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Fort Collins Winos Do Denver: an eclectic set of stellar wines!
Tasted August 5, 2008 by blanquito with 304 views
Introduction
The Fort Collins Winos group gathering in Denver to wine and dine. Looks like these Denver events could occur every other month. For all of you northern Colorado wine and food lovers out there (you know who you are), you owe to yourself to come to one of these extravaganzas! Play hooky, get "sick", or simply walk away from your job, but don't miss another one of these...
Flight 1 (2 notes)
White - Off-dry
2004 Chateau Ste. Michelle Muscat Canelli
Sweet, but balanced... a little spritzy, showing lovely orange blossoms and some residual sugar. Would go great with cheese and served very chilled. B/B+
White
1989 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia
90% Viura, 10% Malvasia. Very golden in color. Slightly oxidized in style, with some dry honey and straw notes on the bouquet. The flavors are subtle but interesting, with dried sultanas, flowers and spicy bergamot. I found this sherry-like, very food friendly (think white fish), and bone-dry. It had a medium length with sneaky intensity, tart but not overly acidic. Not something for everyday, but very unusual and interesting. This has a love-hate style. A- (if you like the style, as I do)
Flight 2 (5 notes)
Red
1998 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch
Tons of sweet cinnamon to smell and taste, with some smoky notes. Lots of sappy intensity, good acidity, old worldish in style, very balanced, sweet yet elegant with a fantastic cranberry-acid infused finished. Someone commented that despite their reputation of not "getting" pinot noir, they get it just fine when it is this good. A collective wow wine, and probably wine of the lunch. A+
Red
1995 Arrowood Syrah Saralee's Vineyard
This was great. My first note is "Yeah!". Spicy and ripe, with lovely aromas and flavours of black tea and cassis syrup. For all its ripeness, this has good acidity and great grip on the finish. New worldish, no doubt, but balanced enough to appease my Cote-Rotie basis. The 2nd best (by a stem) Cali syrah I've had. A
Red
1989 Château Haut-Batailley
Classic aged claret bouquet of cigarbox and leather. Very dry palate, perhaps a tad austere (especially after the pinot). This is highly aromatic, balanced and very silky, it could just use a bit more fruit (which other bottles have had). Goes great with red meat. B+/A-
Red
2001 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm
This was good. Had some subtle new oak aromas, with huge spicy fruit on the palate but showing adequate balance. Had some VA-lacquer notes on the bouquet which turned me off. The finish was long, and high alcohol. Not really my style, but still very good. Without the VA, this would be better. B+/A-
White - Sweet/Dessert
2003 Château de Malle
No real notes, except that this was great. Very light on its feet for a 2003, it showed excellent botrytis with heaps of crème brûlée on the nose and palate, but balanced by brisk acids. Very aromatic and enjoyable. This was a steal for the $15 I paid. A
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