Popped and poured. Served this blind to the tasting group. Earth and spice aromas with some background red fruit. Similar on palate, somewhat lean, slightly short. Tasted again three hours later and it was much less interesting with acid completely dominant and not much else standing out.

Tasted double blind. Easily identifiable as New World Pinot Noir. Red and black cherry with balance and texture that made me think it from Central Coast. Good spice, with the fruit showing a fair amount on age at the end. Short finish.

Tasted double blind. I don't recall ever tasting any wine from this producer. Lots of earth with black fruit and baking spice hints. Robust structure tending to dominate.

Tasted double blind. Boysenberry and black cherry aromas, similar flavors. Big fruit, very fat, fairly hot, then also slightly bitter near the end. Surprisingly fresh for its age. Clearly New World, tough to identify varietal, but I correctly guessed Zin. I didn't like this wine, although others enjoyed this far more today.

Tasted double blind. Lots of earth with moderate spice and lingering black fruit. Well balanced with good textures, this was more elegant and well made than really exciting. Clearly identified as from Bordeaux, but I didn't find the mineral/ iron character more typical for Haut Brion.

Tasted double blind. Black fruit with modest spice on nose and palate. Fairly simple overall, but good balance throughout. somewhat simple finish shows trace of heat.

Tasted double blind. Fresh black fruit with enticing spice and black pepper. Since this was tasted blind, I thought this from the northern Rhone, as did most tasters today. Very fresh fruit with great energy, balance and textures that help provide a lean, elegant overall character. My first time tasting this wine. I'm glad I have a case on order. This should drink very well for a long time.

Tasted double blind. Black fruit aromas and flavors, good overall, just very simple without much charm. One dimensional, best to drink now.

Tasted double blind. Clearly a ripe white Burgundy, this showed ripe tropical fruit with plenty of new oak. Fruit was still very fresh and vibrant, i thought this might be from 2005 or 2006. Very fat and lush start-to-finish. Best at this point in its evolution, since I doubt this will evolve into a more nuanced wine.

Tasted double blind. Enticing pine and eucalyptus aromas with dense black fruit that was clearly at a perfect place in its maturation. Lean black fruit on palate, still mostly fresh with a few earthy background hints. Good length.

This wine continues to perplex me. Absolutely charming and alluring, but it comes across as an exciting 30 year old Burgundy, not an 8 year old wine. Served alongside the Leroy2004 Vosne-Romanee, I correctly identified these as the two wines in the pairing (I knew Ken was bringing 2 bottles of Leroy 2004), but incorrectly identified which was which. Rich and powerful with dominant baking spice in charge. Very mature red fruit. Drink up...yesterday.

This wine also continues to confuse me. Entirely spice driven with simple red fruit showing lots of charming advanced maturity. Slightly simple finish. Like the Leroy 2004 Bourgogne in the next glass, this came across as 20 years older than its actual age. Partly that's 2004, but partly there is something unusual about Leroy's 2004s. Served alongside the Leroy2004 Bourgogne, I correctly identified these as the two wines in the pairing (I knew Ken was bringing 2 bottles of Leroy 2004), but incorrectly identified which was which. Drink up.