Monthly blind tasting lunch notes:
2012 Dom. Tempier Bandol (blanc) – very surprised to see this as it never seems to make it into our market at all. Went all around the place trying to think what it could be – pale yellow colour, stone fruit and slight grassy note and a fairly dry nutty finish. Good. Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Grenache blanc.
2012 Moreau Le Clos Chablis Grand Cru – some colour, classic nose with slightly riper than usual notes, lots of mineral and citrus, good body, crisp finish.
2006 Dauvissat Camus Chablis 1er cru La Forest – bit more colour and an interesting nose with ripe and toasty notes, smooth on palate and clean finish.
2009 Reynvaan Syrah ‘In the Rocks’ Vineyard – this is another one we never see, from Washington State. Pretty inky colour, with an obviously syrah nose, but lifted somewhat, no doubt by the added Viognier. Well balanced wine with good flavour intensity. I definitely got the impression that it was very early days yet for this one, but it drinks so well now it might be hard fro those with less fortitude than I to keep their hands of it!
2001 Fontodi Chianti Classico – a complete turnabout switch to this wine. Red fruit and earthiness in this nose, and a good clean acidic backbone. At peak now.
2004 Boudreaux Cabernet Sauvignon – no, not ‘Bordeaux’, Boudreaux – winemaker from Louisiana making wine near Leavenworth Washington, home of the local German subculture – very cosmopolitan. The nose was a bit musty and indeterminate in origin and I found it pretty hard to identify this as a cabernet, which is never a good thing. Bit hot and ripe, cherry in the nose, not my cup of plonk, but OK.
1999 Dom. Tempier Bandol La Migoua – we rarely see this Bandol producer at our lunches, although I have been sneaking out my stash of early 1990s vintages over the years, and what were the odds of two people independently bringing two bottles at the same lunch, much less in the same year? I have tasted these wines quite a bit and am used to a Mourvedre funkiness to the nose in early and middle age, but this one defied that and showed an almost Bordeaux nose! A bit of garrigue did creep in after airing and the wine showed good concentration, with lots of soft tannin and good length. No rush. Much better than the faded 1993 vintage I brought to the previous event.
1991 Flora Springs Trilogy – from my cellar, this claret blend from this St. Helena winery was merlot, cab and cab franc back then (they’ve since added other Bordeaux varietals). Medium colour, big sweet red fruit nose, soft tannin, may be drying at the end a bit – getting along and perhaps better a few years ago, but still presentable.
1997 Turley Zinfandel Black Sears Vd. – had this in the cellar, one of the top scores RP ever gave a Turley (ranged between 96 and 99 depending on when you looked) which didn’t necessarily bode well as I prefer the Turleys that are not in-your-face enough to garner big Bobpoints, but figured what the heck, might as well pop it. Hot nose (17% alcohol) and very ripe, with massive blackberry/blueberry notes, tons of fruit (can’t understand notes I’ve seen about this wine losing fruit – this bottle sure hadn’t). Not my style of wine, more a ‘shock and awe’ style that appeals to a lot of new wine fanciers that are not yet (and may never be) into subtlety. I’d asked for it to be served last and indeed it did go well with cheese.
2006 Luna di Luna Luna Vineyard Mille Baci Pinot Grigio – this Napa winery produced this botrytized PG – started at 38% RS ended at 15% and gives a bouquet with significant ripeness. Medium amber, sweet in the mouth and not much flavour differentiation, but balanced and pleasant.
