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Q4 - 2016 Tasting - Anything Goes Theme
New York, NY
Tasted November 19, 2016 by retired_and_roving with 517 views
Introduction
The Q4 gathering of the tasting club hosted by MC2wines, was another fun and educational day of tasting through a large selection of wines. This quarter the theme was anything goes as long as it was something you wanted to share or wanted to try. We ended up with a great cross section of old and new world wines, a desert wine and two sparkling wines. As usual red wines dominated the day with only 1 of 22 being white and that was one of the sparkling wines. It was a gorgeous late autumn day in NY at 61degrees, so a perfect day to sample wines in anticipation of the holiday season.
As always each participant gets 5 pennies to vote at the end of the tasting in whichever fashion they want (all for one or spread out). Please see MC2wines tasting story for a summary of the final results.
The stand outs of the tasting for me were the 2010 Spectacle Vins Montsant Espectacle Grenache, the 2007 Progeny Napa Cab, 1999 Sito Moresco and the Egly-Ouriet Brut Rose NV. Just outside of my top 4, I was also very intrigued by the '94 Conseillante , '90 Chateau Pavie, '00 Pio Cesare Barolo, '10 Next of Kin Syrah, '84 Dunn Napa and the '11 Argiano Suolo.
Thanks again to our amazing hosts MC2wines and to all the participants who shared such interesting wines with the group - can't wait until Q1 2017.
On a side note, the blind tasting skills are still pretty crap and don't appear to be improving :-)
Flight 1 (22 notes)
Red
1994 Château La Conseillante
#1 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Color has significant browning, the nose smells older but not funky. On the palate this is all about the leather, cigar box and earth. Definitely old world and aged - my guess was older Bordeaux. Really enjoyable, would have liked to sit with a glass over the course of an evening - but there were 21 more wines to try. This was second quartile in my personal ranking and also for the group overall with 5 pennies voted.
Red
2013 Nickel & Nickel Cabernet Sauvignon Quicksilver Vineyard
#2 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Big shift here from old world to new. The color is deep purple/red. The nose is very fruit forward. On the palate blackberries and dark red cherries, with some pretty big tannins that are drying on the finish. I thought this was young, new world cabernet sauvignon. It was good - but really way to young for maximum enjoyment now. Let is rest for more years. This was third quartile for my personal ranking and and also for the group with 4 pennies voted.
Red
1990 Château Pavie
#3 of 22 wines tasted double blind. From looking and smelling, it was obvious we were back to the old world with glass three. Color was browning and a bit cloudy. The nose was a bit funky with earth and leather. Not a lot of fruit left on the palate but all those lovely tertiary flavors were showing up in full measure. Never had a Pavie before and from what I have read about about how big and modern they can be this really surprised me on reveal because this wine was very elegant. This was top second quartile for me, and second place overall for the group with 9 pennies voted
Red
2007 Progeny Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection Reserve
#4 of 22 wines tasted blind. And we are back to the new world again with glass 4, a deep dark dense red color that looks very youthful. Nose is red fruited. The wines drinks like a more mature and complex wine than I would have thought by the color. The palate is complex with layers unfolding first the red/black fruit then tar and leather with a long finish. I loved this and will seek this out for my cellar. One of my favorite wines of the tasting, for the group second quartile with 6 pennies voted.
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Red
2000 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato
#5 of 22 wines tasted double blind. This appears to be an aged wine with some browning of the color. The nose is earthy. On the palate this is earthy and complex and very tasty. I have no idea what I am drinking to be honest, but suspect it is a mature old world wine. This was second quartile for me but less popular with the group overall with only 1 penny voted.
Red
2008 Dalla Valle Maya
#6 of 22 wines tasted double blind. The dark purple color and fruity nose make me suspect this a younger Californian wine. It is definitely quite fruit forward on the palate initially, but the mid and back palate reveal a complexity that should continue to develop with time. I liked it, but found it a bit too primary at this stage - would give it more time. Third quartile for me, a bit more popular with the group with 6 pennies voted.
Red
2010 Spectacle Vins Montsant Espectacle
#7 of 22 wines tasted double blind. The color is a bright clear ruby red. The nose is dark cherry and a bit spicy. On the palate full lush red fruit, with white pepper a bit of menthol and long almost candied finish. Reminiscent of the '09 Clos du Caillou CdP that won the Q2 tasting. Yes I think it is fair to say that I really enjoy grenache. Top quartile wine of the tasting for me and for the group this was tied for first place overall with 10 pennies voted. Will look to get some of this for the cellar as well.
Red
2011 Casa Ferreirinha Douro Quinta da Leda
#8 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Color was dark purple. The nose was quite fruit forward. Tasted very fruit forward, blackberries and blueberries, a bit syrupy with sweet tannins and a bit of heat. A bit too sweet on the palate for my preference. Not in my wheelhouse, so one of my least favorites, this was third quartile for the group with 3 pennies voted.
Red
2010 Next of Kyn No~4 Cumulus Vineyard
#9 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Color is dark purple. This drinks really nicely with a savory, meatiness that makes me call it as new world syrah. Seemed quite complex and had a good long finish. Another wine I would have enjoyed spending more time with. Second quartile for me and the group with 6 pennies voted.
