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12 Blind Wines in Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Tasted March 20, 2021 by kevinpatrick with 170 views
Introduction
This was a blind tasting of 12 wines from around the world restricted to the top 10 producing regions. Participants ranged widely in age (24 - 50) and experience level (beginner to seasoned wine drinker) so wines were selected that would be both approachable and could appeal to the varying palates.
Flight 1 - 12-Bottle Blind Tasting from Around the World (12 notes)
All corks popped at the same time and wine left in the bottle (with one exception noted in the tasting note)
Red
2014 Kutch Pinot Noir Bohan Vineyard
93 points
This wine is in a fantastic place. Slo-ox for 60 minutes before sampling. Enjoyably fragrant nose of cherries and jam. Smooth, plush mouthfeel. Resolved red cherries balanced lovingly with a note of strawberry and plum on the palate. Delicate, long finish. Everything about this wine was in harmony and drank fantastically for many hours into the night. 3 Wine of the Night Votes, 4 overall votes in Top 3; Clear #2 wine on the night with 11 pts overall (next highest score was 7pts).
Red
2016 Maison Albert Bichot Fixin
91 points
Slow-Ox 60 minutes before sampling. Earthy, old-world nose. Would have guessed it was at least 10 years old but with lots of life still in the bottle. Creamy wine, still quite primary but delicious. Savory finish. The contrast of age between the nose and the palate was interesting but somewhat disjointing. Did not detract from the enjoyment but made for a confusing tasting. Wine should be checked-in on every 3 years from this point to see if the fruits evolve to match the nose and probably last at least 10 more. Nice effort. 2 votes in Top 3. Ranked tied for 9th overall.
Red
2010 Pietranera Brunello di Montalcino
92 points
Slo-ox for 90 minutes before sampling. A great effort from a fantastic QPR Brunello. Rustic, old world nose of clay dusted rose petals. Delicate on the mouthfeel the wine revealed a delicious smooth wind-blown grainy texture. Nicely aged flavors of earthy cherries with hints cranberries layered into wonderfully long finish. A great wine to relax with and drink over an extended period of time paired with olives, spicy meats, and Mediterranean cheeses. 1 WOTN, 3 votes in Top 3. Tied for 3rd overall.
Red
2006 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia
92 points
Slow-ox for 90 minutes before sampling. Opulent nose of dried strawberries and herbs with notes of brown leaves. Rich, earthy texture on the palate revealing flavors of black cherry liqueur, soft leather, and hints of orange peel. Very traditional Rioja in full bloom. While in full bloom on the evening, it was definitely a drink now before it fades wine. 2 WOTN, 3 votes in Top 3. Tied for 3rd overall. Tied for 3rd overall.
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Comment
Red
2018 Kaiken Malbec Ultra
89 points
Slo-ox for 2 hours before sampling. Youthful, vibrant notes of concentrated jammy black fruits jump out of the glass. We’ve clearly moved to a younger, fuller wine here. Fruit-forward and primary the wine is simple and rich yet enjoyable with notes of bramble and blackberry. A very straight-forward Malbec that was enjoyable especially given the price-point. Pair with dark chocolate. 2 votes in Top 3. Tied for 9th Overall.
Red
2019 Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône
88 points
Slo-ox for 2 hours before sampling. Back-to-back opulent, youthful noses -- fruit-forward with strong aromas of Red cherries and strawberry jam. Another straight-forward big grape with an old word feel. An enjoyable wine that was enhanced with some water crackers and peppery jam. Nothing fancy but nothing bad. Nice wine especially at the price point. If the crowd wants big, fruity, enjoyable, and inexpensive this is a good place to start. 1 vote in Top 3. 11th Place.
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Red
2015 Tapiz Malbec Black Tears
92 points
Slo-ox for 2.5 hours before sampling. This was a very rich wine. Notes of blackberries and plums on the nose with faint smoke in the background. Viscous on the palate it was creamy with bright jammy notes consistent with the nose -- cassis, plums, and blackberries. We did a lot of food pairings with these wines and chocolate espresso beans were a raging hit tasted alongside this wine. Can easily age 5 - 10 years which should enjoyably soften the brightness without losing any flavor. Just a wonderful, flavorful, full-bodied Malbec. 1 WOTN, 3 votes in Top 3. Tied for 5th Overall.
Red
2013 Carmelo Patti Gran Assemblage
88 points
Slo-ox for 3 hours before sampling. Delightfully delicate dusty plum, raspberry, and tobacco on the nose -- very Old World. Decidedly different on the palate -- very New World. Youthful soft fruit of red cherries and raspberries; primary but light and angular. A light, enjoyable wine but lacking a fullness and body I was expecting after the wonderful aromas in the glass. Wonderful build-up but faded unmemorably. The only wine to receive zero Top 3 votes on the night. 12th place.
Red
2012 Glenelly Estate Lady May
93 points
Slo-ox for 3 hours before sampling. Wonderful nose of dark fruits and cedar with a waft of smoke and tobacco signifying an elegant, rich wine. Smooth on the mouthfeel, notes of black raspberry and currants dance around the well-integrated tannins on your palate and linger lovingly for a lengthy finish. Stylistically the wine is Old World though the fruits have a New World vibrancy to them. Tonight it displays a fantastic balance of the two worlds. 1 WOTN, 3 votes in Top 3. Tied for 5th overall.
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Comments (3)
Red
2007 Querciabella Camartina
93 points
Slo-Ox for 3.5 hours before sampling. Opulent nose of dusty cherries and dried spices. Minerally on the mouthfeel distinct notes of red fruits (cherries and strawberries) shine through with some plum notes at the end. This wine is big and delicious with excellent complexity and a savory finish. A joy of a wine -- great today with plenty of life in the bottle. I would never have guessed the blend but when revealed the Sangiovese really explains the complex flavors. 3 votes in Top 3. 8th Overall.
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Red
2000 Château Latour à Pomerol
95 points
Slow-Ox for ~3.5 hours before sampling. Beautiful rustic nose -- woodsy, sultry, hints of cherry and green pepper. Medium+ body with wonderfully resolved tannins on the mouthfeel with plenty of structure. Notes of black currant, plums, and smoke fill your palate with rich complex flavors followed by a savory long finish. A fabulous wine with life left in the bottle but likely on the back-half of peak -- definitely a drink now wine. Overwhelming WOTN. 4 votes WOTN. 8 of 12 people had it in their Top 3 on the night -- no other wine garnered more than four Top 3 votes. 17pts overall.
Red
2002 Lail Vineyards J. Daniel Cuvée
93 points
Slow-Ox for ~3.5 hours after necessary double decant (cork crumbled). Hard to follow the 2000 Latour a Pomerol but the Lail still performed nicely. Wonderful bouquet of violets and blackberries waft gently out of the glass. Smooth, integrated tannins on the mouthfeel. Full bodied with delicious notes of black raspberry and black cherry on the palate flow gently into an enjoyable medium length finish. This was an excellent wine that only suffered by comparison following the more complex Latour a Pomerol. A very tasty wine demonstrating excellent strength although likely just past peak. 3 votes in Top 3. 7th place.
Closing
The end-of-night scores for the wines reflected a wide dispersion in preferences I think consistent with the make-up of participants. The exceptions were at the two tails with an overwhelming WOTN while one wine garnered zero Top 3 votes. That said, no wines drank poorly.