Tuesday, July 12
My brother grilled up some steaks and tasted 4 wines blind. Always a humbling experience.
Great flight of blind wines with 2 not showing as well next day but always fun to do blind tastings.
- 2020 Morgen Long Chardonnay – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Day 1: 2nd glass was better and it opened up. Lemon, chalk, spice, subtle oak and stone orchard fruit. Medium finish and good acidity. 92 points
Day 2: A bit more vibrant on day 2. Shells, lemon, chalk, spice, stone orchard fruit, a hint of grapefruit and a touch of oak. Excellent showing. 92+
Recommendation: This is a no brainer purchase and proving once again the best Chardonnays from the US are from Oregon especially for the money. (92 pts.)
- 2015 Eight Bells Cabernet Sauvignon David’s Block Red Willow Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
Day 1: Glasvin Universal Stem. This was served blind and my guess was Sryah from Washington. Medium purple with cherry, spice, a hint of cinnamon, dust, blueberries with a rustic finish. (glass closure) 91 points
Day 2: Non blind. This is a wine that did not improve on day 2. Muted fruit, earth and lost in the intensity of day 1. 85 points
Recommendation: Drink this over the next few years and maybe an hour decant. (91 pts.)
- 2017 JB Neufeld Cabernet Sauvignon Two Blondes Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
Day 1: Glasvin Universal. Tasted blind. I thought this was a bit tight on day 1 and was good but not showing full potential. Dark purple. Tart berries, leather, earth, mushrooms and mild oak. My least favorite wine on day 1. 90 points
Day 2: A dusty rustic edge to it but the fruit is more present. Cherry, blue fruits, earth, leather, minerals and oak. This wine needs some time. 91-93 points
Recommendation: Promising wine that needs time. This is not a pop and pour type wine. Hold until 2025. (91 pts.)
- 2017 Domaine de Fontavin Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Empire – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Day 1: Glasvin Universal. This did not taste like a traditional CDP blind. Cherry, blueberries, spice, dark chocolate and minerals. Medium plus finish and concentrated. MY favorite of the 4 wines tasted. 93 points
Day 2: More rustic on day 2 with a heavy spice element up front. red currants, floral and minerals. More CDP like but more modern in style. A nice value for under $30. 92 points
Recommendation: Not traditional CDP but tasty. (93 pts.)
- 2015 Château Godeau Ducarpe – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Day 1: Blind. This was the easiest wine to detect and it was easy to guess Bordeaux. Mushroom, tobacco, earth, gravel and red currants. Very tasting and showing extremely well right now. 92 points
Day 2: A little less intense so this lost some of its character from day 1 but has the tobacco, mushroom and red currants. Finish is a little weaker however. 89 points
Recommendation: Drink now and on day 1. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker