continuation of the Syrah dominated first flight with some fun extra confusion
Flight 1 - Is it Northern Rhone? Or is it Burgundy? (5 notes)
I identified two of five correctly!
Red
1995 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde
90 points
Blind tasting. Good fruit on nose, good pepper as well. Palate shows austere red fruit and good spice. Fruit seems a bit hidden behind lots of acidity, not quite in balance yet.
Red
1990 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares
91 points
Blind tasting. Very ripe fruit and lots of spice and pepper. Some mushroom character as well. Dark fruit with a smoky element. Finish also seems quite black and ripe, somewhat short. Tasted blind and asked to identify this as Rhone or Burgundy, I thought it Rhone, as did most others. While this was a very good wine, I'd hardly consider it a very good Bonnes Mares.
Red
1962 M. Chapoutier Hermitage
94 points
Blind tasting. Incredibly elegant from first sniff. Aromas of earth, smoky red fruit and good spice. Flavor was mostly mushrooms and some roasted meat. Spice reappeared on the finish. This was just lovely, charming and incredibly interesting from the beginning through its long finish.
Red
1995 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne
86 points
Blind tasting. Good spice on nose, then lots of forest floor aromas. Less fruit flavor than I'd expect at barely ten years. Short and simple.
Red
1997 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque
91 points
Blind tasting. Tons of fruit on nose and palate, for now hidden way behind tannins.Spice comes and goes but doesn't seem balanced with the fruit. Seems like a very good wine that was in a very awkward place. I guess my "blind" assessment was a bit short sighted. Others liked this wine a great deal. I just wish it had more time in decanter and/or glass.
Flight 2 - Continuing the Syrah Theme.... (4 notes)
Red
1989 Noël Verset Cornas
91 points
Blind tasting. Really interesting combination of elegance and concentration. Aromas and initial taste was mostly red cherry and even strawberry with some earthy charm. Closer to the finish, and with more time in glass, darker fruit started emerging and the fruit took on great density and length.
Red
1989 Penfolds Grange
85 points
Blind tasting. I knew as soon as I smelled this wine that most others would really like it but I wouldn't. Aromas of black fruit, eucalyptus and dark spice and dark roasted coffee. Similar profile on the palate. Obviously high quality raw materials, I just thought it over ripe and overdone. I guess I was ripe on the high quality raw materials.
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Comment
Red
1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage
94 points
Blind tasting. Inviting aromatics to start were spice and red and black cherry. Spice continued on to the palate, where some great roasted meat flavors also emerged and the fruit transitioned into darker cherry and berry. Really well balanced and intense. Still lots of room to get even better.
Red
1977 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva
88 points
Blind tasting. tough wine to appreciate in this flight, given its age and entirely different flavor profile. Good fruit dominated by earthy character and some red cherry that just wouldn't die. Too much acidity given everything else that is left in this wine.
Closing
Much, much more wine was opened and enjoyed after the "formal" part of the evening.