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Blind Red Wine Tasting

Plymouth, MN

Tasted November 22, 2014 by GoBlue2002 with 387 views

Introduction

3 flights consisted of a welcome wine, the tasting, and then port afterwards.
Red wines were consumed blind, and tasters had to rank and guess the varietal for each wine. The list of varietals was: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bordeaux Blend, Syrah, Zinfandel (2), and Red Blend (2).

Flight 1 - Welcome Wine (1 note)

White - Sparkling
N.V. Eponina Brut North Coast USA, California, North Coast
74 points
Acidic, dry, and tart. This is the harsher side of brut. An absolute miss from Naked Wines.

Flight 2 - Blind Tasting (8 notes)

All wines were drunk blind, with each person starting on a different wine.

Red
2004 McPrice Myers Syrah Les Galets USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley
87 points
Dark in color yet without much structure remaining. This still sports a fruit-forward palate.
For blind tasting:
I guessed Bordeaux, 88 pts. 3rd place.
Marianne: Zinfandel, 86 pts. 5th place.
Overall 3rd out of 8 wines.
Red
2010 Rua USA, California, Napa Valley
88 points
Very fruit-forward on the palate, with very little structure.
For blind tasting:
I guessed Red Blend, 87 pts. 6th place
Marianne: Zinfandel, 89 pts. 2nd place
Overall 5th out of 8 wines.
Red
2012 Folie à Deux Ménage à Trois Red USA, California
79 points
Very sweet with definite residual sugar. This was added to the tasting as a "surprise" as it was the winner of our group's first blind tasting a few years ago. This illustrated how much our palates have changed. I poured the wine down the drain.
For blind tasting:
I correctly guessed zinfandel blend, 77 pts, 8th out of 8 wines.
Marianne: Correctly guessed Zinfandel, 84 pts, 6th out of 8 wines.
Overall 7th out of 8 wines.
Red
2011 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
83 points
Light in color, easy drinking, but acidic and kinda blah.
For blind tasting:
I correctly guessed zinfandel blend, 85 pts, 7th out of 8 wines.
Marianne: guessed syrah, 80 pts, 8th out of 8 wines.
Overall 8th out of 8 wines.
Red
2012 William Hill Winery Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast USA, California, North Coast
89 points
Moderate level of color, flavorful, smooth/soft, yet with structure. This wine stood out in the tasting as the wine with the most structure, by far.
For blind tasting:
I guessed merlot, 91 pts, 1st out of 8 wines. My last wine of the tasting.
Marianne: guessed Bordeaux blend, 88 pts, 7th out of 8 wines.
Overall 4th out of 8 wines. This one split the group, with 3 1st place votes and 4 7th (2nd to last) place votes. This appeared to need some time, with those tasters who went back to the wine enjoying more than 2nd time around.
Red
2013 Ravenswood Besieged USA, California, Sonoma County
88 points
Bland, yet flavorful. Easy drinker.
For blind tasting:
I correctly guessed red blend, 88 pts, 5th out of 8 wines.
Marianne: Correctly guessed red blend, 87 pts, 4th out of 8 wines.
Overall 2nd out of 8 wines.
Red
2011 Ramos Pinto Douro Duas Quintas Reserva Portugal, Douro
90 points
Meaty, with ripe flavors, dry, mild, purple in color.
For blind tasting:
I guessed syrah, 88 pts, 2nd out of 8 wines.
Marianne: guessed cabernet sauvignon, 90 pts, 1st out of 8 wines.
Overall 1st out of 8 wines.
This was clearly the group favorite, and was also the 1st bottle finished by the group, even before the results were announced.
Red
2009 Château La Gorre France, Bordeaux, Médoc
89 points
Pruney, somewhat ripe, yet easy drinking. This did have some body though.
For blind tasting:
I guessed cabernet sauvignon, 89 pts, 4th out of 8 wines.
Marianne: Correctly guessed bordeaux blend, 89 pts, 3rd out of 8 wines.
Overall 6th out of 8 wines.

Flight 3 - Finishing Wine (1 note)

Red - Fortified
N.V. Delaforce Porto His Eminence's Choice 10 Years Old Tawny Portugal, Douro, Porto
87 points
Solidly mediocre for a 10 yr, and not a bad price.

Closing

Group Scores (low score is better):
Wine A - 2004 McPrice Myers Syrah Les Galets - 31 pts
Wine B - 2010 Rua - 36 pts
Wine C - 2012 Folie à Deux Ménage à Trois Red - 46 pts
Wine D - 2011 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley - 49 pts
Wine E - 2012 William Hill Winery Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast - 35 pts - the love it or hate it wine
Wine F - 2013 Ravenswood Besieged - 28 pts
Wine G - 2011 Ramos Pinto Douro Duas Quintas Reserva - 26 pts
Wine H - 2009 Château La Gorre - 37 pts

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