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[0.7] Blinds at Angler
Angler, SF
Tasted December 17, 2022 by RajivAyyangar with 115 views
Introduction
Coming out of mini-retirement, this was my first proper blind flight in years! I took my time, consulting notes for lateral groups, and it felt like a great learning experience. I was incredibly pleased with the general quality of the wines, and in most cases (cough, cough, Deiss) the typicity!
- Wines: 1 atypical
- Score: 0.7 (4 misses in 6 wines)
- 4 misses:
- Calibration: Overestimated alcohol on the Copain Pinot.
- Logic: forgot CA Sauv Blanc on my laterals
- Logic: my reasoning on OR vs. Sonoma vs. NZ was pretty mushy.
- Logic: Didn’t consider a more restrained Zin like Bedrock.
Flight 1 (6 notes)
White
2019 Domaine Laroche Chablis Saint Martin
87 points
(Blind)
Medium minus yellow - straw.
Bone dry.
Neutral nose. Slight lemon. Light body. 12% alcohol (actually 12.5%), high acid - tart malic too. No bitterness.
Laterals:
- Chablis. Should have a bit more fruit and mid plate.
- Muscadet. Fits! Young. Pretty light. Good acid.
- Hunter semillon. Would be lower alcohol and more reductive and harshly acidic.
- Riesling — would be more aromatic. Probably would have some RS or higher alcohol (Alsace / GG).
- Pinot Grigio: would have lower acid and some phenolic bitterness. Probably more aromatics as well.
Initial Call: 2020 Muscadet, ~ 6m on lees. Entry level. Good quality. Excellent typicity and should go well with most seafood here!
Tasting this after a while I get noble reduction and toast (maybe oak but probably just reduction). It’s more aromatic than I initially thought.
Changing my guess:
Final Call: 2020 Chablis. Good quality.
Actual: 2019 Chablis, Domaine Laroche st. Martin.
Analysis: spot on!
Medium minus yellow - straw.
Bone dry.
Neutral nose. Slight lemon. Light body. 12% alcohol (actually 12.5%), high acid - tart malic too. No bitterness.
Laterals:
- Chablis. Should have a bit more fruit and mid plate.
- Muscadet. Fits! Young. Pretty light. Good acid.
- Hunter semillon. Would be lower alcohol and more reductive and harshly acidic.
- Riesling — would be more aromatic. Probably would have some RS or higher alcohol (Alsace / GG).
- Pinot Grigio: would have lower acid and some phenolic bitterness. Probably more aromatics as well.
Initial Call: 2020 Muscadet, ~ 6m on lees. Entry level. Good quality. Excellent typicity and should go well with most seafood here!
Tasting this after a while I get noble reduction and toast (maybe oak but probably just reduction). It’s more aromatic than I initially thought.
Changing my guess:
Final Call: 2020 Chablis. Good quality.
Actual: 2019 Chablis, Domaine Laroche st. Martin.
Analysis: spot on!
White
2017 Nimble Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Nimble Blanc
91 points
(Blind)
Pale straw. Bone dry.
Elevated intensity aromas of Mango, papaya. Thiols (some grapefruit).
Holy shit this nose is good.
Elevated alcohol: 13.5% (actually 13.9%).
Slight phenolic bitterness.
Elevated acid (tartaric, went through malo, long and clean).
Great mid palate weight.
Laterals:
- Chenin Blanc. South Africa. Eh…on closer inspection this is more oak and Pyrazines.
- Bordeaux Blanc (sauv-sem blend). Elevated alcohol fits.
- Sancerre: is phenolic bitterness a thing in Sancerre? Would have oak. Maybe I’m misreading oak for lees?
- NZ: would be more grassy, thiolic, and high acid / no bitterness.
Final call: 2019 Sauvignon/Semillon blend. Bordeaux Blanc. Entry level. Good quality! Very typical.
Actual: 2017 Nimble Vineyards Sauv Blanc (13.9% alcohol, 50% New French oak)
Analysis. Very nice wine, and the style is indeed similar to Bordeaux Blanc.
Pale straw. Bone dry.
Elevated intensity aromas of Mango, papaya. Thiols (some grapefruit).
Holy shit this nose is good.
Elevated alcohol: 13.5% (actually 13.9%).
Slight phenolic bitterness.
Elevated acid (tartaric, went through malo, long and clean).
Great mid palate weight.
Laterals:
- Chenin Blanc. South Africa. Eh…on closer inspection this is more oak and Pyrazines.
- Bordeaux Blanc (sauv-sem blend). Elevated alcohol fits.
- Sancerre: is phenolic bitterness a thing in Sancerre? Would have oak. Maybe I’m misreading oak for lees?
- NZ: would be more grassy, thiolic, and high acid / no bitterness.
Final call: 2019 Sauvignon/Semillon blend. Bordeaux Blanc. Entry level. Good quality! Very typical.
