- Another great get together with wine geeks in the Twin Cities. It is amazing that more wine drinkers don’t get together instead of paying someone $65.00 for six modest Pinot Noirs. Dinner was only $80.00 at the Kenwood plus a nice bottle which equals for 3.5 hours of enjoyment. Contact me to get involved in the wine dinner scene.
Champagne Flight
- NV Philippe Prié Champagne Tradition Brut – France, Champagne
Very nice featuring lemon, spice, orange peel and chalk. Very refreshing and good acidity. A solid value. (91 pts.) - 2008 Deutz Champagne Blanc de Blancs – France, Champagne
Light style. Shells, apple, pear and minerals. Short to medium finish. I would hold these and see if it comes around. (90 pts.)
White Flight
- 2014 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Always a solid. Rich wine featuring lemon, spice, floral, burnt toast and mild oak. Complex wine and medium plus finish. Should drink well for 5 plus years. (93 pts.) - 2015 Lillian Winery Roussanne – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Unique wine. Intense with minerals, lemon zest, floral, honeysuckles and minerals. Won’t think this is a Northern Rhone but an interesting wine and would love to try this again in a smaller group. 92+ (92 pts.)
Pinot Noir Flight
- 2012 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Ceras – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Others like this more than I did. No Pinot character here. Spice, pine tar, dense fruit and chalk. Clunky wine. (87 pts.) - 2012 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Old Vines Summa – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Big style Pinot but enjoyable. Strawberry, floral, rose petals and earth. Medium plus finish. For sure some ripeness here. (91 pts.) - 2013 Brick House Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais Ribbon Ridge – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
This evolved in the glass. Up front a ton of cinnamon overload. 15 minutes later a much better wine that featured spice, mild funk, forest floor and sour cherries. Medium finish. Hold this for a few years. (92 pts.)
CDP
- 2000 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Top 3 wine! Garrique, funk, stone, spices and earth. Featuring raspberries and cherry. Very balanced and drinking well. Medium plus finish. Got some likes at the tasting. (94 pts.)
Bordeaux Flight
- 2000 Château Cantemerle – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Some funk, spice, light fruits and earth. Lacks concentration and personality. Short to medium finish. (87 pts.) - 1998 Château Smith Haut Lafitte – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Boring and weak wine. Earth, water chestnuts, muted fruit and tobacco. This lacks concentration and is past peak. Consume immediately. (88 pts.) - 2001 Château Gazin Pomerol – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Excellent! 3rd best wine at the tasting. Funk, tobacco, gravel, chestnuts and cherry. Really good concentration and medium plus finish. Still young and a decade plus of enjoyment. (93 pts.)
Ending Flight
- 2011 Bernard Magrez Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley
Port like. Blackberries, blueberries, coffee beans and earth. Medium to long finish. Will revisit day 2. I like the wine but could see where others would find it unbalanced.
Day 2: Big style. Certainly not going to find balance but tasty nonetheless. (91 pts.) - 2010 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah In the Rocks – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
This wine was unfortunately at the end of the tasting but the star. Finished a glass at home. Holly Cow!!! White pepper, stone, blueberries, cherry, dust, black olives and earth. Concentrated and long finish. This is a top 10 for sure for 2020! Cheaper than Cayuse and is as good! Wow!
Day 2: Not as good. Lost the intensity. This is a consume on day 1. (95 pts.)