Friday night Fred hosted our local monthly tasting group, theme was Pinot Noir. We don't neccessarily serve dinner, just cheese and charcuterie, but this time Fred prepared beef fondue. Fun way to spend the evening.
Wines were served blind:
#1 Fred. Lighter style Pinot, though some hard tannins in background. Slight weediness, light raspberry fruit. A little short on finish. I correctly guess Loire PN, though I thought maybe Reuilly. Of course, part of guessing is social engineering - Fred loves Loire. I'm surprised at vintage, this was a bit underripe.2003 Domaine Huards Cheverny (actually 80% PN, 20% Gamay Fred says). B-/C+
#2 Dave. Very ripe cherries, some earth, hint of vanilla, fairly light. A bit short. Guesses are centered on Southern Hemisphere, but I think it's warm climate but not New World. I throw out France, probably south, to be contrary. 2004 Reflection Pinot Noir (VdP, I think d'Oc). B-
#3 Dale. I brought this one, so no guesses. Pretty bright black raspberry and cherry fruit, medium-bodied, good length. Some maturing aromas of damp earth and leather,but fruit is young and bright. Table knows me, so no surprise they guess Burgundy. This is proof that not only top wines did well in the vintage, the 1993 Mongeard-Mugneret "Les Narbantons" Savigny-les-Beaune 1er. A-/B+
#4 Roger. There's some oak here, but well integrated. Medium body, red berry and plums, fresh, nice. Table quickly gets NZ, but that's because we saw the screwcap. 2005 Whitehaven Pinot Noir . B+
#5 Marc. This is lovely, just lovely. Pretty red fruit but with a hint of cassis, a bit of spice, bigger PN but prefectly in balance. I get this one, because Marc has served to me before (I actually have a bottle he gave me for birthday, yippee). The 1994 Saintsbury Reserve (Carneros). A-
#6 Antoine. Very ripe, blowsy cherry fruit with some mushroom aromas. But good length. I'd guess New World except Antoine brought it, and the French guys always bring French wine (Marc is Belgian). So I go with 2003 Burgundy. Nope, 2004 Ragot Givry. B/B-
#7 Rob. No guesses on this one, as paper slips as Dave is pouring and I see label. Hopefully I would have gotten CA- big ripe muscular PN, with big black cherry fruit and a big dose of vanillay oak. Not really a dinner wine, but I'm done eating and find it ok for dessert. 2002 Harmonique Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley). B
#8 Alex. Darker fruit than most wines tonight, very earthy, a tad leathery. Some tannins remaining, good acidity. I guess '96 Cotes de Nuit, and even say it reminds me of Gevrey. Off on vintage, it's the
1999 Olivier Guyot "Champeaux " Gevrey-Chambertin 1er. B+/A-# 9. Dale. I removed the capsule of the Savigny when I wrapped, there was a little bead of seepage. To be on safe side I brought a backup PN. Thought the Savigny was fine I opened anyway, as we had no Oregon. This wasn't blind. I think most people enjoyed the 2000 St. Innocent "Seven Springs" Pinot Noir quite a bit. More open than I expected, nicely spicy, some sandalwood aromas. Good red berry fruit, I had planned on opening this in a few years (just grabbed first thing I saw going out door), but actually very nice right now. B+
Fun night with the guys. One of my best guessing nights, but I confess that I probably would have already known Fred was most likely to bring a Loire, Antoine and Alex would bring Burgundies, Marc owns some mid-90s Saintsburies, saw Roger's screwcap, etc. But it still feels good to occasionally do well!
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