Actual: 2017 Nimble Vineyards Sauv Blanc (13.9% alcohol, 50% New French oak)
Analysis. Very nice wine, and the style is indeed similar to Bordeaux Blanc.
White
2018 Marcel Deiss Alsace Complantation
91 points
(Blind) Medium minus yellow-gold.
Bone dry. Slight Terpenes. Bruised apple oxidation.
Fantastic nose. Candied, preserved, dessicated rose petals (terpenes and age/oxidation). Tart sautéed apple fruit as well.
Medium body, 13% alcohol. Medium plus acid. Tart malic as well. Very slight bitterness. Not enough that I think phenolic bitterness is stylistic. Smooth apply finish. OMg this is so good.
Elevated acid wines with oxidation and just a hint of terpenes:
- White Rioja - would have more oak.
- Savennieres — would be higher alcohol and acid and maybe dirtier (botrytis?)
- Voivray (sec tendre) - would have some RS and higher acid.
- Older Chablis - would have the hint of terpenes.
Initial call:
- 2020 Loire Chenin, Savennieres, entry level.
Tasting it again after a while, the terpenes are so pronounced. Dried rose petals.
I’m changing my guess to an oxidized muscat. High acid. Older though (since the terpenes fade quickly).
Final call: 2018 Muscat, Alsace. Good quality.
Actually: 2018 Deiss Alsace field blend!
This explains the general oddness of oxidation with terpenes. One interesting note - it doesn't have detectable RS (maybe a tiny bit - less than 5g). That's been a problem in the past. Maybe they picked grapes at different times...leading to some oxidation? I wonder how vineyard management and picking works for this blend!
Such an interesting tapestry of flavors.
Bone dry. Slight Terpenes. Bruised apple oxidation.
Fantastic nose. Candied, preserved, dessicated rose petals (terpenes and age/oxidation). Tart sautéed apple fruit as well.
Medium body, 13% alcohol. Medium plus acid. Tart malic as well. Very slight bitterness. Not enough that I think phenolic bitterness is stylistic. Smooth apply finish. OMg this is so good.
Elevated acid wines with oxidation and just a hint of terpenes:
- White Rioja - would have more oak.
- Savennieres — would be higher alcohol and acid and maybe dirtier (botrytis?)
- Voivray (sec tendre) - would have some RS and higher acid.
- Older Chablis - would have the hint of terpenes.
Initial call:
- 2020 Loire Chenin, Savennieres, entry level.
Tasting it again after a while, the terpenes are so pronounced. Dried rose petals.
I’m changing my guess to an oxidized muscat. High acid. Older though (since the terpenes fade quickly).
Final call: 2018 Muscat, Alsace. Good quality.
Actually: 2018 Deiss Alsace field blend!
This explains the general oddness of oxidation with terpenes. One interesting note - it doesn't have detectable RS (maybe a tiny bit - less than 5g). That's been a problem in the past. Maybe they picked grapes at different times...leading to some oxidation? I wonder how vineyard management and picking works for this blend!
Such an interesting tapestry of flavors.
1 person found this helpful
Comments (2)
Red
2018 G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe
90 points
(Blind) Medium ruby, hint of garnet.
Volatile acidity (perfumed). Hint of star anise. Red cherry fruit. Possible herbal notes (pyrazines?). Menthol.
Dry. Medium body. 14% alcohol (actually 14.5%). High acid. High tannins (papery and drying).
Elevated structure and light color with a puzzling herbal note and some new oak.
Laterals:
- Chianti, Brunello, Barolo/Barbaresco - the herbal notes are puzzling but this would fit for brunello/Barbaresco.
- Loire cab franc - would be greener.
- Bordeaux: young bordeaux. The VA is a bit much and the tannin texture seems too coarse / unrefined. But the nose fits.
- Coonawarra cab: tannins and acid are way too high.
- Etana Rosso - this kinda fits. Not really confident on the style. I think it would be darker in color.
I’m picking between Barbaresco and etna rosso.
Final call: 2018 Barbaresco
Actually: 2018 Barolo
Analysis - pretty close! Maybe I underestimated the alcohol a bit. This wine is promising, if fairly young.
Volatile acidity (perfumed). Hint of star anise. Red cherry fruit. Possible herbal notes (pyrazines?). Menthol.
Dry. Medium body. 14% alcohol (actually 14.5%). High acid. High tannins (papery and drying).
Elevated structure and light color with a puzzling herbal note and some new oak.
Laterals:
- Chianti, Brunello, Barolo/Barbaresco - the herbal notes are puzzling but this would fit for brunello/Barbaresco.
- Loire cab franc - would be greener.
- Bordeaux: young bordeaux. The VA is a bit much and the tannin texture seems too coarse / unrefined. But the nose fits.
