Mark hosted SOBER last night, and put forth an interesting theme. He told us every flight pair involved a couple of wines, one of which could have been bottled as the other. Ok!
He provided a nice spread of cheeses, meats, and shrimp and then a main course of lemon-accented lamb stew.
He had asked everyone to bring a Champagne glass, a white wine glass, and 4 red wine glasses. As a warmup, he served the wine #1. the Mumm de Cramant Champagne, with everyone getting pours in both their flute and white wine glass, to compare. If I had known the plan, I would have brought a standard flute, but had brought my favorite Champagne stem, the Zalto Denk'Art (I only have the one, thanks Emily). I like it because it seems to have the best features of a flute and a standard stem, no surprise I preferred it. But actually the majority of the table favored their flutes to the white glasses- the white opened the nose well, but most seemed to prefer the flute for the palate (and as one said. " it's better for the bubbles- and otherwise what's the point"). Nice bubbly, crisp but with a rather creamy texture, sweet apple fruit with just a hint of yeast. B+
(I'm just writing what I wrote at the time, somewhat embarrassing at points)
Wine #2- Sweet cab fruit, lead filings, tannic. Young and hard, everyone is in young Bdx. Not especially appealing, but more open than it's flightmate. B-
Wine # 3- tighter, more earthy, redder fruit. More of a sense of underlying complexity. B-/B
Turns out they're components of the same wine!
#2 2006 Brane Cantenac (Margaux) barrel sample in Slovenian oak.
#3 2006 Brane Cantenac in French oak
OK, got us good.
Next flight also got quickly narrowed to young Bordeaux
Wine #4- Sweet fruit, lush texture, earth and oak. A bit of tobacco. I like this, though some others don't. B+
Wine #5- Also sweet fruit, I think a bit shorter on finish, pleasant but not compelling. B/B-
#4 2004 Ch.Palmer (Margaux)
#5 X1Xth Century Blend by Palmer (experiment with 15% Hermitage added )
Next we did a flight, were told that 6 & 7 are paired, as are 8 & 9
Wine #6- from cherries and earth on nose I thought this was Burgundy, but group settles on claret again. Herbs and tobacco over red fruit, delicate, maybe a tad past its prime. I'm still not totally convinced it's Bdx, but with Mark's parameters I guess it is, since #7 is pretty clearly claret. B
Wine #7- more vigorous, red berries and currants, licorice, cigarbox, maybe just a hint of barnyard. Earthy delicious a pointe claret. A-
Wine #8- dense tannic and sweet, black berry fruit, herbs, I'm thinking modern Cote Rotie. John says he gets a marijuana note, between that and knowing Mark's cellar guesses Thackrey. B+
Wine #9- pretty similar, more spicy than herby, I prefer # 8 by a hair. B+/B
#6 1979 Ch. du Tertre (Margaux)- 1/2 a magnum, decanted few hours
#7 1979 Ch. du Tertre -other half, put into a bottle and then re-corked
# 8 1995 Sean Thackrey “Orion” 1/2 a magnum, decanted few hours
#9 1995 Sean Thackrey “Orion”-other half, put into a bottle and then re-corked
Got us!
(next flight was out of order, based on Mark's feeling of which needed more air, I'm sticking to numbers on decanters)
Wine #12- some tannins, sweet ripe red fruit, a little earth. B/B+
Wine #13 - floral nose, big berry fruit, earth and a little sweat. I also wrote tar, but I think that was after a couple people had declared them to be Barolo (close). Structured but quite nice now, although some others think in awkward stage. A-/A
# 12 1990 Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva (red label)
#13 1990 Giacosa Barbaresco Santa Stefano Riserva (red label)
Last flight
Wine #10- cassis and some tannin, fairly acidic, somewhat run of the mill Bdx. B
Wine #11- really tannic, some cassis and blackberry fruit, big but doesn't seem that concentrated (I'm shocked when revealed),. young but not especially going anywhere. B
#10 1986 Clos du Marquis (St Julien)
#11 1986 Ch. Leoville Las Cases (St Julien)
Fun night, even if I got fooled some (ok, most) of the time! Thanks Mark.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.