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Subject: Rickym13 does Double Blind!

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jason

Napa Valley

Wine Addict
Posts:6829

12/31/2007 3:13 AM
Rickym13 generously hosted a double blind tasting for a baker’s dozen of wino’s and wino’s in-training. He and his wife graciously opened their home to all of us, preparing a great spread of food that complimented many of the wines as well as providing every single bottle in the tasting. This was a rather casual blind tasting with the wines split into three separate flights. One flight of 3 whites, and two flights of 7 reds each. All the bottles were bagged by Rick and labeled by his wife so that it was single blind for him and double blind for the rest of us. This was the first tasting I have ever been to where bar pour spouts were utilized, and I must say they worked great in this type of situation. I am always jokingly accused by Rick when it comes to these new world wines that they are not wines I like. As I mentioned this night, I spend my own money very focused, but I enjoy drinking all wines and I am extremely open to all of them, and enjoy tasting them in depth constantly. Especially being in the business where all wines, no matter what your taste need to be considered; the reaffirming outcome from this tasting was that wines that I on a personal level do not extract much joy outside of a few ounces, are the same wines that my customers go gaga over, and that I would never leave off a wine list of my own. (How’s that for a run-on sentence) I held drastically different opinion to most in attendance this evening. As I have always said, the one thing when you boil it all down that I look for in wines besides a sense of place is balance. Impact and concentration are great to have, but if balance is lacking, they really don’t mean much. Last but not least; I know quite a few of the wines sound similar in description. After unveling and realizing how similar(Napa Cab) a lot of these were I don't feel too bad about how similar these sound. Many being seperaed by the texture and balance which can sometimes be hard to put into words especially when your note are sterile and technical. By the way I have to thank Dan stealng his tasting term of snickers bar. He used to use this in tasting notes in the past (when he posted them); this was one of the first times I actually smelled/tasted it in wines. Onto the wines: � 1st Flight This flight was never intended to be blind, but once Rick asked the group we all said bag-em. 1995 Marcassin Chardonnay Gauer Vineyard “Upper Barn” Gold with moderate nose, vinous with toffee, honeyed baked orchard fruits, caramel and grilled nuts. Full body, high complexity and medium acidity with decent length. Tired and a little disjointed on the palate with more rich toffee and grilled nut notes accented with caramel flavorings. This bottle was a fading starlet showing you glimpses of what she used to be, but not delivering the whole package anymore. 86pts. (My guess, 1993 Sonoma Chardonnay) Groups WOTF 2005 Aldin Chardonnay Napa Valley Water white, green hints with a moderate nose of wet stone, light spices, pear and lemon zest. Medium plus body, high complexity and acidity with long length. Lean with stone, spices lemon and pear on the palate with a rather rich body from the alcohol, though balanced nicely. 90pts. (My guess, stainless or older barrel (2-3 year old) aged 2005 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay). My WOTF 2006 Algareiro Albarino Rias Baixas Light pale straw with some green and a slight petillance. Delicate nose of white flowers, melon, minerals and lemon/lime. Medium body, moderate complexity, high acidity and long length. Very fresh and vibrant, lean with a palate that matched the nose. 89pts. (My guess 2006 Vedejo from Rueda) Albarino’s are always pretty tough to blind taste because of about three distinct styles they are made in. Second Flight: 2004 Bennett Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Ruby purple core, powerful nose of chocolate, cassis, cedar, dried herbs, light bell pepper. Full body, high complexity, moderately high acidity and low, grainy tannins. Chocolate, blackberry, vanilla, baking spice with long length. 89pts. (My guess 2004 Napa Cab.) 2002 Marshall Cellars Juliet Peery Beckstoffer Reserve Ruby purple, moderate nose of smoke, vanillin, tar, cassis, mocha and cedar. Full body, high complexity, moderate acidity and medium tannin with long length. Cassis, blackberry, cedar, vanillin, chocolate. Long and concentrated with nice balance. 91pts. (My guess 2004 Napa Cab dominated blend) Groups WOTF with 6 - 1st place votes and one 2nd place vote (mine). My 2nd WOTF 2001 Beaulieu Vineyards Tapestry Reserve Ruby purple, moderate nose of snickers bars, blackberry liqueur, vanillin and light cedar hints. Full body, moderate complexity, low acidity and medium tannins. Cassis, cocoa, blackberry, vanillin, smoke and tar. Long length though slightly out of balance. 85pts. (My guess 2004 Napa Cab dominated blend) 2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia Almost opaque ruby-purple with a powerful nose of espresso, bittersweet chocolate, vanillin and cassis. Full body, high complexity, medium acidity and high, ripe tannins. Concentrated espresso, cassis, blackberry liqueur, chocolate, vanillin and tar. Long length with balance. 94pts. (My guess 2002 Napa Cab dominated blend) Five 1st place votes and five 2nd place votes. My WOTF, group 2nd. 2004 Schild Estate Shiraz Barossa Opaque ruby purple, powerful nose blasts you with alcohol, jammy blackberry, blueberry, light mint, vanillin and smoke. Full body, moderate complexity, medium acidity and low tannin. Blueberry, mocha, vanillin and blackberry with a finish that falls off a cliff, yet leaves a long impression. 85pts. (My guess 2005 McLaren Vale Shiraz) 2005 Amisfeld Pinot Noir Central Otago Ruby with a moderate nose of black cherry, strawberry, overripe red cherry, vanillin and baking spice. Medium body and complexity with high acidity and low tannin. Alcoholic on the palate with red and black cherry, dried raspberry and macerated strawberry. 85pts. (My guess 2006 New Zealand Pinot) 1998 Opus One Purple, moderate nose of tobacco leaf, cedar, blackberry, cocoa. Full body, moderate complexity, medium acidity and elevated alcohol. Cocoa, tobacco, tar and rough alcohol. 84pts. (My guess, 2000 Napa Cab blend) 3rd Flight 2004 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Ruby purple, opaque with a moderate nose of rubber rafts, black cherry, chocolate covered coffee beans, alcohol and loads of oak. Full body, moderate complexity, low acidity and high tannin. On the palate, oak, oak, oak and alcohol. Once you could get through that their was some blackberry liqueur and asphalt hidden underneath. No balance whatsoever. NR (I am scared to even tack a score unto this). (Guessed as 2004 Quilceda Creek - see below) Group WOTF, my least favorite wine of the night. [rant]I had purchased QC off the mailing list since the 1998 vintage, electing to drop off the list after the 2002 vintage (which I don’t regret for a second anymore). Rick had graciously shared the 2003 a year or so ago when I was visiting L.A. and I hated it!! This reminded me of it so much that I started talking to Rick about how similar this was to the 2003 QC that I had despised. After a quick deduction, guessed this as ’04 QC. I may be alone, but a wine this out of balance is flawed. It is so much about impact and power with seemingly no regard for the simplicity of balance. I can’t see this ever coming into balance, and all of mine is off to auction. I truly hope to be proven wrong on this one. Those who want to accuse me of some agenda etc, remember, this was double blind.[/rant] 2005 Pride Cabernet Sauvignon Vintners Reserve Purple, moderate nose of chocolate, cassis, blackberry, snickers bars, oak spice and vanillin. Full body, high complexity, moderate acidity and tannin with a long finish. Chocolate, oak spice, vanillin, cassis and graphite. 91pts. (My guess 2004 Napa Cab.) Group 2nd WOTF 2005 Fabre Montmayeu Malbec Mendoza Opaque purple, moderate nose of alcohol, Welch’s grape juice, chocolate syrup, dried red fruits and acetone. Full body, medium complexity, acidity and tannin. Licorice whips, smoke, vanillin, black raspberry and baked strawberry. Out of balance. 83pts. (My guess 2005 Garnacha from Campo de Borja, very Alto Moncaya like and not like Malbec at all) 2000 Chateau Gruaud Larose Opaque purple, moderate nose of cedar, tobacco, cassis, blackberry, vanillin and dry earth. Full body, high complexity, medium acidity and medium plus tannin. Slightly backwards with damp earth, herbs leaf, coffee grounds, cedar, tobacco, blackberry, smoke and vanillin. 94pts (My guess 2000 from the Margaux region) My WOTF 2005 Switchback Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Opaque ruby-purple with a powerful nose of chocolate covered cherries, blackberry, baking spices and vanillin. Full body, medium complexity, acidity and medium plus tannin. Apparent alcohol with a palate that matched with deep, dark, concentrated black fruit. 89pts. (My guess 2004 Napa Foley project) 2000 Drinkward Peschon Cabernet Sauvignon Opaque purple, moderate nose of roasted coffee, cassis, chocolate, pencil shavings and vanillin. Full body, high complexity, medium acidity and tannin. Cocoa, pencil shavings, blackberry, plum and light leather. Balanced an drinking really well. A shock for me when unveiled though even on retaste this lived up. 91pts (My guess 2002 Napa Cab) 2003 Harlan Estate Opaque purple, moderate dumb nose of blackberry, pencil shavings, chocolate, baking spice and espresso roast. Full body, high complexity though once again kind of in a seemingly dumb phase with moderate acidity and high ripe tannins. Palate matched, this wine really excelled in the texture of the palate, though aromatically it was dumb. A shock when it was unveiled since no one voted for it(though it was the last wine and most were distracted at this point with both palate fatigue and enjoying the company. I know Rick and I both thought highly of it.) Having had this on one other occasion where it was also double blind I rated it a few points higher, but it was aromatically a lot more open. That or all wine just tastes better in Hawaii 92pts. (Didn’t guess, distracted)