- Coonawarra cab: tannins and acid are way too high.
- Etana Rosso - this kinda fits. Not really confident on the style. I think it would be darker in color.
I’m picking between Barbaresco and etna rosso.
Final call: 2018 Barbaresco
Actually: 2018 Barolo
Analysis - pretty close! Maybe I underestimated the alcohol a bit. This wine is promising, if fairly young.
Red
2016 Copain Pinot Noir Les Voisins
91 points
(Blind)
Medium ruby.
Reductive burnt toast and deep, juicy red cherry. This has Pinot-like fruit (reductive red fruit).
On the palate…damn this is good.
Medium body, 13.5% alcohol (slightly elevated) (actually 12.9%!). Medium plus acid, medium minus tannins - satiny. Long finish with red cherry. Mostly neutral oak. Lots of fruit.
Laterals (Thin skinned red with slight oak and Pinot-like fruit.)
- burgundy - this could be from a warmer vintage.
- NZ, CA, OR pinot - cooler vintage and more old-world producer of OR. CA would have more alcohol probably. NZ tends not to use this much oak.
- Beaujolais - could be a more serious cru with no carbonic…if I’m misreading that there’s oak.
I think this is a Pinot. Within Pinot, this has a lot of fruit, but medium ripeness (some red cherry and some nectarine/peach) so cooler climate. Slight oak.
Final call: Oregon 2019 Pinot Noir. Excellent quality.
Actual: Sonoma Pinot 2019.
Analysis - I overestimated the alcohol, but generally read the style correctly.
Medium ruby.
Reductive burnt toast and deep, juicy red cherry. This has Pinot-like fruit (reductive red fruit).
On the palate…damn this is good.
Medium body, 13.5% alcohol (slightly elevated) (actually 12.9%!). Medium plus acid, medium minus tannins - satiny. Long finish with red cherry. Mostly neutral oak. Lots of fruit.
Laterals (Thin skinned red with slight oak and Pinot-like fruit.)
- burgundy - this could be from a warmer vintage.
- NZ, CA, OR pinot - cooler vintage and more old-world producer of OR. CA would have more alcohol probably. NZ tends not to use this much oak.
- Beaujolais - could be a more serious cru with no carbonic…if I’m misreading that there’s oak.
I think this is a Pinot. Within Pinot, this has a lot of fruit, but medium ripeness (some red cherry and some nectarine/peach) so cooler climate. Slight oak.
Final call: Oregon 2019 Pinot Noir. Excellent quality.
Actual: Sonoma Pinot 2019.
Analysis - I overestimated the alcohol, but generally read the style correctly.
Red
2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Bedrock Vineyard Heritage
89 points
(Blind)
Medium plus ruby. Gobs of deep dark fruit. Slight spice (pepper? Potpourri?). Slight lighter ripeness fruit too - red cherry (millerandage or a blend). Smells like rye. Slight VA (menthol).
Dry. Full body. High alcohol (14.5% - correct). High tannins (grippy and papery). Has midpalate concentration. ~50% new oak?
In summary: Some oak, deep color, elevated acid and tannins, elevated alcohol.
Laterals:
- Brunello - would have higher acid, lighter color.
- Chianti - would have higher acid.
- Cab - too light for CA or Washington. But too fruit forward for classic bordeaux. Hmmm. I’m going to guess BDX in a warm year.
- Syrah - Rhône: shouldn’t have oak.
- Malbec -
- Bandol - wouldn’t have oak.
- Zin - would have more acid and more millerandage.
Final Call: 2019 Bordeaux
Actual: 2019 Zinfandel blend - Bedrock
Analysis: i should have guessed Zin, absolutely. I knew Bordeaux felt wrong and I also knew a more restrained Zin like Bedrock was on the table.
Medium plus ruby. Gobs of deep dark fruit. Slight spice (pepper? Potpourri?). Slight lighter ripeness fruit too - red cherry (millerandage or a blend). Smells like rye. Slight VA (menthol).
Dry. Full body. High alcohol (14.5% - correct). High tannins (grippy and papery). Has midpalate concentration. ~50% new oak?
In summary: Some oak, deep color, elevated acid and tannins, elevated alcohol.
Laterals:
- Brunello - would have higher acid, lighter color.
- Chianti - would have higher acid.
- Cab - too light for CA or Washington. But too fruit forward for classic bordeaux. Hmmm. I’m going to guess BDX in a warm year.
- Syrah - Rhône: shouldn’t have oak.
- Malbec -
- Bandol - wouldn’t have oak.
- Zin - would have more acid and more millerandage.
Final Call: 2019 Bordeaux
Actual: 2019 Zinfandel blend - Bedrock
Analysis: i should have guessed Zin, absolutely. I knew Bordeaux felt wrong and I also knew a more restrained Zin like Bedrock was on the table.
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