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Red
2013 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard
#10 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Surprise/surprise - I think we have a pinot here in this line-up of deep/dark wines. Color is a light translucent cherry red. Nose is red cherry fruit. On the palate the fresh acidity strikes me first, a real shift after the wines previously tasted. The fruit and acid are in nice balance. My guess was a burgundy. Very nice, but in a line up of more powerful wines only third quartile for me and zero pennies voted from the group.
Red
2013 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary Vintage Stag's Leap Vineyard
#11 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Color is dark purple. On the nose blackberry and raspberry. Tastes more mature and resolved than the color would indicate. Seems like a nicely put together well balanced napa cab to me, but not a standout in today's field. Third quartile for me and the group with 2 pennies voted.
Red
2013 Baldacci Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label Stags Leap District
#12 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Dark purple color. Blackberries and alcohol on the nose. This wine is still a bit of a tannic beast - like a newborn just out of the oak barrel. The tannins are simply still way too prominent for current enjoyment. The stuffing is there, but I think this needs to sleep for at least another 5 years before trying. One of my least favorites just due to its youth for the group 2 pennies voted.
Red
2013 Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
#13 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Dark purple color. Another young tannic beast. The oak and alcohol and very prominent at this point and this wine will need some time to come together in the bottle. Give this some years before cracking open. One of my least favorites due to the tannins for the group 1 penny voted.
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Red
1984 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
# 14 of 22 wines tasted double blind. A bit of a change of pace here. Color is leaning toward brownish. Acidity on the palate is high but in balance with mature fruit and tannins. Lighter and livelier mouth feel than previous line up. My guess was aged Barolo (obviously wrong). Very enjoyable and interesting - would have enjoyed spending more time with this. The aged Dunn's are very intriguing. Second quartile for me and for the group tied for 1st place with 10 pennies voted.
Red
1999 Gaja Langhe Sito Moresco
#15 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Another mature wine on the heels of the '84 Dunn. The color is somewhat translucent with hints of browning. Higher acidity, good balance, more tertiary characteristic than fruit here - so not sure how much longer this will hold. However right now it was drinking really beautifully with a lovely finish. My call was aged Barolo again. Top quartile for me, and second quartile for the group with 7 pennies voted.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé
#16 of 22 wines tasted double blind. We brought this one so was not actually blind. Had never had the Egly-Ouriet before so was not sure what to expect. Color is pale salmon/pink, the mousse was fine. On the nose strawberries. On the palate, warm strawberries, chalky minerality, bright acid - nicely balanced. I enjoyed particularly for the added complexity the minerality brought to the table - don't find this as often in the roses. One of my favorites of the tasting and for the group 4th place with 8 pennies voted.
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White - Sparkling
2010 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru l'Esprit
# 17 of 22 wines tasted double blind. We brought this one as well so not blind for us. First time with the Pierre Peters and was not particularly blown away by this. Kind of middle of the road for the various grower champagnes we have been experimenting with. Very effervescent, some yeast and biscuity flavors and lemon curd. Kind of meh and a bad value for the price - I think there are far more interesting choices at lower price points available in market. Third quartile for me and no interest from the group overall with 0 pennies voted.
Red
1995 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
#18 of 22 wines tasted double blind. This one was also our selection so not blind for us. I usually really like the Altesino Brunellos but this one may have been flawed. A few of the tasters thought this was corked, on opening I was wondering the same. However when I got around to tasting this I was very taken with the nose of mature fruit and leather. On the palate though this was a bit flat not too much going on. When buying an old bottle at retail this is always a gamble I guess. Bottom quartile for me with 2 pennies voted by the group overall.
Red
2011 Argiano Suolo Toscana IGT
#19 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Color is deep ruby, no signs of browning so I assuming a younger wine. Lots of big earthy flavors on the palate that keep unspooling in my mouth - very interesting particularly at this stage in the game. I suspect if I tasted this one earlier it would have been more of a favorite. Second quartile for me and the group really like it with 7 pennies voted.
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White - Fortified
N.V. Casa Pedro Domecq Pedro Ximénez Venerable Very Rare
#20 of 22 wines tasted blind, although I actually drank this last as word was that this was a desert wine. Seemed like a fortified desert wine on tasting as it was both very sweet and high in alcohol. To be fair, this type of wine is not in my wheelhouse so my ability to judge quality is very limited. Reminded me of some port wines I tasted in Douro this spring. Very sweet and complex. One of my least favorites due to the style, the group liked this with 6 pennies voted.
Red
2009 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
#21 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Deep purple/red color - looks very youthful. Tasted very young with big tannins and high alcohol notes poking through. Seems like the stuffing is there to make a nice wine but another 10 years to come together may be in order. One of my least favorites due to its youth, the group voted 1 penny.
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Red
2012 Dusky Goose Pinot Noir Dundee Hills
#22 of 22 wines tasted double blind. Switching it up with a second pinot noir at the very end of a long tasting. Palate fatigue had set in and I don't really have much in the way of notes. I think it was good, but did not stand out in any particular way. Third quartile for me with the group showing some love with 4 pennies.