Winetex

Austin, Texas

Master of Wine
Posts:10573

12/31/2007 9:55 AM
Nice tasting Rickym13 - but you Alohaj are mostly an old world kinda guy. I associate "snickers bar" flavors with cabs, mostly R. Foley wines but as I found last night it can be present in other wines. We opened a 2004 Numanthia Termes and my husband's first comment was "snickers bar". Not a bad thing but pretty distinct.

jaimetown

DC area

Wine Bottler
Posts:3411

12/31/2007 10:21 AM
Jason, very interesting points about Quilceda Creek - I really enjoyed the 1998 and the 1999 vintages of the wine, and I have yet to taste any 2002 or beyond vintages of this. Has there been a style change there?

rickym13

los angeles

Wine Thief
Posts:2790

12/31/2007 11:11 AM
thanks for the note jason! that was lots of fun but i was little sluggish the next day ;) fred and arnold didn't leave til 4:30 am! the bv tapestry was '01 instead of '04

love_cab_chard User is Offline

Master of Wine
Posts:12352

12/31/2007 11:44 AM
I am with you, Jason. Schild seems to be popular on this site & a popular wine in retail. It does nothing for me. A decent bottle I thought is all. I was never a big Opus fan either. And, Tapestry not the same since 1997 (imo).

jason

Napa Valley

Wine Addict
Posts:6829

12/31/2007 12:21 PM
Rick, I would of liked to have stayed longer but with the half hour drive I figured I better leave then or end up on your couch for the night. Thanks again. Fixed the BV vintage.

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