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Monthly Tasting Group: Whites at Monello
Monello, Mpls, MN
Tasted June 26, 2016 by rocknroller with 444 views
Introduction
This was the monthly tasting group event. We had a mix of whites from around the world. Twenty people and two tables of ten. Very good food.
Flight 1 - Our Table (14 notes)
White - Sparkling
2008 Veuve Doussot Champagne Ernestine Millesime
91 points
Medium gold color. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. This has such nice fruit on it, pear, lemon, bright with a very fine bead. The palate has citrus, tangerine, saline, and a very refined minerality, finishes strong.
White
2008 Didier Dagueneau Blanc Fumé de Pouilly
Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over an hour plus. This was off on the nose, there was a vegetal quality that seemed to partly resolve but it still wasn't quite right with an oxidized character. The palate was somewhat better with the distinct lemon, citrus, racy acids, dense, and still showed excellent length, but the undertones of the start of oxidation was there too. Drinkable, but expiring.
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White - Sparkling
N.V. Henriot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
91 points
Very pale gold color. Drank 1 glass over 20 minutes. Nice, toasty, nutty, orchard fruits, brioche, yeast.
White - Sparkling
2013 Dirty and Rowdy Pinot Blanc Pét-Nat
87 points
Drank 1 glass over 20 minutes. This was pretty weird. Lager-like, cereal palate, I get this massive taste of Captain Crunch. It was like I was 12 again and eating a big bowl of it without milk. Crushed almonds, almond paste. If not for it being so mono-dimensional I might of found it more appealing.
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White
1998 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
92 points
Light medium gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. The bottle was in good shape, but I didn;t take much for notes. I liked it, it had the same earthiness that the '09 had the other day. A little of that oily, round texture, bees wax and lemon that was attractive as well.
White
2012 Hanzell Chardonnay
93 points
Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. We had this next to a '13 Kistler Kistler Vineyard and it was notch better. Peach, mineral, melon, very balanced, medium bodied, elegant, mineral.
White
2013 Kistler Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard
92 points
Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. Drank next to a '12 Hanzell Estate. Citrus, nectarine, toasty oak, on the nose. The palate is medium full bodied, toasted oak, subtle golden fruits, a touch of alcohol shows. Very good, not over the top, and in need of 2 years.
White
2008 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Sierra Madre Vineyard
88 points
Small pour over 20 minutes. This was pretty oaky, oak spice, nutty, apple, white fruits, masked, and sharp finish.
White
2011 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series
93 points
Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. This was significantly better than a bottle a year ago and starting to hit the sweet spot. Round, full bodied, tangerine, citrus, white peach, saline, great minerality. This has settled down considerably and shows more finesse. 93+pts.
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White
2012 Château La Louvière Blanc
91 points
Pale gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. Very good, grapefruit, a little buttery, cat pee, citrus, well balanced.
White
2013 O'Shaughnessy Sauvignon Blanc
89 points
Small pour. It's always nice to find a domestic SB that strikes a nice chord. This one does. Nice minerality, citrus, subtle cat pee, herbal; palate follows and is fairly bright and fresh. 89+pts.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1993 Chateau Megyer Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos
90 points
Small taste. Tart orange, blood orange, citrus, good acid and texture. 90+pts.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2001 Château Suduiraut
95 points
Drank 1 glass over 20 minutes. We've been seeing a lot of each other lately. I kind of feel like we've got to stop meeting like this '01 Suduiraut. But as long as Gary keeps bring you, I'm not going to turn you down. Delicious.
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Flight 2 - Table Two (5 notes)
White
White - Sparkling
2013 Le Rocher des Violettes Pétillant Originel
87 points
Very pale almost clear. Small taste. Foamy, white fruits, fair.
White
2013 Julien Pilon Viognier mon grand-père était limonadier
89 points
Small taste. Very floral and aromatic as expected, nectarine. A bit pluffy.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1990 C. H. Berres Erdener Treppchen Riesling Beerenauslese
92 points
Small pour. No notes. Very good.